Chris Walker

Attorney's Office in Sacramento when an unexpected visitor came to see him one day in December 1988.

Attorney's Office in Sacramento when an unexpected visitor came to see him one day in December 1988.

And as a criminal prosecutor, even less time than that. But the visitor was an agent from the ATF, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, who knew that Lapham held sway and was hoping for a favor.

And as a criminal prosecutor, even less time than that. But the visitor was an agent from the ATF, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, who knew that Lapham held sway and was hoping for a favor.

The agent started complaining about how this case he'd been assigned was a complete waste of time. It was about some kind of wine thing. In the ATF, despite the A in its name, federal agents hadn't really prioritized booze since Prohibition, the days of Al Capone. The ATF of the 80s mostly did gun and gang investigations, the exciting, busting-down-doors kind of cases.

The agent started complaining about how this case he'd been assigned was a complete waste of time. It was about some kind of wine thing. In the ATF, despite the A in its name, federal agents hadn't really prioritized booze since Prohibition, the days of Al Capone. The ATF of the 80s mostly did gun and gang investigations, the exciting, busting-down-doors kind of cases.

So the agent wanted to know, could Lapham help him get the investigation tossed out so he could get back to the important stuff?

So the agent wanted to know, could Lapham help him get the investigation tossed out so he could get back to the important stuff?

Lapham can remember the exact moment he became hooked in his 20s. A wealthy friend had invited him over for a meal...

Lapham can remember the exact moment he became hooked in his 20s. A wealthy friend had invited him over for a meal...

One of the finest Bordeaux wines of all time.

One of the finest Bordeaux wines of all time.

Lapham experienced a wine epiphany. And ever since that moment, the prosecutor was a through and through wine aficionado. So when Lapham looked at the case the ATF agent brought him, instead of seeing the complaint as trivial, he realized that a massive problem was putting down roots in California's wine country.

Lapham experienced a wine epiphany. And ever since that moment, the prosecutor was a through and through wine aficionado. So when Lapham looked at the case the ATF agent brought him, instead of seeing the complaint as trivial, he realized that a massive problem was putting down roots in California's wine country.

The complaint, built upon reports from the ATF and California's Department of Food and Agriculture, suggested that too much wine of certain kinds was hitting store shelves. There didn't seem to be enough vineyards producing the right kinds of grapes to make that much wine. The numbers didn't add up. Like, if you only had enough grapes to make 100 bottles, you can't end up with 200.

The complaint, built upon reports from the ATF and California's Department of Food and Agriculture, suggested that too much wine of certain kinds was hitting store shelves. There didn't seem to be enough vineyards producing the right kinds of grapes to make that much wine. The numbers didn't add up. Like, if you only had enough grapes to make 100 bottles, you can't end up with 200.

It looked to Lapham like somewhere between the vineyard and the grocery store, someone, or a group of people, was deliberately mislabeling huge quantities of grapes. And as he read through the reports, he began to worry.

It looked to Lapham like somewhere between the vineyard and the grocery store, someone, or a group of people, was deliberately mislabeling huge quantities of grapes. And as he read through the reports, he began to worry.

Far from tossing out the investigation, Lapham wanted answers. Just how much grape mislabeling was going on, who was behind it, and what did law enforcement already know? The prosecutor soon got in touch with some of California's food and agriculture agents who'd been poking around the problem.

Far from tossing out the investigation, Lapham wanted answers. Just how much grape mislabeling was going on, who was behind it, and what did law enforcement already know? The prosecutor soon got in touch with some of California's food and agriculture agents who'd been poking around the problem.