Introducing: Blood Vines

Summary

Business Movers Podcast Summary: "Introducing: Blood Vines"

Release Date: February 13, 2025

Overview

In the premiere episode of Business Movers, Wondery introduces Blood Vines, a gripping true crime series that delves into the tumultuous history of the Licciardi family—one of California's most influential wine dynasties. Hosted by Chris Walker, Blood Vines uncovers the dark underbelly of the wine industry, exploring themes of fraud, betrayal, and murder that nearly dismantled an entire sector.

Introduction to Blood Vines

Chris Walker sets the stage for the series by describing Blood Vines as a "whole new vintage of true crime" (00:00). He highlights the story of the Licciardi family, whose internal power struggles and illicit activities almost led to the downfall of California's wine industry. Walker invites listeners to "grab a glass of your favorite wine" and immerse themselves in a narrative filled with "fraud... and betrayal capped off with a big murder" (00:32).

Setting the Scene

The episode transports listeners to June 11, 2021, in California's Central Valley. The ambiance is described as "stifling hot," contrasting sharply with the "cold, clinical, bureaucratic" environment of the San Joaquin County Superior Courthouse (00:44). Margarita, an investigative journalist, narrates her experience as she examines critical evidence related to a high-profile murder case intertwined with a massive fraud scandal in the wine industry.

Unveiling the Evidence

Margarita details her review of various pieces of evidence, including a "pillowcase... with dried bodily fluid" and "a cotton sweater... with dark blood" (02:09). The murder weapon, initially misidentified, is revealed to be a ".22 caliber)" Colt pistol, contradicting earlier police reports (02:37). The unexpected appearance of "audio cassette tapes" adds a layer of intrigue (02:51), hinting at deeper conspiracies within the case.

Linking Fraud to Murder

Walker explains the connection between the murder and a significant fraud case from the 1980s involving White Zinfandel—a wine deemed a "gateway drug to better wines" yet criticized by connoisseurs as "kitsch" (05:18). The fraud case involved the illicit distribution of massive quantities of subpar wine, misleading consumers and destabilizing the industry. Federal investigators underestimated the severity, dismissing the case as a "joke," unaware that it would escalate into violence (05:31).

Mafia Involvement and Industry Scandal

The narrative takes a darker turn as revelations emerge about mafia involvement in the fraud scheme. A federal investigator recounts how the murder was perceived as "a very mafia type way of doing it" (04:32). This connection suggests that the Licciardi family's operations were more sinister than previously thought, with the mafia possibly covering up significant illegal activities (07:26). The scandal not only threatened the wine industry's integrity but also highlighted internal corruption and deadly power struggles.

Personal Accounts and Industry Insights

Industry insiders provide firsthand accounts of the chaos and deceit that plagued the wine sector during the fraud scandal. One insider describes the convoluted deals and the pervasive mistrust within the industry, stating, "There was always this sense that you couldn't really trust what was in the field" (06:47). Another reflects on the emotional toll, mentioning, "They both totally disappointed him. They broke his heart. They broke his spirit" (07:38), underscoring the personal betrayals that fueled the larger corporate malfeasance.

Conclusion and Teaser for Future Episodes

Chris Walker concludes the episode by emphasizing the depth and complexity of the Licciardi family's story, describing it as a "parable of greed that hardly anyone knows about" (05:31). He invites listeners to "pour yourself a glass and join me" in uncovering the full story behind the scandal that could have toppled a wine dynasty (06:54). The episode serves as a compelling introduction to Blood Vines, promising an immersive exploration of one of California's most infamous business scandals.

Notable Quotes

• Chris Walker (00:00): "Get ready for a whole new vintage of true crime."

• Margarita (00:32): "And betrayal capped off with a big murder."

• Federal Investigator (04:32): "He was murdered with a .22 caliber bullet to the head, which is a very mafia type way of doing it."

• Wine Expert (05:22): "White Zinfandel was kind of a gateway drug to better wines in some ways."

• Industry Insider (06:47): "There was always this sense that you couldn't really trust what was in the field."

• Federal Investigator (07:26): "We all felt that the family, being the mafia, were covering up something big."

Final Thoughts

"Introducing: Blood Vines" effectively sets up a thrilling narrative that combines business intrigue with true crime. By weaving together investigative journalism, personal testimonies, and historical context, the episode lays a solid foundation for what promises to be a captivating series. Listeners are left eager to delve deeper into the Licciardi family's saga and its profound impact on the California wine industry.

For those intrigued by the intersection of business, crime, and history, Blood Vines is poised to become a must-listen series on Wondery’s Business Movers.

Transcript

[Chris Walker]

Get ready for a whole new vintage of true crime. I'm Chris Walker, host of the new podcast Blood Vines. Available exclusively on Wondery. Blood Vines is a full bodied podcast that uncorks the never before told story of the Licciardi family, one of the most powerful wine dynasties in California history, who almost brought down the entire industry over a bloody battle for succession. Grab a glass of your favorite wine and join me as we dive into a story that has notes of fraud.

[Margarita]

And betrayal capped off with a big murder.

[Chris Walker]

I'm about to play you a clip from the first episode of Blood Vines. You can listen to all episodes right now on wondery.

[Margarita]

Cheers. June 11, 2021 It's a stifling hot day in California's Central Valley. The air feels thick and heat shimmers above the ground, but the area I've just walked into is cold, clinical, bureaucratic. I pull out my phone to record a voice memo.

