Shadows in the Vineyard

Starred review from June 23, 2014
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. Expanding on an article first published in Vanity Fair, Potter ushers readers into the Burgundy cellars of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, one of France’s most prestigious wineries, and introduces its proprietor, the humble Aubert de Villaine, as he outlines a plot to extort a million Euros from him. The author’s passion for his subject is palpable from the outset, as is his fondness for the troubled Villaine, particularly when he receives the first of three packages containing a detailed map of his winery and an ominous threat: some of the vines have been compromised. The race is on as Villaine receive more menacing missives, and the police attempt to head off the extortionist before centuries-old vines are irrevocably damaged. Potter does a terrific job of maintaining the story’s tension without losing his narrative thread. Digressions on the wine market and various viticultural techniques, as well as profiles of the police officers and the criminal they pursued, give the story depth and context. Even the most devout teetotaler will have a hard time putting this one down. Agents: Larry Weissman and Sascha Alper, Larry Weissman Literary.

July 1, 2014
True crime meets rare, expensive French wine.There's not much actual poison in the narrative. In reality, the plot involved just one sick mind attempting to extort ]1 million from one of the richest men in France. This book is much more a reflection of Potter's exposure to Burgundy on assignment for Vanity Fair in 2011. His first taste of the heady wine was a 1999 La Tache, which was worth hundreds of dollars per bottle. During his assignment, the author received personal guidance through the best wineries in the world by the vignerons, and he was shown the basic art of creating the "ghost in a glass." The real star of the book is Aubert de Villaine, the proprietor of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti. Growing up amid the vines, he produced wine of the greatest quality when others produced only quantity; he is the face and the driving force of Burgundy's heritage. Through his eyes, readers see the rich history of wine production in this fecund area of the world, which has consistently produced what have been the most expensive wines in France for almost 300 years. "At auction," writes the author, "a single bottle of Romanee-Conti from 1945 was then fetching as much as $124,000." The Institut National des Appellations d'Origine codified the hierarchy of French wine in 1935, taking into consideration the history of the vines and the remarkable science and mysticism of terroir. Though Potter does explore this concept and provides a solid picture of Villaine and his top-notch wines, the true crime narrative doesn't live up to the billing.The countryside backdrop is much more interesting that the supposedly hideous criminal plot, but the book may be useful as a guide to the wines of the Cote D'Or.

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