Comments on: Red Bicyclette scandal: there’s un pigeon born every day http://www.thevineroute.com/languedoc/red-bicyclette-pinot-noir-scandal/ Stories, culture and people behind wine Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:26:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: tomfiorina http://www.thevineroute.com/languedoc/red-bicyclette-pinot-noir-scandal/comment-page-1/#comment-324 tomfiorina Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:04:33 +0000 http://www.thevineroute.com/?p=1265#comment-324 Thanks for your comment, Greg. It's interesting to see that the fines just handed down (€3,000 and €45,000 to two separate defendants, and €180,000 euros to Sieur d'Argues, which provided the fake Pinot Noir to Gallo), along with no jail time, don't seem to equate the profits earned in this scam: €7m. Evidently, crime does pay in France... Your comment about French wine companies not pursuing building global brands in the low-cost wine segment is very valid. The French traditionally view marketing, branding and other activities related to commercializing a product as being vulgar and crude activities. Gallo hasn't changed that viewpoint, even if they had the right idea in building an effective brand for low-cost Pinot Noir. They, as you pointed out, were just too greedy. I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop--say in China, where similar <a href="http://www.wijnidee.com/en/2010/02/11/chinezen-vervalsen-400-000-flessen-fitou-wijn/" rel="nofollow">fake-wine</a> schemes are now beginning to appear. Thanks for your comment, Greg. It’s interesting to see that the fines just handed down (€3,000 and €45,000 to two separate defendants, and €180,000 euros to Sieur d’Argues, which provided the fake Pinot Noir to Gallo), along with no jail time, don’t seem to equate the profits earned in this scam: €7m. Evidently, crime does pay in France… Your comment about French wine companies not pursuing building global brands in the low-cost wine segment is very valid. The French traditionally view marketing, branding and other activities related to commercializing a product as being vulgar and crude activities. Gallo hasn’t changed that viewpoint, even if they had the right idea in building an effective brand for low-cost Pinot Noir. They, as you pointed out, were just too greedy. I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop–say in China, where similar fake-wine schemes are now beginning to appear.

]]> By: Greg Roberts http://www.thevineroute.com/languedoc/red-bicyclette-pinot-noir-scandal/comment-page-1/#comment-321 Greg Roberts Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:19:47 +0000 http://www.thevineroute.com/?p=1265#comment-321 Just to point out that the purchase price of 1,15 euros would be equate to around $1.70 for much of 2008 for example. Typical transport, duty and taxes would be around $1.50 a bottle assuming they didn't transport in bulk and bottle in the US which would even cheaper, then with very generous 35% mark-ups at each tier in the US, importer $5.38, distributor, $8.28 finally the suggested retail price of ~ $12.74. For years experts have been advising the French wine industry to create brands that can compete internationally. So an American company puts its marketing expertise to work and successfully creates one only and sees it blow-up due to greed. Just to point out that the purchase price of 1,15 euros would be equate to around $1.70 for much of 2008 for example. Typical transport, duty and taxes would be around $1.50 a bottle assuming they didn’t transport in bulk and bottle in the US which would even cheaper, then with very generous 35% mark-ups at each tier in the US, importer $5.38, distributor, $8.28 finally the suggested retail price of ~ $12.74.

For years experts have been advising the French wine industry to create brands that can compete internationally. So an American company puts its marketing expertise to work and successfully creates one only and sees it blow-up due to greed.

]]> By: tomfiorina http://www.thevineroute.com/languedoc/red-bicyclette-pinot-noir-scandal/comment-page-1/#comment-304 tomfiorina Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:02:21 +0000 http://www.thevineroute.com/?p=1265#comment-304 All good questions, Iris. If they are going to do a movie, I'd vote for one about an adventuresome German lady, with an attractive twinkle in her eyes, who battles <em>Sus scrofa</em> and other wily varmints in the <em>Haut-Languedoc</em>to make genuine terroir wine. We'll have to see if Meryl Streep is free to do the film. All good questions, Iris. If they are going to do a movie, I’d vote for one about an adventuresome German lady, with an attractive twinkle in her eyes, who battles Sus scrofa and other wily varmints in the Haut-Languedocto make genuine terroir wine. We’ll have to see if Meryl Streep is free to do the film.

