Showing posts with label fraud?. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fraud?. Show all posts
21 June 2010
25 November 2008
how dishonest?
the Italian news weekly L’Espresso now reports that,
1)almost all of the big [wineries] involved in the [Brunello] investigation have been forced to request declassification in order to return to the shelves of supermarkets and wine stores, albeit with less prestigious lables,
2)nearly 50% of Banfi’s 2003 Brunello was downgraded to IGT Toscana Rosso, and a sizable amount of its 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 vintages has met the same fate.
1)almost all of the big [wineries] involved in the [Brunello] investigation have been forced to request declassification in order to return to the shelves of supermarkets and wine stores, albeit with less prestigious lables,
2)nearly 50% of Banfi’s 2003 Brunello was downgraded to IGT Toscana Rosso, and a sizable amount of its 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 vintages has met the same fate.
24 October 2008
and the saga continues ...
and the investigating mags have their say.
“Recent news published in the mass media — local and national — with regard to the investigation of ‘Brunello di Montalcino’ has prompted the Siena Prosecutor’s Office to provide some clarification in order to ensure that all producers and consumers receive correct information.”
According to the statement, “the Siena office of the Italian Treasury Siena and the Florence office of the Central Inspectorate for Quality Control of Food and Agricultural Products have conducted numerous investigations ordered by the Siena Magistrate. Seizures were ordered in corporate offices and in private homes; documentation was seized at the Brunello Producers Association and analyzed; vineyards were inspected; photographic surveys were conducted on the ground and from the air; and substantive analysis was made of financial and other documentation.”
The investigation began in September 2007.
The investigation has revealed that "many of the companies implicated have violated the appellation regulations for Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and Rosso di Montalcino DOC ."
Authors of the statement, magistrates Nino Calabrese and Mario Formisano, who both signed the letter personally, wrote: “6,500,000 liters of Brunello di Montalcino and 700,000 liters of Rosso di Montalcino were impounded. Roughly 1,100,00 liters of Brunello di Montalcino have been declassified to IGT Toscana Rosso. Roughly 450,000 liters of Rosso di Montalcino have been declassified to IGT Toscana Rosso.”
“Following declassification, the producers implicated in the investigation requested that their wine be released.”
The wine was released, write the magistrates, only after producers agreed to declassify the adulterated wine and after “the remaining quantities of wine were found to be in conformity with appellation regulations, in part through laboratory tests.”
“Recent news published in the mass media — local and national — with regard to the investigation of ‘Brunello di Montalcino’ has prompted the Siena Prosecutor’s Office to provide some clarification in order to ensure that all producers and consumers receive correct information.”
According to the statement, “the Siena office of the Italian Treasury Siena and the Florence office of the Central Inspectorate for Quality Control of Food and Agricultural Products have conducted numerous investigations ordered by the Siena Magistrate. Seizures were ordered in corporate offices and in private homes; documentation was seized at the Brunello Producers Association and analyzed; vineyards were inspected; photographic surveys were conducted on the ground and from the air; and substantive analysis was made of financial and other documentation.”
The investigation began in September 2007.
The investigation has revealed that "many of the companies implicated have violated the appellation regulations for Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and Rosso di Montalcino DOC ."
Authors of the statement, magistrates Nino Calabrese and Mario Formisano, who both signed the letter personally, wrote: “6,500,000 liters of Brunello di Montalcino and 700,000 liters of Rosso di Montalcino were impounded. Roughly 1,100,00 liters of Brunello di Montalcino have been declassified to IGT Toscana Rosso. Roughly 450,000 liters of Rosso di Montalcino have been declassified to IGT Toscana Rosso.”
“Following declassification, the producers implicated in the investigation requested that their wine be released.”
The wine was released, write the magistrates, only after producers agreed to declassify the adulterated wine and after “the remaining quantities of wine were found to be in conformity with appellation regulations, in part through laboratory tests.”
21 October 2008
the accused sez ...
Banfi Brunello released October 20, 2008
Kerin O'Keefe
Siena prosecutors have released Banfi's 2003 Brunello, confiscated in April as part of an investigation into commercial fraud regarding grape blending.
