Caveat Emptor
 |
The World of the Multiverse |
Watching
this thought-provoking saga gets even ‘goose bumpier.’ As we continued to be overshadowed by alt-worlds
and an overarching counterfeit history, we gradually became aware of a more
subtle but unshakable theme. Like the
portrayal of this fantasy history, much more is fake. Who is really who, and what is actually real
is a blur if not the theme of this production. Worlds apart, identities quickly shift along with
character names, their locations, allegiances, and at times complete abandonment
of their former selves. Dark characters,
made over to miraculously become white-hat, good guys, would soon revert. With nothing fixed, nothing solid, I wondered
how the actors kept track of the persona they were portraying, and which
alternate universe they occupied in a particular scene. We went so far as to question if the actors’ biographies
and their actual names were real. The
elaborate complexity of this tale made it even more riveting for Maria Elena
and me. Two or three episodes nightly
may not be considered binge-watching, but in addition to precluding the gradual
drip of weekly episodes, it gave us time to consider the messages being
communicated.
Today’s
world is not dissimilar. Technology and
ubiquitous fake news conspire to complicate our lives and our world. Technical advances make it easy to create and
disseminate alternate versions of reality.
Imagery, for example, has gone far beyond Photoshop’s ability to
change heads while altering a scene or creating voices matched to public
figures is easy to forge into believability.
Need a speech or help with a test? ChatGPT, a powerful artificially intelligent
software program, can write one or even help pass a Wharton School of Business
exam. [1] [2] It’s said, “we
are what we eat,” but aren’t we also what we are fed to see and read?
In The
High Castle series, there were frequent visits to a memorabilia shop
featuring high-value American historical artifacts. In imitation of the faked documents and lives
of its characters, it was here that authenticity was underwritten by forged slips
of paper vouching to an object’s genuineness. Like the class ring I wear asserting “Esse
non-Videri” (“To Be Not to Seem”), truth is affirmed through individual
action and, for bona fide objects, their actual use as intended. This is the dilemma of “The Man in the High
Castle” for in this world, nothing is really what it appears to be. Real along with genuine, rare, and priceless,
are jumbled with bogus, forged, and outright imitations. In today’s world, a fake, whatever form it
takes, is harder and harder to distinguish, so it is wise to be on guard.
 |
The Ever-Vigilant Carabinieri |
 |
Guardia di Finanza on |
Fake
‘Made in Italy’ products, especially high-end, popular brands, flood today’s
marketplace. Much like the jumble of
real and faked pieces of historic Americana in The Man in the High Castle,
faked Italian products have all the trappings of the real thing, making it
difficult for consumers to distinguish genuine from forgeries. As in the case of High Castle
characters’ efforts to pass on counterfeit pieces of Americana, today’s
agro-criminals have done their jobs correctly when unknowingly, consumers walk
away with a fake. The fraudster’s
business model appears to be working. Their
illegitimate parallel economy in Italian products is estimated to generate a whopping
€120 billion annually worldwide.[15] In such a free for all global market, technology
allows packaging to be copied and substitutions of key ingredients to be easily
made. Unsubstantiated claims of ‘Organic,’
‘Green/All-natural,’ along with labels of ‘Italy,’ ‘Italian,’ and depictions of
the Italian flag, intent on deception, play on a customer’s desire for Italian
products. Among the most copied ‘Made in
Italy’ products targeted by organized crime in Italy and elsewhere are wines,
cheeses, extra virgin olive oil, cold cuts, fresh fruit, and vegetables such as
San Marzano tomatoes. These authenticity
thieves sometimes resort to what is called an ‘Italian Sounding Strategy.’ They’ve discovered that something as simple as
spelling the name of a familiar Italian product a bit differently is enough to
deceive consumers. Parmesao Regianito
substitutes for Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Parrano replaces Grana
Padano, and Salsa Pomarola pretends to be Salsa di Pomodoro.[11] Although spelled correctly, the Panettone
I almost purchased for Christmas hailed from Brazil, despite the green, white,
and red Italian flag on the box. Even
more reason for buyers of ‘Made in Italy’ to be cautious.
The
situation has grown critical when six out of ten Italian food products reaching our
tables are forgeries and troubling that those around the table are unaware they
have a copy in their hands.[12] Today’s commerce has buyers at a
disadvantage. We are now forced to rely
more and more upon the honesty of the seller.
Caveat emptor, “let the buyer beware,” is a common law maxim that
buyers purchase at their own risk in the absence of an express warranty. It’s enough to expect a proper tasting 
DOC Label with Alphanumeric
and QR Codes
glass
of wine and not have to reject it because it was drawn from an uncorked bottle
that has been sitting open on the shelf for who knows how long. These days, caution is demanded, beginning well
before starting with the unopened bottle.
