A Taiwan company that purchased rare wines from EC Cellars claims that the Larchmont company has “assumed control” of a shipment and refused to relinquish the goods.
Global Industries Holdings Ltd. accused EC Cellars and owner Edgar Mora of conversion of assets, in a complaint filed Aug. 10 in U.S. District Court, White Plains, and is demanding return of the wine or $750,000.
“Mr. Mora has ceased communication with me,” Global Industries owner Chunwa Nguy states in an affidavit, “and evades all attempts at re-establishing communication.”
EC Cellars specializes in rare, high-value winds from California and Europe, according to the complaint.
In 2018, Global bought several cases of Petrus and Screaming Eagle wines valued at $359,259. Petrus is a renowned Bordeaux. Screaming Eagle has produced award winning Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon from its Napa Valley vineyard.
The wine was shipped to Seabrook Export Services in London for storage, the complaint states, at Mora’s recommendation. And that is where it is today.
In 2019, Global bought a second batch from EC Cellars, including 33 cases of Screaming Eagle and Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, or DRC, a legendary Burgundy, for $375,939.
Nguy says he asked for the wine to be delivered to Seabrook but Mora insisted that it be stored at his warehouse on Palmer Avenue in Larchmont.
Last October, Nguy claims, he told Mora to ship the wine to Seabrook. He repeated his instructions this past May and Mora agreed to do so, according to the complaint, but has not done so.
And despite numerous attempts to contact Mora by cell phone, email and letter, Nguy says, Mora has not confirmed the current location of the wines.
“For all practical purposes,” the complaint states, “the second batch is missing.”
Nguy claims that the second batch has appreciated in value and is worth about $750,000.
Three bottles of Screaming Eagle are particularly valuable because they are signed by the winery’s acclaimed founder and winemaker Heidi Barrett, according to Nguy and the DRC is packaged in distinct six-bottle sets that are worth more than if sold as individual bottles.
Nguy is asking the court for a prejudgment attachment of $750,000, to ensure that Mora relinquishes control of the wines.
Mora did not reply to an email requesting his side of the story.
Mora and EC Cellars were also accused last year of defaulting on a $1 million loan. Mora asked Andy Zhu of BAC Winery for a loan to help support EC Cellars’ business, in December 2019.
Zhu had known Mora since 2013, “due to our common interest in fine wines,” and later became close friends, according to the complaint filed in Queens Superior Court.
Mora and EC Cellars defaulted on the loan, the complaint states, and Zhu was unable to find Mora when he went to EC Cellars several times to discuss the debt.
This past December, the Queens court granted BAC Winery a $976,000 judgment.
