Sorry to ruin your buzz, but the Water to Wine Miracle Machine is a complete hoax.
According to the New York Daily News, the $500 "Miracle Machine" that can turn water into wine in just three days was reportedly a false story. The project's co-founders, Kevin Boyer and Philip James, told NPR's The Salt that the machine was "just a lump of wood."
The phony device took the internet by storm, receiving media attention from an estimated 600 publications including Business Insider, TIME, and ABC News. Since the beginning of March, the news story reportedly received about 6,000 tweets and at least 7,000 people signed up to learn more about the invention.
However, the publicity stunt was for a good cause. An organization called Wine to Water, a non-profit organization that brings clean water to the developing world. The North Carolina-based organization has brought clean water to 250,000 people in 17 countries, since 2004.
James and Boyer teamed up with MSLGROUP, a PR company, to bring attention to Wine to Water. The pair explained to NPR that the device was made up to bring interest to their charity. They also apologized on their website, hoping that their stunt has not brought negative attention to their cause.
"The Miracle Machine has generated enormous interest around the globe," Doc Hendley, charity founder, said in a press release. "We and supporters Kevin Boyer and Philip James are sorry to disappoint anyone who was looking forward to high quality wine in 3 days. For the cost of a bottle of fine wine, we provide a way to produce 99.9% pure drinking water to a family for up to five years and THAT is the true miracle."
Boyer stated that he and his partner knowingly put their reputations on the line for a good cause and they would gladly "do it 10 times over again."
"Almost two million children die each year from contaminated water and poor sanitation," James said in a release. "The miracle of turning water to wine might remain out of reach, but Wine to Water has shown that the real miracle of providing clean water is easily within our grasp."
