Red Bicyclette Pinot Noir in latest wine scandal
A French court case is underway after a year of investigations surrounding E&J Gallo's 2007 Red Bicyclette Pinot Noir and claims that the wine was made by lower quality, less expensive grapes that weren't in fact Pinot Noir. The wine supplied amounted to a massive €4m (£3.5m) worth sold to Gallo between 2006 and 2008.
Investigators became suspicious after realising that the amount of Pinot Noir being exported from the Languedoc-Roussillon area far exceeded historic levels.
Thirteen people including executives from two wineries, five co-operatives, négociant Ducasse and conglomerate Sieur d'Arques have been charged.