]]> By: Iris http://www.thevineroute.com/languedoc/red-bicyclette-pinot-noir-scandal/comment-page-1/#comment-300 Iris Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:16:03 +0000 http://www.thevineroute.com/?p=1265#comment-300 when reading about the fraud, I asked myself, whether they don't have any competent tasters at Gallo, who could have noticed the difference... or did they - like most of the consumers - just read the name and the price and were so occupied by their marketing strategy - marrying "the Blue Bicycle" soap with Sideways, that the difference didn't matter? Did anybody find out, which grape variety was sold to Gallo for this fake - perhaps a new movie could transform it into a success... could it have been Oeuillade (clin d'oeil - twinkle) - that would be a nice title for the movie and the upcoming wine-label - when reading about the fraud, I asked myself, whether they don’t have any competent tasters at Gallo, who could have noticed the difference… or did they – like most of the consumers – just read the name and the price and were so occupied by their marketing strategy – marrying “the Blue Bicycle” soap with Sideways, that the difference didn’t matter?

Did anybody find out, which grape variety was sold to Gallo for this fake – perhaps a new movie could transform it into a success… could it have been Oeuillade (clin d’oeil – twinkle) – that would be a nice title for the movie and the upcoming wine-label -

]]> By: tomfiorina http://www.thevineroute.com/languedoc/red-bicyclette-pinot-noir-scandal/comment-page-1/#comment-298 tomfiorina Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:16:16 +0000 http://www.thevineroute.com/?p=1265#comment-298 Thanks for your comment, Vinoman. I'm no expert on the US domestic wine market (if that's the domestic market that you're referring to), but what I've read and heard seems to indicate that US winemakers are mostly interesting in producing higher-priced wine. Importing bulk wine and then repackaging it seems to be their main strategy for filling the demand for lower-priced (the $10-20) wines that people are increasingly seeking. Thanks for your comment, Vinoman. I’m no expert on the US domestic wine market (if that’s the domestic market that you’re referring to), but what I’ve read and heard seems to indicate that US winemakers are mostly interesting in producing higher-priced wine. Importing bulk wine and then repackaging it seems to be their main strategy for filling the demand for lower-priced (the $10-20) wines that people are increasingly seeking.

]]> By: Vinoman http://www.thevineroute.com/languedoc/red-bicyclette-pinot-noir-scandal/comment-page-1/#comment-297 Vinoman Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:07:12 +0000 http://www.thevineroute.com/?p=1265#comment-297 Yet another reason to buy domestic... Yet another reason to buy domestic…

]]> By: Fabius http://www.thevineroute.com/languedoc/red-bicyclette-pinot-noir-scandal/comment-page-1/#comment-296 Fabius Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:29:55 +0000 http://www.thevineroute.com/?p=1265#comment-296 It takes two to tango! It takes two to tango!

]]> By: tomfiorina http://www.thevineroute.com/languedoc/red-bicyclette-pinot-noir-scandal/comment-page-1/#comment-295 tomfiorina Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:16:53 +0000 http://www.thevineroute.com/?p=1265#comment-295 Maybe La Bicyclette wine is good, Laurie. I can't really say, as I've never drank any. But I do know that you can do better--for the same price or maybe just slightly more. Thanks for writing. Maybe La Bicyclette wine is good, Laurie. I can’t really say, as I’ve never drank any. But I do know that you can do better–for the same price or maybe just slightly more. Thanks for writing.

]]> By: Laurie http://www.thevineroute.com/languedoc/red-bicyclette-pinot-noir-scandal/comment-page-1/#comment-294 Laurie Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:24:29 +0000 http://www.thevineroute.com/?p=1265#comment-294 Dear Tom, I enjoyed the article, and it is very "eye-opening" for an American wine drinker who enjoys La Bicyclette wine. When we were in Italy and enjoyed all of the good Italian wine for a very good price, and then see what they charge in the United States for the same product, it is upsetting.. Dear Tom,
I enjoyed the article, and it is very “eye-opening” for an American wine drinker who enjoys La Bicyclette wine. When we were in Italy and enjoyed all of the good Italian wine for a very good price, and then see what they charge in the United States for the same product, it is upsetting..

]]> By: tomfiorina http://www.thevineroute.com/languedoc/red-bicyclette-pinot-noir-scandal/comment-page-1/#comment-293 tomfiorina Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:59:25 +0000 http://www.thevineroute.com/?p=1265#comment-293 Hi Peter. I remember you and Richard from our vineyard tour in the Roussillon early last year. If I remember correctly, Richard's the terroir expert. Let me know if you do close the deal for the vineyard. I'll come and do an article about it. Hi Peter. I remember you and Richard from our vineyard tour in the Roussillon early last year. If I remember correctly, Richard’s the terroir expert. Let me know if you do close the deal for the vineyard. I’ll come and do an article about it.

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