2012 André Simon Memorial Awards: announcement Thursday

André Simon

Some time around 7.30pm Thursday evening the winners of the 2012 André Simon Memorial Food and Drink Book Awards will be known. After a barren period a few years ago, there has recently been a renaissance of drink books. The year when no award could be made because there simply wasn't a drink book of sufficient merit seems increasingly distant.  The renaissance has come about in part through new publishers emerging, like Berry Bros with Jasper Morris' Burgundy book – now an innovative ebook, as well as the development of self-publishing.

This year's shortlist looks strong even though there is a clear favourite amongst the titles shortlisted:

Kerin O'Keefe: Brunello di Montalcino (University of California Press)

Eric Asimov: How to love wine (William Morrow)

Neal Martin: Pomerol (Wine Journal Publishing) – Neal has self-published this detailed study of Pomerol 

Peter Liem & Jesús Barquin: Sherry, Manzanilla & Montilla (Manutius)

Jancis Robinson MW, Julia Harding, Dr José Vouillamoz: Wine Grapes (Penguin Books)

Wine Grapes must be the clear favourite this year, although there can always be surprises. If Wine Grapes wins Jancis won't be there as she left last week for a tour of several weeks in Australia and the rest of Asia-Pacific. 

I plan to take photos at the evening and trust that this year they won't be recording the last days of a senior member of the wine trade – last year I took some of the last photos of John Avery MW, who very sadly died of a heart attack less than a week later.

The heavyweight Wine Grapes 

Page from Neal Martin's Pomerol book

   

Wine on the internet: the battle against craziness goes on

Jancis Robinson and Andrew Jefford: Could these sites be banned in France and their authors arrested?

Although the French wine industry last week saw off the absurd proposal that there should a charge for all wine tastings – both professional and amateur – the war is not yet won. The legality of mentioning alcohol on the internet has still not been resolved. It seems likely that the French Parliament will make the mention of alcohol on the net legal but it may be severely circumscribed. There is an amendment from UMP Yves Bur from Alsace (Bas-Rhin) and the socialist deputy Jean-Marie Le Guen (Paris) that would restrict the mention of alcohol to only those sites run by producers or négociants.

This would mean that all wine sites run by writers/journalists, magazines, all blogging sites except those run by producers or négociants would be illegal in France. This would presumably mean that eRobertParker, the Wine Spectator, Jancis Robinson, Tom Cannavan’s Wine-Pages, Jamie Goode’s Wine Anorak etc. etc. would all be illegal in France. So, too, presumably any mention of alcohol in on-line newspapers.

'What future for wine if you can no longer talk about it?'
Good and pertinent question on a road sign in Anjou last summer
(photo from Micaela and Sue, La Grande Maison)

It would also hit other types of site, tourist sites for instance, that are likely to mention wine or spirits like Cognac, Armagnac or Calvados.

As all wine sites can be accessed in France does this mean that anybody running a wine site anywhere in the world, who is not a producer or négociant, will be breaking French law? If this is case will Robert Parker and Jancis Robinson, for example, be in danger of arrest and being dragged before the French courts next time they visit France?

See also:
This wine forum thread on Tom Cannavan's wine pages
Various postings on Hervé Lalau's Chroniques Vineuses
This post and others on Wine Brands