Move aside Robert, Jancis, Neal, Panos, etc – here comes the cannie taster

d'Yquem boxing clever with a sample of nascent 2015

Yesterday at Pierre and Bertrand Couly's winery in Chinon I was privileged to watch the future of wine tasting – a highly trained boxer able to insert their hyper-sensitive tongue into a wine glass – truly a super-taster!  

Bertrand Couly – what does d'Yquem think of my 2015 Chinon?

The Couly family checking impressions of the 2015 
Chinon Blanc against d'Yquem's.....

 

Looks like it is a myth that the 100-point scale can be credited to Robert Parker

'LONDON— Robert M. Parker Jr. , widely regarded as the world’s most powerful wine critic, has announced he will no longer taste Bordeaux en primeur.

The Wine Advocate founder, credited as the creator of the 100-point wine rating scale, says the time is right for him to step back from the pressure of reviewing more than 600 wines from barrel.'

It is interesting how certain claims get repeated until they become 'held truths'. Take the nation that Robert Parker was the first to adapt the 100-point scale used in the USA to mark school essays to assess wine. Will Lyons, in yesterday's The Wall Street Journal is only the latest to  repeat this 'fact' – 'credited as the creator of the 100-point wine rating scale'. 

Instead detailed research from the excellent Aaron Nix-Gomez (https://hogsheadwine.wordpress.com/) indicates that the use of a 100-point scale may well predate Robert Parker by some 125 years. So we may well be able to credit Robert with the modern calibration of the 100-point scale but not its creation. There is no doubt that it was Parker who popularised the 100-point scale and made it known around the wine world as that it is now the most used scale.. 

Although it is hardly surprising that a scale used to assess American wines in the mid 19th century didn't immediately grab the wine world's attention, Parker's remarkable and so far unique success is probably due to a blend of right place, right time, his energy and focus plus people's liking for ratings.       

“Assuming 100 to be the standard for best”: The 100-point wine scale predates Robert Parker’s by 125 years
During my recent visit to Albuquerque I came across numerous references indicating that the wines of Bernalillo, located just north of Albuquerque, were celebrated next to those of El Paso in what is now Texas.  One such example appears in Colonel James F. Meline’s account of his summer tour Two Thousand Miles on Horseback (1866).[1] Colonel Meline took time to stop and taste several of the wines in Bernalillo.  He found that the “wines are capable, with proper treatment, of being made excellent” from the “superior” grapes.  Unfortunately, the wine was “inexpertly handled” and “used almost as fast as made”.  Thus old wines were “almost out of the question.”  It was later in Albuquerque that he was able to drink a Bernalillo wine “that was quite as good as any made at El Paso.”

Colonel Meline must have been suitably impressed by the Bernalillo wine he tasted in Albuquerque for he sent two bottles to the American Wine Growers’ Association of Cincinnati, Ohio.  The Association published in its proceedings, which Colonel Meline reproduced in his appendix, that the 1861 white wine received a “vote 90” and the red wine “81.”  According to George Graham, Esquire, President of the Association, the white wine “was considered better than most wines of the same age, either of Catawba or good Rhine wine.”  The wines were judged “by figures marked up to 100, which is the highest character of wine of any kind…Most of our Ohio wine does not reach the excellence of the wine presented to you.”

https://hogsheadwine.wordpress.com/2014/12/31/assuming-100-to-be-the-standard-for-best-the-100-point-wine-scale-predates-robert-parkers-by-125-years/ 

“That we may know the relative value of their own manufacture”:  The spread of the 100-point wine scale in late 19th century America

By the 1850s Ohio was the largest wine producing state in the country with the Catawba vine the mostly widely planted.  These vines soon began to show disease.  In response, the American Wine Growers’ Association of Cincinnati, Ohio set out to find hardier vines that would produce wine just as good as their favorite Catawba.  To evaluate experimental lots of wine the Association developed a 100-point wine scale which they first employed in 1853.  This scale continued to be used by the Association for the rating of all wines through at least 1870.  Ohio was not the only state to employ the 100-point scale.

