Suspect in Brunello fraud 'not expert', enologists say

Police confiscate 160,000 litres worth 5 mn

(ANSA) - Siena, September 9 - A man under investigation for fraud in relation to the confiscation of over 160,00 litres of fake Brunello is not a qualified wine expert, the Italian neologists' association said Tuesday. The suspect "does not appear to be a qualified enologist under law 129/91 and he is most certainly not a member of our national category association," said Associazione enologi enotecnici italiani of the unnamed man who worked as a consultant with a number of Montalcino wine producers and allegedly used his influence with them to perpetrate what investigators described as a "sensational" fraud. The confiscated bottles are from the years 2008-2013 and have an estimated retail value of 5 million euros. Some 2,350 official state labels authenticating the fine wines were also confiscated in the anti-fraud operation following investigations that began last year.

Around 10 small-scale producers are believed to have been victim of the fraud. "It is an extremely serious occurrence that could create considerable damage for Brunello di Montalcino, producers and the wine-growing area," said the president of the consortium of Brunello producers, Fabrizio Bindocci. "However as in this case fortunately the system has the strength and instruments to identify, isolate and successfully combat people who abuse Brunello's fame," he added. Meanwhile Tuscany regional governor Enrico Rossi said the region would bring a civil action in the case on behalf of defrauded producers and for alleged damage to the regional wine authority database as a result of false information supplied by the consultant concerning the grape harvest, stock value and amount of wine sold on tap.