December 9, 2011 – Auction Tips on Jancis Robinson.com & Financial Times
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December 9, 2011 – Auction Tips on Jancis Robinson.com & Financial Times
February 17, 2012 – Maureen Downey featured in Wall Street Journal article “How to be sure the wine matches the label”
March 3, 2012 | Financial Times
Maureen Downey on FBI investigations into wine fraud and warning signs in “Cellar Beware” by Jancis Robinson. A shorter version of this article is published on JancisRobinson.com as “Fighting Fakes.”
March 9, 2012 | JancisRobinson.com
Maureen Downey’s efforts in fighting fraud in the fine wine business are lauded in Jancis Robinson’s “FBI Arrest Rudy Kurniawan.”
July 1, 2012 | Bloomberg & SFGate
Maureen Downey’s investigative techniques featured in Elin McCoy’s “Phonies Make Wine Sleuth See Red.”
June 12, 2012 | BU Today
Maureen Downey featured as wine sleuth in “Ferreting Out Faux Bordeaux” by Patrick Kennedy.
July 29, 2012 | Norcal Wine
Maureen Downey gives tips for better storing and aging of wine to Fred Swan.
August 16th, 2012 | Crime Inc
CNBC presents “Crime Inc.: Counterfeit Goods,” reported by CNBC’s Carl Quintanilla who takes viewers inside where the goods are produced and confiscated in a world of high-risk and high-reward.
See video here
August 29, 2012 | SF Weekly
Cover feature in “The Wine Detective: Maureen Downey Reveals Forged Bottles.”
November 8, 2012 | Financial Times
Maureen Downey featured in article “Keeping cool and collected until the time comes to drink.” Read John Stimpfig article here (subscription required)
November 9, 2012 | United Press Int’l
Maureen Downey featured in “Collectors Warned of Counterfeit Wine.”
November 14, 2012 | Inside Edition
Maureen Downey featured in Lisa Guerrero’s report on counterfeit wine.
December 6, 2012 | The Drinks Business
Maureen Downey named in “Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Wine.”
December 17, 2012 | KCBS
Mike Sugerman interviews San Francisco-based wine investigator Maureen Downey on “About the Bay.” Read/listen to Mike Sugarman’s story here.
Fall 2013 | Bostonia
Maureen Downey tells Patrick Kennedy how to spot a fake wine. Entertaining interactive feature by Jon P. Brousseau helps you learn how Downey distinguishes truly fine wines from imposters.
March 24, 2013 | The Guardian
Matt Williams interviews Maureen Downey as a rare-wine expert to give evidence for Koch’s lawsuit in “Wine Fraud Lawsuit is Test of Bottle for Billionaire Bill Koch” highlighting widespread counterfeiting in the world of fine and rare wines.
April 14, 2013 | Centurion Magazine
Maureen Downey’s “Oenological Expertise” featured in two-part story. In Part I, Michael Cavanagh covers Downey’s wine detective methods; in his second installment, advice on avoiding fine wine forgeries.
May 10, 2013 | Decanter Magazine
Mike Steinberger cites Maureen Downey’s experience with a major collector who owns fakes made by Rudy Kurniawan and praises his aptitude in “Counterfeit Wines: Scandal of the Century.”
November 2013 | Talk Radio Europe
Spain’s PanchoCampo interviews wine detective Maureen Downey on identifying counterfeit wine and investing in wine.
November 21, 2013 | Wine Spectator
Robert Taylor gets Maureen Downey’s take on how much fake wine has hit the global wine market and buying wine in Asia in his article “Who Are They Fooling? (A Lot of Folks).”
December 8, 2013 | AP on Yahoo News
Maureen discusses how the wine industry is fighting wine counterfeiting with Sarah DiLorenzo in “As Wine Fakers Get Sharper, Industry Fights Back.”
December 15, 2013 | Vanity Fair France
Maureen Downey answers questions about Kurniawan’s fakes and how his trial will affect the fine and rare wine market in “Les acheteurs ont perdu confiance dans les vieilles bouteilles” by Karim Lebhour.
December 19, 2013 | CBS New York
Maureen Downey examines Kurniawan’s mistakes with CBS 2′s Tony Aiello in “Mistakes Doomed Wine Counterfeiter Rudy Kurniawan.”
December 21, 2013 | France 24
France vingt-quatre profiles Laurent Ponsot and Maureen Downey at Rudy Kurniawan’s trial as they speak out about auction house and winemakers’ complicity in “Wine Fraudster’s Conviction ‘Tip of Iceberg’.”
December 22, 2013 | CBS Sunday Morning
Five-time James Beard award winner Martha Teichner consults Maureen Downey on identifying fake wine and discusses Bill Koch and Rudy Kurniawan in “Counterfeit wine: A Vintage Crime.”
February 14, 2014 | The Drinks Business
Lucy Shaw asks Maureen Downey fun questions made famous by Marcel Proust in “The Proust Q&A”. Topics include Maureen’s wine fraud database, Deer Valley, and sharks.
