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

Le Crocodile

Sam Hohl

Le Crocodile

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 Sam Hohl, wine educator and certified sommelier

Hello Sam, great to have you back for another great wine list.

SH: Hello Robert!

RT: Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules.

We created CorkRules to demystify wine list&rsquo;s 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.

RT:

Le Crocodile

Overview

Located in Williamsburg&rsquo;s Wythe Hotel, Le Crocodile is a neighborhood brasserie servicing classic French cuisine. Their wine list offers plenty of French selections that would complement their dinner menu, along with some bottles from Italy and Spain.

To Start

There are so many great places to start on this wine list, but one that would be lovely, especially with any of the seafood on the menu would be the 2017 Cuv&eacute;e Marie Gros Manseng. This crisp white wine comes from the Jurancon region in Southwest France. It has notes of green apple and citrus, along with some salinity and minerality. The acid would make it a great pairing with their oysters or scallops with ginger, parsley, and lemon.

Another fun option that caught my eye was the 2019 Celler Frisach Vernatxa Garnacha Blanca. As fun to say as it is to drink, this organic Spanish wine was fermented and macerated with the skins, making it an orange wine. The result is a full-bodied wine with notes of tropical fruit, fennel and citrus. It has high minerality and good acidity too, making it so fun to sip on.

Value Bottle

A great value bottle on the list would be the Magali Signature C&ocirc;tes de Provence Ros&eacute;. This crisp ros&eacute; brings all the romantic and refreshing notes classic to Provence ros&eacute;s, with notes of nectarine, strawberry and grapefruit. It&rsquo;s great with vegetables, pork or poultry, so pair this up with the leeks with vinaigrette and hazelnuts or the roasted chicken with herb jus and you&rsquo;ve a match.

Special Occasion

If you&rsquo;re looking for a celebratory bottle to make the night memorable, the 2017 Jean Grivot Clos de Vougeot&nbsp;Grand Cru would be an excellent choice. Clos de Vougeot is one of the largest and most famous grand cru vineyards in northern Burgundy. This pinot noir is rich, with fine tannins and high acidity. It has notes of red berries and herbs, with subtle vanilla and spice influences from some oak aging. Pinot noir is such a food-friendly red, and this bottle would be amazing with the duck leg. This bottle is bound to make the night special!

Sam, thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Le Crocodile&rsquo;s wine list. 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;

&nbsp;

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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

Boqueria Spanish Tapas - Soho

Remelluri

Rioja Reserva 2014

Blend

Rioja, Spain

Bodegues Sumarroca Ya Cuvee Brut Reserva Cava, Catalonia 2018

Catalonia, Spain

Parés Baltà

Penedes Parellada - Xarel-lo - Macabeo Blanc De Pacs 2018

Blend

Penedes, Spain

Bernabeleva

Camino de Navaherreros 2021

Cabernet Sauvignon

Madrid, Spain

Bodegas Murviedro Galeam Monastrell, Alicante 2020

Alicante, Spain

Rezabal

Rezabal Txakoli 2021

Blend

Pais Vasco, Spain

Bernabeleva Camino de Navaherreros Garnacha 2021

Madrid, Spain

Artuke

Artuke Rioja 2021

Tempranillo

Rioja, Spain

Callejuela

Blanco de Hornillos 2019

Spain

Castellroig

Rosat Brut 2018

Catalonia, Spain

Bodegas Ponce

Gulp Hablo Verdejo - Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Blend

La Mancha, Spain

D. Ventura

'Vina do Burato' 2019

Ribeira Sacra, Spain

Vidal Vidal, Rueda, Verdejo Cepas Muy Viejas 2020

Castilla y Leon, Spain

Vidal

Vidal Verdejo La Seca 2020

Rueda, Spain

Valderiz

Ribera del Duero 2020

Castilla y Leon, Spain