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 It may be a compliment to the high-quality and international brand image of Brunello di Montalcino that there are fraudsters frequently trying to get away with the fake versions like other high-value luxury products. But the producers of Montalcino are not amused by another fraud discovered on Tuesday, which resulted in the confiscation of over 165,000 liters of wine- the equivalent of about 19,000 cases of fake Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino having a street price of around €5 million. "The seized wine was still with the distributors and no bottle was yet on the market, according to Luca Albertario, head of the financial police in Siena under which Montalcino falls.
The confiscation was the result of an anti-fraud investigation that began last year. It focused on an unnamed wine consultant enologist who is neither registered under law nor a member of any related association in the category he operated in. About ten Tuscan producers were the victims of this fraud. It came to notice when a report by the Consorzio wine cellars highlighted discrepancies during an audit of the inspection body Valoritalia Ltd.
The alleged fraudster seems to have supplied the regional authority with false production data. Using his influence with producers, he obtained official labels, seals and other documents authenticating the Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino, allowing him to substitute them with low-quality wines.
He reportedly hacked into the region of Tuscany's agriculture department adding records that matched the wine's fake documentation, making it more difficult for buyers to doubt the wine's authenticity. He even accessed two producers' home banking accounts attempting to transfer about €350,000 to his own, according to the police investigators.
He faces now charges of commercial fraud, illegal access to computers, aggravated and continued embezzlement and falsehood in relation to what investigators described as a sensational fraud going back to 2011-13. The wines seized reportedly belong to the 2008-13 vintage. Meanwhile the man has been banished from Montalcino and his private bank accounts valuing €350,000 have been seized. Police are also trying to identify people who might have been his accomplices in the fraud.
Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino, the consortium of Brunello wine producers has been quick to react. In a statement issued yesterday as the news of the seizure of the bottles was announced, the Consorzio President Fabrizio Bindocci described the fraud as "an extremely serious occurrence that could create considerable damage for Brunello di Montalcino, producers and the wine-growing area. However, as in this case, fortunately the system has the strength and instruments to identify, isolate and successfully combat people who abuse Brunello's fame."
 Fabrizio Bindocci adds, "the Consortium has for many years been involved in safeguarding the
producers' work and protecting consumers, a role that requires an ever increasing amount of attention and continuous updating of the rules, to benefit the territory, the brand and the quality of the products.” The Consortium has collaborated with the investigations from the start, investigations that were initiated by the producers' own system.
‘The Consortium will immediately submit a civil claim and will use all means necessary to combat similar behaviour, particularly against those who have committed serious offences within the territory or adopted practices that are harmful to the image of Brunello,’ he says in the Release.
Last year Montalcino produced 8.1 million bottles of Brunello di Montalcino with a revenue of €165 million, over two thirds of which was exported. It is one of Italy's most famous and expensive iconic red wines. Brunello has become a symbol of highest quality Italian red wine and is considered a brand in itself, despite the fact that Rosso di Montalcino is available practically at a third of the cost and since it may be drunk young, is more suited to the Indian palate and wallet. Rosso is also made exclusively from Sangiovese grapes according to exacting standards.
Subhash Arora
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Tags: Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino, Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino, Brunello, Fabrizio Bindocci |