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The Daily Mail newspaper is reporting, a man dressed as a pirate broke into Sparkman Cellars, a family-run winery in Woodinville, Washington, on the eve of Thanksgiving. This individual caused significant damage by destroying 5,000 gallons of artisan hand-crafted white wine, valued at approximately $600,000.
The incident was captured on CCTV, showing the man nonchalantly entering the cellar late at night and later exiting with an umbrella, heading towards a wooded area. The Sparkman family, who opened their winery in 2004, expressed that this act was a severe blow to their small family business, especially timed to cause maximum damage during the holiday season.
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The winery, known for producing wine from some of Washington’s most sought-after vineyards, is now struggling to fulfil orders after this substantial loss. Many of their wines, including Pearl Sauvignon Blanc and Lumière Chardonnay, are currently marked as ‘sold out’ on their website.