Latest news with #Chopin
The Star
3 days ago
- General
- The Star
QuickCheck: Did a composer who died in France have his heart buried in Poland?
People have different ways of honouring the end of life. How we choose to be laid to rest often reflects personal and even spiritual beliefs. For some, it is about returning to nature, such as having their ashes scattered at sea, while others prefer a traditional burial. Legend has it that a famous composer was buried in Paris, but his heart lies forever in Poland. Is this true? Verdict: True The heart of the famous Polish composer Frederic Chopin does not reside in the city where he passed away, but in Warsaw, inside the Holy Cross Church. Chopin died in Paris, France, at the young age of 39 in 1849. While many believe tuberculosis was the cause of his death, some researchers speculate that he may have actually suffered from cystic fibrosis. Nevertheless, the exact cause of his death remains a mystery today. Chopin's last wish was for his heart to be returned to his homeland, even though his body was buried in Paris. His heart had to be smuggled past Russian authorities and kept hidden. Even decades later, during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, it continued to serve as a symbol of Polish national pride. During this time, the Nazis, who were occupying Poland, recognised Chopin's significance as a Polish national icon. As a result, they banned his music and removed his heart from the church. It was only after the war that the heart was returned and entombed in a pillar of the same church where it rests today. References: article/Secret-exhumation- leaves-mysteries-of-Chopin-s- 11/06/arts/chopin-heart-
Morocco World
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Morocco World
Poland Launches ‘Chopin Season in Morocco' with a Concert in Rabat This May
In a beautiful cultural bridge between Warsaw and Rabat, the Embassy of Poland in Morocco has announced the launch of the 'Saison Chopin au Maroc,' an exclusive series of classical music concerts celebrating the iconic Polish composer Fryderyk Chopin. This initiative, as refined as it is resonant, marks the beginning of a musical journey that promises to enchant Moroccan audiences throughout 2025. Organized in partnership with the National Mohammed V Theater and under the patronage of the Fryderyk Chopin Institute in Warsaw, the project is closely tied to the promotion of the prestigious International Chopin Piano Competition, which will be held later this year in Poland. Often dubbed the Olympics of piano, the competition has been a career-defining stage for some of the greatest pianists in history: think Ashkenazy, Pollini, Argerich, Zimerman, and Yundi Li. As it approaches its centenary in just two years, its global influence continues to crescendo. But Chopin's music is taking a detour through Morocco, and it's not just any detour, it's an invitation into the heart of Polish romanticism, performed by those who know it best. The series will consist of four major concerts held at the National Mohammed V Theater in Rabat, each showcasing Polish laureates of the Chopin Competition. The inaugural concert kicks off on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 7:00 PM, with a solo recital by none other than Piotr Alexewicz, a rising star on the global classical scene. At just 25 years old, Alexewicz already carries an impressive resume. He's a prizewinner of the Chopin Competition in Warsaw, a two-time winner of Poland's National Chopin Competition, and more recently, the recipient of the 2nd prize at the Hilton Head International Piano Competition in the U.S. Trained at the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław and later at the Zurich University of the Arts, Alexewicz has performed in some of the world's most iconic venues, from the Berlin Philharmonie to the Salle Cortot in Paris. His repertoire for the Rabat concert will of course include works by Chopin, but also selections by Gershwin and Respighi, a program that promises a dynamic blend of elegance, passion, and flair. The full Chopin Season schedule is as follows: May 1, 2025, July 10, 2025, September 16, 2025, and November 27, 2025. With music as the language and Chopin as the guide, this season offers a rare opportunity for Moroccan audiences to witness the soul of Polish romanticism in its purest form.
