In the rarefied world of fine wine, where bottles can command prices equivalent to luxury cars, authenticity is everything. Laurent Ponsot&#39;s gripping memoir &quot;FBI: Fake Bottle Investigation&quot; reads more like a high-stakes thriller than a traditional wine book, chronicling his relentless pursuit of one of the wine world&#39;s most infamous counterfeiters, Rudy Kurniawan.

As the proprietor of Domaine Ponsot, one of Burgundy&#39;s most prestigious estates, Ponsot&#39;s journey began when he discovered counterfeit bottles of his family&#39;s wine at an auction &ndash; including vintages that had never been produced. What followed was an exhaustive investigation that would span continents, involve federal authorities, and ultimately lead to the first criminal prosecution for wine fraud in US history.

While many know this story from the documentary &quot;Sour Grapes,&quot; Ponsot&#39;s firsthand account offers fascinating new details and important corrections to the film&#39;s narrative. His motivation transcends mere business interests; it&#39;s a deeply personal crusade to protect not just his family&#39;s legacy, but the integrity of Burgundy&#39;s winemaking heritage and France&#39;s cultural patrimony.

The book excels in depicting the methodical detective work required to expose sophisticated wine fraud. Ponsot&#39;s expertise as a winemaker proves crucial in spotting telltale signs of counterfeiting, from impossible vintages to subtle inconsistencies in label design and glass manufacturing. His persistence in the face of initial skepticism from auction houses and collectors highlights how deeply embedded fake wines had become in the fine wine market.

The stakes of wine fraud remain alarmingly high today. Experts estimate that counterfeit wines represent anywhere from 20% to 50% of the secondary market for rare vintages, potentially accounting for billions in fraudulent sales annually. And while Kurniawan&#39;s conviction marked a watershed moment in combating wine fraud, the story didn&#39;t end there. Since his release and return to Asia, rumors have swirled about his continued connections to the wine world &ndash; a sobering reminder that the vulnerabilities exposed by his case continue to plague the industry. The fight against sophisticated wine counterfeiters remains as urgent as ever.

Ponsot&#39;s narrative skill brings the investigation to life with cinematic flair. From clandestine meetings with FBI agents to the dramatic auction room confrontation that helped build the case against Kurniawan, each chapter ratchets up the tension. The technical details of winemaking and authentication are explained clearly enough for general readers while satisfying even the most knowledgeable oenophiles.

What elevates this book beyond a simple true-crime narrative is Ponsot&#39;s passionate defense of wine as more than just a luxury commodity. His writing conveys the deep cultural significance of Burgundy&#39;s winemaking traditions and the moral imperative to protect them. The righteous anger that fuels his investigation is balanced by moments of humor and an insider&#39;s perspective on the sometimes absurd world of ultra-premium wine collecting.

&quot;FBI: Fake Bottle Investigation&quot; is essential reading for wine enthusiasts, but it&#39;s equally compelling for anyone who enjoys tales of justice served. Ponsot has crafted a fascinating expos&eacute; of high-stakes fraud and a love letter to the authentic winemaking traditions he has spent his life defending. Hollywood would be wise to option this story &ndash; it has all the ingredients of a classic thriller, made all the more remarkable by being true.

In an era where authenticity seems increasingly rare, Ponsot&#39;s unwavering commitment to truth and tradition is refreshing. This book isn&#39;t just about wine fraud; it&#39;s about standing up for what&#39;s right, regardless of the personal cost. For anyone interested in wine, true crime, or simply a well-told story of principle triumphing over greed, &quot;FBI: Fake Bottle Investigation&quot; is a must-read.

&nbsp;

FBI &ndash; Fake Bottles Investigation, is available in English! 
Self-published by Laurent Ponsot, it is for sale&nbsp;for 22 euros. 
 
If you would like to have your copy, please contact at FBIbyLP@gmail.com or you can find the French version here at <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fbi-laurent-ponsot/1144002655?ean=9782749955964">Barnes and Nobles</a>.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

In the rarefied world of fine wine, where bottles can command prices equivalent to luxury cars, authenticity is everything. Laurent Ponsot's gripping memoir "FBI: Fake Bottle Investigation" reads more like a high-stakes thriller than a traditional wine book, chronicling his relentless pursuit of one of the wine world's most infamous counterfeiters, Rudy Kurniawan.

From Burgundy's Vineyards to the FBI's Most Wanted: A Winemaker's Quest for Justice

Wines from grapes grown in higher altitude areas with cooler climate has become quite the trend recently. This specific growing environment gives intense flavor but elegance and freshness to the final wines. To highlight and champion these conditions more and more winemakers are starting to use alto as a marketing and labelling term to show their grapes were grown in high altitude vineyards.