[Investigative Journalist]

Okay, so I just got to the San Joaquin County Superior Courthouse to view the case exhibits. We're going to go through them in the order that they were presented at trial and we'll see what comes up here.

[Margarita]

I'm in a private room off the courthouse's second floor lobby and spread out before me on tables are envelopes, bags and boxes. A legal clerk named Margarita stands among them, wearing gloves. She doesn't want me to record her while she gives instructions, but they are as follows. I'm not to touch anything. I'm not to take photos. She will handle each piece of evidence so I can observe it. And yes, she says, I can record voice memos as I view the items. I'm nervous and excited. While I've read a lot about the evidence presented in this room, I've never seen any of it for myself. We start going through the case exhibits and Margarita looks a little grossed out. I can't blame her.

[Investigative Journalist]

So I'm looking at the pillowcase now, which has dried bodily fluid on it and looks kind of brown and crusty. And there's a floral print pattern with some dried brown stuff in the corner. Might be blood, might be other bodily fluid.

[Margarita]

Next comes a cotton sweater, its backside definitely dark with blood. There's a towel, a spent bullet casing, the murder weapon.

[Investigative Journalist]

It's the body of a Colt.45, but it's a.22, so it doesn't look like a.22, even though it is a small caliber gun, but yeah, kind of like a blue steel with wooden grips on the side.

[Margarita]

So far, most everything matches the police reports. There are a few Surprises like when the clerk produces a paper lunch bag full of audio cassette tapes. I'm going to need copies of those. And then, well, I'm not prepared for what comes next.

[Investigative Journalist]

Quick recording here. So I'm being presented with some of the photos, which is really quite striking to see for the first time. Having only read lots of descriptions of.

[Margarita]

This, it's the murder scene. And as I take in the details, it's the little things that get me. The crooked angle of the victim's neck. The way the man lies backwards, one leg straight, the other knee bent on a sofa. The expression on his face, peaceful, relaxed, unsuspecting. The photograph's grainy quality only adds to the eeriness. But I am also unsettled for a different reason. After years of searching, I think I finally know who killed him. My name is Chris Walker. I'm an investigative journalist. And for almost half a decade now I've been researching how the man in the photograph was connected to an entirely different case. A fraud case. You see, before his death, the victim was just one person under investigation for a multi million dollar scam in the 1980s. It sent ripples through one of California's most iconic industries. But no one thought that case would turn violent. The murder caught everyone off guard, including, as I was learning, federal investigators.

[Federal Investigator]

I was sitting in my family room watching the evening news. A spot came on about a murder and he was murdered with a.22 caliber bullet to the head, which is a very mafia type way of doing it.

[Margarita]

But the feds weren't looking into the mafia, or at least they didn't think they were. No, they'd been looking into a case involving wine. Lots and lots of wine sent from the heart of grape country to living rooms across America. We're talking about one of the largest scams in California history, affecting millions of bottles. But here's the thing. It's not like these bottles were top shelf wine. This is what I call an eye roll drink. It's not even really wine.

[Federal Investigator]

It's just pop drink with alcohol. When you're talking about white Zin, I.

[Wine Expert]

Actually didn't like it as a wine. But I think white Zinfandel was kind of a gateway drug to better wines in some ways.

[Margarita]

White Zinfandel, the Fed's case centered around a pink drink with notes of jolly Ranchers that once was, to the embarrassment of many, America's top selling wine. This is the sugary sensation that birthed Americans obsession with turning countless drinkers onto pink wines. Even though from the get go, Snobs saw the drink as kitsch in federal investigators. While they could see fraud developing all around White Zinn, they didn't think the stakes were all that high. Some went so far as to call the investigation a joke. But what they couldn't anticipate is that this sweet drink would develop a sour history. Its unexpected success led the wine industry down a dark path. Because fraud is one thing, but murder? What might have been a pop culture scam set in the fast and frivolous 80s turned into something shocking. Many stones were left unturned, questions unanswered. But I've been on the hunt for those answers and am about to reveal the full story for the very first time. It's a parable of greed that hardly anyone knows about, and the wine industry would prefer to keep it that way.

[Wine Expert]

There was always this sense that you couldn't really trust what was in the field.

[Margarita]

As time went on, you heard stories about a lot of different people and wineries involved in it. People have fought over it and died over it and made lots of wine over it. So pour yourself a glass and join me because I'm going to tell you a story.

[Industry Insider]

It's quite a curious story of that crazy deal with the grapes and all that stuff. They were saying they stashed the money and I mean, there's just all these theories that went around, man, about stuff.

[Margarita]

Like that, about a family and its secrets.

[Federal Investigator]

We all felt that the family, being the mafia, were covering up something big.

[Margarita]

About deception and betrayal.

[Industry Insider]

They both totally disappointed him. They broke his heart. They broke his spirit.

[Margarita]

And a scandal that threatened the integrity of an entire industry.

[Federal Investigator]

This is a big fraud, multimillion dollar.

[Margarita]

Franchise before it brought down a wine dynasty. I mean, the scandal takes on its own life. From Foxapus Inc. This is Blood Vines.

[Chris Walker]

Thirsty for more. Follow Blood Vines wherever you listen to your podcasts and binge all episodes right now, exclusively on Wondery. Start your free trial now by joining Wondery in the Wondery app, Apple podcasts, or Spotify.