Special offer
Home > Blogs > Curtis Van Carter > from Yountville, the heart of the Napa Valley
bookmark_border

Napa Valley restaurant news: Yountville's French Laundry wine theft and Etoile's closing

By
Real Estate Agent with Better Homes & Gardens Wine Country Group DRE # 00770113

French Laundry, Yountville, Napa ValleyIf you are a big wine enthusiast as many are who live and visit here, then the following two stories may make you weep. The French Laundry was broken into on Christmas day and wine valued at between $275,000 and $300,000 was stolen. The reported loss includes 5 bottles of Screaming Eagle, approximately 60 bottles of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and a few more. Sophisticated thieves with a wine palate, what's this world coming to.

The thieve/s entered by prying open the front-door open and then forced their way into the wine cellar. The restaurant’s alarm system had not been activated.

Etoile

 

In other news, Étoile at Domaine Chandon, the first restaurant to provide fine dining here in the Napa Valley, will close after hosting its annual New Year’s Eve party Wednesday night.

Bistro Jeanty 2

 

 

Plans are to turn the space into an extension of the winery’s Tasting Lounge and an enhanced Club Chandon venue. The restaurant opened in 1973 with Udo Nechutnys  being the opening chef. When he left to open the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, Philippe Jeanty, a young chef from Épernay, France took over. Jeanty served as executive chef for two decades before opening Bistro Jeanty in Yountville.

Posted by

If I can help you find the perfect Napa Valley property, please contact me

Your Napa Valley Broker Extraordinaire, selling Real Estate here from its heart, Yountville

My website & blog: www.NapaValleyAddress.com

Comments (12)
Subscribe to CommentsComment

Submit
Show All Comments
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

Curtis Van Carter I would have never thought that wine was the better currency in Napa, but then nothing surprises me these days. The burglary sounds like an inside job.

Jan 04, 2015 01:29 AM
Robert Bob Gilbert
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties - Katy, TX
Your Katy TX ( West of Houston) Real Estate Expert

Curtis, 

The alarm at french launry was not set which is suspicious to me as how many thieves know expensive wine? I nsided job is my guess and they knew exactly where to find the expensive stuff.. Cheers my friend. 

Jan 04, 2015 02:15 AM
Elite Home Sales Team
Elite Home Sales Team OC - Corona del Mar, CA
A Tenacious and Skilled Real Estate Team

That is sad to hear.  Someone knew what they were doing when they stole the wine.

Jan 04, 2015 03:36 AM
Curtis Van Carter
Better Homes & Gardens Wine Country Group - Yountville, CA
Your Napa Valley Broker Extraordinaire

Hi

I suspect an inside job too but it is so mellow here, they were probably very laxed in setting the alarm. They took very specific wines for I have heard his cellar there holds thousands. cheers cvc

Jan 04, 2015 03:54 AM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Curtis,  I was not there, I had nothing to do with that wine missing.  Was it good wine?

Jan 04, 2015 03:58 AM
Curtis Van Carter
Better Homes & Gardens Wine Country Group - Yountville, CA
Your Napa Valley Broker Extraordinaire

Will

I figure out when we split the heist, we will finally truly know. Average retail price per bottle $4,000, maybe a bit more. cheers cvc

Jan 04, 2015 07:49 AM
Sharon Paxson
Sharon Paxson, Realtor® EQTY Forbes Global Properties - Newport Beach, CA
Newport Beach Real Estate

Hi Will - wow that is incredible that the alarm did not go off, and the thieves got away, hopefully there was video survellience. And too bad about the other restaurant closing. We recently had an amazing restaurant - The Ritz which was incredible and it was turned into offices.

Jan 04, 2015 08:18 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

What a shame about the robbery at The French Laundry.  I will never understand what makes someone turn to crime.

Jan 04, 2015 08:23 AM
Will Nesbitt
Nesbitt Realty at Condo Alexandria - Alexandria, VA
Nesbitt Realty is a family-run brokerage.

For the unstoppable name in Yountville, California Real Estate sales, try Coldwell Banker Broker Curtis Van Carter at 707.815.8584.

Jan 05, 2015 03:58 AM
Curtis Van Carter
Better Homes & Gardens Wine Country Group - Yountville, CA
Your Napa Valley Broker Extraordinaire

Will

thanks. If you ever get this way, I just came into some fabulous wine, cheap. cheers cvc :-))

Jan 05, 2015 04:14 AM
Yolanda Cordova-Gilbert
Richmond, TX

Curtis,

 I thought of you when I saw that when working out after Christmas...I once tasted screaming eagle it was good not sure I would have paid $189 for it and that was 10 years ago. I can only imagine what it costs now!

Jan 05, 2015 07:22 AM
Curtis Van Carter
Better Homes & Gardens Wine Country Group - Yountville, CA
Your Napa Valley Broker Extraordinaire

Yolanda

Tune in for my next post about this  breaks down more the prices. By the way, can we get together for I have come into some great wines cheap here. My pleasure to share. cheers cvc

Jan 05, 2015 11:34 AM
Back to Top

What's the reason you're reporting this blog entry?

Are you sure you want to report this blog entry as spam?