Italy
has official forms of wine certification, DOC (Denomination
of Controlled Origin) and DOCG (Denomination of Controlled Origin and
Guaranteed). They were instituted to
make it easier for consumers to understand what to expect from the content of a
bottle of Italian wine. A DOC label regulates
grape varieties, where they are harvested, the producer, the growing method, harvest
yields, alcohol levels, and aging requirements.
There are currently over 329 distinct DOC wines in Italy, each with
unique regulations 
DOCG Label with Alphanumeric
and QR Codes
that winemakers must follow.[6] In contrast, the requirements for a bottle to
be labeled DOCG are even stricter. Yields
must be lower, and the wine must be aged for at least two years in oak followed
by one year in the bottle. DOCG-certified
wines must also satisfy government taste testing before receiving the government
garantita set aside for Italian wines of exceptionally high quality.[5]
In all of Italy, there are just 74 DOCG-certified
wines. [6] Both types of certification
include an alphanumeric code across the neck of the bottle to prevent
counterfeiting (see photos). Unfortunately,
even these protections are often outflanked by technology as criminals reach
around these safeguards.[6]
In 2015, Sotheby’s
—New York auctioned a case of 1985-vintage Bolgheri region DOC Sassicaia, considered
one of Italy’s most renowned wines, for $18,375.[7] In
2018, the 2015 vintage achieved
Wine Spectator praise as the world’s best.[9] In 2019, the 2016 vintage was awarded the
maximum 100 points by American wine critic Robert Parker. Four years later, on average, a single 2016
bottle of Sassicaia would sell for €561.
Criminal elements did not miss the potential for this kind of return. 
Warehouse Fakes of 24-month Oak Barrel
Aged DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia Wine
In 2020, CNN
reported that Italian police broke up a crime ring producing counterfeit
bottles of this Super-Tuscan wine.[7] The ploy originated in Sicily. Empty bottles hailed from Turkey. The meticulously crafted labels and
Sassicaia-branded wood cases came from Bulgaria. The fraud continued when bottles were filled
with low-quality Sicilian wine and wrapped in producer Tenuta San Guido’s distinctive
tissue paper, duplicated to the original’s precise thickness and color in
Bulgaria.[8] Over 4,000
counterfeit bottles of this prestigious red wine were subsequently seized in Operation
“Bad Tuscan” by Italian police. CNN
further reported that the counterfeiting ring was believed to have produced 700
cases totaling 4,200 bottles each month, amounting to about €40,000 in sales. Not surprisingly, the 2010 and 2015 vintages,
so celebrated by wine critics, were the most prevalent among those
confiscated. In fact, when raiding the
counterfeiters’ warehouse, police found them labeling bottles as the vineyard’s
2015 vintage.
 |
What's in Your Wine Glass? |
A few
calls and the year-long investigation that followed led to the
arrest of a father and son in a Milan warehouse. This incident reminded me of a similar event when
electronics were stolen from a friend’s convertible. Apprehending the ‘perp’ was straightforward
when his wallet was discovered on the car’s floor. The matter was closed that day. In the case of the imitation wine, an
investigation of eleven others thought complicit in the scheme ensued. From phone intercepts, police learned that the
clever counterfeiters were selling cases of 2015 Sassicaia
for around €500, about 70 percent less than an authentic case. Subsequent telephone surveillance suggested
the counterfeiting ring was preparing 1,100 cases of wine for Chinese, Korean,
and Russian customers estimated to have had a market value of nearly two
million euros.[8] [10] I
needn’t worry about my supply of Sassicaia.
I haven’t any bottles, not a single one, aging in my wine cellar
alcove!
This
kind of fraud is today mirrored across Italy and the world. In another report …
“The Italian NAS Carabinieri of Florence … supported by
Europol, took down a network of wine counterfeiters, selling online fake
premium Italian wines. Law enforcement officers carried out raids in eight
Italian provinces (Avellino, Barletta-Andria-Trani, Brescia, Como, Foggia,
Pisa, Prato, and Rome). The investigation discovered that low-quality wines
were used to refill bottles having their original labels [authentic bottles
gathered from restaurants] Packaging films and false masking guarantee seals [DOC
& DOCG] were finally applied to conceal the lack of distinctive labels on
the capsules [shrink wrap bottle tops] used for the counterfeit units and then
sold through an online auction service. Once contact with a buyer was
established, the counterfeiters expanded their promotional offers even further,
setting prices way below the ones usually seen on the market. The wines were sold in Belgium, France,
Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United States, often ending in the glasses of
unaware customers of wine bars and catering services” [13]
We are not
safe thinking that if we do not deal with high-cost wines, we’re immune to
these tactics. Such fraudulent activity
isn’t restricted to high-cost varietals: Any wine can be targeted. Everyday wines such as Chianti, Prosecco, and Amarone
are favorite victims of fraudsters as well.
