The Most Expensive Act of Wine Vandalism

In a shocking act of sabotage, a disgruntled employee emptied the entire reserve of a legendary Tuscan winery. Over 62,000 liters of rare, premium wine were poured down the drain, destroying years of meticulous work in a single night.

Case Basse was world-renowned for its perfectionist approach to making Brunello di Montalcino. The loss in 2012 wiped out six entire vintages of wine that were aging in barrels, worth millions of dollars. The vandal was a former worker who sought revenge against the winery owner. Despite the catastrophic loss, the estate managed to recover and continues to produce some of the most sought-after bottles in Italy today.