Top-rated
Sat, Jan 28, 2012
Benjamin Lebel is startled to find his daughter Margaux back from New York, actually for her boyfriend, prestigious Château Belfleur's communications director Antoine Rinetti, whose proposal she announces to accept to spite daddy. For her sake, assistant Silvère is eager to help investigate the new ownership and wine-maker Séverin. Unlike Benjamin, his lover-colleague France Pelletier accepts to help the Russian mob-presumed owner Valéry Tchernakov research acquisition options. Shortly after, Rinaldi is fatally wounded by sports car sabotage, Margaux gets off lightly wounded. While Banjamin digs in the château's past and its present legacy, more criminal violence is lurking.
Top-rated
Sat, Feb 4, 2012
Benjamin was to prepare a Californian conference as key note speaker with his lover France, but she ends up writing the speech with his eager assistant Silvère as Lebel prefers more wine estate snooping. Denis and Jeanne Laville's wine-maker was murdered in their Pessac winery. The victim was co-heir to a tiny, yet potentially priceless breakaway top quality estate. Benjamin becomes a target as well as prime suspect while he and commissioner Barbaroux conduct parallel investigations for the families, staff and other players involved in shady games over potential takeovers and revenge, spiced with romantic liaisons and illegitimacy. Next murder victim is genealogist Francis Morin.
Sat, Apr 6, 2013
Benjamin is legal expert for the insurance when the Armagnac (exclusive brandy) winery of baron de Castayrac explodes, his wine-maker Paco Vasquez dies in the fire. Silvére volunteers unasked to assist and gets stuck with all the dirty chores, hence is furious to be kept in the dark when Lebel conducts a murder investigation. The baron's at first sight scary son Olivier bonds with Silvère, estranged son Alban bickers over the vintage car, an heirloom from their mother since whose death the family fell apart. Daughter Lucie married the haughty growers association president Philippe Nadaillac, who fells victim to a car bombing. Having learned the brothers don't share the baronial blood, Lebel waves the lazy police commandant Lazare's simplistic theories and comes up with elaborate plots, then sets a dangerous trap.
Top-rated
Sat, Dec 1, 2012
Lors d'une séance de dédicaces dans une librairie du Sauternais, Benjamin Lebel, nologue et auteur de guides sur les vins, est abordé par un couple de sexagénaires. Ceux-ci lui demandent de venir expertiser leur cave, qui abrite une quarantaine de bouteilles d'un Sauternes très réputé, véritable rareté pour les amateurs. Benjamin promet de passer les voir, et charge Silvère, son assistant, d'aller faire l'inventaire de ce trésor dès que possible. Quelques heures plus tard, le couple est sauvagement assassiné, et les précieuses bouteilles ont disparu. Pour la gendarmerie, il ne fait aucun doute que le vol du vin est le principal mobile du meurtre. Benjamin mène l'enquête.
Sat, Mar 16, 2013
Benjamin feels tricked by his Parisian editor into presiding over a charity wine cellar sale by Léo Delhomm, an actor preparing his comeback after a scandal concerning the death on set of his wife turned the media against him. It's held on his Loire château, where Leo's local, devoted assistant Fred, son of a winegrower, hopes to produce a fine vintage, which Lebel considers doable but a demanding full-time vocation. Reporter Marco Ferri, Benjamin's acquaintance, lurks about, flirting with his girlfriend France Pelletier. Then a murderer strikes.