Vinho Verde commission cooperates with authorities following fraud investigation
The Vinhos Verdes Wine Region Commission says it is working with authorities after search operations linked to an anonymous whistleblower. The statement comes after arrests of appellation officials and business owners in a wide-ranging investigation into alleged wine fraud.
In a statement shared with the drinks business, the Vinhos Verdes Wine Region Commission said it is cooperating with authorities following search operations that took place on 03 December after an anonymous whistleblowing. The commission said it is the most interested party in finding out the truth and is providing all information and elements necessary for the ongoing investigation.
The CVRVV added that it is committed to clarifying any issues arising from the investigation and stated that it had no prior knowledge of the actions under suspicion. It described the context as a particularly demanding time for the wine industry when complaints and suspicions tend to be more common and therefore require clarification and investigation.
Impact on growers and bottlers
The commission said it continues to work to ensure that the certification of origin for Vinho Verde wines is the result of rigorous traceability. It also expressed regret that this is a “less positive moment” affecting what it called the serious work of more than 12,000 winegrowers and more than 400 bottlers.
Arrests and allegations
As previously reported by the drinks business, Portuguese police have arrested eight people and raided 21 properties in the Vinho Verde region following reports of collusion between viticulture commission officials and businesspeople in the wine sector. Four of those arrested are members of the region’s governing body, the Viticulture Commission of the Vinho Verde Region, according to La Voz de Galicia.
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CVRVV head Dora Simões told Vinetur that she had been caught completely off guard by the investigation, which has been ongoing since August and has been dubbed Puro Verde or Pure Green. She said the organisation was cooperating with police regarding reported collusion between commission officials and businesspeople in the wine sector.
Inspection and control under scrutiny
Those arrested from the trade body belong to its Inspection and Control Division, which is responsible for quality control and official certification of Vinho Verde wines. According to Jornal de Notícias, the individuals are alleged to have warned wineries of upcoming inspections and accepted bribes of meals, wine and event tickets.
As reported by Vinetur, the inspectors are also suspected of turning a blind eye to producers failing to meet the requirements for designation of origin or geographical indication certification and of falsifying documents. All four arrested CVRVV members have been suspended from all duties.
Business owners also detained
A further four business owners involved in the distribution and production of Vinho Verde have also been arrested. They have been charged with active and passive corruption, falsification of documents and abuse of power, as per reporting from La Voz de Galicia.
The same outlet reported that authorities suspect inspectors failed in their duties to monitor the origin and transit of grapes and their storage in wineries and producers during the 2025 harvest.
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