Owners of two top producers in St Emilion face 5 years in jail

Owners of two top producers in St Emilion face 5 years in jail if they lose case into manipulating rankings.

Château Angélus and Château Trotte Vieille’s owners face accusations of manipulating the 2012 St Emilion Appelation rankings for themselves and companies they consulted for.

Every 10 years St Emilion re-assess the rankings of the top wines based on tastings of previous vintages and other factors, including marketing.

Hubert de Boüard, owner of Château Angélus, and Philippe Castéja, owner of Château Trotte Vieille have been accused of setting the rules to ensure that they and producers they consult for benefited from the 2012 St Emilion classification. If found guilty, Boüard and Castéja could each face jail time, plus a fine of up to €500,000.