E. & J. Gallo: French court rules supplier sold California winery fake Pinot Noir

Gallo: French courts rule supplier sold fake wine

FRESNO, Calif. — California-based E. & J. Gallo Winery says a French court has convicted one of its suppliers of selling mislabeled Pinot Noir to the San Joaquin Valley (san wah-KEEN’) winemaking empire.

A spokeswoman for Gallo say the company is “deeply disappointed” that its supplier, Sieur d’Arques (syoor dark), was found guilty of selling falsely labeled French Pinot Noir as recently as March 2008.

She says Gallo is no longer selling that wine to customers.

Company officials said Wednesday that the only French Pinot Noir that was potentially misrepresented to Gallo was the 2006 vintage and prior.

Neither French officials nor representatives of the supplier could be reached for comment after business hours in France.