The Italian Job

The news that Signor Plod has discovered 9,000 bottles of fake Moët fizz in Padova will have the KGB skeletons laughing like drains at La Concorde. For this was the brand rumoured to have been faked by the Groot Kanonne back in the days when KWV was a subsidiary of Armscor. At least that’s my reading of Icarus, Deon Meyer’s excellent detective novel set in the Winelands. Of course all the legal caveats at the end of the novel apply and the story has nothing at all to do with the company in its present incarnation.

moet

An interesting interview with Deon lifts the lid. “Q: We discover that in the sanctions years the South African wine industry had pulled off some scams that greatly enriched the perpetrators. This is based on fact. How did you come across this, and what attracted you to the fake wine theme? Do you think the industry still has a few scams underway like the ones in your book?

A: I had a long and very interesting lunch with the most well-informed and infamous wine journalist in the country. I told him I was looking for motives for murder in the industry. He gave me a rather surprising number of potential candidates. This scam was the best amongst them.

And yes, there are more scams around. There are constant whispers … Then again, there are scams in all industries where big money and reputations are to be made.”

I wonder who the infamous wine journo could be? Toxic Tim? Lizard in a bowtie? One of the assorted chiskoppe? Although many a local wine journo was seemingly fooled by fake wines served by the White Club. And these naked emperors still pretend to be ace tasters.

Does the Italian Job finally explain why SA exports to Italy were up 8150% is 2013? Has someone restarted Project Isabella?