Olivier Cousin: the nonsense continues

The prosecution appeals against 4th June 2014 verdict

Just when the Olivier Cousin case appeared to be over it has been reignited by the prosecution lodging an appeal. Presumably they consider the verdict to be too lenient. The prosecution had asked for a fine of 5000€. Instead Olivier Cousin was ordered to pay a symbolic euro to the Fédération Viticole d'Anjou Saumur and a similar sum to the INAO.

The Fédération Viticole d'Anjou Saumur and INAO are also appealing not for higher damages but instead asking the Angers Court of Appeal to confirm that Cousin had usurped appellation Anjou.  

These appeals surely confirms that Olivier Cousin was the real victor on 4th June. It is bizarre that the Fédération are now appealing as on 4th June they issued a statement in the name of their lawyer claiming victory: 'UNE VICTOIRE POUR LA PROTECTION DE L’AOC ANJOU'. So why is the Fédération now appealing?! Doubtless there will be some Anjou producers wondering whether the subscriptions they pay to the Fédération are being put to best use.   

It is also very likely to again open up the debate over Appellation Anjou's far reaching claim to have the sole right to use Anjou. What would happen I wonder if next year Olivier Cousin put 'Produit d'Anjou' on his 2014 Pur Breton?

See here my post on the 4th June verdict. 

Olivier Cousin: 2013 Pur Breton

(Produit d'Anjou) 

Incidentally his 2013 Pur Breton is currently Pur Plaisir!     

See AngersMag and Ouest france

Jacques Berthomeau

See blog post from Jacques Berthomeau  
Jacques is not impressed. This gives a flavour:

'Du côté de la Fédération viticole de l’Anjou c’est  de la connerie pur sucre – faut dire qu’ils aiment tant la chaptalisation – elle fait appel pour des dommages et intérêts a minima, c’est-à-dire qu’elle ouvre à nouveau la porte des médias nationaux à Olivier Cousin.
 
Bravo les artistes, l’Anjou vous en sera éternellement reconnaissant.'
 

The appeal may well sharpen the debate over 

Anjou Cola and 'Produit d'Anjou'

2013 Salon des Vins de Loire: three distinguished observers

Jacques Berthomeau 

On the first day (4th February) of this year's Salon des Vins de Loire there were three distinguished observers lunching together in the Press Room: 

Jacques Berthomeau: author of the Berthomeau report, French government official, blogger – and a founder member of Les 5 du Vin, although he has now been succeeded by David Cobbold.  

 Jacques Berthomeau

Vincent Pousson: based in Barcelona, who first broke the 'Campogate' story by publishing on Facebook an email from Murcia inviting wineries to pay for submitting samples to be tasted by Jay Miller and additional sums for a visit, blogger – idées liquides & solides.  

 Vincent Pousson 

 Vincent sporting matching jumper and light

Michel Smith: based in Perpignan, long established wine writer, world expert on Carignan from the South of France and a founder and continuing member of Les 5 du Vin.

Michel Smith 

Campogate: no Pay no Jay: shortlisted for 2012 Born Digital Awards

Pancho Campo and Jay Miller 

The shortlist for the 2012 Born Digital Awards has just been announced and I'm delighted that Jim's Loire has been shortlisted in the Best Investigative Wine Story category for 'no Pay no Jay'. Should this happen to win and the competition is very tough, then I will be sharing the prize with my co-author Harold Heckle, who obtained the crucial emails. The winners will be announced on 23rd May at 16.30 at the Access Zone, London International Wine Trade Fair and streamed live on www.vrazon.com/accesszone 

My thanks to Vincent Pousson for breaking the story and to Jacques Berthomeau who gave Vincent a platform through his blog to spread the story I would also like to thank Pancho Campo, Jay Miller and Robert Parker for their invaluable contributions. 

Congratulations to all those who have been shortlisted from over 300 submissions from 24 countries. 

The shortlist:   

Best Editorial Wine Writing

Amy Corron Power: Wine Intelligence admits Bias, Ulterior Motives in “Wine Blogger Distrust” Release

Andrea Frost: The Invention of Wine

Paul Keers: Just Looking: The Joy of Wine Browsing

Quentin Sadler: Minerality in wine – flight of fantasy, fact or terroir?

Evan Dawson: Il Dimenticato: Piedmont’s New White Star Has a Mysterious and Forgotten Past

Best Investigative Wine Story

Pamela Heiligenthal: Has the term ‘California Grand Cru’ Gone too Far?

Jim Budd: Campogate, no Pay no Jay

Evan Dawson: Message from California Winemakers: Stop Slandering Our Pinot!

Carly Wray: Malbec in Argentina

Chris Kissack: Pressure Sensitive

Best Wine Tourism Feature

Mariella Beukers: Culinair genieten in Süd Steiermark

Louise Hurren: Authentic wines and hearty cooking in Bucelas outside Lisbon

Tom Florina: Contextual pleasures: NYC chic meets Corsican mystique

Nick Stock: Preserving Home Turf: A very special part of the world

Wendy Crispell: The Carso, They’ve got the stones to produce great wine and cheese…………

Best Winery Self Produced Content

Iris Rutz-Rudel: Balade de Juin dans la vigne

Gavin: Quinney: 13 Unpalatable Facts about the UK Wine Duty

Ryan O’Connell: Who Visits Vineyards

Brian Overstreet: Born to Sell

Kerith Overstreet: Insufferable

Best Wine Themed Video

Ophélie Neiman: Au coeur du bouchon de liège

Heiko Michels: Es Gart

Giorgia Guarienti: Wine: Got to Deserve It

Richard Hemming: An MW student’s guide to remembering appellations

Debra Meiburg: Grape Moments: Length Matters

Best Wine Photo Essay

Giacomo Tincani: Tie (Legare)

Lannon Harley: 2011 Riesling Harvest at Four Winds Vineyard

Matt Wilson: Small Wine Producers in the Maule Valley Chile

Mick Rock: A biodynamic day at Dr Bürklin Wolf

Lannon Harley: Rolling out the nets at Four Winds Vineyard

Full details here. 

The Circle of Wine Writers is one of the partners of the Born Digital Awards.

Les 5 du Vin: new cooperative wine blog launched

Arising from a serendipitous meeting over a glass of Pierre-Jacques Druet's Bourgueil Rosé at lunch in the press room at the Salon des Vins de Loire on Tuesday, five of us decided to launch a bi-lingual, cooperative blog: Les 5 du Vin

The five are: 

Jacques Berthomeau

Jacques also has his own blog, which he started in 2005. He won the Loire section in the 2010 Wine Bloggers Trophy

Hervé Lalau

Hervé also has his own blog, which he started in November 2007. It has attracted nearly 400,000 visitors and won the award for the best writing in the 2010 Wine Bloggers Trophy. 

Michel Smith 

Michel is a well-known wine and food journalist based in the Roussillon. He writes for a number of French magazines but is a virgin blogger.

Marc Vanhellemont 

Marc is a well known wine journalist based in Belgium, writing for a number of French and Belgian titles. Like Michel, he is a virgin blogger.

 

Jim Budd

Each of the five contributors will make at least one posting a week: Jacques on Monday, Jim – Tuesday, Hervé – Wednesday, Michel – Thursday and Marc – Friday.