There was bad news on 14th October for the bodegas in Murcia wanting a visit from Jay Miller – the price had doubled from 1000 € to 2000€. The bodegas were warned that any wines tasted during Jay's visit there would be no scores or commentaries published in The Wine Advocate.
Email sent on 14th October to a number of bodegas by Juan Antonio Ruiz Jiménez secretary of Asevin:
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2011 5:35 PM
Subject: URGENTE: CUESTIONES A RESPONDER SOBRE VISITA DE JAY MILLER A JUMILLA
El presupuesto que vamos perfilando desde ASEVIN para cubrir el coste total de 30.000 euros que vale la Cata Magistral y la Conferencia, creemos más equitativo distribuirlo entre las bodegas interesadas conforme a los parámetros que indicábamos, a saber:
(las cantidades son aproximadas y dependerá de las peticiones de cada bodega).
1.- 300 € por cada muestra de vino enviada para catar. Estas muestras serán catadas, siempre que cumplan las condiciones que se indican, y se comentarán y publicará su puntuación en la revista “ The Wine Advocate”, siempre que alcancen una puntuación mínima de 85. Sí el vino alcanzara una puntuación, no se publicaría la puntuación y tampoco se mencionaría ese vino.
2.- 500 € por cada vino seleccionado para la Cata magistral. Jay Miller y Pancho Campo elegirán los 12 vinos de la Cata Magistral.
3.- 2.000 € por visita a cada bodega seleccionada. En la visita a las bodegas, se catarán algunos vinos de esa bodega, pero no serán puntuados ni se comentarán en la revista “The Wine Advocate”.
ES IMPORTANTE, QUE RESPONDAÍS ESTE CORREO LO ANTES POSIBLE, INDICANDO LAS MUESTRAS A ENVIAR Y SÍ SE QUIERE INCLUIR A LA BODEGA EN LA VISITA.
Un saludo.
Juan Antonio Ruiz Jiménez
Secretario ASEVIN
Fairly unbelievable and I was one who gave them the benefit of the doubt when the story broke - I did not believe it could be so cynical and mercenary. Well there you go.
ReplyDeleteOf course it is still entirely possible that no one from the Wine Advocate staff, including RP, knew that a guarantee of publication in Wine Advocate was being touted for wines entered for 300 Euro (and scoring over 85 - not hard to achieve), but the whole thing still stinks to high heaven.
So, if they did the €300 per sample they wound be included in the advocate provided they got a score over 85 but if they took the visit for €2000 they got not review. Well my question what do they get? Paying to have someone well known in the industry to drink my wine on site? There's something missing there, I mean who would pay a reviewer to visit but they don't review? That's kinda silly. I need to meet these winery owners who has that kind of money to burn cause I need a Hermes Birkin purse.
ReplyDeleteTom. I think it is highly likely that Robert Parker knew nothing of these financial arrangements. What did Miller know?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately neither Parker nor Miller have responded to my questions about this Murcia affair. Is one to conclude that Parker is relaxed about these Spanish practices?
Are you well versed in Spanish sayings, Jim ?
ReplyDeleteI did modify one indeed ... just a bit, to fit our purpose.
Here I go:
« En la sala un periodista, una puta en la bodega ». Quite an accurate description, isn't it?
A mantle of unbelievable communal shame is settling upon the shoulders of the Spanish wine industry, which should not be confused with respectable Spanish wine artisans.
ReplyDelete