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What are de-branded wines worth?

A wine with a fake label

Richard considers what makes wine truly valuable.

‘Psssst! You like the good stuff? Got some 100-pointers here. Excess stock, guv’nor – can’t tell you who made it, but let’s just say this little Napa Cab is Seeming Legal, know what I mean?’

Everybody loves a bargain, and the thought of getting top-shelf bottles at a fraction of the price should be irresistible to wine lovers. Such offers are reasonably easy to come by, and – despite the dodgy sales patter above – are very often genuinely great wines made by venerated producers.

Here in Singapore – where big brands wield...