As you prepare to open that prized bottle of Lafite or Petrus, a dark thought may cross your mind: It might not be Lafite or Petrus at all. Counterfeit bottles were once as rare as fine wine itself, a phenomenon restricted to rogue wine merchants and sommeliers in Europe who were trying to make some extra cash. In the past decade, however, wine prices have skyrocketed to unprecedented heights—and so have the fakes. Much of the credit for bringing the problem to the public’s attention goes to a collector named Bill Koch, who has filed a series of high-profile lawsuits against the con men who perpetrated these frauds. Mark speaks with Maureen Downey, a California consultant who has worked with Koch and other collectors in their efforts to eradicate counterfeit wine. In Bizarre Beverage News, Mark profiles a new wine dating service, designed to match up single and lonely wine lovers around the globe.

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Links:

Maureen Downey = http://www.chaiconsulting.com

Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History = http://www.iconicspirits.net

Moonshine Nation = http://www.amazon.com/Moonshine-Nation-Creating-Cornbread-Bottle/dp/0762797029/ref=sr_1_2_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406055762&sr=1-2&keywords=iconic+spirits

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