LEDOMDUVIN: SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND PASSION FOR WINE SINCE 1991 -
Tasting everything from everywhere, from the multimillion-dollar Chateaux to that small, unknown cellar ending a dirt path surrounded by vineyards... a wine blog to enjoy till the last drop!
Recently, a person I follow on Instagram asked me some questions about Petrus.
I answered to the best of my knowledge, yet, to back up the info I gave her, I went to one of our restaurants and gave a closer look at these 2 bottles of Petrus 2007, I found in the cellar.
Nothing wrong with these 2 bottles, fortunately. Yet, it was a good opportunity to do what I used to do best, prior to taking my current position about a year ago.
In my previous job, aside from being a Sommelier, I was also the Wine Quality Control Director for the entire company, for about 9 years, and, thus, spent a great part of my time checking and managing the company stock's quantities, as well as the storage conditions, quality, and security, including doing thorough inspections for all the wines we bought, stored and sold (quantity, quality, conditions, and genuineness).
And, I must say, I was very lucky to have a big boss who was a real wine lover, buying a lot of the top wines in the world, which allowed me to have access to (and even open, prepare, taste, and serve quite often), such beautiful, old and rare ladies (as I liked to call them).
Moreover, while, I gave them all the time and attention they deserved, I have learned a lot about fake and counterfeit wines, increasing my interest, broadening my experience, and perfecting my skills and knowledge in this particular field of the wine industry, which remains rather unknown and obscure, and is only practiced by a handful of people around the world.
I miss those days, sometimes, so, meticulously scrutinizing these 2 bottles of Petrus 2007 made me feel as if I was back in my old shoes as Wine QC Director, inspecting every detail to make sure of their genuineness and authenticity.
To prevent educating the counterfeiters, I cannot reveal everything I know, or, at least, not more than what I have revealed already in the many posts I wrote on the subject on my blog. It is like being a wine investigator or a wine detective, certain things are better left unsaid or to your interpretation. 😁👍🍷
Although I left my position as Wine Quality Control Director, nearly a year ago, after doing it for 9 years in my previous job, I still love doing wine inspections and checking out these old and rare ladies in every detail.
A few days ago, I had the opportunity to do a brief inspection of a few bottles that were bought by the wine team of one of our outlets, which included some old and rare gems, like this Mouton 1961.
Always a pleasure to scrutinize these ladies everywhere and even gently lift up their capsule to look at what's underneath, whenever possible. 😀 😄 (we're still talking about a bottle of wine, right? 😉)
This particular bottle showed a great level, good colour and sedimentation. Despite a few nicks, scratches and tears, the capsule and label were in good condition and show no counterfeiting signs, even under the microscope and the blue light.
That's a "Passed" for me! How about you? What do you think?
Although I left my position as Wine Quality Control Director, nearly a year ago, after doing it for 9 years in my previous job, I still love doing wine inspections and checking out these old and rare ladies in every detail.
A few days ago, I had the opportunity to do a brief inspection of a few bottles that were bought by the wine team of one of our outlets, which included some old and rare gems, like this Yquem 1900.
It's not every day, that one gets to spend some time with a 122-year-old doyenne. Always a very humbling experience.
Always a pleasure to scrutinize these ladies everywhere and even gently lift up their capsules to look at what's underneath. 😀 😄 (we're still talking about a bottle of wine, right? 😉)
This particular bottle showed great level and boasted a very hypnotic dark-blood-orange-gold colour. The capsule and label were in good condition and show no counterfeiting signs, even under the microscope and the blue light either.
In my previous job, we had a "Yquem Gold Collection" boasting more than 150 vintages, from 1825 to recent years.
Consequently, I'm very acquainted with this particular type of old bottle of Yquem, and most of them have been reconditioned at Château, back in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, and it is normally indicated somewhere.
Yet, despite an impeccable label and cork, this particular bottle did not show any sign, either on the cork or on a separate label, that it has been recorked or reconditioned in the last 40 years... strange, I definitely need to investigate further 🤔🤔🤔, I will ask the Château.
Otherwise, that's a "Passed" for me! How about you? What do you think? Superb colour, isn't it?
Although I left my position as Wine Quality Control Director, nearly a year ago, after doing it for 9 years in my previous job, I still love doing wine inspections and checking out these old and rare ladies in every detail.
A few days ago, I had the opportunity to do a brief inspection of a few bottles that were bought by the wine team of one of our outlets, which included some old and rare gems, like this Lafite 1961.
