Grapevine: Forensic Science Enters the Realm of the Vineyard
“Thieves Plunder Californian Vineyard.” This is a headline I came across last week and it immediately piqued my curiosity. I’ve read about other incidents of stolen grapes in other countries (notably France), however, this incident was (somewhat) closer to home and had a few twists.
Here’s my synopsis of the news story as reported in the Contra Costa Times: A fourth generation farmer in Oakley (northeast of San Francisco and south of Napa Valley) reported that thieves stripped and carted away the grapes from 81 plants in his vineyard. He startled them but they sped away in a pickup truck. The farmer, Stan Planchon, estimated the thieves absconded with about 1,200 pounds of grapes.
Several detailed facts in the article seemed questionable and led me to speculate about the underlying premise of the story. Allow me to present a fictional dialogue analyzing the components of this news story.
Presenting all factual information, I’ll appoint a trustworthy news broadcaster, who has a reputation for (mostly) unbiased reporting: Brian Williams, the current poster child for telling-the-facts-with-no-subjectivity-attached broadcasting. Presenting the forensic viewpoint, in true CSI fashion, I’ll appoint an individual of utmost reputation: Sherlock Holmes. You can provide your own visuals from the media; the houndstooth-capped Basil Rathbone personification, the disheveled Robert Downey Jr. personification of a brilliant but slightly unbalanced investigator, or any of the other 72 actors who have portrayed Holmes in movies, television, radio and theater.
BW: Mr. Planchon said he drove down and found two vehicles apparently being used by the grape thieves and was able to park his truck to block one of them.
SH: I find it strange that the blocked vehicle, which incidentally was a pickup truck with sufficient capacity to hold the stolen grapes, was able to escape when blocked by Mr. Planchon’s truck–and didn’t damage his truck or injure him. The second vehicle was abandoned. I’ve learned that it happened to be covered in gasoline and was riddled with bullet holes. Police have verified that this vehicle was stolen in Antioch, Calif., 400 miles south of Oakley. This all sounds a bit peculiar to me, my dear Mr. Williams.
BW: Mr. Planchon, 90 years old, farms a well-known vineyard that dates to the early 19th century. He sells his grapes to Rosenblum Cellars, a highly regarded producer of Zinfandel wines.
SH: No other thefts have been reported recently in the specific or broader area of Oakley. Why did the thieves single out this prized crop? How were they aware of its value and desirability? How did they maneuver through the vineyard, seemingly aided only by flashlights, accumulating nearly 3,000 clusters of grapes?
BW: Mr. Planchon estimates the haul was worth approximately $1,500.
SH: Perhaps. Zinfandel grapes ripen later than other varieties. Given the weather conditions I’ve researched for the 2012 growing season, it is reasonable to assume that grapes on the vine in August are two weeks–or more–from achieving the desired level of ripeness to achieve a high market value. A certified winery would be aware of this, making the unripened grapes virtually unsalable, even in the black market.
BW: The vehicle that escaped had no apparent grape harvesting equipment on board or left behind in the vineyard.
SH: It would be difficult to harvest nearly 3,000 clusters manually in a short period of time. Not only that, but, using my powers of observation, I’ve been able to deduce that Mr. Planchon had built a fence around his vineyard, which was the only fenced-in vineyard in the surrounding region. Oh yes, the fence was six feet tall, making it quite difficult to maneuver sufficiently to carry off 1,200 pounds of contraband.
BW: No suspects have been identified. Anyone with information on the crime can call county dispatchers at 925-646-2441
SH: Hmm, my dear Williams, could this possibly be an inside job? Perpetrated by a disgruntled employee? Drunk workers? An insurance fraud? Mind you, Williams, this is speculation at the moment. I must continue my investigation in earnest. I will report back to you at an appropriate interval.
Nick Antonaccio is a 35-year Pleasantville resident. For over 15 years he has conducted wine tastings and lectures. He is co-host of “Glass Up, Glass Down,” a local cable television series on wine and food; he also offers personalized wine tastings and wine travel services. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com or on Twitter @sharingwine.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.
