Definition: Falsification

Throughout history, but even more so today than in the past, we have discovered wines that have been tampered with, adulterated, falsified, if not counterfeited. The explosion in the prices of fine wines is directly linked to all kinds of fraud. In the 17th century, white wines from the Paris region were mixed with dye to make Burgundy; Closer to home, the dilution of wines, excessive chaptalisation and, more recently, the addition of synthetic glycerine to make wine smooth and round are just a few examples. Fortunately, sophisticated analysis methods now make it possible to accurately detect all substances introduced into wine fraudulently or accidentally.