New Zealand Winery Accused of Wine Fraud in Landmark Case

A winery in New Zealand has been accused of exporting tens of thousands of dollars worth of wine, of which the vintage and origin has been disputed.

Southern Boundary Wines in Waipara, New Zealand has been charged with a litany of fraudulent actions by the Ministry of Primary Industries, including intentionally mislabeling wines as the wrong vintage, falsely identifying some wine's country of origin, destroying winery records, and blending wines from different vineyards. They face more than 150 charges altogether. This is the first case of its kind in the country under the Wine Act, according to the New Zealand Herald.

The fraudulent wines in question— sauvignon blanc and pinot noir, made between 2011 and 2013—were exported to the U.S., Thailand, Australia, Fiji, and Japan, but there is no risk to your health if you happen to have bought and drunk one of their wines. None of them are available for sale in New Zealand.

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