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Shadows in the Vineyard: The True Story of the Plot to Poison the World's Greatest Wine Hardcover – July 29, 2014
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"A gripping crime drama more creative than most procedurals, and Potter does excellent working in fleshing out both the involved players and the historical context of the Burgundy region and its oenophiles."—The Daily Beast
"[Potter] places the crime in a broad, rich, historical and cultural context that is engaging"—USA Today
"Inspired by a daring crime that a lesser writer might reduce to police procedural, Maximillian Potter has opened a portal into a fabled world unknown to outsiders. The story he so compellingly recounts in SHADOWS IN THE VINEYARD breathes, like the hallowed wine at its heart, with life and history and wonder."—Benjamin Wallace, author of The Billionaire's Vinegar
"Aubert de Villaine is the legend behind the legend. DRC is the most celebrated wine on the planet and the place where the alchemy of the soul of the earth, combined with the elements, as well as the knowledge and wisdom of craftsmen, are united to create this magical nectar. But out of nowhere, the dark side interfered and this inconceivable thriller began. This riveting story, where good ultimately triumphs, instills a renewed appreciation of the Côte d'Or region, its people, and the passion that is the fortitude behind this incredible wine."—Eric Ripert, chef and co-owner, Le Bernardin, author of Avec Eric
"A gripping, real-life mystery and an intimate portrait of one of the world's great wine-makers as he battles the man bent on destroying five centuries of greatness. Maximillian Potter has always been an outstanding reporter and now he reveals the fascinating story of France's legendary vineyard, Domaine Romain Conti."—Michael Hainey, author of After Visiting Friends
"An arch-criminal clicks on his headlamp in his underground lair and instantly, you're hooked. SHADOWS IN THE VINEYARD is non-fiction at its nail-biting best, a literary true-crime thriller that plunges you into the manhunt to apprehend - and understand - a mysterious villain who set out to destroy the most treasured wines in the world. SHADOWS IN THE VINEYARD is so full of bizarre twists and one-of-a-kind characters that if you think you know what's coming next, just wait till you turn the page."—Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run
"Maximillian Potter has taken a sinister plot and woven an intriguing story around the most revered wine estate in the world with the most respected winemaker at its helm. Through this event he has painted a colorful tableau filled with fascinating historical evidence on why the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the terroir of Burgundy, and the culture of Burgundy, are among the most treasured and special sites on the planet. Bravo."—Daniel Boulud, James Beard Award-winning chef, and Daniel Johnnes, James Beard Award-winning sommelier
"A whodunit with a culprit worthy of a Woody Allen film, Potter's first book is a rich study of a cinematic crime and bona fide page-turner....Even the most devout teetotaler will have a hard time putting this one down."—Publishers Weekly (STARRED)
"[Potter] places the crime in a broad, rich, historical and cultural context that is engaging"—USA Today
"Inspired by a daring crime that a lesser writer might reduce to police procedural, Maximillian Potter has opened a portal into a fabled world unknown to outsiders. The story he so compellingly recounts in SHADOWS IN THE VINEYARD breathes, like the hallowed wine at its heart, with life and history and wonder."—Benjamin Wallace, author of The Billionaire's Vinegar
"Aubert de Villaine is the legend behind the legend. DRC is the most celebrated wine on the planet and the place where the alchemy of the soul of the earth, combined with the elements, as well as the knowledge and wisdom of craftsmen, are united to create this magical nectar. But out of nowhere, the dark side interfered and this inconceivable thriller began. This riveting story, where good ultimately triumphs, instills a renewed appreciation of the Côte d'Or region, its people, and the passion that is the fortitude behind this incredible wine."—Eric Ripert, chef and co-owner, Le Bernardin, author of Avec Eric
