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 1 November 2011

Jay Miller, Pancho Campo, The Wine Academy and Asevin

Pancho Campo MW

This morning I have received the following email from Juan Antonio Ruiz Jimenez, the Secretary of ASEVIN. I have asked him to let me know what information was false in the email he sent out to a number of bodegas on 4th October 2011. Naturally I'm very keen to correct any false or misleading information as quickly as possible.   

I have also requested answers to a number of areas where the account now being put out by Asevin and by extension The Wine Academy of the proposed visit by Jay Miller and Pancho Campo is at variance with emails he and other wine officials in Murcia sent out in October and posted here.

From: Juan Antonio Ruiz Jimenez
Re: Communication ASEVIN Jumilla (Spain).

Dear Jim Budd,
       
Having become aware of the information reposted on the web http://jimsloire.blogspot.com/ from www.berthomeau.com, under the title: "Le Jumillagate d'Uncle Bob Parker Vincent Pousson couple", we inform you that the information it contains is based on completely false information and conclusions, with the sole intention of discrediting Robert Parker, Jay Miller, and Pancho Campo.

I would also like to bring to your attention that the information shown on your website as "evidence 1 ' is completely confidential and could not be posted or forwarded under any circumstances as you have done. The displayed image corresponding to the email has been clearly manipulated and does not include the legal notice of confidentiality that was included below our contact details in the original mail.

"This document and attachments, if any, are confidential and may only be used exclusively by the recipient, may contain confidential or legally protected. No waiver of confidentiality or professional secrecy for any defective or erroneous transmission. The reception of the message does no  authorize access to the content of it if you are not the recipient, so that in such circumstances should destroy it immediately and notify the sender that point. Please note that is totally prohibited any disclosure, distribution, or reproduction of this message.

In compliance with the Data Protection LO15/1999 Personal inform you that your email address and personal details provided by you will have entered the file is the Head, Juan Antonio Ruiz Jimenez. The purpose of the file is to keep future communications from the relationship started. You ca exercise your rights of access, rectification, cancellation and opposition at the headquarters of the File: Av Catholic Monarchs, 31-1 º B 30 520-Jumilla (Murcia). "

We demand that you inform us of the person who sent a copy of the message. We also expect  that you proceed to rectify the information disseminated and express the appropriate and corresponding apologies in a maximum of 48 hours. Otherwise, we reserve the exercise to proceed with legal actions against you and your organization putting the matter in the hands of the corresponding authorities.

Please be informed that the Association of Wine from the Region of Murcia (ASEVIN), approached The Wine Academy for conducting a seminar on "Exporting wines from Murcia to the U.S. and China markets". We also requested them to organize a commented tasting of wines from the region for local wine professionals and media.

Asevin requested to have Jay Miller as the guest of honor to discuss the U.S. market and Pancho Campo to speak about China. After the seminar we also requested from The Wine Academy to be responsible for the organization and logistics of the tasting. The conditions imposed for the wine academy in order to carry out this tasting was that Jay Miller would choose the 12 to 15 wines at his entire discretion based exclusively on the highest Parker scores.

The Wine Academy made it clear at all times that if Jay Miller would visit some wineries he would choose the wineries at his sole discretion. In any case, the wineries visited would NOT have to pay for such visit. The amount discussed with the staff of The Wine Academy was to cover the cost of organizing this seminar and master tasting, such as: fees of Miller, Pancho and The Wine Academy staff that would put together the event, as well as transfers, car rental, hotel, planes and food.

The Wine Academy representatives insisted at all times that wineries should not pay for having Jay Miller visit them or for sending their wines to the tasting.

  So far there is no agreement nor contract signed because The Wine Academy management team is in Hong Kong.

Yours Sincerely,


Juan Antonio Ruiz Jimenez
Secretary ASEVIN


9 comments:

Justin Roberts said...

"We demand that you inform us of the person who sent a copy of the message"

They obviously don't read your blog properly Jim, because the answer is there for all to see...

Jim's Loire said...

Justin. Fair point but actually it is only the first sentence or that really applies to me about the false information, presumably contained in the email sent out by Asevin on 4th October.

The rest of the email I think was sent to the person who originally posted the email.

Luc Charlier said...

Funny, I’m presently in the process of racking most of my tanks, be it because malo-lactic fermentation is at an end, or in order to avoid off-odours and generally reductive smells. I think the Jumillagate details stink much more than the coarse lees I’m getting rid of !

Anonymous said...

Mr Jimenez should understand that we don't find any fault with his association trying to attract Mr Miller, Mr Campo's or Mr Parker's attention on the wines of Murcia... But that we find pathetic that the same Mr Parker says total independence is a must for wine critics, no links with the trade...
Don't preach... but do it.

Jim's Loire said...

Anon. I agree it is presumably one of Asevin's role's to promote the region's wines. Would they consider paying substantial sums to Pancho Campo and The Wine Academy if he didn't have close links to Jay Miller?

However, did he ignore The Wine Academy's demands that the bodegas should not been charged for supplying samples to and charging for visits from Jay Miller?

As you correctly say the issue here is that Parker's celebrated ethics appear to have been breached.

Anonymous said...

In DO Madrid it was The Wine Academy through its Sales Manager (Adela Richter) who approached us with a 20.000 request for Jay Miller visit. It was a great opportunity for us to show the influential american wine critic our region. It is obvious that it is a way to get money: you pay for the Jay Miller & Pancho presentation, and he comes over. 29.000€ for a tasting and a presentation? It is a joke how Pancho Campo is getting money from all wine people .. but as long he is the gatekeeper to Jay Miller in Spain no one will say a word to tell what is going on. We are in Pancho´s hand .

Jim's Loire said...

Anon - DO Madrid. Do you have proof of this please? Please contact me on budmac@btinternet.com – your anonymity is assured.

Anonymous said...

Jim, I thought this article and associated links could be relevant. Un abrazo

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jan/11/useless-disclaimers-computing?INTCMP=SRCH

Jim's Loire said...

Anon. Many thanks.

Over the past few years I have read a number of articles about the legal uselessness of these disclaimers. Perhaps I should bring this to the attention of Juan Antonio Ruiz Jiménez(aka Pancho Campo MW).

Looks, however, that PC despite his tweet: 'This time am gonna spear no resources but working with Jumilla in a joined legal action.'

I have yet to hear from Pancho or his lawyers, so this appears to be just the normal Campo bluster. Rather a pity a there are a few questions I would like to ask him.....