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.

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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; 
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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

Gramercy Tavern

Grant Wood

Gramercy Tavern

Here we are, I&rsquo;m finally able to pay my homage to one of my all-time restauranter, Danny Meyer. I cherish his book on hospitality &ldquo;Setting the Table&rdquo; and I now find myself in the position of making a review of one of his all-time, best-known restaurants, Gramercy Tavern. Big names like chef Colicchio and sommelier Paul Grieco are the names I remember that inspired me years ago and their current team is carrying the torch to this very day.

Based on their current beverage list online, I couldn&rsquo;t find wines by the bottle but their list by the glass, cocktails, fortified wines, beer, etc. was still a fun mash-up of amazing elixirs to enhance your dining experience.

Let&rsquo;s start with cocktails, shall we?

The postproduction with Cimarron blanco Tequila, Cocchi vermouth di torino, G&eacute;n&eacute;py and orange bitters sounds like a revolution but the Bad Larry featuring Cruzan white rum, El Dorado 12-year rum, Ramazzotti, passion fruit and lime is sure to change my name to Larry and get my juices flowing.

For bubbles by the glass, I like that they have the 2018 Ros&eacute; of Merlot by Channing Daughters pet-nat from Long Island to really represent the wines of their home state. Otherwise, the 2016 Marguet &ldquo;Shamon&rdquo; ros&eacute;, extra brut grand cru from Ambonnay in Champagne is an amazing grower-producer and biodynamic wine that is not to be missed.

As for whites, I&rsquo;m immediately drawn to the 2018 Peter Lauer Barrel X Riesling from Germany&#39;s Saar in the Mosel. I literally have their 2019 of this wine in my fridge right now and is a no-brainer when you need something of an old friend to wake up your palate and refresh the soul. The 2017 Franz Hirtzberger Gr&uuml;ner Veltliner from the Wachau in Austria is of course a great food wine to open up your mind to culinary exploration. I also see the 2018 Hanzell which I&rsquo;ve already championed before on this program as truly great farmers and thoughtful winemakers.

On to reds, the 2018 Jean-Claude Lapalu, Brouilly from Beaujolais is such an easy go-to light red that will match with so much on the menu at a great price. He Romain Chamoit Mondeuse from France&rsquo;s Savoie will perk up any wine nerd&rsquo;s ears. I have to shout out to Turley&rsquo;s Cinsault from California of course and the 2016 Renato Fenocchio Barbaresco is a great wine to match up to gamey and fatty dishes on their menu.

Lastly, though there are labeled as &ldquo;sweet wines BTG&rdquo; I love their selection of Sherry on their list. I love the Manzanilla Fino by Valdespino from Sanl&ugrave;car de Barrameda in Spain. It&rsquo;s briny, dry, high acid, nutty, and a perfect wine pairing for lighter, salty starters and is a great way to expand your palate. Also, please consider the 1960 D&rsquo;Oliveras Sercial from the Island of Madeira as it is a drinking experience like no other and a true encapsulation of time and place. Sercial is the driest of Madeira but with age, truly a versatile and unique wine to tie off an amazing meal.

All I ask of you, the guest, is to come hungry and be adventurous. Curiosity is the spice of life and it&rsquo;s places like this where you get to venture into the unknown and let your mind wander.

Cheers!

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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

Orin Swift Cellars is a California-based winery that was founded in 1998 by winemaker Dave Phinney. The winery produces a range of high-end wines that are known for their bold, complex flavors and unique blends of varietals and vineyards.

Casual fine-dining choice serving a changing menu of varied seasonal fare in a low-key dining room.

Frenchette

Le Bernardin

Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels

La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels

Charlie Bird

Becco

Buddha-Bar Restaurant New York

Buddha Bar

Franks Wine Bar

Frank's

Maison

Maison Premiere

Pastis

Aldo Sohm Wine Bar

Aldo Sohm

homepage

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Foothills Milling Company

Canyon Road Chardonnay, California 2020

California, USA

Weingut Nik Weis - St. Urbans-Hof

Urban Riesling Sekt Brut 2015

Riesling

Mosel, Germany

Stoneleigh

Lighter Sauvignon Blanc NV

Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough, New Zealand

Castello del Poggio

Moscato d'Asti NV

Moscato

Delle Venezie, Italy

Hayes Ranch

Pinot Grigio NV

Pinot Gris

California, USA

Villa Wolf

Gewurztraminer 2014

Gewurztraminer

Pfalz, Germany

Bivio

Pinot Grigio 2015

Pinot Grigio

Delle Venezie, Italy

Renzo Masi

Cantine Renzo M. Cornioleta Chianti Riserva NV

Sangiovese

Chianti, Tuscany, Italy

Calcareous Vineyard, Tres Violet, Paso Robles 2016

California, USA

SIMI

Alexander Valley Chardonnay 2016

Chardonnay

Alexander Valley, USA

Albert Bichot

Beaujolais Nouveau NV

Gamay

France

Séptima

Malbec 2019

Malbec

Agrelo, Argentina

Oregon Trails Wine Co. (OTWC)

Pinot Noir 2020

Pinot Noir

Willamette Valley, USA

Naveran Cava Brut Rose Spain NV

Catalonia, Spain

Diora 'La Belle Fete' Rose of Pinot Noir NV

Monterey, USA