Police in the Czech Republic are investigating one of the country’s biggest producers over the sale of millions of litres of allegedly fraudulent wine.
The Czech Agricultural and Food Inspection (CZPI) has asked the police to investigate Templárské sklepy Cejkovice for selling more than one million litres of wine – supposedly 2009 Chardonnay, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc – from grapes of unknown origin.
The company is also alleged to have prevented inspectors from investigating the premises.
In its turn, Templárské sklepy has taken the case to court in the hope of getting a ruling in its favour.
The Czech wine producer, according to CZPI spokeswoman Petra Hoferková, purchased more than 1.25m kg of grapes from grape supply company Bj Vitis.
Templárské sklepy spokesperson Svatopluk Bartík told Decanter.com the grapes originated from vineyards in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic, from producers accredited by the Czech Ministry of Agriculture.
Bartík added that CZPI should not have provided details of the case to the media until a verdict had been reached.
Hoferková told Decanter.com that ‘giving this type of information is fully in accordance with Czech legislation.’
Written by Lubomir Sedlak
