As you prepare to open that prized bottle of Lafite or Petrus, a dark thought may cross your mind: It might not be Lafite or Petrus at all. Counterfeit bottles were once as rare as fine wine itself, a phenomenon restricted to rogue wine merchants and sommeliers in Europe who were trying to make some extra cash. In the past decade, however, wine prices have skyrocketed to unprecedented heights---and so have the fakes. Much of the credit for bringing the problem to the public’s attention goes to a collector named Bill Koch, who has filed a series of high-profile lawsuits against the con men who perpetrated these frauds. Mark speaks with Maureen Downey, a California consultant who has worked with Koch and other collectors in their efforts to eradicate counterfeit wine. In Bizarre Beverage News, Mark profiles a new wine dating service, designed to match up single and lonely wine lovers around the globe. Links: Maureen Downey = http://www.chaiconsulting.com (http://www.chaiconsulting.com) Iconic Spirits: An Intoxicating History = http://www.iconicspirits.net (http://www.iconicspirits.net) Moonshine Nation = http://www.amazon.com/Moonshine-Nation-Creating-Cornbread-Bottle/dp/0762797029/ref=sr_1_2_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406055762&sr=1-2&keywords=iconic+spirits (http://www.amazon.com/Moonshine-Nation-Creating-Cornbread-Bottle/dp/0762797029/ref=sr_1_2_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406055762&sr=1-2&keywords=iconic+spirits)