The French police have launched a major investigation into the alleged counterfeiting of more than half a million bottles of Bordeaux. According to the British magazine "Harper's", more than 4200 hectolitres of cheap wine from the Languedoc region have been relabelled in much more expensive Bordeaux AOC by a négociant not mentioned by the investigators. In addition, he had ensured that the digital documents on the origin of the wines were no longer traceable.
According to the French trade publication Vitisphere, 700 hl of wine from the Languedoc were declared as Pomerol, 600 hl as Margaux, 350 hl as Pauillac and 100 hl as Saint Julien. These wines have been sold by major distributors such as Grand Chais de France, Grands Vins de Gironde and the Castel Group. According to Harper's, the Bordeaux winegrowers' association CIVC did not want to comment on the investigations.
(uka)