"A gripping, real-life mystery and an intimate portrait of one of the world's great wine-makers as he battles the man bent on destroying five centuries of greatness. Maximillian Potter has always been an outstanding reporter and now he reveals the fascinating story of France's legendary vineyard, Domaine Romain Conti."—Michael Hainey, author of After Visiting Friends
"An arch-criminal clicks on his headlamp in his underground lair and instantly, you're hooked. SHADOWS IN THE VINEYARD is non-fiction at its nail-biting best, a literary true-crime thriller that plunges you into the manhunt to apprehend - and understand - a mysterious villain who set out to destroy the most treasured wines in the world. SHADOWS IN THE VINEYARD is so full of bizarre twists and one-of-a-kind characters that if you think you know what's coming next, just wait till you turn the page."—Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run
"Maximillian Potter has taken a sinister plot and woven an intriguing story around the most revered wine estate in the world with the most respected winemaker at its helm. Through this event he has painted a colorful tableau filled with fascinating historical evidence on why the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the terroir of Burgundy, and the culture of Burgundy, are among the most treasured and special sites on the planet. Bravo."—Daniel Boulud, James Beard Award-winning chef, and Daniel Johnnes, James Beard Award-winning sommelier
"A whodunit with a culprit worthy of a Woody Allen film, Potter's first book is a rich study of a cinematic crime and bona fide page-turner....Even the most devout teetotaler will have a hard time putting this one down."—Publishers Weekly (STARRED)
About the Author
Maximillian Potter, an award-winning journalist, is the senior media adviser for the governor of Colorado. He was the executive editor of 5280: Denver's Magazine, and previously a staff writer at Premiere, Philadelphia, and GQ. He has been a contributing editor to Men's Health/Best Life and Details, and contributes to Vanity Fair. Potter is a native of Philadelphia, with a BA from Allegheny College and an MSJ from Northwestern University's Medill School. He lives in Denver with his wife and two sons.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By
TOM O'CONNOR
on August 7, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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I have been torn between my competing impulses of not being able to put "Shadows in the Vineyard" down and a contradictory desire to extend the time it takes for me to finish this book for as long as possible so as to prolong its enjoyment. The character development and imagery are incredibly vivid and seamlessly melded across time and geography. When you combine this with a love of historical writing and historical fiction as well as crime and mystery novels, "Shadows in the Vineyard" has accomplished at least a trifecta of everything that is dear to me in a book. Although this book is non-fiction, it reads like a novel and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By
R. Hardy
HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWER on August 13, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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There are plenty of true crime books out there. _Shadows in the Vineyard: The True Story of the Plot to Poison the World’s Greatest Wine _(Twelve) by Maximillian Potter tells the story, as the subtitle points out, of a unique crime, and one that after this book, readers will hope does not inspire copycats. The crime - pay me off or I will poison your vines - is related in less than half of the pages of Potter’s book, so if you just want a police procedural, look elsewhere. The other pages are about wine lore stretching back over the centuries and about the current family holdings and production status of the esteemed Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (known as the DRC in the business) in the Burgundy region. They aren’t filler; they help show wine culture, the importance of this particular vintage, and how horrifying the crime could have been. I know nothing about wines, slightly less than Potter did when he started investigating this story. He was a crime reporter, and true to the image, he had stuck to beer and whiskey. He learns plenty while working on this story, and has obviously enjoyed recounting the bizarre crime during the length of the book and the meandering but colorful asides throughout. Also, lucky fellow, he has gotten to enjoy the wines themselves.
