Wine counterfeiting is not a new subject, so much so that it has been theme of some movies like famous Sour Grapes. In a surprising estimate, it is said that 20% of the wine in circulation on the market can be faked.
This number first generates a certain disbelief, but given the different types of counterfeiting, we can understand why this percentage. One of the most common forgeries is to sell a new vintage as if it were an older vintage and obviously of higher marking value.
Another important point is that not only expensive wines are counterfeit. It is an illusion to think that cheap wine can not be false either. Faking wine is a bargain and a forger will always look for what he can sell, even if a more expensive wine generates a larger margin, there will always be a much larger market for cheaper wines (and less checked against counterfeits).
One of the “cheap” wines that serve as an example of counterfeiting is Miraval (Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt wine).
Recently, american wines like Opus One and Screaming Eagle have been forged. There are also records of the australians Penfolds Grange and Bin 707, but the 16 most counterfeited wines in the world, according to the forgery specialist Maureen Downey, are European. The list is below:
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Henri Jayer
Domaine Dujac
Château Cheval Blanc
Château Petrus
Château Lafite Rothschild
Château Latour
Château Mouton Rothschild
Château Lafleur
Château Le Pin
Château Latour à Pomerol
Château Rayas
Jaboulet La Chapelle Hermitage
Sassicaia
Soldera
Bruno Giacosa Barolo
So, my friends, be very careful. Before buying wines, it is necessary to check the source and avoid purchasing unsafe sources. Otherwise it can be buy a pig in a poke!
V³: Vinho, Vida e Viagem 