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; 
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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

Robert Tas and Tina Johansson, WSET Diploma Graduate and Michelin restaurant sommelier, review the wine list at Bocca di Lupo in London. 

Wine List Review of Bocca di Lupo in London, U.K.

Tina Johansson

Bocca di Lupe

CorkRules Script

Bocca di Lupo

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.

&nbsp;

TJ: Thank you Robert, good to be back here with you.

&nbsp;

RT: Today we&rsquo;re visiting Bocca di Lupo in London, an authentic Italian restaurant that have gotten many accolades since opening in 2008, due to their simple but genuine food. All 20 regions are represented on the menu, that is ever-changing to follow the seasons. They make as much as they can on their own, like pasta, sausages and mostarda and they even have their own gelato shop! A dream place for anyone into the amazing Italian cuisine.

TJ: Yeah, Italian food is one of my favorites, as is the wine. But yes, the food made here really takes me back to all the times I&rsquo;ve visited Italy and I just love it. And the wines here! The list is Italian only, they don&rsquo;t even serve champagne! I really admire restaurants that stay true to their concept like this one.

RT: Wow, not many restaurants are brave enough not to serve champagne these days. So if you want to start with something bubbly, what should you drink instead?

TJ: Well Italy actually makes some amazing sparkling wines as well. Everyone knows prosecco, but they have other styles of sparkling wine as well that are made with the traditional method, meaning the same as in champagne. To really dive into the Italian vibe here I would start with a sparkling wine from Trentino in the north of Italy. One of the Top producers here is Ferrari and one of their most prestigious wines has a place on the list here, their 2015 Perl&eacute; Nero Riserva Brut made from Pinot Noir. Fantastic start, fresh but quite full-bodied to handle different cheeses and salumi for the classic antipasti platter.

RT: Sounds delicious! I&rsquo;ve been admiring the menu and what better way than to start an evening with sparkling wine, burrata cheese and Parma ham?

&nbsp;

TJ: Definitely! They do something else I love here, all food has a region of origin next to them which is so cool. As you might now by now I&rsquo;m a big fan of eating food and drinking wine from the same area, so listing region for both wine and food is just the best idea. And listen to these courses; risotto nero with cuttlefish in its own ink from Veneto, the classic aubergine parmigiana from Campania and a pot dish with chickpeas, tomato and mint from Puglia. Getting hungry yet?

&nbsp;

RT: Yeah absolutely! And thirsty. What are we drinking with all of this amazing food?

&nbsp;

TJ: Well for me, a safe bet with food containing a lot of tomato is anything Sangiovese-based. They have an amazing Brunello di Montalcino from Tuscany, and the Brunello DOCG area has to make their wines with 100% Sangiovese by law. So I&rsquo;d drink the Casanova di Neri Brunello called Cerretalto from 2016. A fantastic bottle!

&nbsp;

RT: Wow, bringing out the big guns here! Brunello wines are amazing. So Besides this one, is there anything else you must try on the list?

&nbsp;

TJ: Yes, I see a Freisa I would love to drink. Freisa is a less know grape variety from Piedmont that usually makes a bit lighter and fruitier styles of wine. The name Freisa comes from the Italian word for strawberry. Let&rsquo;s open a bottle of 2018 Freisa Ky&egrave; from the producer Vajra.

&nbsp;

RT: Sounds great, always fun to try something less common when out dining. Thank you for your recommendations today Tina. To our audience, thank you all for joining us here on Corkrules.

&nbsp;

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 as quick 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

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

Château Coupe-Roses is a historic winery located in the heart of Languedoc. The estate has been producing wine for centuries, and is known for its commitment to organic and biodynamic farming practices. The winery is family-owned and operated, and produces a range of red, white, and rosé wines.

Old-school joint serving generous helpings of classic carnivore-friendly options.

Mandolin Aegean Bistro

The Surf Club

Itamae

Itamae Miami

Veranda

Boia De

Huertas

Kesté Pizza & Vino

Keste Pizzeria

Taverna di Bacco

Tavern on the Green

Leyland Brooklyn

Junoon

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

Izzy's - San Francisco

Duckhorn

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Cabernet Sauvignon

Napa Valley, USA

Sand Point California Zinfandel 2019

California, USA

Allan Scott

Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough, New Zealand

Moletto

Prosecco Treviso Extra Dry NV

Glera

Prosecco Treviso, Italy

Domaine Haut Roussillac

Cotes-du-Rhone-Villages 'Valreas' 2020

Mezcla

France

Tomtit

Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Sauvignon Blanc

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Esporão

Bico Amarelo 2020

Loureiro

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Andreola, Verv Extra Dry, Prosecco NV

Prosecco, Italy

Rutherford Ranch

Merlot 2020

Merlot

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Argyle Willamette Valley Oregon 2020

Oregon, USA

Broadley

Pinot Noir 2020

Pinot Noir

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Luli

Pinot Noir (Highlands Ranch) 2019

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Goldschmidt Vineyards

Fidelity Railyard Zinfandel 2020

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Viña Santa Helena

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Köfererhof

Kerner 2019

Kerner

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