Burgundy merchant raided over wine fraud

Maison Béjot Vins et Terroirs' CEO has resigned after a raid by customs officers in April following suspicions that fraudulent Burgundy wines were being produced.

In April, the French media reported that the Burgundy negociant Maison Béjot was being investigated on suspicion of mixing Burgundy wines with those of other French AOCs; a practice which is strictly forbidden under French law.

The alleged wrong-doing at Maison Béjot Vins et Terroirs immediately sent shockwaves through the region.

At the time of the allegation CEO Vincent Sauvestre protested his innocence and invited custom officers to view Maison Béjot’s production facilities with the firm’s technical director.

Last week Thomas Gueller of wine industry newsletter V&S News reported that Sauvestre, who is also a shareholder in the business, has now resigned from Maison Béjot Vins et Terroirs. V&S News also stated Sauvestre has been replaced by a business consultant, Eloi Delorme, a new name to the wine business in Burgundy.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that the BIVB (Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne) has begun legal proceedings against the company.

That hasn’t prevented two wine companies – Invivo Wine and Advini – from coming forward as potential buyers of the business. According to Gueller, Maison Béjot Vins et Terroirs has experienced strong growth in recent years which he says explains their interest.

Maison Béjot Vins et Terroirs owns several brands and vineyards in Burgundy, including Chartron et Trébuchet, Pierre André, Reine Pédauque, Moillard, and Domaine du Chapitre in Beaujolais.

What will Brexit mean for fine wine?

Fine wine prices could rise ‘across the board’ if the UK votes to leave the European Union later this month, according to one leading wine merchant.

Gary Boom, managing director of BI, said he was wary of making bold predictions given the unprecedented nature of the Brexit vote, but added: ‘We can say that the uncertainty associated with a leave vote would likely result in further volatility, which is generally unwelcome for any market.

‘[Sterling] has been weakening [against the euro] in the lead-up to the vote and it seems probable that it would continue to fall if we vote leave; this would result in price rises across the board as the cost of replacement stock would immediately rise.’

However, the picture for an international business such as BI is complex: sterling’s weakness has boosted the purchasing power of non-UK markets, said Boom.

‘In essence, it’s been cheaper for our Asia/US/EU customers to buy from the UK than elsewhere. With a remain vote, we would expect a reversal of this as GBP strengthens.’

‘In contrast, a leave vote would see an acceleration of higher prices for replacement stock as GBP would likely fall markedly. That said, if the economic community are to be believed, a leave vote would be accompanied by a material negative macro shock that would do no favours to both local and regional economic activity.’

Mike Laing, managing director of Armit, said the uncertainty regarding Brexit was ‘certainly not helping’ the 2015 Bordeaux en primeur campaign, adding: ‘I am sure there are plenty of customers who are happy to take the risk of waiting to see where things settle post-Brexit before committing funds.’

However, Boom said there was no suggestion that BI’s customers were planning to wait until after 23 June to make en primeur purchases.

Merchants are somewhat less fearful of trade barriers being erected in the event of a vote to leave the EU, with Boom claiming it was ‘unlikely’ that European wine-producing countries would impose additional tariffs, given the significance of the UK market.

Will Hargrove, head of fine wine at Corney & Barrow, said he had no real short-term fears. ‘Things will have to continue – it can’t change overnight,’ he said. ‘In the longer term, we will have to see. The UK has the good position of being a strong market for almost all European wine producers.’

What makes the wines of Etna so special?

What makes the wines of Etna so special? A combination of three factors, said D’Agata: Alpine climate in a Mediterranean land, the volcanic soils and the predominance of ungrafted, pre-phylloxera vines.

‘Fifteen years ago, the room would have been empty,’ remarked Ian D’Agata, as he opened this hotly anticipated tasting of 11 reds from one of Italy’s most exciting wine regions. The turnout at this year’s Italy Fine Wine Encounter, he continued, was testament to how far Italian wine has come.

Sicily is a behemoth in the wine-producing world, producing more wine than Australia, and with more vines planted than both Chile and Bordeaux combined. The crowd-pleasing Nero d’Avola grape accounts for most red plantings, found everywhere on the island except in Etna on the island’s northeastern shores, where the far more thrilling Nerello Mascalese produces reds of high tannins and little colour. A dash of Nerello Cappucio often finds its way into Etna reds, D’Agata explained, the perfect complement since it has lower tannins and higher colour.

The usual blend is around 90% to 95% Nerello Mascalese and 5% to 10% Nerello Cappuccio – producers would use more, but plantings are few and far between. Indeed, there’s a scramble to plant more. For the same reason there are only three monovarietal Nerello Cappuccio wines made in Etna, compared to many more 100% Nerello Mascaleses.

What makes the wines of Etna so special? A combination of three factors, said D’Agata:

The fact that you have an Alpine climate in a Mediterranean land, leading to huge day-night temperature drops that give great aromatics to the wines

The volcanic soils, featuring strata of different geologic origins and including no fewer than 46 different lava types

The predominance of ungrafted, pre-phylloxera vines