Maureen Downey's Wine Fraud Presentation: May 3rd - 5th 2017

 Maureen Downey surrounded by the evidence 

 Maureen Downey (Chai Consulting)

I have been privileged to spent part of today and yesterday with Maureen Downey at her latest fraud presentation held in the St James's at 67 Pall Mall, London SW1.

Maureen has provided both an overview both of fraud within the wine industry and shared her remarkable and precise expertise in distinguishing between counterfeit and genuine wines. 

Joining her in the presentation were Siobhan Turner, also part of Chai Consulting, Steen Öhman (Winehog blog on Burgundy) and I also contributed on wine investment fraud and will be back tomorrow morning.

 Siobhan Turner (Chai Consulting)

Steen Öhman

(Owner and author of the high respected Winehog)

Maureen believes that in the fine wine market – currently worth around $15 billion – that 20% or $3 billion are fake/ counterfeit wines. Furthermore the majority of the wines that the infamous Rudy Kurniawan faked are still in circulation. Maureen makes it clear that Rudy was part of a circle with a number knowing what the deal was and it seems reasonable to conclude that Rudy will be rewarded when he comes out of jail for keeping his mouth shut. 

I have to conclude that if I bought wine from auction, which I don't, I wouldn't consider buying from John Kapon's Acker Merrall house.

  

The volume of fakes that still turns up in auction is frightening. 

Maureen went through a long and methodical checklist of how to assess whether a wine is genuine or not. This involves not just looking at corks, the glass, the label, capsule, etc. but also knowing the appellation laws, the dates of requirements to include warnings for pregnant women, when printing techniques started and a host of other consideration.         

Assessing the label using 

one of the tools of the trade

1900 Margaux:

'1900 Château Latour'

 Nobles Crus Wine Fund: 404 bottles of 1900 Château Margaux

Inventory August 2012

Nobles Crus Wine Fund: 6 bottles of 1900 Château Margaux

Inventory August 2012 

During her presentation Maureen mentioned false 1900 Château Margaux supposedly from Bartin & Guestier. This brought back memories of the Nobles Crus wine portfolio that in August 2012 included 410 bottles of 1900 Château Margaux. Nobles Crus insisted that they bought their stock from reputable suppliers and that their stock was genuine. 

I trust they are right, even though 410 bottles of 1900 does appear to be an extraordinary quantity of this old wine. Should, however, any of these prove to be fake, I have to wonder what has happened to them now that the wine fund has been liquidation....?  

Pancho Campo's MW still has legs!

'Primer Master of Wine español'

I was intrigued to receive a copy of marketing blurb from The Wine Academy twinned with Chrand Management about a three day course – Curso de Marketing, y Organización de Eventos para la Industria del Vino. The course will be held in Marbella on the following dates: 16th-18th November 2012 and 22nd-24th February 2013. The blurb was sent out this week to a potentially interested party.   

'Primer Master of Wine español'...... Curiously there is no mention that Francisco 'Pancho' Campo is the first Spanish/Chilean Master of Wine to resign his MW. I assume that the Institute of Masters of Wine* are relaxed that ex-MW Campo is still making use of the qualification he resigned in May 2012 because of a change of direction – as he told the Institute of Masters of Wine: 'in light of his move into more sports and music events and away from wine'. 


*: Siobhan Turner, executive director of The Institute of Masters of Wine'  clarified the Institute's position in early May 2012 in response to a query from Harold Heckle regarding whether a ex-MW could use their previous qualification to 'vie for business'. Her response:  

'It is a matter of fact that someone passed or did not pass the MW exams, and as long as it was clear that the person in question was no longer a member of the Institute, we could not complain.' (6.5.2012)

Does Pancho Campo make it clear above that he is no longer a 'Master of Wine'? I leave you to judge. 

I'm also impressed that Francisco is still claiming, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that he organised Pink Floyd concerts – a master of elasticity!