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

28-50 Wine Workshop & Kitchen

Tina Johansson, WSET Diploma Graduate and Michelin restaurant sommelier, and Robert Tas go overseas to the U.K. where they review the wine list at 28-50 Marleybone 

Wine List Review of 28-50

Tina Johansson

28-50

CorkRules Script

28-50

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!

I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Tina Johansson, WSET Diploma Graduate and Michelin restaurant sommelier.

Hi Tina, thanks for being back with us on another episode of CorkRules, - a podcast where we help simplify and demystify the wine lists at some of your favorite restaurants. We talk with certified sommeliers and wine professionals who point out interesting bottles, classic food and wine pairings, hidden gems, value wines, or splurge wines that will take your dining experience over the top.

TJ: Thank you for having me Robert! And excited to dive into the wine list of 28-50 on Marylebone Lane in London. They have a sister restaurant in Chelsea, both of which they call &rdquo;wine workshop and kitchen&rdquo;. I don&rsquo;t know about you, but I&rsquo;m instantly intrigued by that.

RT: Me too! It&rsquo;s like a wine bar but with more focus on food. They&rsquo;re open all day, from breakfast til late and the food is European with dishes like white asparagus with smoked almonds or lamb loin with spring greens. How does the wine list look to you Tina?

TJ: Very good! The selection by the glass is fun and changing often, and the bottle list is quite classical with many famous labels and a few hidden gems. You can also find a few back vintage wines due to them having connections with private collectors of wine who let them sell their bottles in the restaurant. That&rsquo;s a cool initiative I haven&rsquo;t seen before.

RT: Yes, I agree! And, if you&rsquo;re not sure what you want you can always ask the sommelier, or opt for their three-course meal with matching wine. But now I&rsquo;m getting thirsty, How about we start with a nice white this time?

TJ: Sounds great to me! I have my eyes on the 2019 Didier Dagueneau Silex, a beautiful Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley of France. When I first tried this wine I realized how versatile of a grape Sauvignon Blanc can be. It doesn&rsquo;t have to be overtly aromatic and green, it can have yellow fruits and minerality like this one. Dagueneau is a trail blazer and one of the most well-known producers of Loire today.

RT: Yeah, these wines can be quite hard to come by as well so it sounds like a perfect time to try it if you haven&rsquo;t already! So what about a bottle of red? Anything else that&rsquo;s a must try?

TJ: Well yeah. To continue on the same theme, the Loire Valley that is, they have one of the most iconic reds from the region on their wine list as well. It&rsquo;s the 2010 Clos Rougeard Le Clos, made from Cabernet Franc. It was made by the equally iconic Foucault brothers up until they sold the estate in 2017 so it&rsquo;s one of the original vintages that are extra hard to come by today. A real so called unicorn wine.

RT: What a bottle. Not easy to find, and not the most affordable one either&hellip; Even though it&rsquo;s hard to pace yourself when you&rsquo;re looking at a list like this one, is there something with a more moderate price tag to drink?

TJ: Of course, not every bottle needs to be a famous label. Wine is supposed to be fun! Besides, I think we&rsquo;ve taken enough advantage of the private collectors cellar by now. So, for our last wine there&rsquo;s an amazing Barbera from Piedmont in Italy on the list, the 2019 Reva Barbera d&rsquo;Alba. Reva is an up and coming producer just starting to get some well deserved attention. Their Barbera is elegant yet full of fruit flavour without getting too luscious like some other styles being made with the grape.

RT: Fun choice, Barbera is an underrated grape variety in comparison to Nebbiolo growing in the same region. Thank you for picking that one out for us, and for being back with us Tina.

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:

Info@CorkRules.Com or visit our web website where

we have a request form available and we will do our

best to get it in the queue&nbsp;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 wherever you get your podcasts.

And finally, drink what you love and please make

sure you drink responsibly.

&nbsp;

END

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

Stark-Condé is a boutique winery that produces premium quality wines from the Jonkershoek Valley in Stellenbosch. The vineyards are situated on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain and benefit from a unique microclimate.

Notable spot for refined Creole fare & an elegant jazz brunch in a chandelier-hung space since 1880.

Christos Steakhouse

Lilia

French Louie

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

Commander's Palace

Cadillac

Secret de Chateau Biac NV

France

Henri Dosnon

Brut Selection Champagne NV

Blend

Champagne, France

Gusbourne

Brut Reserve 2016

Pinot Noir

Kent, UK

Saint Cosme

Crozes-Hermitage 2011

Syrah

Crozes-Hermitage, Rhone, France

La Cana Albarino, Rias Baixas 2021

Rias Baixas, Spain

Francesco Tornatore Etna Bianco, Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC 2021

Carricante

Sicily, Italy

Jorge Ordóñez

No. 1 Seleccion Especial 2019

Muscat of Alexandria

Spain

Chardonnay

Calera, Central Coast 2019

Central Coast, California, USA

Avancia

Godello 2020

Godello

Galicia, Spain

Bodegas Godeval Cepas Vellas NV

Valdeorras, Spain

Chãteau Queyret-Pouillac

Relais de Pouillac Bordeaux Superieur NV

Assemblage

France

Neyers

Vista Luna Zinfandel 2018

Zinfandel

California, USA

Sandhi

Central Coast Chardonnay 2020

Chardonnay

Central Coast, USA