Always a pleasure to scrutinize these ladies everywhere and even gently lift up their capsules to look at what's underneath. 😀 😄 (we're still talking about a bottle of wine, right? 😉)
This particular bottle showed a great level, good colour and sedimentation. The capsule and label were in good condition and show no counterfeiting signs, even under the microscope and the blue light.
The capsule had been previously cut, so I couldn't resist opening it and having a closer look at the cork, which was also in very good condition.
A few days ago, my colleague and I cleaned up the wine cellar from all the empty bottles consumed within the company over the last few weeks (as we do monthly).
And, as usual, I put some empty bottles of the oldest vintages and most expensive wines aside for 3 main reasons:
First, because, even if empty, these old ladies deserve a second life as a trophy on a shelf in an office or in a cellar (or anywhere else), as, after all, they are pieces of history that have resisted the passage of time when they were corked and will continue even without their content.
Secondly, because there is always a sense of pride for a Sommelier (like me) to keep old vintages of top-tears bottles around, more especially when I have had the pleasure to open, prepare, taste, decant (if necessary) and serve them (even drunk a part of them in some occasions), for memory's sake.
Thirdly, and more importantly, it is very useful to keep them as they can contribute to constituting a library of references for genuine bottles and fake or counterfeit bottles.
In fact, they can come in very handy for a Wine Quality Control Director (like me) when in doubt while doing an inspection or authentication of some bottles prior to purchasing them or receiving them at the warehouse to compare them and check/verify the authenticity of the bottles, labels, capsules, corks, etc...
While putting these empty bottles aside, I noticed two magnums of Petrus 1961 (in the picture above), and I suddenly doubted the authenticity of these 2 mags, especially the magnum on the left-hand side of the picture. It presented too many obvious faults and defaults to my liking to be genuine.
This prompted me to make a video about it (and logically, this post afterward) to try to explain the reasons why I believe it is not a genuine magnum of Petrus 1961 by comparing it to other bottles of Petrus 1961 I also kept in the cellar for that purpose.
I tried to keep it simple and clear, but for those who did not get everything and may not want to watch it again to grasp some of the points they still have questions about, I will recap the main points discussed in the video further below in this post.
However, before going into the details and reasons why I believe this is a fake magnum of Petrus 1961, let me tell you a little more about what I do and my roles and duties as a Wine Quality Control Director. A position that I have been occupying for the past 8 years now.
What is a Wine Quality Control Director (QC)?
To make it short, let's say that at my current job as a Wine Quality Control Director (for the Wine Division of a large corporate company), I'm in charge of the following:
Quality Control,
Standard Operating Procedures (implementation and maintenance),
Market Prices Analyses,
Market Trend,
Stock Valuation,
Provenance,
Authentication,
Wine inspection prior to purchasing and at goods receiving,
Wine warehouses and cellars QC operations (conditions, environment control and security),
Prevention,
Staff training,
ERP System,
Quality Management System,
Compliance,
Audits,
etc...
(And even: Wine Classes, Wine Events, and Wine Promotion, as well as French tutoring, French Classes among other things).
I know it seems like a lot, but once managed as a daily routine, it is not that bad.
Standard Operating Procedures
So, parts of my duties consist of creating and implementing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) within the various departments related to the wine division (Purchase and Sales, Cellars and Logistics, and Quality Control, etc...) in order to clearly define step by step, the official or usual way that people are expected to do particular things within the respective departments of the wine division (or, to some extent, even within the company or organization).
Once created and implemented, and adjusted/amended/corrected if necessary, depending on the evolution of the business model and the evolution and changes of the department's daily operations, I need to make sure they are compliant. They conform to the rules (such as specifications, policies, standards, and/or laws).
Within the wine division, these procedures are put in place to manage and control both the people and the goods, as well as the environments, conditions, and security, and clearly describe:
How are daily operations conducted and done, and by whom?
who does what, when, and how (and even why)
How things are to be done (and in which order) to prevent from
a mistake, accident, or incident to happen
security to be breached
and/or even theft to occur
And what needs to be done and how, if any of the above occurs
These SOPs are created and implemented for all the following respective daily main operations at the office(s) and at the various points of storage (warehouses/cellars):
Purchase Order / Wine Receiving
Wine Inspection / Authentication
Wine Receipt in ERP System
Put Away
Wine Transfer
Sales Order
Wine Withdrawal
Wine Delivery
Wine Pickup
Others (too many to list them all)
Once the daily operations system and related SOPs are done and implemented, and the staff has been trained, I can focus on the product: "the wine".
