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

Samantha Hohl, certified sommelier and wine educator, and Robert Tas visit Bistro du Midi, Boston

Wine List Review of Bistro du Midi, Boston

Sam Hohl

Bistro du Midi

Bistro de Midi:

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where, in each episode,&nbsp;we will review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Samantha Hohl, certified sommelier and wine educator. Hello Sam,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to be back together for another episode.&nbsp;

SH: Hi Robert!&nbsp;

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 when we get that list handed to us, well&hellip; it can be intimidating, and even a little daunting. Our aim is to help prepare you to navigate that list, find those hidden gems, or value wines or that special bottle that will take your dining experience over the top.

&nbsp;RT:&nbsp;So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

RT:

Cork Rules

Bistro du Midi

Overview

Bistro du Midi is located in Boston, Massachusetts and offers Southern French cuisine with New England influences. They feature two floors for dining where you can enjoy the bistro on the street level or dine upstairs in the dining room while taking in the view of the Boston Public Garden.

RT: Sam, I can&rsquo;t wait to hear what do you think of their wine list?

Where to start

This list has lots of French selections, which of course makes sense with the theme. They also include some Italian options and a few New World sections as well, but the heart of this list is definitely French. A bottle that would make for a delicious aperitif or to pair alongside your starter plates would be the Drappier Rośe Brut. These bubbles come from the Champagne Drappier estate which has been in the town of Urville since 1808. 70% of the grapes they grow is Pinot Noir, which is what this bottle is made from. It&rsquo;s got bright red fruit aromas and on the palate notes of grapefruit and subtle flower petal tones. It would be perfect with the Salmon Crudo or Tuna tartare.

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Another great start to the evening would be the 2019 Alphonse Mellot Les Romains, Sancerre. Domaine Alphonse Mellot has been around for over 500 years and has had 19th generations of family winemakers. They&rsquo;re known for their outstanding quality white wines, and this Sancerre is no exception. It&rsquo;s 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the Upper Loire region of France. It&#39;s going to have a gorgeous acid core and aromas of lemon and notes of peach. It also has lovely structure and mineral qualities too. It&rsquo;s going to pair really well with the arugula salad with goat cheese or oysters to start.

Value

A lovely bottle that would pair well with the menu but also won&rsquo;t break the budget is the 2019 Antidoto Ribera del Duero. This bottle comes from Bodegas Antidoto located in Soria, Spain and is made from Tinto Fino, also known as temperanillo. This bottle has red and black fruit flavors of cherry and blackberry, which I always love. It also has notes of vanilla and pepper. It&rsquo;s bold but balanced with tannins and acidity. It&#39;s going to play really well with these rich, French dishes, especially meat. You could start it with the charcuterie board or try it with the Wagyu beef with mushroom and garlic.

Celebratory 

This wine list has no shortage of celebratory wines. There&rsquo;s some incredible bottles with lots of age, but there&rsquo;s definitely some range here even on the celebratory front. One that caught my eye was the 2000 Grand-Puy-Lacoste Pauillac. This is a gorgeous Bordeaux and a great vintage. It&rsquo;s bold and beautiful with structure and tannins. It has notes of blackberry and black current, along with tobacco and pencil led. Really flavorful and complex with a lasting finish. Sip this alongside the duck breast for a classic pairing. You could also go with the foie gras, or the beef entrees to create the ultimate celebratory experience.

RT: Sam Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Bistro du Midi&#39;s wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go try them myself. &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.

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End

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BRAT

Bocca di Lupe

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Matteos Ristorante Italiano

Matteo's

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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

Jungsik

Exem

Bordeaux NV

Blend

Bordeaux, France

Testalonga

Baby Bandito Keep On Punching 2021

Chenin Blanc

Coastal Region, South Africa

De Fermo

Le Cince Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo Superiore 2019

Montepulciano

Abruzzo, Italy

Raul Moreno

Vinos Oceanicos Las Cepas de Paco La Sombra 2018

Andalucia, Spain

Château le Bruilleau

Pessac-Leognan Rouge 2016

Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France

Domaine d'Auvenay (Lalou Bize Leroy)

Meursault Les Narvaux 2007

Chardonnay

Burgundy, France

Andes

Cuvelier Los, Grand Vin, Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco 2009

Malbec Blend

Mendoza, Argentina

I Vigneri

Etna Rosso 2019

Blend

Etna, Italy

Hunter

Tyrrells, Vat 1 Semillon, Valley 2016

New South Wales, Australia

Col d'Orcia

Brunello di Montalcino 2017

Sangiovese

Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

Domaine Joliet, Fixin, Clos de la Perriere Blanc 2019

Burgundy, France

Leon Barral

Fine De Faugeres NV

Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Bouvet-Ladubay

Saphir Saumur Brut Vintage NV

Chenin Blanc

Loire, France

Bouvet Ladubay

Cremant de Loire Blanc de Blancs Brut NV

Chardonnay

France

La Pousse

Domaine de, d'Or NV

Volnay, France