Robin Goldstein pulled one over on Wine Spectator magazine. Robin was curious about how Wine Spectator magazine selected the winners of its Awards of Excellence for the world’s best wine restaurants.
Robin submitted an application for a fictional restaurant called "Osteria L’Intrepido," including a cover letter, menu, wine list, and the $250 application fee. Osteria L’Intrepido won the Award of Excellence, was published in the August 2008 issue of Wine Spectator, and subsequently got a call from the magazine's ad sales department.
Wine Spectator was clearly fooled by what could be called an elaborate hoax. But the facts remain that the magazine never visited the restaurant or verified the contents of their wine cellar. Perhaps most embarrassingly, the wine list Robin submitted included a reserve list comprised of some of the worst-reviewed wines from the magazine.
Unsurprisingly, the fake restaurant has since been removed from the Wine Spectator website and the editor has posted their side of the story.
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