Trying to uncork a champagne caper

Greg Risling

NEWPORT BEACH -- Next time someone offers you a glass of Dom Perignon at

a party, you might want to ask the year. The host serving you may be a

thief.

Chris Olsen and Jeff Schroeder’s anger is bubbling over after a burglar

ran away with four cases of the fine champagne this weekend. The two

partners, who own The Wine Gallery on East Coast Highway in Corona del

Mar, can’t fathom someone brazenly sneaking into their basement cellar

and stealing the store’s top-shelf selection.

“It was a bold move on their part,” said Olsen, who was obviously still

upset about the loss on Monday. “I guess it’s like jewelry to some folks.

People case joints for expensive champagne.”

Olsen and Schroeder believe there had to be witnesses to the theft. Their

cellar faces East Coast Highway, making it the only entry and exit point

visible from the busy thoroughfare.

They are unsure when the burglary occurred, but guess it happened some

time between Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Olsen noticed that the

cases of champagne were missing Sunday morning.

“It’s possible we were open when this happened and we didn’t even know

it,” Olsen added. “I thought it was a joke when the cases weren’t there.

When I realized they were stolen, I just about cried.”

Most painful for the owners was that the stock was 1990 Dom Perignon, a

vintage year that is reportedly in short supply. Forty-eight bottles were

stolen from the store. The estimated loss is at least $1,200.

“It’s supposedly the vintage year of the century,” Olsen said. “Those

bottles were irreplaceable.”

The Wine Gallery has been open for just a few months and has already been

robbed twice. A holiday basket loaded with wine, caviar and crackers was

stolen before Christmas.

The loss may not mean much to the average business owner, but to Olsen

and Schroeder, it stings. They are offering a $500 reward and -- what

else? -- a bottle of Dom Perignon for information leading to an arrest.

“I think the only way to catch the person is if they are serving it at a

party,” Olsen said. “We don’t think this was random. Someone knew those

cases were there.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Newport Beach Police

Department at (800) 550-6273 or The Wine Gallery at (949) 675-3410.