Wine fraud

Wine fraud may come in several forms. In all cases the fraud relates to the commercial aspects of wine. The most prevalent type of fraud is one where wines are adulterated, usually with the addition of cheaper products (e.g. juices) and sometimes with harmful chemicals and sweeteners (compensating for colour or flavour). Counterfeiting and the relabelling of inferior and cheaper wines to more expensive brands is another common type of wine fraud. A third category of wine fraud relates to the wine investment industry. This often works by offering wines to investors at excessively high prices. In some cases the wine is never bought for the investor. Losses in the UK have been high, prompting the DTI and Police to act. In the US, investors have been duped by fraudulent wine investment firms too. Independent guidelines to potential wine investors are now available.

In wine production, as wine is technically defined as fermented grape juice, the term "wine fraud" can be used to describe the adulteration of wine by substances that are not related to grapes. In the retailing of wine, as wine is comparable with any other commodity, the term "wine fraud” can be used to describe the mis-selling of wine (either as an investment or in its deceitful misrepresentation) in general.