Wine Provenance, Inspection and Authentication
My role as Wine QC Director consists predominantly in
verifying and/or counterchecking
the reliability and integrity of the wine merchants we are buying from
the origin, provenance, and conditions of the wines (history of the bottles, previous storage conditions, etc...)
the cost prices compared to the market
Do the bottle's inspection and authentication (if needed) before buying the bottles, if possible at good receiving, to prevent fake or counterfeit bottles of wine from entering our warehouses and cellars.
For example, when our Purchasing manager wants to purchase wines, a specific SOP tells us that the following main steps (SOPs are generally more detailed, this is just an example) have to be done prior to being able to purchase the wine:
receives an offer or receives a specific request from a client (or from the boss)
sources the wine from Négociants or trusted/reliable wine merchants,
negotiates a reasonable price to generate a minimum profit based on the current market price and availability
asks for a quotation
The Wine Quality Control Director (QC) (based on the quotation)
verifies the reliability and integrity of the negociant or wine merchant:
Reliable? or trustable?
Did we work with them in the past?
How is our relationship with them?
Are they in possession of the stocks or not?
If not, where are the stocks? And what are the current conditions of storage?
Are they buying the wines directly at the property? Or via a negociant or official agent? or via a third party?
Are they able to guarantee the conditions and provenance of the wine?
Verifies the integrity of the source:
Honest about the conditions and provenance of the wines?
Practicing fair prices?
Are they flexible with the payment terms as well as the shipping/delivery terms?
Does a Market Analysis to:
Establish the fairness of the quoted prices compared to the current market
and verify the potential Gross Profit Margin (GPM) compared with the average market prices
Is it possible to inspect the wines prior to buying them? If possible and if locally sourced;
If not, ask for high-res quality pictures (if possible, and/or documents/proofs of origin if available) of the wines (cases or even bottles if available) to determine:
the quality
the conditions
the authenticity
the provenance
inform PM if the supplier is reliable or too expensive, etc...
The Cellars and Logistics Manager
Liaises with shipping companies and gets quotations to compare and estimate
The shipping cost (door-to-door, reefer container, plane or boat, etc...)
the time of the shipping (when, how long, etc...)
Choose the shipping company based on cost/efficiency/security/service/quality (the cheapest are not always the worst, and the more expensive are not always the best either)
Liaises with the negotiant or wine merchant to arrange for shipping/logistics details
Arrange for the ETD (Estimated Time of Departure) and ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) with both the negotiant or wine merchant and the shipping company
Inform and keep the warehouse team updated
B. Wine Purchase Order Receiving
In most case scenarios, unless you buy directly at the property or from a Négociant or an official agent or a trusted wine merchant, it is going to be very difficult for you to get high-res pictures and/or documents/proofs of origin of the wines prior buying it. Let's say it's nearly impossible.
Same regarding the provenance and/or current (or even previous) storage conditions, there again, unless you buy directly at the property or from a Négociant or an official agent or a trusted wine merchant, you will never know if what they are telling you is the truth or not.
Yet, it is true that it may also happen with the Négociants, official agents, or "supposedly" trusted wine merchants. They may tell you that the wine comes directly from the property, while they may have bought it back from one of their clients or from a third-party seller. You'll never really know, in fact. You can only trust your guts, unfortunately.
That's why it is very important to work with trusted wine merchants who can give some guarantee about the provenance or, if not, are willing to let you inspect the wines (if sourced locally) and/or send you some high-res pictures of the wines for you to check them prior to buying them.
But because it is not always possible to check them prior to buying them (either physically or on pictures), even with the merchants you know and trust, that's where the role and job of Wine Quality Control is crucial, as he or she will have to inspect and/or even authenticate the wines at good receiving at the warehouse (or at the store or wherever they have been ship/deliver to) prior storing the wines, in order to immediately inform the vendor and sent the wines back, if not satisfied and/or if the conditions are not as described on the email, the catalog, the pictures or any other documents provided prior buying them.