Banfi's proprietor Cristina Mariani-May made the announcement today. 'This clearance closes the case for Castello Banfi Brunello,' she said. 'Our Brunello has been liberated.'[update: see post above, ... why didn't she just clear the air by stating unequivocally that none of their stuff was found adulterated, therefor released and would not be declassified? ... deafening][update2: cos half of the stuff is shonky here]
She said the formerly impounded stock will be shipped worldwide immediately [ BUT AS WHAT?], and that the 2004 will be released in February 2009 as regularly scheduled. Banfi was among several high-profile producers, including Antinori and Frescobaldi, whose wines were confiscated during what is still an ongoing investigation involving nearly 90 Brunello estates according to local sources. Banfi's wine was cleared after a controversial laboratory test that measures the wine's anthocyanin level demonstrated the wine was exclusively Sangiovese.
Earlier this year Antinori's Pian delle Vigne Brunello was also released, as was half of Frescobaldi's as-yet-unbottled 2003 Brunello.
Kerin O'Keefe
Siena prosecutors have released Banfi's 2003 Brunello, confiscated in April as part of an investigation into commercial fraud regarding grape blending.
Banfi's proprietor Cristina Mariani-May made the announcement today. 'This clearance closes the case for Castello Banfi Brunello,' she said. 'Our Brunello has been liberated.'[update: see post above, ... why didn't she just clear the air by stating unequivocally that none of their stuff was found adulterated, therefor released and would not be declassified? ... deafening][update2: cos half of the stuff is shonky here]
She said the formerly impounded stock will be shipped worldwide immediately [ BUT AS WHAT?], and that the 2004 will be released in February 2009 as regularly scheduled. Banfi was among several high-profile producers, including Antinori and Frescobaldi, whose wines were confiscated during what is still an ongoing investigation involving nearly 90 Brunello estates according to local sources. Banfi's wine was cleared after a controversial laboratory test that measures the wine's anthocyanin level demonstrated the wine was exclusively Sangiovese.
Earlier this year Antinori's Pian delle Vigne Brunello was also released, as was half of Frescobaldi's as-yet-unbottled 2003 Brunello.
17 October 2008
montalcino bites back
Kerin O'Keefe
The Consorzio of Brunello di Montalcino is suing two major Italian newspapers for defamation.
L'espresso, a weekly publication, and the daily La Repubblica, ran articles on 4 April this year on two scandals – the Brunello grape blending scandal, and the massive investigation into wines made with potentially harmful products, led by the prosecutor's office inTaranto, Puglia.
L'espresso even used the headline 'Benvenuti a Velenitaly', which literally translates as Welcome to Poison Italy. It was also a pun on Vinitaly, Italy's most important wine fair, which opened as the articles appeared.
Patrizio Cencioni, president of the Brunello Consorzio told decanter.com the articles, published close to each other, damaged Brunello's image by association. 'We're suing for unspecified damages, because we feel these two articles have hurt Brunello's image by insinuating that Brunello was harmful to consumers, which of course is not true.'
International consumers became confused over the issues and concerned that drinking Brunello could be dangerous, Cencioni added.
Shortly after the article many importers asked Brunello makers for certification that their product was safe, Cencioni said.
He and others feel that later problems over certifying Brunello for US importation may have been generated by the negative fallout from the articles in question.
The Siena prosecutor running the investigation in Montalcino, and the Minister of Agriculture, Luca Zaia, have publicly confirmed that the Brunello case concerns only grape blending, which is illegal under the wine's strict production code.
L'espresso and La Repubblica are both owned by Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso Spa.
The Consorzio of Brunello di Montalcino is suing two major Italian newspapers for defamation.
L'espresso, a weekly publication, and the daily La Repubblica, ran articles on 4 April this year on two scandals – the Brunello grape blending scandal, and the massive investigation into wines made with potentially harmful products, led by the prosecutor's office inTaranto, Puglia.
L'espresso even used the headline 'Benvenuti a Velenitaly', which literally translates as Welcome to Poison Italy. It was also a pun on Vinitaly, Italy's most important wine fair, which opened as the articles appeared.