Telegraph
27-04-2025
- Telegraph
The 17 best things to do in Majorca
For a relatively small island, Majorca offers a seemingly infinite variety of landscape and rich and diverse cultural experiences. With its mild weather, an abundance of sports can be enjoyed all year round, from hiking and cycling in the imposing Sierra de Tramuntana, a Unesco World Heritage Site, to horse-riding, golf and tennis. There is something to suit all tastes and interests, whether that be a historic castle, a tranquil monastery, an ancient Talayotic site, a fascinating museum or a sumptuous estate with a Moorish legacy. Wildlife sanctuaries, nature reserves and the craggy coastline are ripe for exploring, as well as authentic inland villages in Majorca's agricultural heartland. For further Majorca inspiration, see our guides to the island's best hotels, restaurants, beaches and nightlife. Sóller Enjoy a hike and hearty lunch in the Tramuntana mountains The Sierra de Tramuntana, a Unesco Heritage Site, stretches 62 miles (100 km) from Andratx to Pollença and offers the perfect environment for hiking at all levels. An enjoyable seven-mile (12 km) circular route is from the Cuber Reservoir to charming Refugi Tossals Verds, a hostel which serves a delicious three-course lunch and dinner. Book a few days in advance. Insider's tip: Allow two hours for the hike and choose between two routes, an easy meandering path or an adventurous track that includes fixed chains along a short stretch of mountain. Do bring water, map and also suntan lotion and energy snacks. Marvel at the mountain vistas aboard a vintage train With its polished wood carriages and familiar toot, the historic El Tren de Sóller offers a one-hour scenic journey through the Tramuntana mountains. Constructed in 1912, its purpose was to transport oranges and olives swiftly to Palma rather than via the arduous and hilly tracks. Crossing bridges, a lofty five-arched viaduct and rumbling through 13 dark, musty tunnels, makes for a thrilling ride. Insider's tip: Why not combine the train journey with a ride on the retro tram from Sóller station to the local port, and a boat trip to Sa Calobra beach? A round trip with costs €79 (£67). Deià Visit the former home of a prolific British writer Ca n'Alluny, meaning 'The Far House', lies just outside Deià village and includes a blissfully tranquil garden. This was once home to prolific English poet, Robert Graves, until his death in 1985. Now Ca n'Alluny has become a museum yet retains the original features of the house including the poet's knick knacks, books and letters. It is a must visit for culture vultures. Insider's tip: Make a brief pilgrimage to the tiny cemetery of Deià, close to the village church, to see the burial stone of Robert Graves engraved with the dates of his birth and death, along with the simple words: Robert Graves, Poeta. Valldemossa Experience a monastery through the eyes of Chopin In 1839, Frederic Chopin and his lover, George Sand, spent a winter of discontent at a Carthusian monastery in the mountain town of Valldemossa, now the Celda de Chopin, where the consumptive composer managed to write most of his acclaimed Preludes on the Pleyel piano. One can see the instrument, alongside curiosities such as historic musical scores, pictures, correspondence and period furniture. Insider's tip: At the monastery, buy a copy of A Winter in Majorca, George Sand's acerbic and amusing account of their disastrous stay and dip into it while enjoying the town's famed hot chocolate and coca de patata, meaning potato buns, in a local café. Bunyola Stroll around a private estate with a 1000-year legacy With a Hispanic-Moorish past, Jardins d'Alfàbia is a mesmerisingly beautiful estate with a property that, in part, dates back to the 13th century. In Moorish times, it was owned by Ben-Abet, whose expertise in landscaping and irrigation is still apparent today in the extensive gardens. Highlights include the spectacular pergola with 72 columns and 24 stone hydras with water jets. Insider's tip: The estate's shady and peaceful al fresco café is definitely worth a visit, particularly for the delicious homemade lemonade and freshly-squeezed orange juice. Before you leave, check out the main property's magnificent coffered ceiling that dates back to 1170. Alcudia Discover art, sculptures and roses at a historic