It’s become common to expect knock-off goods when buying cheap electronics from flea-markets. While you think this may not apply to buying a top-of-the-range wine, you may just be surprised.

In the wine fraud investigation, Italian Police have confiscated thousands of bottles, some selling for around R265,000 each, that were masquerading as super-fancy wine brands. The horror.

While this may seem as a bit of a first-world problem – everybody is prone to enjoying a nice glass of wine from an upmarket bottle here and there – whether it be at a restaurant, hotel or grocery store.

Even Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli’s family wine farm has been hit by the scam, with thousands of bottles on the market cheaply-imitating their wine.

The wine fraud investigation, which began more than three years ago, was launched after wine importers in the United States complained that their expensive Italian reds tasted bitter. After focusing on storage and shipping issues, wine specialists working with the police concluded that somewhere along the line exporters were subbing out the expensive vintages with cheap wine made from substandard grapes. Further investigation led to the discovery that the practice was also affecting wines consumed in Italy.

Locally, South Africans shouldn’t have such a problem – the industry is well-regulated and consumers can even order their favourite wines online, such as Haute Cabrière, directly from the vineyards themselves.

On the upside, at least this whole controversy gives Bocelli some depressing inspiration for his music. Trying to make lemonade here, people.

[source: The Daily Beast]