Early in 2020, a joint operation conducted by Europol
and Interpol, targeted the trafficking of
counterfeit wine and other products across
22 countries. An investigation led by
the Italian Anti-fraud Carabinieri NAS department resulted in the
successful break up of an Italian Chinese operation that bottled wines with a
false indication of origin, including fake Chianti, and sold them throughout
China.[14]
Sunshine in a Bottle!
When
quality is jeopardized by greed, and ‘more’ outpaces ‘meaningful,’ what can
we do to avoid being conned by fraudsters? Question each bottle? Stop drinking wine altogether? Maybe I’m naïve because ‘real’ is what I’m
used to and expect. Being literal, I
believe what I’m told, see, and read on labels and packaging. Not enjoying vino would be as unimaginable as
drinking nothing but water.
Conveniences
of today’s technology, such as medical advances, the Internet, and practically
instant communication, come hand in hand with the risk of high-tech fraud. Unless there is some sort of black hole
portal to the multiverse the likes of
The Man in the High Castle, there
is no way to return to a former, less complicated world of carbon paper,
mimeograph machines, and IBM Selectric typewriters. As with everything in our technology-dominated
world, where we must deal with computer viruses, fraudulent emails, and
identity theft, we must be vigilant and on guard when it comes to product
labels. A careful look at the front and
back wine labels helps, especially if details are wanting or there are clear
discrepancies like the lack of that alphanumeric government
seal on a DOC/DOCG bottle’s neck especially when you know one should be
there. An inordinately low price compared
to a genuine item is another clue that we may be dealing with an imposter. Due diligence is the added price we pay. With reasonable care then and by dealing with
reputable sources, go ahead, pull that cork, and enjoy your sunshine in a
bottle. 
A Mimeograph Machine and Those
'Dirty Purples'
From
That Rogue Tourist,
Paolo
[1] Rep. Jake Auchincloss uses ChatGPT AI to Write
House Speech, https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/chatgpt-artificial-intelligence-change-future-of-education-congressman-jake-auchincloss-house-speech/#:~:text=Auchincloss%20became%20the%20first%20Congressman%20to%20present%20a,a%20response%20as%20if%20a%20human%20wrote%20it
[2] AI Program Earned Passing Bar Exam Scores on
Evidence and Torts; Can it Work in Court?, AI program earned passing bar exam
scores on evidence and torts; can it work in court? (abajournal.com)
[3] Italie, Interpol. 1 March 2016, https://www.interpol.int/fr/Qui-nous-sommes/Les-pays-membres/Europe/Italie
[4] Italy, Europol. 7 March 2018, https://www.europol.europa.eu/partners-collaboration/member-states/italy
[5] Fake Foods: Italy’s Most Counterfeited Products, Italy's
most faked foods | The Italian Food Experts
[6] What Is DOC and DOCG Wine? Differences Between DOC,
DOCG, IGT, and VdT on Italian Wine Labels, What Is DOC and DOCG Wine?
Differences Between DOC, DOCG, IGT, and VdT on Italian Wine Labels - 2023 -
MasterClass
[7] Italian Police Seize 4,000 Bottles of Counterfeit 'Super
Tuscan' Wine, Fakes imitate one of Italy’s top wines, Bolgheri Sassicaia, which
costs up to £320 a Bottle - Search (bing.com)
[8] Italian Police Bust
Counterfeit Sassicaia Wine Ring, October 15, 2020,
Italian Police Bust Counterfeit Sassicaia Wine Ring |
VinePair
[9] Asta Record per il Sassicaia 1985, Asta record per
il Sassicaia 1985 Il Tirreno
[10] Italian Police Uncover
Counterfeit Sassicaia Ring,
Italian Police Uncover Counterfeit Sassicaia Ring |
Wine Spectator
[11] What are the Most Copied
Italian Foods in the World?, Oct 16, 2020,
Italian Sounding: 10 most copied Italian foods in the
world (sistemieconsulenze.it)
[12] Fake Italian Foods: 6 Out of 10 Products are Forgeries, 10 Feb 2023, Fake Italian Food: 6 Out of 10 Products Are Forgeries (italicsmag.com)
[13] Fake Wines Sold Under Expensive Italian Labels Off the Market, 30 June 2020, Fake wines sold under expensive Italian labels off the market | Europol (Europa.eu)
[14] Italian Authorities Battle Wine Counterfeits, 12 Jan 2022, Italian Authorities Battle Wine Counterfeits - Pix
[15] Fake 'Italian' Food Products' Global Turnover Up to 120bn, Fake 'Italian' food products' global turnover up to 120bn - Lifestyle - ANSA.it