Decoding the wine label: Alto

Brut is a word often seen on labels for different kinds of sparkling wine. As you may have discovered when drinking these wines, it indicates that the wine is dry, meaning there is no perceived sweetness in the wine. But how about Extra Brut or Dry, what do they mean and are they the same as Brut?

Decoding the wine label: Brut

Semi-sweet Riesling, a type of wine falling out of style. It’s a shame, since these wines are perfect to pair with flavorful cuisines like Asian or Mexican, or simply drink as they come under the summer sun. The higher level of sugar left in the wine also means that the alcoholic fermentation was stopped before finishing, providing a wine with lower alcohol level and therefor easier grabbing a second glass of.

Decoding the wine label: Spätlese

Have you ever heard the word Xinomavro? Most have not. It is however a word on many sommeliers’ lips today, as it happens to be considered the grape variety with the highest quality in Greece, and one that is trending at the moment. The fact that Greece have been making wine for a long time comes as no surprise, but they have never exported an amount to make sure wine lovers around the globe tried it. With the growing wine tourism many have discovered these wines and are serving them in wine bars and restaurants in many countries today.

Decoding the wine label: Xinomavro

Chianti Classico, Valpolicella Classico, Soave Classico… Why do all these Italian wine regions have the Classico addendum and what does it mean? What is the difference for wines labeled as Classico?

Classico is a wine term in Italy seen on a few wine labels and it indicates that the wine’s from the historic center of the region, the heart. Using Chianti and Chianti Classico and their Sangiovese-based red wines as an example, Chianti is a rather large wine district within the Tuscany region. Chianti Classico is located withing Chianti as the central part and the one that originally existed. Back then this smaller region was actually called Chianti, but as the region grew the quality of the wine plummeted and the well-known characteristics of these red wines were watered down. The reputation took a hit and sales diminished. Eventually this led to the creation of Chianti Classico, which would be drawn from the original Chianti borders to recover the typicity of these wines. Today the quality of both Chianti and Chianti Classico have risen a lot due to modern techniques and knowledge about pruning, planting and temperature control in the winery.

Decoding the wine label: Classico

Chablis – one of the more popular styles of wine today and a region known by many. Most are familiar with the word Chablis and the light, fresh white wine with a touch of minerality it brings. Even though it’s a renowned wine, few knows what it really is.

Decoding the wine label: Chablis

Many grape varieties around the world of wine have names local to the region or country they’re grown in, even though they’re exactly the same. The most famous example would be Syrah in France where the same grape is named Shiraz in Australia. Another variety with two names is Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Gris.

Decoding the wine label: Pinot Grigio

Have you ever seen the term sur lie on a wine label? It’s not a grape and not a wine region, but a winemaking method used to give certain styles of white wine a rounder texture and a more complex flavor profile.

Decoding the wine label: Sur lie

Huertas

Cecilia Bonet

Huertas

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where we review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Cecilia Bonet, wine educator and certified sommelier

Hello Cecilia, great to have you back for another great wine list.

CB: Hello Robert!

RT: Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules.

We created CorkRules to demystify wine lists because we know from experience, that sometimes wine lists can be intimidating, and even a little daunting.

Our aim is to help prepare you to navigate that list, find those hidden gems, value wines or that special bottle that will take your dining experience over the top.

RT:&nbsp;So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

HUERTAS NYC

Huertas serves Basque-influenced fare, evoking the lively eating and drinking culture of Northern Spain and creatively inspired by our home in NYC. 
 
<a href="http://huertasnyc.getbento.com/menu/">OUR MENU&nbsp;</a>combines the playful elements of a Pintxo Bar, and the elevated aspects of cuisine in the Basque country. We offer a rotating assortment of&nbsp;pintxos,&nbsp;or small bites, and larger seasonally evolving&nbsp;raciones, accompanied by unabashedly &amp; classic Spanish beverages, such as&nbsp;refrescos, house made vermouth, and a long list of Spanish wine, sherry &amp; cider.

Spanish Basque inspired fare with a menu of pintxos and shared plates

With a full bar area overlooking the open kitchen

Located in the East Village

The answer to your group dinner plans

Top Level View

I&rsquo;d like to resume in one sentence &ldquo;Versatile wine list with lotta options to drink with amazing pintxos&rdquo;. All the wines you will find here, are a perfect selection of Spanish wines, and not just classic Tempranillos. You can also choose to drink from the Canary and the Balearic Islands too.

Unique Stuff

Ignios Or&iacute;genes Baboso Negro | 2017 | Ycoden-Daute-Isora, Canary Islands

Ignios Baboso comes from a 20-year-old single vineyard on volcanic clay loam in northwestern Tenerife, converted to organic farming by Tenerife vigneron, Borja P&eacute;rez Gonz&aacute;lez.

Baboso is the most bodacious of the Canary red varieties. Fruit-forward by nature, is very fresh and balanced, with a remarkable minerality typical of the volcanic soils. It requires decanting and 20 minutes of patience to unravel all the perfume of black fruits, tea, spices and toast that it treasures.

