{"product_id":"the-billionaires-vinegar-the-mystery-of-the-worlds-most-expensive-bottle-of-wine-9780307338785","title":"The Billionaire's Vinegar: The Mystery of the World's Most Expensive Bottle of Wine","description":"\u003ch2\u003eThe Billionaire's Vinegar: The Mystery of the World's Most Expensive Bottle of Wine\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe rivetingly strange story of the world's most expensive bottle of wine, and the even stranger characters whose lives have intersected with it.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestseller tells the true story of a 1787 Château Lafite Bordeaux—supposedly owned by Thomas Jefferson—that sold for $156,000 at auction. Updated with a new epilogue, this book explores one of the most elaborate cons in wine history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eA Mystery Spanning Centuries\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWas this legendary bottle truly entombed in a Paris cellar for two hundred years? Did it come from a secret Nazi bunker? Or from the moldy basement of a devilishly brilliant con artist? Benjamin Wallace unravels the mystery through meticulous investigation and captivating storytelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eEccentric Characters and High-Stakes Deception\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMeet a gallery of intriguing players: the bicycle-riding British auctioneer who speaks of wines as if they are women, the obsessive wine collector who discovered the bottle, and the shadowy figures whose lives intersected with this controversial vintage. Each character adds depth to this suspenseful narrative.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePart Detective Story, Part Wine History\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis vintage tale combines elements of true crime, historical investigation, and wine culture. Wallace's research takes readers through auction houses, wine cellars, and the world of high-stakes collecting. The book examines authentication methods, the history of rare wines, and the psychology of collectors willing to pay extraordinary sums for bottles of questionable provenance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Part detective story, part wine history, this is one juicy tale, even for those with no interest in the fruit of the vine... As delicious as a true vintage Lafite.\"\u003c\/b\u003e —BusinessWeek\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBenjamin Wallace\u003c\/b\u003e is a \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author who has written for \u003ci\u003eGQ\u003c\/i\u003e, the \u003ci\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eFood \u0026amp; Wine\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003ePhiladelphia\u003c\/i\u003e, where he served as executive editor. He lives in Brooklyn. Visit his website at BenjaminWallace.net.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eBook Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis paperback edition from Crown Publishing Group provides the complete investigation into what could be the most elaborate con since the Hitler diaries. Suspenseful and thrillingly strange, it appeals to readers interested in true crime, wine collecting, historical mysteries, and stories of deception at the highest levels.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Crown Publishing Group (NY)","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50680539709714,"sku":"9780307338785","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_a1813640-7bb9-4f8e-b903-9b414dab244c.jpg?v=1734922225","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-billionaires-vinegar-the-mystery-of-the-worlds-most-expensive-bottle-of-wine-9780307338785","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}