Is there such a thing as fake wine?
Discussion
Last night I opened a bottle (crown cap, so not corked) of wine from a well-known brand, took a sip and nearly heaved. It could have felled a rhino at a thousand paces. The last time I felt like that was changing a toddler's nappy after a session at the pick-your-own 
The bottle came from a local independent convenience store and this isn't the first time - although the first time it has come close to stomach contents becoming keyboard contents.
The bottle came from a local independent convenience store and this isn't the first time - although the first time it has come close to stomach contents becoming keyboard contents.
Yes, there is.
I suggest you take the offending bottle to your local trading standards.
Here's a recent press report from Swindon, although I originally read about the counterfeits elsewhere.
http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/8955747.Wa...
I suggest you take the offending bottle to your local trading standards.
Here's a recent press report from Swindon, although I originally read about the counterfeits elsewhere.
http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/8955747.Wa...
It's very much a possibility. Normally there are tell-tale signs with mistakes on the label.
Because of the bubble in Bordeaux prices (caused by demand in the far East, particularly China) it's also happening at the high end: http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/bewa...
Because of the bubble in Bordeaux prices (caused by demand in the far East, particularly China) it's also happening at the high end: http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/bewa...
Crown Cap?
I'd be wary of any wine sealed in such a way!
And yes - counterfeit wine is becoming more common. Big name, big vintages for instance. I think I read in Decanter recently a dodgy bottle of Penfold's Grange or somesuch had been spotted by a buyer as "Australia" was spelt wrong on the bottle.
As you can imagine, as they are with lots of other consumer goods, the Chinese are big on this...
I'd be wary of any wine sealed in such a way!
And yes - counterfeit wine is becoming more common. Big name, big vintages for instance. I think I read in Decanter recently a dodgy bottle of Penfold's Grange or somesuch had been spotted by a buyer as "Australia" was spelt wrong on the bottle.
As you can imagine, as they are with lots of other consumer goods, the Chinese are big on this...
blueg33 said:
Retsina often has a crown cap and tastes much like you would expect antifreeze to taste. maybe it was retsina?
I have to admit to quite liking the stuff for some insane reason
I like Retsina too - memories of Greek holidays I have to admit to quite liking the stuff for some insane reason
Though there could be a reason why 'nastier' is an anagram of it
OP - why not say which fake you've found so as to warn other folk - and take the offending bottle to trading standards?
OR is it just simply an oxidised bottle ie smells like Sherry? and a brown colour, if supposed to be a white wine? very vinagerey taste if red?
There can be other reasons why the wine tastes off.
or is it a proper counterfeit wine?
condor said:
I like Retsina too - memories of Greek holidays
Though there could be a reason why 'nastier' is an anagram of it
OP - why not say which fake you've found so as to warn other folk - and take the offending bottle to trading standards?
OR is it just simply an oxidised bottle ie smells like Sherry? and a brown colour, if supposed to be a white wine? very vinagerey taste if red?
There can be other reasons why the wine tastes off.
or is it a proper counterfeit wine?
Though there could be a reason why 'nastier' is an anagram of it
OP - why not say which fake you've found so as to warn other folk - and take the offending bottle to trading standards?
OR is it just simply an oxidised bottle ie smells like Sherry? and a brown colour, if supposed to be a white wine? very vinagerey taste if red?
There can be other reasons why the wine tastes off.
or is it a proper counterfeit wine?
A genuine counterfeit?Well there is a possibility I'm wrong and I could be being nasty about a company's products, which is why I haven't named. Also I respect the "name and shame" rules of the site and if I'm wrong I'm saying a company's product is grim. The contents are down the drain so no trading standards - if it happens again then I will. The colour was correct and I've checked over the bottle and the labelling looks OK. However I don't see what prevents someone in glass recycling, recycling the bottles in an unintended way.
Wine tends to be bought for immediate consumption in my house, so if I've opened it and found it's 'off', I generally have the receipt knocking around to take it back for a refund. Never pour it away 
Wine taint is supposed to be less common with screwtop closures, but it does happen. I bought a case of a well-known New World wine and found two bottles were off. My reasoning being that if two bottles of a screwtop wine are off, there's likely to be a problem with a larger batch, so I took the entire case back to the retailer for a refund.
A store with low turnover could be unwittingly selling bottles from a dud batch. Take it back and let them sort it out with the wholesaler / importer.
Wine taint is supposed to be less common with screwtop closures, but it does happen. I bought a case of a well-known New World wine and found two bottles were off. My reasoning being that if two bottles of a screwtop wine are off, there's likely to be a problem with a larger batch, so I took the entire case back to the retailer for a refund.
A store with low turnover could be unwittingly selling bottles from a dud batch. Take it back and let them sort it out with the wholesaler / importer.
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