Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Tuesday 31 January 2012

1855: going to court? Voici – a recommended firm of Paris lawyers – DDG



1855: 10 Rue des Moulins, Paris: HQ of 'le plus grand choix de vins non livrées sur Internet'

I frequently receive messages from frustrated customers of 1855 seeking advice on what to do about getting hold of their wines. Recently I have received two very positive reports about a law firm in Paris – DDG, who seem to be making taking on 1855 somewhat of a specialty. The people to contact there are Gwendoline Cattier or Pierre Deprez, details at the end of the following report from JH:.

‘As you may be aware, in September 2011 I started a procedure at the Tribunal D'Instance de Paris 1er against www.1855.com. I have had to push back the hearing twice as I did not fully appreciate that it was in my interest to get legal counsel given that www.1855.com has full legal representation. Given this development, I have taken's C****’s recommendation and instructed DDG to act for me.

I have just come off the phone with Gwendoline Cattier of DDG and I am very impressed, she obviously knows the situation inside out and was able to walk me through the process.

Even though my next hearing is on 20 March 2012, optimistically I can't expect a refund until July 2012, which allows time for the judge to opine, for the Greffier to publish this and then for this to be executed by 1855. This is the best case scenario, which assumes that 1855 co-operates, failing which we will need to get bailiffs involved. Gwendoline's advice is to ask for the current value of the missing wine and then add the same again as compensation.

The good news is that there are so many on going cases against 1855, that the judges are more than aware of the case and highly likely to take a dim view and side favourably with plaintiffs. However, the bad news is that it pays to start the process as soon as possible given the delays in repayment and obviously the longer the delay to starting proceedings, the higher the risk that 1855 becomes insolvent, particularly with the number of proceedings against them (even though this development would delight me, I still harbour hopes of getting my money back).’

Gwendoline Cattier
Avocat à la Cour
Email: cattier@ddg.fr
Pierre Deprez
Email: deprez@ddg.fr
Deprez Guignot Associés
21 Rue Clément Marot, 750008 Paris
Tele: 01.53.23.80.80

It seems to me sensible to employ a French lawyer if you decide to take 1855 to court, especially if you live outside France and if your knowledge of French law is limited. There would appear to be a good chance of your legal fees being paid by 1855.

Here is a previous post that also recommends DDG.

*

1855 is a probationary member of La Fevad.

From 1855's press release of 31st January 2011 announcing that they had become a member of La Fevad

'La Fevad accorde depuis toujours la plus grande importance à la promotion de règles fondées sur des valeurs de transparence et de respect du consommateur. Ces règles garantissent l`éthique de la profession et permettent de renforcer la confiance des consommateurs, dans l`intérêt de l`ensemble de la profession.'

'Toute entreprise membre de la Fevad s`engage à respecter les principes généraux et les règles prévus par les codes et chartes de la Fevad, tant dans l`esprit que dans la lettre.

"Le fait pour 1855 d`être devenu membre à part entière de la Fevad et signataire de ses codes et chartes est une nouvelle illustration de notre engagement à bâtir une qualité de service de référence » selon Fabien Hyon, Directeur général de 1855."




1 comment:

NicoCIVS said...

Hi Jim,

You are reasonnably pessismistic about 1855, I have never seen a company losing money each year during a decade and still pretending "they could make it". But what about your opinion on Interloire ? With now Bourgueil and the Fiefs Vendéens out, possibly Montlouis, what's your opinion about their future? It would be great to have your point of view. Cheers,
Nicolas