Tips for Wine Auctions
Ever since the Rudi Kurniawan exposure, wine collectors all over the world are concerned about fraud.
This is especially true during wine auctions.
The story of how wine counterfeiter Rudi Kurniawan managed to hoodwink some of the most powerful wine collectors, auctioneers, and renown experts in the wine industry is intriguing on its own.
Who is Rudi Kurniawan?
Rudi Kurniawan is a Chinese-Indonesian who suddenly appeared at wine auctions in the early two-thousands.
Reports reveal he took some elementary courses in wine and joined some high-profile wine clubs, with members being well-off, wine-savvy collectors.
How did this fraud at wine auctions happen?
More important, what are some tips to practice during wine auctions to avoid being ripped off at wine auctions in the future?
In Vino Duplicitas: Book by Peter Hellman
Though the book In Vino Duplicitas does not give explicit tips to practice during wine auctions, reading it will help wine lovers attending wine auctions understand how to avoid fraud.
The book In Vino Duplicitas, author Peter Hellman brings the story of wine auctions to life through his vividly descriptive narrative voice and colorful choice of words.
In the book, Hellman observes that Kurniawan had a “puppy dog” charm about him that endeared him to the older, male wine collectors.
Yet it wasn’t just Kurniawan’s charm that mesmerized key people in the wine trade during wine auctions.
It was also his boyish enthusiasm and apparent generosity with opening rare bottles of wine for others to taste.
Kurniawan: Scion of a Wealthy Family
Kurniawan presented himself as the scion of a wealthy family, so his munificence in sharing wine from his million-dollar collection with others was believable.
Yet beyond his beneficence with wine was his unique ability to correctly identify fine, rare wine in blind tastings.
A “blind tasting” is when a person is given a wine in a glass, without any hint of its variety, age, or producer.
Even wine experts found this ability exceptional.
Like a compelling Hollywood film, Hellman's scenes unfold in a mesmerizing fashion.In the course of the book, readers are introduced to the glamorous world of wealthy wine collectors, where people spend thousands – even tens of thousands of dollars – on a wine pairing dinner featuring fine, rare wines.
The story ultimately plays itself out, culminating as the collected evidence against Kurniawan leads to his arrest.
Ponsot: Small Burgundian Village
Almost in direct opposition to the glittering realm of high-profile wine collectors, with their tastings in Michelin-rated restaurants, are Hellman’s scenes set in the cold, sparse wineries in Burgundy.
Laurent Ponsot, whose family has been producing wine in the small, sleepy Burgundian village Morey-Saint-Denis, is a is a key figure in the book.
Ponsot’s Personal Discovery
Ponsot had been at a shop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia when he observed a bottle of his flagship Clos de la Roche 1990.
Immediately from the label he realized it was a crude copy.
Though not a detective by profession, Ponsot tracked down the bottle to Kurniawan.
Ponsot’s investigation hit a high point on April 25, 2008 when he stopped the sale of his wines at the Acker Merrall & Condit auction at Cru restaurant.
Peter Hellman tells the tale of Rudy Kurniawan with color, wit, humor, and insight.
And though Hellman is very sophisticated in the world of fine wine and wine auctions, he explains the wine world so that readers at every level will understand the important qualities of a fine wine, and how wine auctions operate.
Among the many fine qualities of the book is the vivid juxtaposition between the decadent, wealthy wine collectors sipping thousands of dollars worth of wine at fancy dinners, and the place where the wines come from – chilly dark Burgundian stone cellars.
An intriguing read for everyone who likes to discover insider secrets in the wine industry.
If you like this article you will like:
— Dominus Estate
— Chappellet Family Winery
— Hess Collection
— Frog’s Leap
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About Author Marisa D’Vari
D’Vari contributes to Forbes.com, Financial Times, World of Fine Wine, Quarterly Review of Wine, Decanter Robb Report, San Francisco Chronicle, South China Morning Post, and more.
She holds the (WSET) diploma, Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, a Certified Wine Educator through the Society of Wine Educators … to see it all, please click on bio
Click Here to Read More About Peter Hellman’s Book
Here’s a video of Maureen Downey and M. Ponsot Speaking About the Case