hacienda by the sea One of the jewels of the north is the Yannick and Ben Jakober Foundation's Sa Bassa Blanca Museum. Surrounded by woodland, this romantic landmark, a Hispanic-Moorish hacienda by the sea, was built by the Egyptian architect, Hassam Fathy. Today the property houses an eclectic mix of modern art installations, an observatory, and 150 portraits of European aristocratic children from the 16th-19th centuries housed in a former underground reservoir. Insider's tip: Don't miss the fossilised skeleton of a Siberian woolly rhinoceros in an underground gallery, which also exhibits works by such artists as Miguel Barceló. And do be sure to visit both the fabulous rose garden and the zoological park of animals sculpted by Ben Jakober and Yannick Vu. Consell Celebrate with a tipple at the oldest winery in Majorca A visit to Bodegas Ribas, the oldest family winery in Majorca, established in 1711, is a must for lovers of the grape. Situated in the sleepy village of Consell in Majorca's agricultural heartland, Ribas offers fun and memorable tours. With 100 acres of vineyards, this family-owned business, with more than 300 years of history, has the greatest diversity of grape varieties on the island. Insider's tip: Choose from one of several excellent guided tours that include the winery, historic house and also the grounds and vineyards. Tours offer tastings of wines and olive oil accompanied by platters of appetisers of Iberian ham and cheese. Pre-booking essential. Ses Salines Visit the ancient salt pans of Es Trenc For a fascinating and original day out, pop by the Es Trenc salt pans close to the small town of Ses Salines which have been in use since prehistoric times. In an area of outstanding natural biodiversity with a large number of bird species, a hard hat, one-hour tour of the various salt pans is offered. There's a lovely shop and café too. Insider's tip: Do make time to see the 9th-century Talayotic Bronze Age settlement of Els Antigors nearby and also look out for the pink flamingos that cluster around the tall grasses in the marshes here, especially between July and September. Discover a botanical garden with a vast lake Don't be put off by the giant plastic cactus man at the entrance to Botanicactus. This is no children's attraction but rather a breathtakingly beautiful botanical garden divided into specific horticultural zones. With 15,000 specimens and 1,600 species of fauna, you can wander around this vast peaceful park and admire the mature and towering trees and cacti, Mediterranean plants, and wide artificial lake of 10,000m2. Thankfully a map is provided as at times it feels as if you've stepped into a beguiling yet mysterious landscape, more fitting to that of the Lost World by author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Insider's tip: Bring good walking shoes and in warm weather, sun cream and a hat. Remember to visit the exotic hen breeds and other birds in their spacious enclosures. Alaró Explore a ruined castle with a Moorish legacy Clinging to a craggy hilltop above the village of Alaró are the 15th-century remains of Castell d'Alaró, a castle that dates back to Moorish times. Today there is a pretty chapel at the site and impressive vistas to the Tramuntana mountains and distant sea. It's a two-hour schlep from the village but worth every step, given the memorable views. Insider's tip: From the castle, head lower down the hill to Es Verger (00 34 971 18 21 26) for lunch. This rustic restaurant serves superb lamb and pork roasted in a wood-fired oven. With an open hearth, and flacons of gusty wine, good cheer is guaranteed. Campos Get up close with ostriches in the countryside Artestruz, in the rural heartland of Majorca, is home to a friendly and curious bunch of ostriches that appear to enjoy meeting visitors. Reared and lovingly cared for by the same family for many years, the birds are treated with respect and roam a large piece of terrain. You can feed the birds from bowls of seeds while enjoying an informative and entertaining tour by a family member. Later, visitors can visit the shop which sells carved ostrich eggs and handcrafts and enjoy a drink on the terrace or try a jumbo family-sized omelette in the kitchen. Insider's tip: Best to avoid touching the ostriches, as their behaviour can be unpredictable, and wear casual clothes and comfy