255: Wine Crime & Con Artists with Rebecca Gibb, Author of Vintage Crime: A Short History of Wine Fraud

Are you curious about the greatest con artists in the world of wine? What creative but illegal ingredients have been added to wine to cut costs and boost profits? What is it about tales of crime and greed that draw us in?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Rebecca Gibb, author of Vintage Crime: A Short History of Wine Fraud.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Giveaway

Three of you are going to be the lucky recipients of a copy of Rebecca Gibb's book, Vintage Crime: A Short History of Wine Fraud. To enter, email me at [email protected] and tell me that you’d like to win a copy. I'll choose three people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

What was it like to represent Great Britain as an athlete at the age of 19?

Where did Rebecca’s interest in the cello come from?

Why has Rebecca decided to donate a portion of her book’s royalties to finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy?

Why did Rebecca decide to write about the riots in Champagne in 1911?

What is it about tales of crime and greed that draw us in?

What’s the meaning of the MICE acronym used to describe the motivations behind committing fraud?

How have coercion and ego played a role in wine fraud over the years?

Do you have to be a wine person to appreciate Rebecca’s book, Vintage Crime?

What was the most popular method of wine fraud in Ancient Rome?

Which unusual methods did vintners try in an effort to restore vineyards after the phylloxera epidemic in the late 1800s?

How did it come to be that there was more Champagne being sold than produced during World War I?

Key Takeaways

I enjoyed Rebecca’s stories about the greatest con artists in the world of wine. I think we all love a juicy story about people trying to get one over on others. Call it whatever the wine version is of schadenfreude.

I agree that part of what helps con artists get away with what they do is that people don't want to admit they have been duped. That’s pride and human nature.

I was intrigued by the creative but illegal ingredients that have been added to wine to cut costs and boost profits. There's a fine line between what's adulteration and what isn't.

Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live

Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wed at 7 pm ET on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video.

I want to hear from you! What’s your opinion of what we’re discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn’t answer?

Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621

About Rebecca Gibb

Rebecca Gibb is an editor for the online wine publication Vinous, covering the wines of New Zealand and the Loire Valley. In addition, she owns a wine and spirit jigsaw business, Puzzle Cru. Rebecca is one of only 416 Masters of Wine in the world and was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award and the Bollinger Medal in recognition of her superb tasting ability.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/255.