by Hervé Lalau
Alain Bourgeois, the chief winemaker at the Cave de Tain l Hermitage in the Rhône Valley, was given a suspended sentence of 6 months in jail for blending vintages, appellations and even adding vin de pays to AOC wine. Not less than twelve accounts
of fraud concerning 2,834 hectolitres had been filed after the discovery of the tampered wine during an inspection in May 2004. The cooperative, which had a good reputation, must pay a fine of 43,000 euros.
The president and the general director of the cooperative, who were also on trial, were discharged The president, Mr. Cornut-Chauvin, is a member of the INAO, the French national body for wine control. He claims that he was not aware of any illegal act at the time; but the mere doubt casts a new shadow on the efficiency of the INAO. If Mr. Cornut-Chauvin did know of his winemakers actions, it means that the INAO is not selective enough when choosing its committee members. If he did not know, it means more or less the same thing.
