Rudy Kurniawan is back in the news ... bad news!

[Roy Hersh]

OUCH!


http://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2013/0 ... wan-trial/

[Andy Velebil]

I hope if he's found guilty they send him away for a long time as an example. He's done so much damage it's incredible. Now if the Fed's would only go after some of these auction houses. Christie's is currently in a heap of trouble over a counterfeit DRC they sold, which was sent back by the buyer as being counterfeit and with the understanding of Christie's (Their idea supposedly) it would be re-auctioned again so neither would lose any money! What the hell is wrong with these auction houses?

[Bradley Bogdan]

I know they were debating attending in person to testify, but the proximity of the trial date to harvest meant it wasn't going to really work.

[Moses Botbol]

Christie's is currently in a heap of trouble over a counterfeit DRC they sold, which was sent back by the buyer as being counterfeit and with the understanding of Christie's (Their idea supposedly) it would be re-auctioned again so neither would lose any money! What the hell is wrong with these auction houses?

(expletive deleted here by Roy) Will this bottle be noted as a suspected fake in the lot description? If it was noted as so, I guess that is ok???

[Andy Velebil]

Christie's is currently in a heap of trouble over a counterfeit DRC they sold, which was sent back by the buyer as being counterfeit and with the understanding of Christie's (Their idea supposedly) it would be re-auctioned again so neither would lose any money! What the hell is wrong with these auction houses?

(expletive deleted here by Roy) Will this bottle be noted as a suspected fake in the lot description? If it was noted as so, I guess that is ok???

No it was not listed as being fake OR being returned from a previous buyer as being fake. And when it was pointed out to Christies by Don Cornwell (a lawyer who's all over the industry for fraudulent practices) they initially said there was nothing wrong with it. When Don got in touch with DRC, they said it was very suspicious due to certain label issues (a politically correct answer IMO) and when the story got picked up by some news outlets Christie's finally withdrew the lot. But it took the news media eventually forcing Christie's hand to remove it from auction. A bottle that NEVER should have been put back up for auction after it was returned. This is proof that Christie's knew there was an issue with this bottle and yet they still put it backup for sale AGAIN! I hope the Fed's go after them for this. It is totally unacceptable for them to do this.

EDIT: Don C. also pointed out this is most likely the same bottle sold at a previous auction of Rudy's (allegedly counterfeit) wines. As it is the same vintage and serial # on the label. Don pointed that out to Christie's as well and they still ignored him until the press got involved.

[Eric Ifune]

And if you look at photos of this bottle, they look very suspicious; even to my untrained eye. These descripencies are not even mentioned in the catalog.

[Roy Hersh]

Was this Christie's UK or here in USA?

[Andy Velebil]

I believe it was USA. But I'll double check and let you k ow of it wasn't.

[Eric Ifune]

I have a bottle of 1846 Borges Terrantez Madeira that I'm concerned about. I've heard that Rudy did sell some Nacional and maybe some Madeira, but no one has researched these bottles. My bottle looks OK, but the label is a photocopied one. The wine was bottled in 1900, so it is possible the label deteriorated and the copied one applied. I did buy this at auction, but don't remember which one or when. I guess I'll have to decide when I open it. Fortunately I've had the Borges before so know what it should taste like.

[Andy Velebil]

Get a hold of Don Cornell on berserkers and ask him. He should have a list. Of what was sold and when