shoes. Porto Cristo Sail on an underground lake at the Caves of Drach Discover the thrilling subterranean world of the caves of Drach in Porto Cristo. Situated on the east coast, this vast network of caves is also home to Lake Martel, one of Europe's largest underground lakes. Explore the underlit caves and gaze in wonder at the ancient giant stalagmites and stalactites. A relaxing boat ride on the lake and mini concert with a live orchestra is also included in the guided tour. There's a beachside restaurant, gift shop and picnic area too. Insider's tip: Bring sensible footwear and a jumper as it can be cold underground. Calvia Visit brown bears and the longest zip line at Reserva Galatzó For an action-packed day in the hills, head for La Reserva, situated at the base of Puig de Galatzó, one of the island's most notable mountains. This vast nature reserve includes waterfalls, grottos and a natural rock pool for refreshing dips. Rescued animals such as brown bears, donkeys, goats, emus, and peacocks can be observed in their enclosures. Activities include rock climbing, riding the longest zipline in Majorca and beekeeping guided visits. There's a bar and BBQ grill and picnic area set in peaceful woodland. Insider's tip: Bring sensible footwear, swimwear, sun cream and water Colònia de Sant Jordi Sail to the protected marine reserve of Cabrera Take an hour's sail from the port of Colònia de Sant Jordi to the national park of Cabrera off the southeast coast of Majorca. This archipelago, consisting of Cabrera Grande and a series of islets, is now the largest protected marine environment in the western Mediterranean. Stroll to the ruined castle, historic museum and archaeological site and relax on the pristine beach. Insider's tip: Make time to pop by the visitors' centre in the port of Colonia de Sant Jordi, housed in a quirky circular stone building. It offers useful information about Cabrera island and has a substantial aquarium with 5,000 specimens of fish. Pòrtol Meet traditional ceramicists on the 'Ruta de Fang' mud route This fascinating walking tour of Mallorca's traditional potteries can be enjoyed on foot or by car. La Ruta de Fang, as it is known, encompasses a small historical museum and the villages of Pòrtol and Sa Cabaneta, home to pottery and clay. You can visit the mud museum and tour the workshops on the route where you can meet potters and buy ceramics including the island's iconic siurell clay whistles. Alcudia Observe an abundance of birds at S'Albufera Wetlands S'Albufera Natural Park in the north of the island is home to the largest wetlands in the Balearic Islands with a surface area of 5,000 acres. The park attracts more than 300 species of bird and shelters 10,000 more during the winter months. With marshes, coastal dunes, and a canal with river eels, it is a sanctuary for endemic and migratory birds and other wildlife. There are well-marked footpaths, and hides are provided throughout the park for observing the antics of birds such as herons, shags, cormorants, ducks and egrets. The greater flamingo is a frequent visitor from July through to September. Andratx Experience a seafaring expedition with a local fisherman Visitors to Majorca can now enjoy a spot of fishing in a traditional vessel with authentic local fishermen. Many island departure points are provided with various sailing trips offered along Majorca's coastline. In Andratx, fishermen brothers, Bruno and Gori Bort, take paying guests out to sea to observe their method of fishing, also offering a warm rice dish as part of the experience. Meanwhile, fishermen at other ports offer visitors the chance to try their hand at fishing, or to go for snorkelling sails with the chance to see dolphins on the way. Children are also welcome at a discounted rate. Insider's tip: It's essential to bring comfy shoes, sun cream and bottled water during the summer months. How we choose Every attraction and activity in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from world-class museums to family-friendly theme parks – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations. Since settling in Sóller 22 years ago, Anna has written seven travel titles and three crime novels based in Majorca, offering a brilliant excuse to explore the island. You'll most likely find her climbing a Tramuntana peak or running on the beach.
