Prosecco puzzle: Ex-boss acquitted-where are the 48,600 bottles?

Prosecco puzzle: Ex-boss acquitted-where are the 48,600 bottles?

A bizarre case around a delivery of Prosecco from Poland causes a stir in Austria. The focus is on a former managing director who, according to Kurier, has been concluded with a purchase contract for two truck loads Prosecco and splashes worth almost 50,000 euros then business partner. He himself shows any responsibility and asserts that he has nothing to do with the purchase contract.

The story started in November 2022 when a truck with 48,600 bottles of Prosecco and sprayers arrived at a company address in the Neusiedl district. The ex-managing director quickly organized a storage space in Vienna because the pallets could not be unloaded. Only the transportation costs of a total of 2,000 euros were paid by the company, while the invoice for the drinks remains unobstructed. The beverage dealer then demanded the money back, whereupon the situation continued to worsen, since the defendant could not provide any information about who actually ordered the bottles, how [BVZ] (https://www.bvz.at/neusiedl/geliefert-nicht-zämt-verwirrspiel-um-48-600-Plaschen-ProSecco-und-and-spritz

unclear agreements and last consequences

The allegations against the former company leader were discussed in court. The accused stated that they only wanted to store a few pallets Prosecco. In fact, there were two complete truck loads in front of his distillery. He had tried to accommodate the goods in Vienna-Simmering, but was pointed out by the operator of the warehouse to collect the bottles. This uncertain situation reminded the judge that something could not be right here. Why, she asked, did he not ask his Swiss friend to pick up the goods? After all, the accused admitted that they had "dipped". Ultimately, he was acquitted of the allegations of severe fraud and infidelity, but the judgment is not yet final.

While legal disputes about Prosecco finish are circulating in Austria, the wine industry in Europe has to deal with completely different challenges. In France, the number of bankruptcies among wineries in 2024 rose by a whopping 55 percent compared to the previous year, such as [Wein.plus] (https://magazin.wein.plus/news/france-zahl-der-weingutsinsolvenzen-steig-stark-zun--55- percent year). The Gironde region is particularly affected with a dramatic increase in bankruptcies. This shows that the challenges of the industry often go far beyond personal disputes.

The current case not only illustrates the questionable business of the former managing director, but also gives an insight into the challenges that take place in the wine trade at other levels. To date, the whereabouts of the Prosecco and Spray loads remains uncertain. The question of how this extraordinary incident will continue is still in the room.