French winemaker accused of massive Champagne counterfeiting faces verdict in high-profile Reims trial

Didier Chopin, a 56-year-old French winemaker, is at the center of a major scandal after being accused of producing and selling hundreds of thousands of bottles of counterfeit Champagne between 2022 and 2023. The case was heard over two days in June at the court in Reims, the heart of France’s Champagne region. Chopin faces charges of fraud, misuse of appellation, and abuse of corporate assets. The court is expected to deliver its verdict and sentence on September 2.

Chopin admitted to reporters outside the courthouse that he had made a mistake and was now ruined. During his testimony, he gave conflicting numbers about the scale of the operation. He initially claimed around 200,000 bottles were involved but later told the court that the figure was closer to 500,000 or 600,000 bottles. Some estimates suggest the total could be as high as 1.8 million bottles. The exact number may never be known due to allegedly fraudulent accounting practices.

The scheme reportedly involved purchasing still wines from Ardèche in southern France and from Spain. Chopin then injected these wines with carbon dioxide and added liqueur syrup to mimic Champagne’s signature bubbles and flavor profile. The doctored wine was transported to Marne, where it was bottled and labeled as Champagne before being sold.

The fraud came to light in the summer of 2023 when a whistleblower employee alerted authorities. Following this, Chopin fled to Morocco, where he started a vegetable farming business. He was arrested by local police for writing bad checks and spent seven months in jail before being extradited back to France.

The Comité de Champagne, which oversees the protected designation of origin for Champagne, has been closely involved in the case. Diane De Valbray, a lawyer representing the group, said it is unlikely anyone will ever know exactly how many fake bottles were sold as genuine Champagne.

Champagne’s protected status under French law dates back to 1936 and is one of the most strictly regulated appellations in the world. Only sparkling wine produced under specific conditions in the Champagne region can legally bear its name. The region’s vineyards are among the most expensive globally, and its annual market is valued at over $8 billion with about 300 million bottles shipped each year.

Chopin’s defense argued that he was under immense pressure from Leclerc, a major French grocery chain with significant market share. He claimed that fulfilling their large orders at low prices left him no choice but to resort to counterfeiting. He told the court that everyone involved benefited financially from the scheme.

Such pressure on small suppliers is not uncommon in France’s competitive retail environment, where price wars can drive down costs for products like Champagne to less than $20 per bottle in some supermarkets. However, prosecutors rejected Chopin’s justification, noting that many producers face similar challenges without resorting to fraud.

The prosecution has requested a four-year prison sentence for Chopin, with three years suspended, along with fines totaling €100,000. They have also asked for a two-year suspended sentence and an equal fine for his wife, who is charged as an accomplice. Prosecutors want Chopin permanently banned from any wine-related business activities and have called for all counterfeit bottles to be seized and destroyed along with forfeiture of his assets.

In addition to these charges, Chopin faces a separate trial for customs violations and is under investigation following allegations of sexual assault by several former employees. The outcome of his current trial will be closely watched by both the wine industry and consumers concerned about authenticity in one of France’s most prestigious exports.