The SOPs state that at good receiving:
The Cellars and Logistics Team
Arrange for delivery time at the warehouse
Unload the truck or container, weigh the pallets/cases, and mark them
Count the pallets, cases (and eventual loose bottles) based on the shipping documents and the purchase order delivery note
Bring the wines to the inspection zone (usually an area prior to or within the storage area dedicated to inspecting the wines prior to being put away in the storage area)
The QC team
Supervise/help with the unloading of the truck or container
Take pictures during the unloading to have proof of how the pallets/cases were when they were delivered and unloaded
Make sure that none of the wines have been put away in the storage area without being inspected first
Proceeds to the inspection prior to the Cellar and Logistics team putting the wines away
The QC team proceeds to the inspection case by case
A case of wine is put on the inspection table or bench
If the case is an unopened Original Wooden Case (OWC) or Orignal Carton Box (OCB):
the case/box is not opened
it is inspected carefully to check of any signs/traces of opening attempts
If pristine, a sticker or security tape is put on it
If not pristine (meaning there are signs/traces of a previous opening), the case has to be opened
the case is weighed to check if it has a correct weight
If correct, a sticker with the case weight is printed and put on the case
Then the case/box is banded with a band featuring the company logo for security reasons
If not correct, the case has to be opened to check its content
If the case has been previously opened, then tape resealed or nail closed (no matter if OWC, OCB, or not) and or if the case/box has not been opened, but it is not an OWC/OCB and/or does not present any markings of any kind to indicate what is in the case/box, then it has to be opened to do the quantitative/qualitative inspection in order to check the quantity and quality (conditions) of its content.
QC staff should always come prepared for an inspection and have their tools at ready for inspection (here is a list with the most essential items to have for a wine inspection)
A portable LED flashlight (or light torch, however you call it) if it does blacklight even better
A magnifier
A ruler
A cutter
Transparent tape
Tissue paper or wet tissue
A rollerball pen or a permanent marker
Small size Post It paper
A camera or smartphone to take pictures
During the inspection/authentication process, QC checks and takes pictures of the following (taking into consideration the vintage and origin of the wine, of course):
Overall bottle conditions
Label (pristine or damaged)
Capsule (pristine or damaged)
Level (correct, too high or too low)
Cork (depressed or protruding, check the vintage if possible for old and expensive bottles, and only if previously agreed with the vendor)
Color (correct, too young, too old)
Sediments (present or not)
Bottle marks
If all the bottles of wine in the same case pass the inspection:
The bottles are carefully put back into the case/box,
The case/box is turned resealed/closed
A piece of security tape or sticker is affixed on the case/box,
And/or the case/box is banded
The case/box can now be given back to the Cellar and Logistics team to be put away in the storage area
If some of the bottles of wine in the same case do not pass the inspection:
The full case is put aside (either in the inspection area if secure or right behind the door at the storage area entrance, not to be put away yet and not to be mixed with other cases either).
An email including details of the discrepancies/defaults + pictures is sent immediately to the vendor
Negotiations begin on getting something for the unsatisfactory bottles, either:
a replacement
and/or a discount
and/or send back the bottles and get partial or full reimbursement
Depending on the negotiation's result,
Bottles are replaced
A new invoice showing a discount is sent
The bottles are sent back and reimbursed
Although continuing on the subject might interest you, I will stop here regarding the SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures). Otherwise, you will be bored reading all these details. (if interested in the inspection's details, read my previous posts on the subject here)
However, the reason I wanted to share with you (parts of) these SOP details is to show you that we have an elaborate system in place to prevent fake and counterfeit wine bottles from infiltrating our warehouses and cellars in our various storage locations and that theoretically we should not have any suspicious bottles in our stocks (either fake or counterfeit or just in bad conditions) like this magnum of Petrus 1961.
Yet, this is not the case. The proof is that the suspicious magnum of Petrus 1961 (in the picture above) managed to get into our stock.
💥Work in Progress - to be finished 💥
Cheers! Santé!
LeDomduVin (a.k.a. Dominique Noel)
NB: Over the last few years, I wrote quite a few posts on or including fake and counterfeit wines (if interested read the 2 most detailed ones here and here)
As you probably know by now, as a "Wine Quality Control Director" (for the Wine Division of the company I work for), an essential part of my daily job is to inspect (detailed examination and authentication too) all the bottles we buy, sale and/or store in our different warehouses in Hong Kong and China. (*)
The case scenario I will detail in this post today is a rare one that is quite unlikely to occur on regular basis, and so I thought it would be interesting to write about it (and, you never know, it might also interest you).