Patrizio Cencioni, president of the Brunello Consorzio told decanter.com the articles, published close to each other, damaged Brunello's image by association. 'We're suing for unspecified damages, because we feel these two articles have hurt Brunello's image by insinuating that Brunello was harmful to consumers, which of course is not true.'
International consumers became confused over the issues and concerned that drinking Brunello could be dangerous, Cencioni added.
Shortly after the article many importers asked Brunello makers for certification that their product was safe, Cencioni said.
He and others feel that later problems over certifying Brunello for US importation may have been generated by the negative fallout from the articles in question.
The Siena prosecutor running the investigation in Montalcino, and the Minister of Agriculture, Luca Zaia, have publicly confirmed that the Brunello case concerns only grape blending, which is illegal under the wine's strict production code.
L'espresso and La Repubblica are both owned by Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso Spa.
06 September 2008
the "pros" and the conned
the wine speculum gave their award for excellance to a non-existant restaurant...way to go boys. here
if this can happen, wonder whether they actually go through the thousands of bottles every year before bestowing their ratings...? hmmmm...and even if they did, what about human foibles (aka $$$) entering the equation...?
got to look up "hubris" on the wiki.
if this can happen, wonder whether they actually go through the thousands of bottles every year before bestowing their ratings...? hmmmm...and even if they did, what about human foibles (aka $$$) entering the equation...?
got to look up "hubris" on the wiki.
05 September 2008
and they have their say...
Kerin O'Keefe
Brunello producer Banfi has strongly disputed reports that grapes other than Sangiovese have been found in their wine.
In Italian national newspaper La Nazione yesterday a report said results from laboratory tests proved that grapes other than Sangiovese had been found in samples of confiscated wine.
The tests were ordered by the prosecutor in the ongoing Brunello grape blending scandal, which has seen the 2003 Brunello vintage confiscated from half a dozen major producers.
The article, which uses unnamed sources, said that the results were for Brunello impounded at Banfi during the course of the investigation.
Cristina Mariani-May, owner of Banfi, a family company and one of Italy's most renowned producers, told decanter.com she set little store by the reports, and that they had had no official communication about the tests.
'The Siena prosecutor's office has not yet divulged to us the results of a series of chemical analysis tests, initiated by the prosecutor's consultants over three months ago.
'We are waiting to receive the final and official documentation in order to evaluate the results in comparison with the prosecutor's threshold for proof.'
She added that the reliability of results from analysis of an aged wine like Brunello was still a matter of intense professional debate.
'Official parameters for determining if a wine is made from 100% Sangiovese have not been set. Nor has a databank of results been established.
'This is in part because there are many factors that can influence what was once considered the traditional profile of Sangiovese, including fermentation methods, soil types, barrique aging and clonal selection of Sangiovese.'
Banfi and other producers have asked the judiciary panel to appoint an independent expert to who would oversee a separate investigation.
Mariani-May said that despite 'misleading statements by established news sources, the possibility of leaks and indiscretions, and the clearly biased opinions from supposedly neutral sources that exacerbate and already difficult situation,' she remained hopeful 'for due process and truth to clarify the situation and bring the case to its rightful conclusion'.
do you reckon this girl's a lawyer...sure sounds like one.
Brunello producer Banfi has strongly disputed reports that grapes other than Sangiovese have been found in their wine.
In Italian national newspaper La Nazione yesterday a report said results from laboratory tests proved that grapes other than Sangiovese had been found in samples of confiscated wine.
The tests were ordered by the prosecutor in the ongoing Brunello grape blending scandal, which has seen the 2003 Brunello vintage confiscated from half a dozen major producers.
The article, which uses unnamed sources, said that the results were for Brunello impounded at Banfi during the course of the investigation.
Cristina Mariani-May, owner of Banfi, a family company and one of Italy's most renowned producers, told decanter.com she set little store by the reports, and that they had had no official communication about the tests.
'The Siena prosecutor's office has not yet divulged to us the results of a series of chemical analysis tests, initiated by the prosecutor's consultants over three months ago.
