Counterfeit cases on the increase. - The lucrative trade of fake wines.
If you're visiting Hong Kong with three empty bottles of Château Lafite Rothschild at home, remember to pack them in your luggage! These bottles can be sold for around $500 each to Asian wine counterfeiters.
Counterfeiters fill these bottles with various blends, use real bottles and labels, and make a hefty profit from the vanity of wealthy Europeans and Americans.
Counterfeits from around the world
World champion sommelier Markus Del Monego, one of the few IHK experts for fake wines in Germany, explains the reason for the rise in counterfeiters: "There aren't many authentic super wines available on the international market."
You can purchase a bottle of 2015 Romanée Conti online for approximately €33,000. These Burgundies are quite the showstoppers, but they're also incredibly rare. Many wealthy individuals who are looking for a deal fall prey to these fakes. Del Monego advises, "Anyone offered top wines at a fraction of their actual cost should be wary."
Organized crime isn't just involved in counterfeiting wines in Asia, but also in Italy, France, and Switzerland. The famous American wine, Screaming Eagle (approximately €5,000 per bottle), is being actively counterfeited in Italy.
Remaining silent to avoid spoiling the party
A concerning aspect: at a dinner where CEO X or actor Y is present, there are typically no wine experts around to identify the wines. During these events, two bottles of Sassicaia, priced at €500 each, are served. No guest wants to rupture the atmosphere by expressing disappointment with the seemingly great wine.
Anyone aware of the fake wine decision to remain silent, allowing the counterfeiters to triumph. It doesn't need to be just expensive wines: wines costing €300 to €500 a bottle are also worth counterfeiting.
Impact on wine drinkers and restaurateurs
It's not just about high-end wines: at the Italian restaurant down the street, you might pay €28 for a Tuscan wine on the menu. The waiter quickly removes the cork, but you're quicker and notice that the cork comes from a cheap Apulian wine, not Tuscany. The counterfeiters make a profit whether they spend one euro on the counterfeited wine or ten euros on a label to replicate it.
Label theft in Germany
Are there any counterfeits of German wines? Del Monego states, "It's just about a few famous German labels." The top Rieslings globally include wines from Egon Müller on the Saar, Dönnhoff on the Nahe, and Weill in the Rheingau, as well as from Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken, all on the Saar.
German wine counterfeits are more challenging due to the exceptional quality and price of some wines from Egon Müller. In 2020, a significant amount of original Egon Müller labels were stolen during a break-in at the winery. Dorothee Zilliken, however, hasn't experienced such theft.
The best option for wine enthusiasts is to purchase from the winery or a reputable retailer, like Collector's Wine World in Essen. There, you can store your fine wines in a secure area with the ideal temperature and humidity for a fee. All wines are thoroughly documented.
If you have highly valuable wines, avoid discussing them openly. This could attract thieves. This has already occurred at numerous restaurants.
Read also:
Source: symclub.org