April 2014 | Decanter Magazine
John Stimpfig meets Maureen Downey, the wine world’s own Sherlock Holmes, who is in demand after a high-profile conviction. She talks about her success rate in getting refunds for collectors with fakes.
May 15, 2014 | Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Maureen Downey provides a guide to identifying bogus bottles to ensure wine collectors don’t get duped in “Is Your Wine a Fake?” by Andrew Hoover.
June 13, 2014 | 20/20
ABC News investigates the multi-million dollar counterfeit industry with Maureen Downey in “What’s Really Being Poured Into Your Wine Glass?”
July 4, 2014 | Financial Times
Maureen Downey’s anti-counterfeit tools and wine fraud activism are not only yielding threats of bodily harm in Jancis Robinson’s “A Nose for Crime: Counterfeit Wines.”
July 5, 2014 | JancisRobinson.com
In “Downey – Routing the Fakers,” Jancis Robinson (OBE, MW) features Maureen Downey and her efforts, trials, and tribulations in exposing wine fraudsters and helping wine lovers and victims of wine fraud.
July 8, 2014 | Taste China
Jancis Robinson interviews Maureen Downey about how she became the master authenticator.
August 7, 2014 | MarketWatch
Expert tips from Maureen Downey on avoiding wine fraud, including checking the label, cork, size, age, source, and cost in “You may be drinking fake wine” by Priya Anand.
August 8, 2014 | Decanter Magazine
The real tragedy in the world of fine and rare wines per Maureen Downey in Chris Mercer’s “Wine Fraudster Rudy Kurniawan Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison.”
August 17, 2014 | The Independent
Ralph Blackburn identifies Maureen Downey as one of the few people in the world able to tell an expertly faked wine from the real thing in “The Wine Detective: Meet the go-to expert for exposing fake vintages.”
August 20, 2014 | Details Magazine
“The Sherlock Holmes of Wine” Maureen Downey counsels fine wine buyershow to be sure you’re drinking the real thing with Anthony Giglio in “Fraud Prevention 101: What to Know Before You Spend $100K on Wine.”
August 22, 2014 | WineChina.com
The top 16 counterfeited wine producers and how only certain vintages are targeted.
August 25, 2014 | SFWeekly SFoodie
Maureen Downey documents losses of Napa’s wine producers in Anna Roth’s “Damage From Napa Quake Could Top $1 Billion” after she warned wineries and collectors to install earthquake protection in 2012.
August 28, 2014 | The Drinks Business
Fake wine expert Maureen Downey explains who has been most victimized by the crime of wine fraud in Tom Bruce Gardyne’s “The Big Fake Fall Out.”
September 5, 2014 | Groupon
Wine expert Maureen Downey shares tales of being body-slammed and threatened for shining light on wine fraud in Charles Austin’s “The Surprisingly Dangerous World of Wine Fraud.“
September 16, 2014 | Drinks Business
In the wake of Rudy Kurniawan’s sentencing, Tom Bruce Gardyne gets Maureen Downey’s take on the fake wine world, including refilled bottles and caveat emptor in “A Word About Fakes.”
December 8, 2014 | Robb Report
Dan Fredman, examines how much of the evidence against wine counterfeiter Rudy Kurnaiwan came from Maureen Downey, proprietor of Chai Consulting, a cellar management firm in San Francisco with particular expertise in fraudulent bottles. in “Expert Eye December 2014″
February 11, 2015 | Bloomberg News
First she helped the FBI bring Kurniawan down, now Maureen Downey will help the wine world battle fraud with the first-of-its-kind tool against counterfeit wine. Elin McCoy explains how wine collectors, restaurants, producers, and vendors will benefit in “New Wine Fraud Website Will Help You Avoid Fake Bottles.”
May 21, 2015 | Bloomberg Business
The Sherlock Holmes of Wine, top wine fraud investigator Maureen Downey discusses identifying counterfeit and stolen wine. Downey explains how to tell if your expensive wine is fake and the CHAI Method.
May 22, 2015 | Bloomberg Business
Multimedia article “A Pinot Noir” by Claire Suddath discusses the FBI investigations that request Maureen Downey’s advice, including the French Laundry wine heist. Maureen discusses the theory of the wine being stolen to order.
October 6, 2015 | Filthy Rich Guide
Maureen Downey covers not all expensive wines are authentic and the three main ways to tell if a bottle of wine is fake or real. Maureen begins at 12:12.
Nov 1, 2015 | Wine Spectator
The Authenticator: Wine Spectator names Maureen Downey as “The Authenticator” in it’s November 2015 Magazine.
November 13, 2015 | CNN
CNN discovers how the demand for fine wine, and a lack of knowledge about wine creates a huge opportunity for counterfeit wines, featuring Maureen Downey.
Nov 30, 2015 | The Wine Write
An interview betweeen Randy Smith and Maureen Downey about Wine Fraud, Chai Consulting, and everything in between.
Dec 3, 2015 | Suddeutsche Zeitung
Susanne Schneider interviews Maureen Downey about Rudy Kurniawan, wine counterfeiting, and WineFraud.com.