This wine cries out for grilled meals as the Happy Valley Steak or with some Roasted Mushrooms.

Value Wines

I recommend you a wine named Bitoku by Adega do Demo winery. It was produced in 2019 in Ribeiro, a region 45 km. from the Atlantic Ocean, within Galicia, Spain.

This is a blend of treixadura and Loureiro, a perfect example of a Ribeiro wine. Ever heard of the treixadura grape varietal? It&rsquo;s refined and smooth. The Treixadura is a white grape, and the jewel of this region. It sprouts and ripens slowly, therefore it is sensitive to altitude, growing mainly in valleys and slopes.

There&#39;s energy and minerality in the texture of this 2019 Bitoku. Reminds us a little of Northern Rhone whites, Rousanne/Marsanne but with more freshness.

Perfect match with seafood, so try the Gambas al Ajillo!

Bigger budget/Special Occasion 

I&rsquo;d like to introduce you with a remarkable, unusual old-fashioned wine from La Rioja Alta, Spain.

Vi&ntilde;a Tondonia Reserva 2008, is the flagship wine from the Lopez Heredia Estate, and a wine not to be missed.

Lopez Heredia is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful stories in the world of Spanish wine. The winery was founded in 1877 by Rafael L&oacute;pez de Heredia y Landeta, great-grandfather of the current owners, together with a French n&eacute;gociant who returned to his country once the phylloxera crisis was over.

This incredibly complex ruby red wine was created with mainly tempranillo, with the addition of graciano and mazuelo grapes; in an alluvial amphitheatre overlooking the Ebro. Then barrel aged for six years.

The 2008 was a relatively cool vintage, but a fantastic year for giving acidity to this wine and all that is needed for a long development in bottle. It captures the classic house style, savoury, earthy yet with fine dark fruit definition.

Try it with the Jamon Iberico, and even if a bottle seems too much, you can also find it by the glass.

Cecilia, Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate the wine list at &nbsp;HUERTAS. I can&rsquo;t wait to go try your great suggestions.&nbsp; &nbsp;

To our audience, thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.

If you would like us to review one of your favorite restaurants, please send us email to: <a href="mailto:Info@CorkRules.com">Info@CorkRules.com</a> or visit our web website where we have a request form available and we will do our best to get it in the queue as quickly as possible.

We are looking forward to being with you on another CorkRules episode soon. In the meantime, please check out our website for other episodes of your favorite restaurant wine lists.&nbsp;

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

&nbsp;

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BRAT

Bocca di Lupe

Gap Weekend: A Film Shoot in Wine Country

Alba Restaurant

Alba

10 Greek Street

L'Auberge Chez Francois

Andrew Edmunds

Salt Seafood and Oyster Bar

Matteos Ristorante Italiano

Matteo's

Kettmeir has been producing premium wines in Trentino-Alto Adige since 1919. The winery is known for its commitment to quality and its use of traditional winemaking techniques. Kettmeir's wines are highly sought after by wine enthusiasts around the world.

Refined restaurant & wine market offering upscale Italian fare & cabaret-style entertainment.

Per Se

homepage

CorkRules application allows you to discover wines at your favorite restaurants, learn with friends and be confident with price transparency. Order wine with confidence at restaurants and retailers. Get personalized recommendations. #DrinkWhatYouLove

Bella Monte - Permanently Closed

Macauley

Old Vine Zinfandel NV

Zinfandel

Napa Valley, USA

Belle Glos

Clark & Telephone Vineyard Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

California, USA

Château Clarke

Listrac-Medoc 2010

Merlot

Medoc, Bordeaux, France

Castello di Gabbiano

Chianti Classico Bellezza Gran Selezione 2012

Sangiovese

Chianti Classico, Italy

Siduri

Pinot Noir 2017

Pinot Noir

California, USA

Siduri

Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2017

Pinot Noir

California, USA

Venge Vineyards

Scout's Honor Red 2017

Zinfandel

Napa Valley, USA

Franciscan

Magnificat 2015

Cabernet Sauvignon

Napa Valley, USA

Antinori

Tenuta Tignanello 'Marchese Antinori' Chianti Classico Riserva 2016

Sangiovese

Chianti, Tuscany, Italy

Antinori

Peppoli Chianti Classico 2016

Sangiovese

Chianti, Tuscany, Italy

Robert Keenan

Merlot, Napa Valley 2014

Merlot

California, USA

Robert Keenan Winery 'Keenan Napa Valley' Merlot, California 2014

Merlot

California, USA

Cote Bonneville DuBrul Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley 2010

USA

Giuseppe Cortese

Barbaresco Rabaja 2016

Nebbiolo

Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy

EnRoute

Les Pommiers Pinot Noir 2016

Pinot Noir

California, USA