Real Bottle, Fake Wine
2023-07-25 12:51

As wine prices skyrocketed in recent years, counterfeit wines have become prevalent and the techniques so advanced they can hardly be found even for industry insiders. For those who watched "Sour Grapes" may know that fake wines created by Rudy Kurniawan before he was arrested were meticulously made, not only with used bottles and labels he collected, but he also blended the wine with the help of a chemist to replicate classic labels such as Bordeaux and Burgundy wines. Counterfeit wines are nothing new and not limited to wine. Whisky prices also soared and it is easy to find counterfeits. In early years of the Bonhams Pre-Auction tasting sessions, two bottles Macallan 30 Year Old whiskeys, one genuine and one fake, were presented upon participants, and if you never saw them, it may be hard to differentiate and thus opt for fake ones. According to "Notes on Hong Kong’s Wine Culture" by Mr. Haze Wong, counterfeit wines first appeared in Hong Kong in as early as 19th century, and they were not even a brainchild of the Chinese. Many fake wines were imported, and even how counterfeit champagne was made were well documented. When looking at discounted wines or whiskeys abroad, attention should be paid to the details and it is advised to purchase from reputable stores. Of course, storage environments of wines are another important factor to be taken into consideration.