So, here is the situation:
Two days ago, on January 29th 2019, 6 bottles of Petrus 1966 (and a few more bottles including Chateau Haut-Brion 1989) were prepared at one of our warehouses in HK to be withdrawn then delivered.
One of the members of my QC Team, in position of QC Supervisor at this warehouse, quickly inspected the bottles and took some pictures (unfortunately in low light - see picture below), which, in turn, were sent to our internal WhatsApp group for the QC (myself) and the C&L (Cellars and Logistics) Senior Manager reviewal and approval, prior the bottles leave the warehouse.
My QC team member did not switch on the lights that normally should be ON to allow for the wine level and other details to be checked. Consequently, at first glance, looking on WhatsApp on my phone, and despite some of the levels being low, but nothing abnormal for the vintage, the bottles looked OK. Hence, I gave my approval. The bottles were released from the warehouse and delivered to our company's headquarter building in Kowloon Bay first.
Once in Kowloon bay, the bottles were put in the cellar of our company's French restaurant "Le Pan". Simpson, Wine Director, at Le Pan, took a picture of the bottles of Petrus 1966 (and the Chateau Haut-Brion 1989) when they arrived, and send it to the WhatsApp group.
The picture being clearer (with more light) than the picture taken at the warehouse, Samuel, our C&L Senior Manager, realized that something was wrong with one of the bottles. A broken piece of cork was floating in one of them.
So, I looked back, (a bit more closely this time), at the first picture sent from the warehouse prior the delivery, to check if the incident of the broken cork may have happened during the transportation between the warehouse and our headquarters building.
But no. Looking at it again (more closely this time), I realized that it was already like that at the warehouse (meaning that the broken part of the cork was already floating in the bottle), and that consequently my team member did not inspect the bottles properly and carefully enough prior the delivery.
I was really unhappy about him, as it is his primary role as QC Supervisor at the warehouse to do a quantitative and qualitative inspection (at good receiving and departing) and consequently to check that all bottles are in good (or at least acceptable) conditions prior the bottles can leave the warehouse and be delivered.
However, and fortunately, the bottle had been delivered to our headquarters first, meaning, prior going to its final destination. So, I had to take care of the situation and find a solution to replace the bottle with the defectuous broken cork, by a bottle with better condition to be delivered with the other bottles instead. Fortunately (again), we had a few more bottles of Petrus 1966 at the warehouse, so we had to quickly organize and make a new delivery from the warehouse to our headquarters building for the replacement bottle.
While waiting for the replacement bottle to arrive, I (assisted by my colleague Martin Li) inspected the bottle with the defectuous broken cork. I brought it down to our basement cellar to get a closer look at it.
The capsule was still tight, and did not present any sign of seepage or leakage. Yet, it looked like the piece of cork was quite big, but "how big"? (...that was the question...)
Looking even closer (like on the picture above), it almost seemed that the upper part of the cork was visible and did not seem to be loose. Therefore, I believe (at first) that the broken piece was only the bottom part of the cork and probably corresponded to only about ⅓ of the cork maximum.
But I had to be sure and it was important to know how much of the cork was remaining in the neck of the bottle to make a rough assessment on the wine condition and ensure the wine was still safe from harm. Therefore, I decided to cut open the capsule by making an incision right below the ring of the neck.
For record purposes, I asked my colleague, Martin Li, to assist me by also commenting (and holding the camera too) while making a little video of me cutting the capsule (of this Petrus 1966 with a floating cork inside), to check how much of the cork left within the neck.
(I definitely need a better camera man..... 😊)
LeDomduVin: Petrus 1966 with a broken cork inside the bottle (inspection) - Video 1/2
LeDomduVin: Petrus 1966 with a broken cork inside the bottle (inspection) - Video 2/2
So, when I cut open the capsule to check the remaining part of the cork, I realized that I was wrong, as, in fact, ¾ of the cork was broken and the remaining ¼ upper part of the cork was seemingly solid and still tight. Therefore, it is possible that the wine may not have been harmed or damaged by this rather peculiar cork condition. Yet, difficult to say.... unless we open the bottle.....
The broken part of the cork being so big, and therefore the level of the wine being difficult to estimate, it is also hard to tell if the wine suffered from air oxidation or if the wine has evaporated a little due to the cork condition.
Yet, as previously said, the capsule is tight and the remaining upper part of the cork is seemingly solid and tight against the inside of the neck, the capsule does not present any trace of seepage or leakage, so we can assume the wine could be OK, after all.
