Faking It RUDY KURNIAWAN Stands Accused of Selling Millions of Dollars of Bogus Vintages

Faking It RUDY KURNIAWAN STANDS ACCUSED OF SELLING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF BOGUS VINTAGES. JAMES SUCKLING RECALLS AN ODDLY PROPHETIC 2006 DINNER WITH THE NOW INFAMOUS WINE LOVER he first and only time i met rudy kurniawan was in 2006 in Los Angeles. It was nothing more than a friendly wine dinner with a mutual friend, although I was intensely curious to discover more about the young man some people were calling one of the Tgreatest wine collectors in the world. I had no idea that, five years later, thefbi assistant director in the New York office of the would arrest the Indonesian on four counts fbi, said that “the bad-faith sale of any commodity of wire and mail fraud in connection with you know to be a counterfeit, fake or forgery is hundreds of fake wines. His name wasn’t even a felony. Whether you are peddling a Picasso or the grape Rudy Kurniawan – it’s come to light that Zhen a Pétrus, a Botticelli or a Burgundy – unless it is swindle Wanghuang is his real name, and he’s possibly what you say it is, the sale is a fraud.” clockwise from China and not Indonesia. None of this had come to light when my friend from above The international press and the internet have Rudy Kurniawan; James Orr and I set out one night to Rosemead, a fake labels of been atwitter with the 31-year-old’s escapades suburb of Los Angeles, for dinner with Kurniawan. some of the most over the years of buying, selling and drinking Orr said I had to meet a young wine collector sought-after wines – with apparently a large amount who had taken California by storm with his lavish wines; an Acker being fakes. He artfully mixed bogus bottles tastings and generosity with incredible bottles. Merrall & Condit of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine wine auction in One of Orr’s favourite wine stories is how action; Laurent Georges Roumier and Domaine Ponsot with real Kurniawan was at a blind tasting of 10 wines, Ponsot of ones, not to mention Pétrus, Latour à Pomerol where he professed that he thought a certain Domaine Ponsot, and Château Lafleur. He sold many of these wines wine was an obscure vintage of Diamond Creek who worked privately, as well as at auctions. Lake cabernet sauvignon from California’s Napa closely with the FBI team that The total value of Kurniawan’s wine fraud Valley. “He has an amazing palate,” Orr said. It arrested could be tens of millions of US dollars. According was this palate that actually blended fake wines Kurniawan to The New York Times, Janice Fedarcyk, the to resemble rare Burgundies and Bordeaux. hong kong tatler 62 september 2012 The total value of Kurniawan’s wine fraud could be tens of millions of US dollars Barrels I had been invited to a number of Kurniawan’s cognoscenti, it’s one of the most notorious fakes. of BLISS tastings in Los Angeles, including one in 2003 I couldn’t keep my eyes off the perfect labels and from left that featured the wines of the great first-growth capsule, and kept wondering if it was real. Prince Charles at a tasting; Berry Bordeaux Château Latour and magnums of The conversation was extremely cordial. We Bros & Rudd, at 3 numerous vintages. I never ended up attending, talked about favourite wines, prized bottles St James’s Street but Latour’s president was there, as was the head consumed and prices paid. Strangely, a large part since 1698; Hew of the wine department for Christie’s. of the conversation was about counterfeit wines. Blair (left) and I was especially interested to meet Kurniawan In fact, Kurniawan seemed to know everything that night; I had heard he sold US$10.64 million about them. He even suggested certain wines worth of wine at an Acker Merrall & Condit were perfect counterfeits for unique vintages. auction in New York the night before. The “A good vintage of Heitz Martha’s Vineyard, RED FLAG auction comprised 1,834 lots of incredible such as 1968 or 1974, is a perfect way to vintages. Highlights included a case of 1962 counterfeit 1945 Mouton Rothschild,” he said. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti that sold for I had to agree, considering both wines have an If you come across any of the below, the US$118,500, a case of 1961 Château Latour à intense mint or eucalyptus note. warning bells may start ringing. Here are Pomerol (US$118,500), six magnums of 1978 Of course I didn’t know at the time that he five wines that are commonly found to be fakes: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (US$112,575), was allegedly counterfeiting these wines himself. a case of 1962 Armand Rousseau Chambertin The fbi found “an elaborate counterfeiting 1947 château cheval blanc Wine of a lifetime. Only a few thousand cases (US$71,100) and a magnum of 1929 Domaine de operation” when he was arrested in March. This were made, but it continues to be sold la Romanée-Conti (US$59,250). included thousands of fake labels for high-end on a regular basis. Yet Kurniawan refused to admit publicly that Burgundies and Bordeaux, and rubber stamps 1947 château lafleurAnother the wines were his. The press described the seller with vintages and winery names. There were legend from a legendary vintage. Tiny as “a high-net-worth West Coast collector known even California wines with handwritten labels production means it all was consumed for his impeccable taste and rigorous standards to suggest how they could be passed off as old long ago. 1950 is another favourite fraud. of selection.” It was later reported that this same European wines. Kurniawan pleaded not guilty 1961 château pétrus A perfect wine with a production of about 1,000 cases. person had sold another huge selection at an at his arraignment in May. Only a few real bottles left in the world. Acker auction in New York for US$24.6 million. We only ended up drinking the magnum of Older vintages such as 1921 in big bottles Even as we sat for dinner in Rosemead, 1961 Latour à Pomerol. It was clearly a fake, but are suspect, since the estate has no drinking 1959 Krug champagne, he declined I didn’t speak up at the time. The wine was dark- records of such wines. to say if he had anything to do with the wine coloured, with intense blueberry and raspberry 1961 château latour à pomerol auction the night before. “I can’t say,” Kurniawan character. It tasted like a wine from the 1990s, Not sure I’ve ever drank a real bottle, but said with a smile. A magnum of 1961 Latour à possibly from California. He even generously s it’s readily available, even in magnums. R Pomerol and 1970 Pétrus were at a table next to gave the unopened bottle of Pétrus to my friend. 1982 château le pin There were only a few hundred cases of this tiny Pomerol. us, ready to be served after the champagne. If only I had known then what I know now Fraudsters like to exchange labels with I couldn’t stop looking at the magnum of about Kurniawan – I’m sure a lot of other people lesser vintages of the pure merlot. 1961 Latour à Pomerol Nicolas Reserve. Among are thinking the same thing. Reute images: hong kong tatler 64 september 2012.

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