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A Different Flavor of Fraud

Written By: Kasey Carpenter on Monday, June 30, 2008

Brunello is the latest wine to be put under the microscope for fraud. Are we seeing indications of a larger global problem?

Okay, it seems that lately the Wine Mogul column has become the Fraud Alert column. But, that isn't all my fault. If every one would play nice and follow the rules, or better yet, some sense of morality, I'd be writing about something else.

Beware of the Banfi. Okay, it may not all be Banfi, in fact the Tuscan newspaper Corriere Fiorentino said there were three other producers being investigated, though names were not given. The only reason we know Banfi was one of them was 1) they are the largest in the Brunello game both in production and exportation, and 2) Enrico Viglierchio, an executive at Banfi, came forward with the news.

So what exactly is the news? Well it seems that the exports for Brunello far exceeded any possible production levels based on the allocated acreage for Brunello. Like trying to export a thousand cases of Olson Ogden Unti Vneyard Syrah, when they only get enough grapes to make about 300 cases. Whoops.

Now, this prompted Italian officials to seize 600,000 bottles of alleged Brunello, some of which we assume is legit. But because none of it can be validated, well, all of it gets seized.

End of story? No.

25% of all Brunello winds up exported to the US, a stat which helps this little oeno-drama unfold further.

So Italy, in act of patriotic self-preservation, would not release which bottles were deemed fraudulent to the public. You'll just have to trust us; I guess is the vibe they're going for here.

Well a letter was then forwarded to the Italian Embassy in Washington to let them know that all imports of Brunello will be blocked starting June 9th. Now this isn't just the vintage in question, which was 2003, but ALL Brunello. Now this almost seems punitive, but the US demanded vintages, labels, growers and producers that were deemed fraudulent by the Italian investigation. Italy declined. So the US wants to protect it's interested by not allowing any Brunello on the side of the pond until data is given.

Because, you know, the US is so selective and forthright about what is sends out from its borders. I only say this because back in the late 80's when NutraSweet was linked to cancer causing agents, and diet sodas that used it were summarily dismissed from the marketplace, we all thought the right thing was done. Well in 1990-91 I lived in Belize and guess what was being sold all over that tiny little country? You guessed it. But I digress...

So Italy has still not given up the intel, and the US has extended the deadline until June 23rd.

What do you think will be the next move? Will Italy come clean? Will the US give it up and just trust Italy to have handled the problem? Or will we see another extension? Or an outright ban/stalemate? Will buyers recoil at the thought of Brunello that tastes great, scores well, but may be (gasp) fattened up with a little (or a lot of) Cabernet Sauvignon (another practice that NEVER happens with our wines over here, but then, we haven't employed quite the strict set of hurdles as they have on their own growers.) Oh and that was sarcasm, in case it didn't come across in the read.

Now just because I was a flippant there, I don't want you to think for a second that I would tolerate being sold something other than what I was told I was buying. I think the wine shouldn't be destroyed, but relabeled at their most basic classification, and sold accordingly -- THAT is a proposition I'd be in favor of. Getting some awesome Super-Tuscan blend for the price of house wine at Olive Garden.

Good times. I think we are just starting to see the global issue of fake wine on a truly global level, not just a few geeks in their basements relabeling $9 Chilean Cabernet as $200 Cult Cab.

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