I sealed back the cut part of the capsule with tape, then laid down the bottle in the cellar for further examination by regular checking within the few hours that followed.
Conclusion
It is hard to determinate what exactly happened
for the bottom part of the cork to break within the bottle like this. It is a
rare case scenario that is unlikely to occur usually, unless the bottle previous handling and/or storage conditions led to the weakening and eventually cracking of the cork.
We can only speculate that this situation may have occurred, for example, if the bottle experienced or has been exposed to important and/or sudden variations and/or oscillations of the temperature and/or humidity levels (for a certain period of time and at a certain period of the bottle's life), altering and changing the shape of the cork in some ways, weakening it, while, at the same time, creating a pulling force, like a vacuum, sucking the cork within the bottle.
This situation usually happens when the temperatures are too cold, causing the cork to slightly shrink and get pulled into the neck of the bottle, which normally leads to a "depressed" cork....
However, as you can see in the video and in this screenshot of the video above, the usual sign of a depressed cork, which is normally characterized by a "dent" formed on the top of the capsule, giving a clear indication that the cork is either weak and/or has slightly been sucked in, is barely visible. But ,even if, a tiny, slightly bit depressed, it is nothing compared to bottles with serious depressed cork conditions I previously inspected. And therefore, once again, makes me think the wine might be OK. The color and overall condition of the wine seemed OK too when I checked it. So, let's cross fingers.
In any case, I put the bottle laying down in the cellar, and will keep it there for the next few days, to check if any seepage
or leakage occurs due to the defectuous/broken cork. If no seepage or leakage appear after a few days, the bottle is to be sent back to its original warehouse (for long term storage), with a
note to be written and taped on the bottle, saying "do not touch unless strictly necessary and/or to be handled with extreme care due to the broken cork".
My advice (first verbally formulated by my former CEO Bernard de Laage, when I showed him the pictures) is that this bottle should be opened and consumed as soon as possible, as the wine may deteriorate quickly (or not) with a cork in such conditions.
I will keep you inform of the status of this particular bottle.
That's all folks for today, stay tuned for more posts coming soon and meanwhile drink responsibly and give a closer look to the cork condition of your old bottles. You never know....
Inspecting a Jeroboam of Mouton Rothschild 1945 ...
As the Wine Quality Control Director for the company I work for, an essential part of my job is to inspect and do the authentication of all the bottles we buy and sell (also checking provenance and suppliers reliability and integrity, as well as being responsible for the quantity and quality of the stock and storage's environment, conditions, and security of all the company's cellars and warehouses, and also doing Market Analysis, Stock Valuation, SOP, etc, etc...).
So, while doing regular monthly inventories in our warehouses, I also take the time to inspect some bottles and put to the test my authentication skills and knowledge.
Although I cannot reveal all the details that differentiate a real bottle from a counterfeit one, as it will go against the deontological codes or ethics of my profession (and might also provide counterfeiters with intrinsic and useful details to produce better fake bottles), I still would like to share with you some of my bottle authentication knowledge and briefly establish the reason why I believe, for example, that this Jeroboam of Mouton Rothschild 1945 is genuine, and not a counterfeit.
Starting from top to Bottom.
1. The bottle
- The glass of the bottle is clearly old and its color is too (a bit difficult to see on these pictures as they were taken inside the warehouse, which explains the soft yellow lighting and the darkness of the bottle)
- 1940s Mouton Rothschild bottles have broader shoulder than the base, and it is clear on the pictures (above and below) that the base is narrower than the upper side of the bottle
- The glass surface presents defaults and asperities with micro-bubbles trapped inside the glass, proof that this bottle has been handblown and not machine-made.
- On the picture below, you can see a hand blowing default of the bottle. Do you see it? Yes, it is not an impression on the picture, the glass shape of the bottle is slightly incurved [ ) ] on the left side compared to the right side which is straight. [ | ]
- The punt is deep and thick, time-worn and presents no markings, compared to more recent bottles which present markings (either engraved or embossed or even embedded within the glass).
Back in the mid-40s at the end of World War II, glass was not always easy to find, and therefore, at the time, old and used glass bottles of different colors were melted together, then handblown to make new bottles, which were slightly different in color than the usual color normally used for Bordeaux wine bottles prior (and even after) the War.
2. The capsule
Old, corroded, wrinkled, time-worn and short (which was normal at that time compared to nowadays Bordeaux capsules, which are longer and usually covering the full length of the cork) with the correct color and correct markings.
