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

Michael Cox: 1951 - 20th February 2014

Michael Cox with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet  
during her official visit to the UK in 2008

Very sad news that Michael Cox, head of Wines of Chile UK, died yesterday of cancer. Michael was a greatly liked and hugely respected figure in the UK wine trade.  


Message from David, Michael's twin brother, and Lynne Whittaker, Michael's wife:

David:
It is with immense sadness that I inform you that Michael’s battle was lost last night at 5.10 pm.  I feel it is easier that I copy below a note below that his wife, Lynne, has sent to various family and friends.  I will miss this amazing man incredibly and I can’t deny that I am in a bit of a daze.  However, I have some very special memories.

I will be in touch soon.



Dear Friends and Colleagues

It is with great sadness that I have to tell you that Michael died at just after 5pm last night.  He was at home, as was his wish, and was surrounded by his close family.

His death comes exactly 12 months to the day after his operation, and was not unexpected.  Although he underwent 6 months of chemotherapy from April to September, this was only ever expected to extend his life rather than serve as a cure for his cancer.  Bile duct cancer is very rare and has a poor life expectancy, and Michael’s own experience has been typical of the disease.

Shortly before Christmas, his cancer returned and was found to be very aggressive.  We were told that his body would not tolerate a second round of chemotherapy and so he was transferred to the care of the palliative care team.  Their job has been to make Michael as comfortable as possible over the past few weeks, and they have given us both exceptional support for which we are truly grateful. However, it must be said that even with a myriad of drugs, injections and blood transfusions, Michael’s symptoms have become increasingly unpleasant and his condition more difficult to bear in recent weeks.  He has borne every aspect of the disease with great stoicism and forbearance, but it comes as something of a relief that his suffering is now at an end.

As friends and colleagues of Michael, I don’t need to tell you what an exceptional man he was. I have been immensely proud of the way he has tackled his disease. He has insisted on carrying on with his normal life as far as was humanly possible, and the medical staff have been astounded at what he has been able to achieve. He was able to continue in his role with Wines of Chile, and to complete his year as Master of the Vintners’ Company (which was extremely important to him) whilst undergoing chemotherapy, and even in the last few months, with his health failing rapidly, he has set himself a series of targets, each of which he has met.  Incredibly, only four days ago, he and I went to Oxford for lunch at the Cherwell Boathouse and a spin round Oxford in his wheelchair.  He was delighted to have achieved this latest target, but it seemed to sap his last reserves of strength and his condition has deteriorated rapidly since then.

Michael had been able to share his wishes with us, which were for a private funeral for family and close friends in the next ten days or so, followed by a memorial service for his wider friends and colleagues within the next six weeks.  Details of both will be circulated when confirmed.

I know you will all be very saddened by this news and I would like to thank you all for your messages of goodwill and your unstinting support through the past year.

With very best wishes

Lynne


Tributes from: 
Jancis Robinson MW:
http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/a20140221.html

Harpers:
http://www.harpers.co.uk/news/michael-cox-uk-head-of-wines-of-chile-and-respected-industry-figure-has-died-from-cancer/354809.article

Robert McIntosh: https://www.facebook.com/groups/118872121585073/

Michael@the European Wine Bloggers' Conference in Vienna 2010

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