'We are waiting to receive the final and official documentation in order to evaluate the results in comparison with the prosecutor's threshold for proof.'
She added that the reliability of results from analysis of an aged wine like Brunello was still a matter of intense professional debate.
'Official parameters for determining if a wine is made from 100% Sangiovese have not been set. Nor has a databank of results been established.
'This is in part because there are many factors that can influence what was once considered the traditional profile of Sangiovese, including fermentation methods, soil types, barrique aging and clonal selection of Sangiovese.'
Banfi and other producers have asked the judiciary panel to appoint an independent expert to who would oversee a separate investigation.
Mariani-May said that despite 'misleading statements by established news sources, the possibility of leaks and indiscretions, and the clearly biased opinions from supposedly neutral sources that exacerbate and already difficult situation,' she remained hopeful 'for due process and truth to clarify the situation and bring the case to its rightful conclusion'.
do you reckon this girl's a lawyer...sure sounds like one.
two IGTs then
castello banfi's brunello di montalcino 2003 and brunello di montalcino poggio alle mura 2003... just stick a fancy "supertuscan" label on each and everything will be alright...ha ha ha.
04 September 2008
oops...
"In a report published today by La Nazione, tests conducted by Italian treasury officials have revealed that the 2003 Brunello di Montalcino by Banfi contains grapes other than Sangiovese (appellation regulations require that Brunello be made using 100% Sangiovese grapes). According to author Cecilia Marzotti, Italian authorities have not revealed which varieties were used but tests conducted by the Enosis laboratory in Asti (Piedmont) have revealed the presence of at least one prohibited variety. More test results, from wines seized at other Brunello producers, are expected in a few weeks, according to the report."well, i never........ :-)
08 June 2008
mo cheap plonk?
some Vino "Nobile(?)" di Montepulciano fellas are now being investigated.
reckon this is just a tuscan thing or could it get bigger ... ? anyway the bouquet of declassified wine hangs heavy in the air ... ha.
reckon this is just a tuscan thing or could it get bigger ... ? anyway the bouquet of declassified wine hangs heavy in the air ... ha.
13 May 2008
the cheap plonk keeps flowing
it would seem that Antinori has declassified the 2003 Pian delle Vigne which will be released as an IGT ........... mwahahahaha
you cheat you pay
in my case, i'll pay less
update: they didn't declassify ... premature celebration ... sigh
you cheat you pay
in my case, i'll pay less
update: they didn't declassify ... premature celebration ... sigh
29 April 2008
cheap vino courtesy of brunellogate?
argiano declassifies their 2003 brunello. here's bits of a letter they apparently circulated.
"Given the philosophy that has always inspired us at Argiano, we are unable to stand back and wait for the events to take their course. Our foremost wish is to enable our faithful customers to enjoy our excellent wine this year as well. For this reason we will make a great sacrifice, one that is truly enormous for a winemaking company: we will declassify our top wine, our flagship."
"In this unforgettable and unique year there will be a new label: IL DUEMILATRE DI ARGIANO. We have decided to change the name, contained in the classic label that has become our symbol, but leaving the wine unchanged in its essence, the same as ever, the same wine that on more than one occasion has permitted us to win praise and awards. We steadfastly keep to our values and our enthusiasm, which are firmly rooted in our history, dating back to 1580."
yeah ... my heart bleeds for them. let the cheap wine flow.
update:
The Brunello Controversy: a winemaker’s perspective
"Given the philosophy that has always inspired us at Argiano, we are unable to stand back and wait for the events to take their course. Our foremost wish is to enable our faithful customers to enjoy our excellent wine this year as well. For this reason we will make a great sacrifice, one that is truly enormous for a winemaking company: we will declassify our top wine, our flagship."
