25 Charged in France With Running Fraud Ring Making Bordeaux Wine

Twenty-five people were being questioned Saturday after police broke up a fraud ring involving some of France’s finest Bordeaux wine, officials said.

They refused to name any of the people being held, but police sources said major wine producers were involved. The arrests were made on Thursday and Friday.

Some of the region’s finest wines, such as Saint Emilion, Montbazillac, Bergerac and Cahors, were affected, police said.

The 25 under arrest are accused of producing more vintage wine than the law allows and selling it illegally to stores and restaurants.

Police said the wine was kept in secret reservoirs, bottled and taken to shops and restaurants. The wine was correctly labeled and buyers had no idea the sales were illegal, they said.

Production of vintage wines, or grands crus , is limited by law to maintain standards, but modern techniques mean that growers often produce double the amount they are allowed to sell.

The surplus is supposed to be sold as table wine or turned into industrial alcohol, incurring a large financial loss compared to the profits that can be made on the sale of a bottle of vintage wine.