The consequences of fraud

Here is a copy of an extract from a letter (see below) from the US Treasury Department that appeared today in La Dépêche du Midi. Sent to Christian Ligeard at the French Embassy it informs him that the American government will be tightening up its controls on the import of Vin de Pays Pinot Noir from Languedoc-Roussillon.

Although some may object that the Americans have jumped the gun sending the letter before the twelve defendants were found guilty and the sentence handed down on 17th February, the US response appears to be reasonably measured as I understand it. They have asked for guarantees from the French Government with respect to Pinot Noir Vin de Pays from Languedoc-Roussillon imported into the US. Given the extent of the scandal the Americans might have been within their rights to demand guarantees on all vin de pays from Languedoc-Roussillon.

It is worth remembering that much of the American legislation around alcohol and its distribution were informed by the attitudes prevalent in the lead up to, and during, the American experiment with prohibition.

Department of the Treasury
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
Washington DC
January 14th 2010


Mr Christian Ligeard
Counselor for Agriculture
Economic Department
Emassy of France
4101 Reservoir Road NW
Washington, DC 20007-2173


Dear Mr. Ligeard

This letter is in regard to our letter dated February 13, 2008, in, which we raised our concerns about reports of erroneous or fraudulent classification and labeling of Pinot Noir from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. You responed by letter dated March 2, 2009 and confirmed that the epported volumes were bigger than the quantities of pinot noir produced in the departments of l"Aude and l'Herault. You also stated that the judical authority opened an inquiry to identify the responsibility of the actors in exporting the wine. To date, we have not received any new or additional information from the government of France in regard to this scandal.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of thr United States Department of the Treasury is delegated with the responsibility, under the provisions of section 105(a) of the Federal Alcohol Administration Act (FAA Act), 27 U.S.C. 205 (e)*, to ensure that alcoholic beverages are accurately labeled in order to protect the public from deception. Because Pinot Noir from the French appellation Vin de pays d'Oc, Vins de pays de l'Aude, Vin de pays de Gard, Vin de pays de l'Herault, or Vin de pays des Pyrenées-Orientales may not meet the requirements stated in TTB's regulations at 27CFR 4.23 and 4,25 to be labeled as such, TTB must take action to ensure that U.S. consumers are not deceived.

We will immediately begin requiring all U.S. Importers of bottled or bulk wine from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France covered by a Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) naming Vin de pays d'Oc, Vins de pays de l'Aude, Vin de pays de Gard, Vin de pays de l'Herault, or Vin de pays des Pyrenées-Orientales as the appellation of origin and Pinot Noir as the single grape variety, to have in their possession at the time of release of any of those wines from United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody a declaration from the Government of France which must:

Extract from letter from US Treasury

There have been several appeals lodged by those found guilty by the court in Carcassonne. These include Sieur d'Arques, Alain Maurel of Vignobles A. Maurel and Claude Courset (Ducasse). Of course the defendants are within their rights to appeal but these appeals extend the media spotlight on this substantial scandal. I assume that the various defendants come up with some more convincing defences than those that were recorded in the judgment of 17th February.

As ever I feel sorry for the genuine hard-working producers of Languedoc-Roussillon and just hope that the fears apparently expressed in the aisles of Vinisud that the Pinot Noir scandal is but 'the tip of the iceberg' prove to be without foundation.