More wine fraud

[Claudius2]

Folks
This story has been in the local press for some time, now in Decanter magazine, along with a few other fakers in China, US and UK.
https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/sing ... 8681970841

I never bought anything from the company involved (if you can call it that) but the honest companies lost out as it made buyers rather cautious about Ep purchases per se.

As for China, if any of you ever travel there, my best advice is to NOT buy anything but cheapish wine there.
In a country where 90% of luxury goods are fake, and everything else is fake from eggs to beer, it is normal practice.
I've seen every up market wine stores in Shanghai that were selling wines so obviously fake - I mean like spelling errors in the names and incorrect details.

cheers
Mark

[JimHow]

I'll be in Bangkok in September, Claudius, we are trying to book as many Michelin restaurants in Paris and Bangkok as possible, we have some interesting reservations in Bangkok but I'm still trying to rationalize my red wine preferences with the cuisine..
I was concerned about ordering my lone bottle of 1993 Batailly out of Belgium for Nicola's visit but I'm confident it was a well stored authentic bottle. It was very boring. Boring as a 1993 Batailly. I'll say this much, though, it seemed to be well preserved, good ullage, nice ruby/red color to the rim. Just absolutely nothing in the mid-palate though.

[stefan]

A counterfeit '93 Batailley would have been a step up from the real thing.

[JimHow]

lol yeah it cost me three times its cost to ship it from Belgium.

[DavidG]

Quoting from another story on the subject at https://vino-joy.com/2024/08/12/singapo ... meur-scam/, you would think this guy should have seen it coming:

Among its high profile victims, Hong Kong’s famous fortune teller Peter So Man Fung was reported to be one of them, according to local media reports. He told Sing Tao Daily he had spent HKD 800,000 on 30 cases of Bordeaux first growths. When the wines’ value appreciated to HKD 4 million, he requested delivery, only to find the Hong Kong company had ceseased operation.

[Claudius2]

Jim
Thai food and wine are hard to match but obviously it depends on what it is. I don’t usually drink wine with anything with chili in it. It just kills wine flavours particularly added to heavy sauces like coconut based.

I think Syrah/Shiraz is a better match with spices and I like them with Indian food too. Otherwise unwooded whites such as Riesling or Semillon.

When traveling there, I often bring a 6 bottle case and I’ll just pay the duty if the airport staff make a fuss.

In relation to the 1993 Batailley, this was never a good vintage and sounds like whatever fruit it had was suffering from old age, something I’m starting to get used to….

Cheers
Mark

[Claudius2]

A counterfeit '93 Batailley would have been a step up from the real thing.

Stefan
Maybe so but the counterfeit wine may make you very sick or kill you. I’ve read a few local articles about what’s in them and I assure you, you would not want to drink them.

Cheers
Mark

[DavidG]

Jim
Thai food and wine are hard to match but obviously it depends on what it is. I don’t usually drink wine with anything with chili in it. It just kills wine flavours particularly added to heavy sauces like coconut based.

I think Syrah/Shiraz is a better match with spices and I like them with Indian food too. Otherwise unwooded whites such as Riesling or Semillon.

When traveling there, I often bring a 6 bottle case and I’ll just pay the duty if the airport staff make a fuss.

In relation to the 1993 Batailley, this was never a good vintage and sounds like whatever fruit it had was suffering from old age, something I’m starting to get used to….

Cheers
Mark

I like Riesling with Thai food. There is (was?) a terrific Thai restaurant in Las Vegas that has (had?) an incredible selection of German Rieslings. It’s probably been over 15 years since I’ve been there, so not sure if it still exists. Can’t remember what it was called, maybe had Siam in the name?

[RPCV]

Jim
Thai food and wine are hard to match but obviously it depends on what it is. I don’t usually drink wine with anything with chili in it. It just kills wine flavours particularly added to heavy sauces like coconut based.

I think Syrah/Shiraz is a better match with spices and I like them with Indian food too. Otherwise unwooded whites such as Riesling or Semillon.

When traveling there, I often bring a 6 bottle case and I’ll just pay the duty if the airport staff make a fuss.

In relation to the 1993 Batailley, this was never a good vintage and sounds like whatever fruit it had was suffering from old age, something I’m starting to get used to….

Cheers
Mark

I like Riesling with Thai food. There is (was?) a terrific Thai restaurant in Las Vegas that has (had?) an incredible selection of German Rieslings. It’s probably been over 15 years since I’ve been there, so not sure if it still exists. Can’t remember what it was called, maybe had Siam in the name?

Lotus of Siam is still open. They moved a few years ago to a new spot closer to the strip. Great selection of Riesling and other whites. Superior food as well.

[JimHow]

In relation to the 1993 Batailley, this was never a good vintage and sounds like whatever fruit it had was suffering from old age, something I’m starting to get used to….

Mark, 1993 Batailley is an inside joke originating from the earliest days of BWE, when Nicola once described a wine "as boring as a 1993 Batailley," which I thought was a hilarious description. A quarter century later I was happy to track down a bottle for Nic's historic visit to Maine.

As for wine and food in Thailand, we have some pretty fancy restaurants lined up and some of them actually have fine Bordeaux on the wine lists, but I'm struggling to picture how they would match up with the cuisine. I'll try to submit some reports.

[Nicklasss]

OMG, the 1993 Batailley. I will made a bold statement : no other red Bordeaux can be as boring as the 1993 Batailley.

[DavidG]

Lotus of Siam is still open. They moved a few years ago to a new spot closer to the strip. Great selection of Riesling and other whites. Superior food as well.

That’s the one! Glad to hear they’re still going strong.

[DavidG]

OMG, the 1993 Batailley. I will made a bold statement : no other red Bordeaux can be as boring as the 1993 Batailley.

Boring may be an even worse condemnation than actively bad, other than a defect like being corked.

[stefan]

I agree, David. An "actively bad" wine can be quite interesting, while a "boring" wine is too much like doing housework.

[JimHow]

As Leonard Pinth-Garnell would be fond of saying: The 1993 Batailley was bad. Very bad.

[tim]

we are trying to book as many Michelin restaurants in Paris and Bangkok as possible

It is not Michelin starred, but try Perception (https://www.restaurant-perception.com/). Been there twice, highly recommended. Best wines seem to be on the Italian side though.

And of course if you have time to meet, let me know.

[JimHow]

Thanks Timmy, I'll check it out!