Nick McGinty: Wine Detective
In the Case of the Barrel of Betrayal
Part One - The Lady is a Bozer
In the shadow-draped back alleys of Napa Valley, where vineyards stretch like the tentacles of farming tycoons, Nick McGinty lives.
Sommelier by day and detective by night. But it really depends on operating hours, sometimes he is on the floor at night and then has time to be detective during the day. However, he gets scheduled for appearances sometimes at weddings too and then there is staff training, monthly auditing and purchase meetings. I guess it’s kind of up in the air.
It was a dark and thoughtful night, and he poured himself a glass of something dark and thoughtful. A perfect pairing he thought.
His kind of drink was the kind of drink that knew more secrets than it let on, and he was on to the secrets that the drink wasn’t letting on to.
“That’s blind tasting I guess.” he thought he thought.
He wasn’t quite sure what he thought he thought anymore. At least, not after the last time he thought a thought, he thought.
It was a cool breezy evening when trouble sauntered through his door. She was cool and breezy and wearing a red evening dress that looked like trouble sauntering with an expression that spelled “help.” Although this lady said “help” as well, which helped Nick know that she needed help.
She stepped fully into the room. The air smelled faintly of violets and Brettanomyces…but the good kind, the horsey-kind. The kind of Brett that sommeliers like in their red Rhônes.
“Mr. McGinty, I assume?”
“You know what they say about assumption miss? said Nick, gruffly.
Before she could answer, he answered, “It makes an ass out of u and m’ption.”
There was a moment.
“I believe someone is tampering with our barrels,” she whispered, her voice smooth like a well-aged Smith-Madrone Cabernet.
She was Lila Van Bozer, heiress to the Bozer Vineyards Vineyard fortune and she suspected foul play at her family vineyard estate.
McGinty took a sip of his Neal Vermentino. He let the wine's narrative unfold on his palate. He chewed it and let the flavor develop inside of his mouth decanter (patent pending). “It’s a peach,” he thought he thought.
“Tell me everything,” he said, setting down his glass.
They talked for around 3 standard 750ml bottles.
Lila shared her story and McGinty listened on.
The case smelled of deceit, and he wasn't just talking about the case of wine. He was referring to the case at hand. As we know, wine can’t smell of deceit, but it can bring back memories and those can be riddled with deceit like an untrustworthy Champagne producer.
“Please take the case!” she cried.
“I won’t…yet.” said McGinty. “But I’ll check out your story and see what’s what.”
“What?” asked Lila.
“Exactly,” muttered McGinty.
Outside, the night pressed up against the window like a Napa tourist looking for a free tasting at a winery. The wine in his glass had stopped telling him secrets and was now just quietly judging him, which wines often do.
Lila gathered her things and slipped out of the office in the same way that she came in. Not that we mean that she walked backwards.
McGinty watched the doorway long after she’d gone, as if the next clue might wander back in wearing work boots and French oak.
After all, this case wasn’t going to solve itself.
Neither were his staffing issues at the restaurant.
But one thing was clear: something was rotten at Bozer Vineyards Vineyard, and it wasn’t just a Botrytis issue.
Tune in next time for another thrilling pour of
Nick McGinty: Wine Detective…
In the Case of the Barrel of Betrayal
And remember…
If you have a winery or vineyard-related mystery…
If barrels are being tampered with, vines sabotaged, corks suspiciously swapped…
And if he isn’t scheduled for floor service, a wedding, staff training, or inventory…
You can hire
Nick McGinty: Wine Detective.
Finding truth, one glass at a time.
Assuming he isn’t on break.