About this podcast
Blood Vines is a dark, true story from California’s wine country, where greed, lies, and murder swirled around one of the largest wine scams in U.S. history. Hosted by investigative journalist Chris Walker, this eight-part series follows the rise and ruin of the Licciardi family—a powerful wine dynasty whose grape deals fueled America’s obsession with White Zinfandel in the 1980s. Yet, behind this sweet-tasting rosé lurked a sour scandal that stained an industry’s reputation, set off violent betrayals, and left us all with a troubling question: How can you ever really trust what you’re drinking?
Episodes
- Confession: 8 · 22 minJust when we thought we were done with our reporting, it pulled us back in. Robert calls Chris with shocking revelations.
- Hangover: 7 · 42 minRobert attempts to flee a grand jury subpoena and leads investigators into a high-speed chase across two states. His apprehension kicks off one of the most sensational murder…
- Tainted Wine: 6 · 29 minMichael’s case gets a boost when Delicato Vineyards, once his main buyer, gets caught covering up mislabeled wine. Can Michael avoid jail time by proving wider misdeeds across…
- Twisted Vines: 5 · 29 minShadowed by the murder, Michael’s federal trial in the grape-switching case begins. Anonymous letters and mismanaged funds deepen the mystery of who killed a prized witness…
- Murder Was the Case: 4 · 28 minWhat had been a straightforward fraud investigation takes a bloody turn. The investigators’ most important witness has been shot in the head…just a few days before he was…
- The House of Licciardi: 3 · 32 minThe Licciardi family’s feuds, business plans, and secrets begin to unravel. Michael and Robert, the sons of grape kingpin Jack Licciardi, both yearn for more power in the family…
- The Grape Broker: 2 · 27 minAs federal prosecutor Steve Lapham starts investigating the grape-switching scam permeating California’s vineyards, one name keeps popping up: Jack Licciardi. The long-time grape…
- White Zin is In: 1 · 28 minWe open our series in California’s fertile Central Valley to trace a vintage 1991 murder back to its unexpected source: White Zinfandel. This sugary pink wine swept the nation in…
- Introducing: Blood Vines · 2 minBlood Vines is a dark, true story from California’s wine country, where greed, lies, and murder swirled around one of the largest wine scams in U.S. history. Hosted by…
