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“This slim yet insightful and entertaining volume documents the many instances where wine drinkers did not get what they paid for, sometimes with deadly consequences.”—New York Times, Best Wine Books of 2023
How fakes, fraudsters, and grape crusaders have shaped the world of wine.
This novel take on the history of wine reveals that, whether by adding toxic sweeteners or passing off counterfeit bottles, wine fraud is abundant—and as old as wine itself. Vintage Crime will intrigue even the most sated of wine drinkers with its juicy tales of deception, raising interesting questions along the way: what counts as wine, why do we drink it, and what makes a wine truly authentic?
The world of wine prides itself on its aura of respectability, but it has always had a murky side. Packed with engaging vignettes, Vintage Crime brings to life famous enthusiasts and crafty con artists from ancient Rome to modern-day California. It also introduces us to lesser-known industry figures: the scrupulous merchants, honest growers, and cutting-edge scientists who have led the fight against fraudsters. Author Rebecca Gibb holds the rare, sought-after distinction of Master of Wine, yet she writes in an engaging style that doesn’t require any prior wine knowledge, skillfully synthesizing popular wine histories for amateur sleuths and armchair sommeliers alike.
A portion of book royalties will be donated by the author towards finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
How fakes, fraudsters, and grape crusaders have shaped the world of wine.
This novel take on the history of wine reveals that, whether by adding toxic sweeteners or passing off counterfeit bottles, wine fraud is abundant—and as old as wine itself. Vintage Crime will intrigue even the most sated of wine drinkers with its juicy tales of deception, raising interesting questions along the way: what counts as wine, why do we drink it, and what makes a wine truly authentic?
The world of wine prides itself on its aura of respectability, but it has always had a murky side. Packed with engaging vignettes, Vintage Crime brings to life famous enthusiasts and crafty con artists from ancient Rome to modern-day California. It also introduces us to lesser-known industry figures: the scrupulous merchants, honest growers, and cutting-edge scientists who have led the fight against fraudsters. Author Rebecca Gibb holds the rare, sought-after distinction of Master of Wine, yet she writes in an engaging style that doesn’t require any prior wine knowledge, skillfully synthesizing popular wine histories for amateur sleuths and armchair sommeliers alike.
A portion of book royalties will be donated by the author towards finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Price: $19.95
Pages: 284
Publisher: University of California Press
Imprint: University of California Press
Publication Date:
02 September 2025
Trim Size: 8.50 X 5.50 in
ISBN: 9780520425170
Format: Paperback
BISACs:
"What’s most impressive is that Gibb has managed to maintain a lively, well-paced, humorous, deliciously gossipy, slyly acerbic narrative. While she’s got a good grip on the events and is adept at teasing out the threads that come together to shape the course of history, it’s her ability to bring people to life that underpins her storytelling."
Rebecca Gibb is an award-winning wine journalist, the author of The Wines of New Zealand, and a Master of Wine.
Contents
Introduction: A Story as Old as Wine Itself
1. When in Rome
2. Dying for a Drink
3. An Enlightened Drinker?
4. I Predict a Riot
5. Appellation Nation
6. Winegate
7. You Say “Prost,” I Say “Frost”!
8. Indiana Jones and the Glass Crusade
9. A Message to You, Rudy
10. The Last Drop
Acknowledgments
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index
Introduction: A Story as Old as Wine Itself
1. When in Rome
2. Dying for a Drink
3. An Enlightened Drinker?
4. I Predict a Riot
5. Appellation Nation
6. Winegate
7. You Say “Prost,” I Say “Frost”!
8. Indiana Jones and the Glass Crusade
9. A Message to You, Rudy
10. The Last Drop
Acknowledgments
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index