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 22 November 2011

More moolah for Pancho?

Tasting notes


Despite his best efforts, Murciagate continues to swirl around Pancho Campo and The Wine Academy. Interesting to see that there are now some tough questions being asked in Spain as this comment from Andres Arevalo responding to claims by Pancho Campo MW on the El Mundo forum here shows:

Dear Pancho,

This statement is very surprising in your reply:

'Our collaboration is just so you can take advantage of their visits to Spain and to facilitate your work. Neither I nor The Wine Academy have no say in terms tasting wines and visiting wineries and we just blindly follow the guidelines established by Parker.'

1. Thanks to Jay Miller visits your business is bringing great benefits to 20,000 by organizing conferences in Madrid, 29,000 in Murcia, Navarra, Valencia .. etc.. I have no problem with you enriching yourself you, this is a free country, but do not your charges seem excessive given the battered economy of the wineries and regulatory bodies?

2. You can not say that the agenda does not affect you because in Madrid through its commercial director Adela, we all know Iberwine for many years contacted the DO Madrid. A lady by the way, very nice and excellent shopping. Jay Miller said he was going to Navarre, and passing through Madrid and could organize a Masterclass Tasting and some visits. The DO Madrid consultant to wineries and said there were no funds. Proof: This elmundo.es any reader can call and ask OJ Madrid. By the way on Monday can do so in person because there is a presentation of BD in the stadium Santiago Bernabeu from 12:30 to 20:00.

3. Can not say it does not influence the agenda, rolling the "ember" of his business visits to wineries with low scores, below 91 or 92 in Ribera or Rioja as everyone knows because he paid with sponsorships Wine Future. There are many other wineries in both regions with much higher scores that have been left with "fish face" by not receiving a visit from Jay Miller ... maybe next time. Facts: Valtravieso in Ribera or Rioja Baigorri are excellent wineries but no (published by them on their websites) have more of these points .. but if the group sponsor of Wine Araex Future Rioja and also in Hong Kong. Easily verifiable on their website. Domecq Bodegas O Azpilicueta or where their wines are in Campo Viejo and The Wine Advocate, but yes ... Campo Viejo was major sponsor of Future Wine Rioja. These are facts.

4. Campo de Borja was visiting. Why not Calatayud or Somontano or another 70-odd regions? It's because you are the person who hires OJ repeatedly to organize your tastings. Facts: You have said it's Ambassador of OJ. Borja. And nothing against this great region ... but do not think I can say that "has no voice in the wineries that we visit."

And there are many other examples in Catalonia and other parts of Spain.

What surprises us the people of the wine is not wine journalists investigating what is happening. The Madrid is clearly an example of "or pay, or Jay Miller is not."

Or not?

Regards,

Andres Arevalo


**

Perhaps given the now widening focus across all of the wine regions Spain it would be more accurate to call this whole controversy Jay Campogate – raising as it does the exact nature of the relationship between Pancho Campo MW, The Wine Academy and Jay Miller as The Wine Advocate's reviewer in Spain.

Campo has said on El Mundo that he was asked by Robert Parker to organise all of Jay Miller's visits in Spain. If this is correct did Robert Parker give Campo a blank cheque or did he set out strict criteria that would establish a clear point of difference between Campo's legitimate business interests and the requirements as independence as a reviewer for The Wine Advocate


23.11.2011 (8.15am) – to date no response from Campo, who is now in Jerez with Miller.

1 comment:

Lalau said...

La Moolas - i mean, Las Mulas is a excellent range of Chilean wines by Torres. Proof positive that Chilean-Spanish ventures can be both successful and honest.