January 3, 2016 | Newsweek
Maureen Downey and WineFraud.com contributor, Francis Dinklespiel, author of Tangled Vines, cover recent wine frauds over the last few years in America.
February 11, 2016 | Wine-Searcher
Don Cornwell and Maureen Downey discuss Dragon 8 Auction House and whether the wines were authentic or counterfeit.
May 30, 2016 | Good Food Revolution
Kim Gertler interviews Maureen Downey about the Sour Grapes film, and Rudy Kurniawan
July 2, 2016 | Wine-Searcher
Maureen Downey shares her feels about new synthetic wines designed to taste like fine wines, but cost a fraction of the price.
Nov 2, 2016 | CBS Calgary
Maureen Downey attends the Calgary screening of Sour Grapes and joins the radio show to discuss Rudy Kurniawan.
Nov 24, 2016 | Falstaff
Maureen Downey opens up some of her counterfeit and authentic wines and talks about Rudy Kurniawan.
Nov 25, 2016 | Decanter
Maureen Downey talks about the Chai Wine Vault and what that means for fine wine.
Dec 5, 2016 | Wine-Searcher
The Chai Wine Vault, what it is, and how it works with Maureen Downey.
Dec 7, 2016 | Drinks Business
How much counterfeit wine is in the world, and where it is sold.
Dec 8, 2016 | The Drinks Business
$550Million in Rudy Kurniawan fakes are circulating, and how this happened.
Dec 9, 2016 | Decanter
How to spot fake wines in ten steps with Maureen Downey.
Dec 26, 2016 | Decanter
Wine Fraud, The Chai Wine Vault, and what to look for in counterfeit wines.
Jan 22, 2017 | Forbes Asia
How to avoid buying fake wine and our Trainings in Hong Kong.
Jan 22, 2017 | The Times
London Wine Fraud Training recap, and a Sour Grapes review.
Feb 14, 2017 | The Drinks Business
An overview of the Training in Hong Kong, and wine fraud.
Feb 17, 2017 | Forbes Asia
A summary of the Training in Hong Kong by Jeannie Cho Lee.
March 2017 | Fraud Magazine
An overview of some of the most high profile wine fraud cases.
Mar 2, 2017 | South China Morning Post
Maureen Downey’s Hong Kong Authentication seminar and takeaways.
Mar 10, 2017 | World of Fine Wine
Anne Krebiehl covers the London Trainings and Maureen Downey
May 30, 2017 | Der Weinverstand Brief
All about counterfeit wines and what to look for. Article
June 20, 2017 | The Times
Maureen Downey talks about fraudsters buying empty wine bottles of eBay to sell as authentic
June 21, 2017 | House Keeper
Maureen Downey gives advice for those looking to buy wine at auction
June 24, 2017 | Mirror
Maureen Downey discusses wine fraud and wine counterfeiting.
June 26, 2017 | Spectator Life
Maureen Downey talks about how to spot counterfeits
June 28, 2017 | BBC Radio
Maureen Downey discusses counterfeit wines and how to decipher them.
July 16, 2017 | Wine Spectator
After Acker Merrall sold counterfeit Krug, Maureen Downey talks about fakes in the market
August 2, 2017 | American Greed
Maureen Downey and others talk about the Premier Cru wine fraud and John Fox.
February 15, 2018 | Wine Enthusiast
Maureen Downey discusses six tips to avoid wine fraud.
March 2, 2018 | SevenFifty Daily
The Chai Vault and how to store wines on the block chain.
March 6, 2018 | Wine-Searcher
Damaged wines from fires and floods come with a great price, but a risk on quality.
April 2, 2018 | A Greek Distillery
Maureen Downey discusses the Chai Vault, wine fraud, and Rudy Kurniawan.
April 12, 2018 | SF Business Times
Maureen Downey talks about wine authentication and the Chai Vault.
July 8, 2018 | P
All about Maureen and Rudy Kurniawan
Sept 17, 2018 | Town and Country
Maureen Downey talks about wine authentication and the Chai Vault.
Dec 1, 2018 | Forbes
Maureen Downey talks about counterfeit wines.
January 17, 2019 | WSJ
Is the wine you collect as valuable as you think?
January 22, 2019 | DistilleryNation
Maureen Downey discusses wine and spirits counterfeiting.
February 25, 2019 | Forbes
Fine Wine demand is rising while supply stays the same. This allows for many changes in the wine inudustry
January 13, 2021 | XChateau
Maureen Downey discusses the road to be an authenticator and the Chai Vault.
March 19, 2021 | WineSpeed
Maureen Downey is highlighted as a person to know within the wine industry regarding her work in wine fraud.
March 30, 2021 | Forbes
Maureen Downey discusses wine fraud and the size of the market it has.
July 12 , 2022 | Sommelier Business
An article discussing wine fraud, notorious wine counterfeiters, and what to look for.
February 22 , 2022 | The Guardian
Maureen Downey talks about the early days of discovering wine counterfeiters, and the history of wine fraud.
July 12 , 2022 | The Connected Table
Maureen Downey joins the podcast, the Connected Table, discusses counterfeiting and how it’s impacting the wine industry.