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




Friday 21 February 2014

Domaine Huet and La Revue du Vin de France: a clarification

Sarah Hwang in discussion with Chris Kissack@
2014 Salon des Vins de Loire (above and below)



On 18th February La Revue du Vin de France published a story about Chris Kissack and I being banned by Sarah Hwang from tasting the 2013 Domaine Huet wines during the 2014 Salon des Vins de Loire. Unfortunately the words ascribed to me (highlighted below) are not mine but are from Zelda Sydney. We had both commented on Chris Kissack's post here.I was not contacted by La Revue du Vin de France.

RVF article:
 Published by La Revue du Vin de France: 18th February 2014

'Jim Budd explique ce banissement du stand du domaine Huet par le fait que les nouveaux propriétaires (la famille Hwang) depuis 2004, "exercent un étroit contrôle sur tout ce qui se fait chez eux, et ce qui se dit à leur propos. Ils ont peur que leur marque soit ternie. La marque a pris le pas sur le terroir".'


What I actually wrote on the Wine Doctor blog:
Initially I quoted Zelda's earlier comment. Perhaps when commenting I should have put Zelda Sydney in brackets but the comment was in quote marks and mine started – Zelda etc. 

Zelda Sydney – name now added for clarification: ‘My understanding is that the new owners bought a brand, not terroir, and that they’ll assume control over anything (winemaking, criticism…) that they think is damaging to their concept of the brand. Brand trumps terroir.’


My comment: Zelda. I think it is important to distinguish between the father Anthony Hwang and his children. Anthony bought the domaine in 2003 after the death of Gaston Huet, the previous year. Anthony was always charming, a great supporter of Noël Pinguet and my impression was that Noël was happy working with Anthony and for the first time he had a stake in the domaine. Noël’s relationship with his father-in-law, Gaston Huet, was not always easy – both have (or in Gaston’s case had) strong personalities. 

At some point Anthony handed over the running of the domaine to his children and I don’t know the history of this changeover but Noël’s relationship with the Hwangs fell apart subsequent to this handover.

I’m sure that Anthony understood full well the quality of the terroir/site, especially the Clos du Bourg and Le Mont, that he had bought.'

I have asked La Revue du Vin de France to correct this error.



Anthony Hwang@Domaine Huet during 2010 vintage
 

1 comment:

Hervé LALAU said...

Important clarification.
Anyway, I cannot perceive what a producer can gain by banning bloggers or journalists from his/her stand. Whatever the bloggers write, it can't be worse than writing about not being allowed to taste!