The Guardian
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Salty Brine review – daring diva mashup with hella pizzazz
On his last London visit, Salty Brine mashed up the Smiths' album The Queen Is Dead, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and episodes from his own life into a pretty extraordinary show. But not a unique one – Brine has made 21 such confections as part of his Living Record Collection project, which now brings These Are the Contents of My Head (The Annie Lennox Show) to Soho. If I found this one less remarkable an achievement, the feeling was offset by admiration that Brine's Smiths show was clearly no fluke; that he's created a striking and confident collage-cabaret genre all of his own. Maybe that last one worked so well because Frankenstein described the form as well as the content. The fit is less neat here, as our drag-queen host splices Annie Lennox's album Diva, a recording of Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall, Kate Chopin's feminist novel The Awakening and (I'm almost done …) tales from his own mother's failed marriage. In this telling, both the novel's heroine and Brine's mum are women struggling to free themselves from marriage and societal convention. Tripping in and out of song, family anecdote and scenes from Chopin's southern gothic, with additional characters played by scene-stealing pianist Ben Langhorst, Brine's gumbo doesn't stint on rich ingredients. The results can feel overcooked, the individual flavours hard to distinguish. In a show that trucks exclusively in big emotion, Brine's mother's experience (and his own, navigating his parents' divorce and coming out) is rendered every bit as melodramatic as Edna Pontellier's. The songs of Lennox and Garland sometimes illuminate those stories, and sometimes don't. But they're always delivered with limpid loveliness by our host, or with hella pizzazz should the moment require. That roof-raising voice of his, not to mention the sexual frankness, as Brine drapes himself over this audience member or that, may not be the perfect match for Chopin's tale of clipped and frustrated womanhood. But why quibble, when it's easier to be swept along by the bravura of the enterprise, a lush hymn to dreams of freedom and a feat of idiosyncratic connection-making to put Adam Curtis in the shade. Salty Brine: These Are The Contents of My Head (The Annie Lennox Show) is at Soho theatre, London, until 26 April
New European
01-04-2025
- New European
In vino veritas? Inside the fake Spanish wine scandal
Chopin originally denied the charges and fled to Morocco in 2023, but returned to France in January this year, where he and his wife, Karine, will go on trial in Reims on June 10. In a French court, Chopin will soon face the music. That's Didier Chopin, former owner of the eponymous champagne house and now a self-confessed fraudster responsible for almost 2m bottles of fake champagne. Between June 2022 and April 2023, Chopin produced as many as 1.8m bottles of fake champagne – around 8,000 bottles a day – at a winery in Billy-Sur-Aisne, partly by carbonating Spanish bulk wine. In May, his then-manager Ludivine Jeanmingin alerted colleagues to the scam, confronted Chopin – and was fired. But prior to her dismissal, Jeanmingin had gathered evidence in recordings and videos, and by making copies of trade and production documents. She even has a lab sample proving that Chopin's fizz was not champagne. Now involved in a legal battle to gain official whistleblower status, she has become the heroine of this one particular episode in a long-running saga involving wine that is not what is said on the label. 'I am relieved that Chopin has finally acknowledged that he committed mass fraud, but he had no choice, considering all the evidence against him,' Jeanmingin told the New European. Jeanmingin's meticulous work has helped to reveal how fraudster wine industry insiders operate, even among the most elevated names and regions. Whether it be Bordeaux, Chianti, or Champagne, wine producers in Europe are fiercely protective of their appellations. Yet the European wine industry has been rocked in recent years by several fraud scandals, all involving Spanish bulk wine being falsely labelled and sold as appellation or table wine. These could not have come at a worse time. Champagne and Bordeaux producers are facing the threat of what could amount to a US boycott of French wine, through the prospect of tariffs as high as 200%. Increasingly vulnerable to low yields resulting from uncertain weather and climate change, falling red wine consumption and exports, the wine industry is further threatened from fraudster wine trade insiders. Indeed, the New European has learned of a new wine fraud case involving several prestigious Bordeaux châteaux. Defrauded wine estates include Château du Tertre, a Grand Cru Classé estate in the Margaux appellation, two further Margaux estates, Château Mongravey, classed as Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, and Château Tayac and Château Haut Coteau located in Bordeaux's St Estèphe appellation. Fiona Brousseau, co-owner of the latter, said she became aware that something was wrong when a customer alerted her that her wine didn't taste as it should. 