that is, from communist China…are buying up French “Chateau label” wineries…
Story and photos by Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gourmet TM
The irascible and irreverent Travelling Gourmet opens the lid and exposes what is happening in France where…
MONEY that is rumoured to be from ‘dirty’ and illegal sources is being used by the ‘nouveau riche’ Chinese from the PRC to buy up brand name “Chateau label” wineries and vineyards. That vertically challenged dictator of France that started so many wars and set Europe ablaze with his megalomania, Napoleon Bonaparte will roll over in his grave in the Hotel des Invalides of Paris. Pour quoi??? (why) Simply because:
Chateau de Gevrey-Chambertin with a 12th Century listed Chateau, Napoleon the dwarf’s favourite Burgundy wine has been bought by an annonymous Chinese gambling tycoon form Macau SAR! Sold for only 8 million Euros! Disgraceful!!! Please see the link below…
It is not only money laundering that is happening BUT…
Once these money mad unscrupulous ,typisch kommunistische Schweine’ get their hands on a ‘Chateau label’ winery, they have full & unfettered access to all the bottles, capsules, labels, corks and what have you…This means they can produce Conterfeit or fake ‘brand name’ wines that are genuine in everything EXCEPT the liquid contents. It is a very HORRIFYING thought!!! If nothing is done, in the years to come, mark my words, French and later other Chateau label wines or in the case of Italy, Castello label wines will have a Bad REPUTATION…My wine connoisseur friends always advise me: Do not buy Chateau Lafite and Rothschild wines or even Penfold’s The Grange when you are in China…they are almost certainly FAKES!!! In the Barossa Valley of Australia, a top Penfold’s Manager, who spoke on the condition of annonymity, confessed to me, “China’s counterfeiting and selling fake Penfold’s wines is becoming an increasing and very serious problem…” When I asked for more pertinent details, he became visibly agitated and said, “No further comments please!”
If the French government does nothing…they will LOSE their heritage and reputation as one of the world’s top wine producers.
http://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2013/06/fake-fine-wines-on-the-rise-in-china/
http://www.chinabevnews.com/2012/03/96-of-chateau-lafite-sold-in-china-is.html
Cracking down????It would not suprise me if some of their officers are involved in the counterfeit syndicate…
I had a bottle of Italian 2010 Vino Spumante Dolce Castello Banfi Rosa Regale (Rose) to celebrate my birthday very recently. No fake wine here, only a very enticing perfume of muscat grapes and flavours of candied raisins and candied caramelised orange peel! The Winemaker and owenr of Castello Banfi whose family have owned the winery for many generations, very kindly gave the bottle to me personally.
Watch out when you are in China…there are many crooks & counterfeiters around…They even resort to making ‘fake’ eggs!
Chin! Chin! 🙂
The Travelling Gourmet 
Pingback: Chinese FAKE Chateau Lafite big time! | The Travelling Gourmet