Vandalism: 62,600 liters of Tuscan wine down the drain

In a wine lover's nightmare, the equivalent of 85,000 bottles of quality Soldera Tuscan wine was literally washed down the drain after criminals broke into the wine cellar. The owner believes he is being threatened. 

It happened on the night between Sunday, December 2 and Monday, December 3.

According to a press release on the winery's website, unknown people broke into the cellar at Case Basse. 

They did not steal a single bottle, but in "an extremely serious act of deliberate criminal vandalism for the whole area, they opened the valves of 10 barrels of 6 vintages of future Brunello di Montalcino: 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2010 - 2011 - 2012." 

The winery reports losses amounting to 62,600 liters of Brunello, resulting in considerable economic damage. The wine that ran down the drain could have a retail value of $21 million, a huge financial loss for the owner Gianfranco Soldera and his family. 

Soldera says he cannot imagine why anyone would do such a thing. According to Mauro Soldera, Gianfranco's son, he and his family have never received any threats, but he believes that this is, "a true act of the mafia."

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/338475