'The fraud ring used our name, taking advantage of our reputation, by making fake copies of our wine labels. We didn't have to remove wines from the market as our wine was not used, just our labels,' she said. Fraud cases have raised questions over the traceability and control of Spanish bulk wine in the EU single market; how it is transformed when moved from wineries to brokers, wine merchants, distributors, importers and retailers, before reaching the homes of wine drinkers. 'Rogue industry intermediaries are taking advantage of the large volumes of bulk wine that move across Bordeaux; even the big estates sell bulk. There is a lack of visibility in distribution, which is partly why we're now selling wine directly to clients,' Brousseau said. Speaking to the New European, a suspect in the fraud ring confirmed that he was under judicial investigation: 'I delivered wine to clients who did whatever they pleased with it. Problems arise when you have dishonest clients,' he said. The investigation, still in a pre-trial procedural stage, follows a police raid on June 27, 2022, involving around 100 officers in seven French departments including Gironde. It led to the arrest of 27 suspects. According to a French public prosecutor, the fraud is alleged to have involved 'hundreds of thousands of bottles of wine'. The suspected ringleaders are a wine distributor based in St Loubès and a wine trader who owns an estate in the Médoc, classified as 'Cru Bourgeois' in early 2025. Two alleged ringleaders and an accomplice were released two days after their arrest, on bail sums ranging from €20,000 to €50,000, and stand accused of money laundering through building work, and belonging to a fraud network that sold wine in France and further afield in Europe. French supermarket chain Grand Frais said that following the arrests of the suspects, it had removed wines falsely labelled as Bordeaux. In the fake champagne case, two big French distributors including Scapest, which acts on behalf of supermarket Leclerc, are suing Chopin for damages after removing fraudulent bottles from circulation in 2023. The demand for product delivered by any means necessary is said to stem from a shortage of grapes in the 2013 harvest. Dominiue Técher, a spokesperson for the agricultural trade union Confédération Paysanne, said: 'Everyone knows how it was, in 2013, 2014, running out of wine. People gave orders saying 'you get me some wine'. It's an open secret.' In another notorious recent case, Bordeaux's biggest wine fraud to date, wine broker Michel Gilin blamed the grape shortage for his part in a scam that saw the equivalent of 4.5m bottles worth of Spanish bulk wine imported on 130 trucks, then bottled and labelled with fake Vin de France, Margaux and St Émilion wine labels. Gilin was a former director of Cellier Vinicole du Blayais, the former subsidiary of the huge Tutiac wine cooperative in the Gironde. His partner in crime, Jean-Sebastien Laflèche, a wine merchant and logistics provider, falsified electronic transport documents online, seeming to justify the origin and nature of wine in the event of an inspection. In January 2023, Judge Marie-Elisabeth Boulnois sentenced Gilin to 20 months' imprisonment, but he did not go to jail – half was a suspended sentence, and the other half was served with an electronic tag. Gilin also received a €200,000 fine and a five-year ban from working in the wine business. Laflèche got a two-year term and a ban, but again escaped spending time in prison. Also fined was winemaker Fabien Figerou, owner of Château Bégadanet, a historic wine estate in the Médoc, and the winery Les Chais de Bégadanet. French customs officers said that most of the fraud ring's money was generated via Les Chais de Bégadanet. Nearly 205,000 fake bottles, filled at the winery between 2014 and 2016, generated €825,879 of the €1.24m estimated total profit. A Bordeaux commercial court officially closed the winery down in January 2025. But none of these frauds happen in isolation. Reports of documents being manipulated to inflate grape yields and production volumes to facilitate the illicit blending of cheap bulk wine with appellations are commonplace in Spain, Portugal and Italy. Castilla La Mancha, the world's single largest wine region, supplies about a third of the world's bulk wine, which is exported mainly to Germany, France, Italy and Portugal. That bulk wine is used entirely legally to make sparkling and still wine blends, as well as wine-based drinks. In the context of falling red wine consumption globally, several