"In this unforgettable and unique year there will be a new label: IL DUEMILATRE DI ARGIANO. We have decided to change the name, contained in the classic label that has become our symbol, but leaving the wine unchanged in its essence, the same as ever, the same wine that on more than one occasion has permitted us to win praise and awards. We steadfastly keep to our values and our enthusiasm, which are firmly rooted in our history, dating back to 1580."
yeah ... my heart bleeds for them. let the cheap wine flow.
update:
The Brunello Controversy: a winemaker’s perspective
by Tom Hyland
Earlier this week, I had lunch with Hans Vinding Diers, winemaker at Argiano in Sant’Angelo in Colle, one of the four initial estates named in the scandal that has now accused several dozen wineries of altering their 2003 Brunello with the possible addition of Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon to this famous Sangiovese-only red. Diers was very forthright with answers to my questions about this situation and I thank him for his insight.
Diers at first wondered why Argiano was being investigated with the three other wineries, Antinori, Banfi and Frescobaldi, all of which are quite large in size (Argiano only bottles 55,000 bottles of Brunello in an average year as compared to several hundred thousand bottles from the other estates). His first encounter with the Guardia di Finanza, which is investigating this, happened when they flew helicopters over the Argiano estate this past December, presumably to see for themselves if there were Merlot or Cabernet vines intermingled with the Sangiovese.
I asked Diers how anyone could see this in December when the vines were dormant. “I thought the only way you could tell was by looking at the leaves,” I said. “Exactly,” Diers replied.
Nonetheless, later that month, the authorities impounded the remaining bottles of 2003 Brunello di Montalcino not yet shipped by the winery. As this situation has yet to be settled throughout the district, the authorities have impounded wine at dozens of other estates, all of which are under varying degrees of investigation. Diers argued that they needed to sell this wine, so a compromise was reached. Argiano is now able to ship this wine to market under a new name, Il Duemilatre di Argiano (literally, the Argiano 2003). This is the same wine as the 2003 Brunello with the same black label the winery uses to denote their signature wine.
Interestingly, Vias, the American importer for Argiano is now selling the wine under the two labels, as they received an allocation of the Brunello before it was impounded in December. They are selling the Il Duemilatre bottling to their customers at 20% less than the Brunello bottling, which should sell out very soon. I tasted the two bottlings with Diers and they are indeed the same wine. Having tasted over a thousand examples of Brunello di Montalcino over the past seven years, I can offer the opinion that this is indeed 100% Sangiovese. The color incidentally is a bright garnet, though without the intensity one finds in the finest years. Diers explains, “In a hot year, you get a lighter color such as this, one that bleaches out sooner than in a cool year.”
Diers believes this investigation is at a standstill. “They don’t know what to do now,” he commented, referring to the prosecutors handling this case. One thing that has been settled is the question about the vineyards at Argiano. “Our vineyards have been found to contain no irregularities, as far as other varieties are concerned.”
Diers has seen this all before and questions the power the authorities have in this matter. “It’s a grand Italian opera. The magistrate in this case has autonomous power and the big boys (referring to the large producers) can’t do a thing.” His closing statement, as it were, was a refrain I’ve heard often from the country’s businessmen: “In Italy, you are guilty until proven innocent.”
24 April 2008
something's fermenting
it seems that some big boys in montalcino are being investigated with regard to adulterating their brunellos ... frescobaldi, banfi, antinori, argiano ..... ??!!! apparently this started in 2003...
not with glycol (can anyone say rrrrhiesling?...) or some other nasty chemical mind you, just cheap (?) wine from other areas or from non permitted varieties.
the argiano 2001 and the banfi poggio alle mura 1999 are very very nice but hey, what do i know ...
anyway, maybe if the citizens of a certain very democratic country shy away, prices may come down for this stuff ?
anyway, what's not adulterated these days? so what if there's a bit of cab sav or merlot in it? think of it as a "super tuscan"... people pay a lot for the stuff you know... ha ha.
not with glycol (can anyone say rrrrhiesling?...) or some other nasty chemical mind you, just cheap (?) wine from other areas or from non permitted varieties.
the argiano 2001 and the banfi poggio alle mura 1999 are very very nice but hey, what do i know ...
anyway, maybe if the citizens of a certain very democratic country shy away, prices may come down for this stuff ?
anyway, what's not adulterated these days? so what if there's a bit of cab sav or merlot in it? think of it as a "super tuscan"... people pay a lot for the stuff you know... ha ha.
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