Diners at Zafferano restaurant in London’s Knightsbridge ordered an £18,000 magnum of Petrus 1961 - expecting one of the greatest vintages of one of the world’s greatest wines - and then sent it back declaring it a fake.
General manager Enzo Cassini, who had served the Petrus personally, also took a sip and agreed declaring it “undrinkable”. He said it tasted of vegetable and was a bit mouldy.
Corney & Barrow, who are agents for Petrus in Britain, investigated but said it was impossible to confirm 100% the authenticity of a wine from before 1964.
But the Zafferano customers went on to order the restaurant’s most expensive wine instead - a magnum of Mouton Rothschild 1945 for £20,000.
The Daily Telegraph 09/02/08 page 10