producers in southern France, hit by drought and subsequent low yields, and consequently in economic peril, have said they would have to close if they did not use Spanish bulk wine in blends. The pattern is repeated across the EU; according to a report by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), wine production in the bloc fell last year to 146.5m hectolitres, its lowest level since 2017. Some take action in ways that, while legal, are viewed as questionable by experts. Faced with four consecutive drought harvests, Cava producers including Germany's Henkell-Freixenet stand accused of undermining the traditional method of Cava production by resorting to the use of bulk wine in cheaper methods of making sparkling wines. Reflecting a shortage of supply, grape prices in Catalonia have jumped to as much as €1 per kilo. That is at least, in some cases, double the price of bulk wine per litre sold in Castilla La Mancha. Meanwhile, cheap Spanish bag-in-box wine sold as 'EU wine' is undermining sales of quality production in the historic Portuguese wine regions, including the Douro Valley, according to producers. Over the past decade, bag-in-box wines have become ubiquitous in Portuguese bars and restaurants, served as the house wine, partly due to the cost-of-living crisis and changing packaging trends. Portuguese wine company Terreiro says 80% of its wine is sourced from Spain. António Maçanita, a leading producer of fine, artisanal wines, says Portuguese growers and producers are losing out to an 'economy of poverty' imposed by industrialised producers hell-bent on maintaining low prices. The Portuguese government is now on the verge of adopting new rules obliging bars and restaurants to list the origin of wines. At the annual world bulk wine expo held in Amsterdam last November, traceability was the watchword on the lips of suppliers. Transparency around the adaptation of bulk wine, which is often traded between several companies before reaching consumers, is a cause for concern, with its impact on acidity and potential alcohol levels of wine. In a nonchalant tone, Emiliano Soto, winemaker at the Manjavacas Cooperative located in Cuenca, Spain spelled out the extent of the problem: 'They use Spanish bulk wine in France to freshen up tanks of wines from previous vintages. It's the same in Italy. Everybody does it.' The use of Spanish bulk wine in Italy is routinely compared with that of the olive oil trade, where Italian companies have bought millions of litres of olive oil and failed to state its Spanish origin. Meanwhile, bautizando vinos, as it's humorously known in Spain – the illegal christening of wines with water – is a cheaper way of cutting alcohol levels in light of the demand for low-alcohol wines. Two industry sources in Spain, including a wine broker, told the New European that when yields are low, Italian wine companies blend Spanish white wine made from Pardina with Pinot Grigio, thus increasing the supply of the latter – a hugely popular wine around the world for which price is a key factor for consumers. But Carlo Flamini, director of Italy's Osservatorio del Vino, dismissed any notion of fraudulent use of Spanish bulk wine in Italy: 'Italian companies buy Spanish bulk wine and then sell it on to other markets,' he insisted. Whatever the truth, there is widespread agreement that while the ability to secure supplies from across the EU is a boon for wine companies at the mercy of drought, frost, fires and flooding, European freedoms have also opened up the industry to abuse. Fraud, be it consumer fraud or the illegal blending of bulk wine with appellation wine, has led to wine consumers being hoodwinked over the origin of wine. The wine you buy may not come from the country that its bottle or packaging suggests. The illicit use of Spanish bulk wine and lack of control over wine movements in the EU single market is undermining the cultural identity of European wine regions that have shaped the world of wine through language, winemaking techniques, and appellations for centuries. In several European regions, wine growers are abandoning production, and thus Europe's winemaking heritage, in droves. Back in Champagne, Chopin's admission of guilt has raised Jeanmingin's hopes of winning her legal battle over unfair dismissal and of obtaining official whistleblower status at her appeal hearing at a court in Amiens on April 24. 'No one wanted to employ me, as they could not believe that champagne fraud of this magnitude was possible. Yet it is my gathering of evidence that has led to Chopin being finally brought to trial, so I deserve recognition as a whistleblower,' Jeanmingin said. 'I hope to celebrate with real champagne very soon.' This article was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe Barnaby Eales is a multilingual journalist based in Britain. Dominique Mesmin is an investigative journalist based in Paris