I did not cut the capsule for this specific bottle but it is very important when doing an authentication of a bottle to verify the cork size, color, defaults, markings, brand, font, vintage, wine absorption, etc... to make sure that it is genuine and/or verify if the bottle has been reconditioned (re-corked, refilled or topped up, etc...) and also make sure that it is not a fake one.
That said when a bottle is as old and expensive as this one (Mouton 1945 goes for 35-40,000 Euros for a magnum (1.5L) - retail price -, so I let you imagine how much a Jeroboam (4.5L) could go for...), there is always an hesitation on taking the decision to cut the capsule to verify the cork, as it will slightly decrease the value of the bottle in case of reselling later on.
If the capsule is slightly loose and you can uncap it from the bottle without damaging it, then it is usually better than cutting it. Yet, if the capsule is tight and you absolutely need to verify the cork, then you will have no other choice but to cut it.
However, if you are sure to keep the bottle for your own consumption and/or have any doubt about the bottle, cutting the capsule to check the cork is definitely one of the best ways to check
- the cork authenticity (real or not? old or new? correct or wrong markings like the vintage and/or the brand?)
- as well as the state of the cork (wet or dry? wine absorption only at the bottom or completely soaked? still in one piece or crumbling? tartaric crystals or not? etc...)
...and thus, in the meantime, while checking the cork, you can roughly assess the quality of the wine:
- if the cork is dry and slightly loose, for example, air may have affected the wine, which may be oxidized, gone, bad or even turned to vinegar in some case...
- if the cork is completely soaked, soft and crumbling, leakage may have occurred, and the wine may present the same problems as above...
"In 1945, to commemorate the Allied victory, Baron Philippe de Rothschild had the idea of embellishing the Mouton Rothschild label with art-work: in this instance, a symbolic design intended to celebrate the return of peace. He commissioned this from a young unknown artist, Philippe Jullian (1921-1977). Having displayed early promise as a designer, he was to go on to become a successful dramatist. He submitted several drafts for the label: this one is based on the famous “V for Victory” that Churchill used throughout the war to rally the forces of freedom."
Mouton Rothschild 1945 label is divided into 2 distinctively different labels that are slightly apart from each other.
- The upper one, on which the "V" represents "Victory" ("Victoire" in French), the ending of World War II, is obviously smaller in height but more particularly smaller in width by a few millimeters on both sides, as you can see on the picture below.
If you encounter a bottle of Mouton 1945 with the 2 labels attached and/or even detached but with the same width, then it is a fake bottle, a counterfeit that you should report, immediately if you can, to the Château, which will in turn investigate...
....but be ready to answer a few questions like: when and where did you buy it? from whom? a collector? at a wine auction? a retailer? a wholesaler? a distributor? Do you still have the contact details? How much did you pay for it? Do you still have the invoice? etc, etc...
All these details are important to trace the history and provenance of the bottle, in order to push the investigation further to retrieve its origin and, at some point, dig up the counterfeiter and put him/her where he/she belongs... behind bars.
It is said that 20-25% of the top 50 most expensive and top wines of the world on the market (mostly French wines from Bordeaux and more especially Burgundy) are actually fakes, extraordinary well-crafted counterfeits that usually challenge even the eyes of the best experts on the market.
It is a stereotype, but it is also said that there are more bottles in the black and grey market in China than the top Bordeaux and Burgundy wineries ever produced...
I've heard a story that a guy counterfeited 6,000 bottles of a very expensive and rare wine, and as per the same source, only about 2,000 bottles have been retrieved so far, meaning that the remaining 4,000 bottles could be anywhere in the world, even in your own personal collection.... scary.....
(not to create any paranoia on your part, but I'm sure that, from now on, you will look at your stash of expensive and rare bottles with a different eye...) 😊
I lately wrote a comment on a Facebook post about probably one of the most expensive wine dinners in history, organized by Fine Wine Experience in Hong Kong, at 108,000 HKD per person (read the article here), that it is quite funny to see all of these bottles of 1800s and early 1900s suddenly reappearing and coming back on the market from nowhere... (supposedly from unnamed private collectors who have been collecting them for decades....)... well, well.... it really makes me wonder as, frankly, I haven't seen that many as over the past 5-6 years... offered by both retailers and auction houses... while already back in the 90s and 2000s they were barely any on the markets and the few remaining ones were super hard to find.... nowadays, it seems that you can find some bottles of 1800s and early 1900s vintages everywhere and even in older vintages than the ones that were already difficult to find 20-25 years ago... surprising, no?... just saying... but it seems that there is something fishy about this... (and that is the Wine Quality Control Director talking here..)...
