Comments on: fools and their monies are soon parted - the wine way! http://terroir.winelibrary.com/2007/09/10/fools-and-their-monies-are-soon-parted-the-wine-way/ A Wine Blog Dedicated To Terrior Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:47:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Tom C http://terroir.winelibrary.com/2007/09/10/fools-and-their-monies-are-soon-parted-the-wine-way/#comment-252576 Wed, 19 Sep 2007 16:44:20 +0000 http://terroir.winelibrary.com/2007/09/10/fools-and-their-monies-are-soon-parted-the-wine-way/#comment-252576 Jeff- Thanks for posting. You are right, that the greatest sin COULD have been at the retail level, but it could just as well have come at the wholesaler, or even at the importer level as well - actually these two levels are probably most culpable for not really doing their homework (especially in the case of the completely faked wineries) but also in fairness to them, once a wine is tasted, and the deal is cut, most folks do not immediately or systematically re-taste the wine, but this sort of thing might be the impetus for importers and wholesalers to do so in the future. TOM CIOCCO Jeff-

Thanks for posting. You are right, that the greatest sin COULD have been at the retail level, but it could just as well have come at the wholesaler, or even at the importer level as well - actually these two levels are probably most culpable for not really doing their homework (especially in the case of the completely faked wineries) but also in fairness to them, once a wine is tasted, and the deal is cut, most folks do not immediately or systematically re-taste the wine, but this sort of thing might be the impetus for importers and wholesalers to do so in the future.

TOM CIOCCO

]]> by: Jeff O'Connell http://terroir.winelibrary.com/2007/09/10/fools-and-their-monies-are-soon-parted-the-wine-way/#comment-250521 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 19:48:10 +0000 http://terroir.winelibrary.com/2007/09/10/fools-and-their-monies-are-soon-parted-the-wine-way/#comment-250521 Tom, You make some valid points, particularly that the consumer should be more interested in the wine than the bottle it comes in. Having a limited budget, hopefully my risk is not too great. But you seem to place blame on the fakers and the consumer, but you don't mention the retailer. Doesn't the retailer bear some responsibility for making sure the products he/she sells is legitimate? If I splurge on an expensive bottle (which for some of us is $50) I'd like to think I am getting the genuine article. Tom,

You make some valid points, particularly that the consumer should be more interested in the wine than the bottle it comes in.

Having a limited budget, hopefully my risk is not too great.

But you seem to place blame on the fakers and the consumer, but you don’t mention the retailer. Doesn’t the retailer bear some responsibility for making sure the products he/she sells is legitimate? If I splurge on an expensive bottle (which for some of us is $50) I’d like to think I am getting the genuine article.

]]> by: Michael Schiaparelli http://terroir.winelibrary.com/2007/09/10/fools-and-their-monies-are-soon-parted-the-wine-way/#comment-235491 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 14:46:39 +0000 http://terroir.winelibrary.com/2007/09/10/fools-and-their-monies-are-soon-parted-the-wine-way/#comment-235491 Tom -- I thought it was interesting that the Decanter piece notes, "Unlabelled wine was brought into Germany, where it was given fake DOC and DOCG seals and phoney labels from well-known producers as well as non-existent wineries." So they weren't just faking high-end, well-known brands... they were making up phony labels for "non-existent wineries" that just LOOKED prestigious -- and people were buying them, probably based on nothing more than cost. (They cost a lot, so they must be good, right?) So I agree -- an uneducated consumer is his (or her) own worst enemy. Michael PS: This reminds me of the customer who insisted on buying six 6-packs of just-released Gaja Barbaresco (I think it was about $250/btl.) we had case stacked on the floor for a party he was throwing in a couple of days -- rather than a beautifully drinkable 12-year old Barolo we had in stock for a third the price. That's the kind of customer who would be hoodwinked by this kind of scam... and never even know they'd been had. Tom —
I thought it was interesting that the Decanter piece notes, “Unlabelled wine was brought into Germany, where it was given fake DOC and DOCG seals and phoney labels from well-known producers as well as non-existent wineries.”
So they weren’t just faking high-end, well-known brands… they were making up phony labels for “non-existent wineries” that just LOOKED prestigious — and people were buying them, probably based on nothing more than cost. (They cost a lot, so they must be good, right?)
So I agree — an uneducated consumer is his (or her) own worst enemy.
Michael

PS: This reminds me of the customer who insisted on buying six 6-packs of just-released Gaja Barbaresco (I think it was about $250/btl.) we had case stacked on the floor for a party he was throwing in a couple of days — rather than a beautifully drinkable 12-year old Barolo we had in stock for a third the price.
That’s the kind of customer who would be hoodwinked by this kind of scam… and never even know they’d been had.

]]> by: Alco Holland http://terroir.winelibrary.com/2007/09/10/fools-and-their-monies-are-soon-parted-the-wine-way/#comment-231043 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 20:52:10 +0000 http://terroir.winelibrary.com/2007/09/10/fools-and-their-monies-are-soon-parted-the-wine-way/#comment-231043 Yeah, you hear this from time to time. Apparently more 1982 Petrus is sold in Vegas every month than was actually made. When buying those "status cuvees" its always a case of caveat emptor. Yeah, you hear this from time to time. Apparently more 1982 Petrus is sold in Vegas every month than was actually made. When buying those “status cuvees” its always a case of caveat emptor.

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