48 Hours: Super Bold Sunday
Super Bowl Sunday has always offered an excuse to party. And while swilling beer might play in Peoria, its more likely to be Abreu in Atherton.
But Silicon Valley is on edge...there is a super bold bandit on the loose. And he does not want jewelry, cash or bearer bonds. This connoisseur is after the good stuff...first-growth bordeaux and cult cabs.
It begs the question...how do you spirit bulky cases of wine away? Many white collar criminals have toys at their disposal...perhaps this burgular had an idling Bentley or a fully fueled G5 ready to go:
February 2, 2007
Daniel Sogg
A theft from the cellar in a private home of 440 bottles of rare and expensive wines, including a magnum of 1959 Château Pétrus, has shaken wine collectors in the exclusive Silicon Valley enclave of Atherton, south of San Francisco.
The theft was discovered on Jan. 4. According to local police, the thief or thieves cleared the cellar of all but a few bottles of lesser value, possibly while the residents were on vacation. Only wine was taken. A search of Wine Spectator auction records indicates that the stolen wines may be worth about $120,000 in today’s market.
The Pétrus was the oldest and potentially most valuable wine on the list, with a current value of about $7,000. Other large-format bottles taken in the heist included 1982 Haut-Brion, 1959 Beychevelle and 2002 Peter Michael Les Pavots. Most of the collection was classified growth Bordeaux--more than 100 bottles of 1982s were reported stolen, including Mouton, Latour, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Haut-Brion and Pichon-Lalande. High-end California Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, primarily from Peter Michael winery and Kistler, were also taken, as well as an assortment of California Cabernets.
Wine Spectator has learned that the burglarized home belongs to a prominent Silicon Valley entrepreneur, who asked not to be identified because he is concerned about the security of his home and family. “Certain bottles have a lot of memories for me. Some of them were birthday gifts. I’d just like to get the wines back,” he said. Read more at the Wine Spectator
We have an alternative for 94027 .. you won’t have to sell Cisco (CSCO-NASDAQ) to drink Cisco
Just pace yourself...or you might pass out by halftime
FOR RELEASE: MARCH 12, 1991
CANANDAIGUA WINE CO. AGREES TO ADVERTISING, PACKAGING CHANGES
FOR CISCO FORTIFIED WINE
TO SETTLE FTC CHARGES
The maker of Cisco, a flavored wine product that contains as
much alcohol as five one-ounce servings of vodka, has agreed to
settle charges with the Federal Trade Commission that the packag-
ing, marketing and advertising of Cisco represent the product as
a wine cooler or other low-alcohol, single-serving drink, and
that this has led to cases of alcohol poisoning where victims
required hospital emergency care.
Federal Trade Commission
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The content contained in this blog represents the opinions of 1440 Wall Street. This commentary in no way constitutes a solicitation of business or investment advice. It is intended solely for the entertainment of the reader, and the author. Underthecounter has no positions in any securities mentioned
48 Hours: 12 Litres on Spring Street
Curbed/ photo by Noah Kalina
Bal-tha-zar- a wine bottle holding 13 qt (12.3 litres)
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Editors note: Enjoying a lazy weekend contemplating your next move?
Pop a cork with Chef Red...while his bachelor’s degree might be the equivalent of a union card in NYC’s competitive rat race, we are more than impressed by his degree from the Culinary Institute of America...which is not to be confused with one of Career Education’s (CECO-NASDAQ) diploma mills.
“It’s the best culinary school in the world.”
Paul Bocuse, world-renowned French chef
Chef Red spent nearly a decade in NYC, but now logs 70 hours a week satisfying the culinary needs of Fairfield county’s big Wall Street hitters...and decamps to the city now and again to let others serve him in style.
Heading to the City for a conference? Just need to get out of the ‘burbs?
Red just made a pit stop at Balthazar Restaurant
Maybe you should too…
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It is is nice to know that some things don’t change.
On a recent Saturday afternoon in Soho, champagne and oysters were just what the doctor ordered. Balthazar was humming with the energy you would expect from Keith McNally’s Paris Bistro at 80 Spring Street.
SRO is the norm for a late lunch alongside euros and wannabes. Have a drink (or two) at the bar as you will most likely have to wait for a table as we did. Start with west coast or Malpeque oysters and you won’t be disappointed $14/half doz. Other classic appetizers are the onion soup (almost as good as mine) with a nice gruyere crust or the roasted beet salad with leeks, haricots verts & walnuts.
For entree’s try the moules frites (ask for a side of béarnaise for the frites), the steak frites, duck sheperds pie or the chicken paillard. The food is solid French bistro with bustling New York atmosphere.
It was also reassuring to experience the “food auction”...when the food runner unfamiliar with the positions of the food presents an armful of plates and calls each one out “steak frites?” and each guest responds with an enthusiastic – me! It happened at every course I thought that only still happened in the service starved CT suburbs.
Definitely worth a visit on a lazy weekend day for the champagne and the view. It’s afternoons like these that make me miss New York City the most . . . .
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Looking for a epic Super Bowl dish?
Big Hitters
We will wrap up our Barrrett-Jackson coverage with legends in pinstripes...
Mr. October electrified the assembled throngs at the Barrett-Jackson automobile auction this past weekend, even throwing in a few baseball bats gratis to anyone willing to pay up for his 1969 Chevrolet ZL-1 COPO Camaro.
The car brought $800,000...roughly equal to $5,755 for every strike out Alex Rodriguez had last season
But Reggie was not the only big hitter in the crowd
Classic Vintage: 1985 Bears
It would seem that half of the world wants to get into the hedge fund business
The other half wants to get in the wine biz
Porn star Savanna Samson’s wine was nice...and we are looking forward to trying Mike Ditka’s wines
2004 Mike Ditka Kick Ass Red
Produced by the Mendocino Wine Co. in California, this red had a plummy color and a briny aroma rife with notes of cherry and ripe berries. A fruity easy drinker, the wine still managed to pump some tannic muscle for structure. $50
Celebrity sells, whether it’s a new book, a line of percale sheets or a stack of non-stick skillets. Star power works with wine as well, as former Bears coach Mike Ditka is learning with his new line of wines. More than 800 people turned out at the Binny’s Beverage Depot in Highland Park recently to have their bottles signed by “Da Coach.”
“We had to cut off the line almost as soon as [Ditka] got there,” said Doug Jeffirs, Binny’s wine director. “And he came an hour early and stayed an hour late.” Chicago Tribune via 7 Cities Wine & Dine
Put on your dancing shoes...with the ‘85 Bears