- The lower label or main Label of this particular bottle is rough and shows signs of time, yet the paper, the size, the color(s), the font and the details are correct. And for those of you who may not know, R.C. meaning "Reserve du Château" is also correct. Therefore, no problem here either.
So, in conclusion, and to recap, I will say that this Jeroboam of Mouton Rothschild 1945 is a genuine bottle, and not a counterfeit, as all of its details are correct:
- The capsule (size, height, color, font, markings)
- The color and roughness of the glass, as well as the shape of the bottle (shoulder slightly broader than the bottom) and defaults of the bottle, as well as the lack of markings, are normal and expected for a 1945 vintage bottle
- The labels are detached and in 2 pieces (the upper one smaller in width)
- The bottle writings, number, font, color, and size also match
One day if I open the bottle I will let you know how was the cork and if in fact, it confirmed the authenticity of this bottle...
Obviously, and if you did not know prior to reading this little post, you will know now how to identify whether the bottle of Mouton 1945 you stashed away (either for investment and/or for your old days or a really special occasion) is a fake/counterfeit bottle or not...
It is easy, if all the above do not match, then it is a fake. For example, if
- The capsule is wrong in color or markings,
- The shape of the bottle is wrong, straight rather than broad shoulders, or too new for the vintage
- The label is in one rather than two pieces, and/or the width is the same for both labels.
- It lacks a bottle number or states a wrong bottle number, or has been printed with the wrong color or font
- It presents glass markings which would not have been applied in 1945.
- And if you are able to see that the cork presents wrong markings or signs for the vintage.
6. Authentication
Authentication is a hard job which is not as easy as people may think. Basically, while inspecting the bottles, you always have to think, refer to your memory and knowledge, check with previous inspection results and pictures if needed, and ask yourself some questions, more especially if you have any doubts and/or if any of the usual bottle, capsule and label characteristics for this specific producer and vintage do not seem to match with bottles previously inspected.
And answers to these questions only come with knowledge and experience and time. You could always ask the winery directly by sending them via email some pictures for their review and comments. Yet, even if it seems that the best place to find the answer is to go to the source, it is not always the best choice and the right answer is not always guaranteed, as even the winery may not have the answer to your question(s) as they (even them) may not know or may not have records going back that far....
It is not easy I'm telling you... and if you decide to pursue a career into Wine Quality Control and Wine authentication (like me), you better start to build your own database of references with pictures and even label samples, either detached from old bottles or pictured closely enough to check the small details, as you will need it. Taking notes is also very important. (*)
In any case, even if you use your own knowledge, experience, memory, and any other references you may have to inspect and authentify a bottle, you will always have to ask yourself some questions as for old vintage (pre-1960s) the capsule, cork, and label of a wine from same producer and vintage may slightly differ depending on
- the bottling time for example: is this bottle an original? or has it been reconditioned? re-corked? re-capsuled? relabeled?
- the negociant who bottled it at the time: remember that until the mid 60s (1967 to be exact - when it became mandatory for the Chateaux to bottle their own wine(s) - even if some Chateaux started as early as the 1920s), most Chateau owners only tended their vineyards, crafted their wines to then put them in barrels and sell them to the negociants; but it was the negociants who, in turn, handled the rest of the process from wine aging, bottling, labelling, promotion, sales and distribution (and that from as far back as the early 17th century). Therefore, for very old vintage, it is not surprising to see a bottle with a negociant label differing from the one from the Chateau or even another negociant ... (to be continued soon)
Et voila,
That's all folks! for today.....
Stay tuned for more post like this one with pictures and details.....
I wrote this little article on inspecting a Jeroboam of Mouton Rothschild 1945 in honor to celebrate, (a few days ahead), August 14th, 1945, the day when it was announced that Japan had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, effectively ending World War II.
A day most commonly accepted as the end of World War II when the Japanese accepted the terms and surrendered, even if the real ending was when General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander for the Allied Forces, signed the Japanese surrender document aboard the battleship, U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Japan, on September 2, 1945
Cheers! Santé!
Dominique Noël a.k.a. LeDomduVin
(*) maybe one day, I'll write another post to explain more in details what are the requirements for the job...
