Where is the wine? A big question still unanswered after the theft of 45 special bottles from the Atrio de Cáceres hotel-restaurant. The couple was arrested in Croatia this week, following a tense investigation by the National Police, who believe the man, a seasoned thief and wine expert, already knows who should claim the stolen loot.
The two renowned sommeliers known to Efe and one of Spain’s most important private wine collectors align with the police theories and go further. They point to Mexico, Venezuela, and Asian countries as potential destinations for Atrio’s wines, suspecting that private millionaires driven by arrogance are eager to show friends or clients that they possess bottles impossible to find on the market.
I think Rafael Ansón, the former president of the Royal Spanish Academy of Gastronomy and a major private wine collector, and a strong supporter of haute cuisine, believes the robbery at the two Michelin-starred restaurant run by Toño Pérez and José Polo was commissioned. “It appears someone had seen the bottles before and had them stolen.” At least 45 pieces worth 1.6 million euros, including a Chateau d’Yquem 1806 valued at 310,000 euros.
With him on the scene are two travel bags and a backpack. Constantine Gabriel Dumitru, 48, Romanian-born with a Dutch passport, and Priscilla Lara Guevara, a 28-year-old former Mexican woman, calmly walked out of the two-Michelin-starred venue in the early hours of October 27. Montrachet Grand Cru 1999 Magnum valued at 25,500 euros and 38 copies of Romanee Conti, offered at 12,000 euros each in the catalog.
The bottles are exceptionally difficult to place, described as very special, according to David Robledo, manager of the Allard Group and recipient of the National Gastronomy Award for Best Sommelier in Spain. He could not believe how so many bottles were carried out in backpacks so easily and worried about their condition. He even suggested they might be stored in a secret location after being commissioned by some eccentric figure.
Rafael Sandoval, the sommelier at Coque, points to Venezuela and Mexico. Even to Efe this week, a Mexican client with a passion for wine and exclusivity offered him a blank check for the treasure, including Trafalgar carboy from 1805. There are people who want what no one has, Sandoval notes, explaining that Romanée Conti is the most valuable asset in the supercollection market. It is reported that 38 copies were purchased from Atrio.
According to Ansón, buyers on the black market for wine are typically individuals or businesses seeking to dazzle friends or clients with bottles that even the producers do not keep on hand. He adds that there were more such items in Russia before, but now many are in Asia, a claim echoed by the Iberoamerican Academy of Gastronomy’s president. Three wine enthusiasts say returning Atrio bottles to their cellars will be tough, but police continue to work to recover them. From that point on, it is a case of continued investigation as authorities press to bring the thieves to justice, a situation described by the lead investigator from the Burglary Theft Group of the Specialized and Violent Crime Center Unit in Madrid, working with Cáceres investigators. There is no perfect robbery, and sooner or later the thief will be found.
The wine is proving elusive; not a single drop has been recovered so far, and police remain on the case as detainees are transported to Spain and brought before the Cáceres court in the coming days for disposition of the matter. The investigation continues as authorities seek to locate and recover the prized collection once more, with the goal of returning it to Atrio’s cellar and preserving its legacy, as noted by multiple industry insiders and law enforcement officials. [Attribution: National Police; Iberoamerican Academy of Gastronomy; Allard Group; Coque restaurant; Atrio de Cáceres; Cáceres court records]