The DRC would be a good target for extortion. It produces red wines that are regarded as the pinnacle of viniculture. Some of them can cost $10,000 a bottle. Jacques Soltys knew something about wine. He was a failed bank robber and kidnapper, and hatched the plot of kidnapping vines while he was in prison. One evening in January 2010 the Grand Monsieur of the DRC, the elderly Aubert de Villaine, found a ransom note along with a detailed map of the vines of the DRC.Read more ›
The DRC would be a good target for extortion. It produces red wines that are regarded as the pinnacle of viniculture. Some of them can cost $10,000 a bottle. Jacques Soltys knew something about wine. He was a failed bank robber and kidnapper, and hatched the plot of kidnapping vines while he was in prison. One evening in January 2010 the Grand Monsieur of the DRC, the elderly Aubert de Villaine, found a ransom note along with a detailed map of the vines of the DRC.Read more ›
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By
Carmine Rauso
on August 9, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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In his Acknowledgements, Potter shares that his goal was to "enthrall and inform" the reader, and he more than delivers on this promise. "Shadows in the Vineyard" instantly engages its audience, leaving the reader always wanting more. Potter masterfully weaves world politics, intrigue, vivid imagery, viticulture and oenology in what can only be described as a triumph. I found myself transported to another time and place, at times touched and overwhelmed with emotion, and always feeling completely immersed in the story. Highly recommended read, no matter your level of wine experience.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By
John D. Cofield
TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on August 8, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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Deep in the heart of Burgundy lies the Cote d'Or, where the finest French wines are produced, and in the heart of the Cote d'Or lies the legendary vineyard Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, where the very finest of the finest grapes are grown and made into the most renowned of wines. In 2010 an intricately detailed crime was committed against that vineyard that threatened to poison the vines and even the soil itself. Shadows in the Vineyard is the story of how that crime was planned and carried out, how it was revealed to the owners and winemakers, how the vines were saved, and how the perpetators were eventually tracked down. Maximillian Potter, who originally covered this story for a magazine article, has written a really spell binding account which not only recounts the crime and how it was dealt with, but also reveals much that I had previously not known about the industry of fine wine-making.
Potter recounts the history of the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and the rest of the Cote d'Or, beginning with the Romans and continuing through the Benedictine monasteries to the Prince de Conti, relative and rival of King Louis XV. The story of the finest wines is also the story of the families who produce them for generation after generation, of the soils in which the vines grow, and of the fragile plants themselves, which are hostage to extremes of heat and cold and prey to any number of insects and fungi. With this material as background, the reader better understands what was really at stake when the crime was committed and detected, and can admire the dedication of the vineyard master and workers as well as that of the French police who diligently traced and charged the perpetrator.Read more ›
Potter recounts the history of the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and the rest of the Cote d'Or, beginning with the Romans and continuing through the Benedictine monasteries to the Prince de Conti, relative and rival of King Louis XV. The story of the finest wines is also the story of the families who produce them for generation after generation, of the soils in which the vines grow, and of the fragile plants themselves, which are hostage to extremes of heat and cold and prey to any number of insects and fungi. With this material as background, the reader better understands what was really at stake when the crime was committed and detected, and can admire the dedication of the vineyard master and workers as well as that of the French police who diligently traced and charged the perpetrator.Read more ›
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By
Art Mirto
on August 9, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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It's not often you come across books that read as compelling, fictional accounts cast in the world of wine. Rarer still that such an account could be non-fiction and based, very accurately, on actual events. This is why this book is such a delight to read. Yes, Potter steeps us in the intoxicating atmosphere that is Burgundy, with the glowing tenor and timbre of anyone that has had the privilege to travel and spend some time there. But the real hook for me, as a wine lover and someone in the industry, was the realization that this whole story actually took place, building over centuries and culminating in the act of terroirism just a couple of years ago.
The novel reads as much a biographical account of Aubert de Villaine as it does a crime plot, which only endears itself to the reader. The language, whilst never technical, is technically accurate, and an immense educational exercise whether you're a novice or an expert. A wonderful book to read and just as others have already mentioned, a great gift for just about anyone, but especially those tuned in to wine.
The novel reads as much a biographical account of Aubert de Villaine as it does a crime plot, which only endears itself to the reader. The language, whilst never technical, is technically accurate, and an immense educational exercise whether you're a novice or an expert. A wonderful book to read and just as others have already mentioned, a great gift for just about anyone, but especially those tuned in to wine.
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