The spread of the 100-point scale follows the rise of state horticultural societies interested in the cultivation of vineyards and production of wine. The spread appears particularly active in the 1860s.  There was an interest in improving the quality of wine to gain access to the sales market of domestic and foreign wine.  The scale facilitated judging committees in picking the top wines from several dozen samples as well as to compare both within and across tastings.  Judging committees were typically made up of three to five members.  The final score for a wine was simply the average of each judge’s score.  The top wines were then those with the highest final score.'

https://hogsheadwine.wordpress.com/2015/01/06/that-we-may-know-the-relative-value-of-their-own-manufacture-the-spread-of-the-100-point-wine-scale-in-late-19th-century-america/

Robert Parker on 'some scandals' in 2011-2012

Robert Parker was the keynote speaker at the 10th anniversary of The Symposium for Professional Wine Writers at Meadowood, Napa Valley (18th-21st February 2014). On Wednesday 19th February he gave a wide ranging speech followed by a question and answer session. 

In a post called Lion in Winter: Robert Parker Addresses Wine Writers Richard Jennings (RJonWine.com) gives an impressively detailed account.

In the section called 'Defining Personal Success', Parker alludes to 'some scandals' in 2011-2012. He generously acknowledges that "I was certainly at fault for not watching as carefully as I should have" and says that "our writer in Spain, although he didn’t do anything seriously wrong, surely wasn’t careful."    

The relevant passage from Richard Jennings' account: 

'Defining Personal Success

Parker was asked, “What does success at this point mean to you?”

Parker explained that TWA “went through a transitionary stage with staff where there were some scandals.” Those scandals were “damaging and embarrassing and I was certainly at fault for not watching as carefully as I should have.”

“Now there are strict rules. Our writers are no longer independent contractors. And we’re not done hiring.”

“I think The Wine Advocate is as brilliant as it’s ever been. No one covers more wines under $25. We have a great team now and I’m excited about it. 2011-2012 were troublesome years. The appearance of doing something wrong is just as bad as the reality, and our writer in Spain, although he didn’t do anything seriously wrong, surely wasn’t careful.”'

Another view here of Robert Parker's session, here (Katie Bell, Forbes) and here from David White (Terroirist)

Now with video of the session by Alder Yarrow Vinography.

Castel takes trademark battle with Pancho Campo's friend to China's Supreme Court

Daniel Li (Caves Maître), Robert Parker and Pancho Campo 

 Daniel Li – "just sign here please, Mr Parker..."

Decanter.com reports that: 

'French wine merchant Castel is pursuing its trademark dispute in China at the country's Supreme Court and has said it will 'take any measures' to win.' 

The trademark battle is with Panati Wine run by Daniel Li, under the name Caves Maître it was a major sponsor of Wine Future Hong Kong. Li sat next to Robert Parker on the stage during the Magic 20 tasting.

Presumably the eventual outcome of the case could have important implications for foreign companies trading in China. 

Read the rest here. 

Also story on Jim's Loire in December 2011.  

Castel has had its application for a Supreme Court hearing accepted, a spokesperson for the group told decanter.com.

Its move marks a fresh escalation in the French firm’s long-running battle with Shanghai-based distributor Panati Wine over the Ka-Si-Te trademark name in China.

Read more at http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/584490/castel-takes-trademark-battle-to-china-s-supreme-court#7mGLZFJ2XXEMBrKK.99

Castel has had its application for a Supreme Court hearing accepted, a spokesperson for the group told decanter.com.

Its move marks a fresh escalation in the French firm’s long-running battle with Shanghai-based distributor Panati Wine over the Ka-Si-Te trademark name in China.

Read more at http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/584490/castel-takes-trademark-battle-to-china-s-supreme-court#7mGLZFJ2XXEMBrKK.99

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Castel takes trademark battle to China's Supreme Court

• Monday 28 October 2013
• by Chris Mercer

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French wine merchant Castel is pursuing its trademark dispute in China at the country's Supreme Court and has said it will 'take any measures' to win.

Wine straight from the vat at Groupe-Castel

Castel has had its application for a Supreme Court hearing accepted, a spokesperson for the group told decanter.com.

Its move marks a fresh escalation in the French firm’s long-running battle with Shanghai-based distributor Panati Wine over the Ka-Si-Te trademark name in China.

Read more at http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/584490/castel-takes-trademark-battle-to-china-s-supreme-court#7mGLZFJ2XXEMBrKK.99

Robert Parker sells all or part of The Wine Advocate

 Robert Parker: "Daniel Li (CavesMaître aka Chinese Castel), I presume."

Parker in Hong Kong November 2011 

"Sign here please Mr Parker."

 

The Reuters blog here is reporting that Robert Parker has sold The Wine Advocate to an unnamed group of investors in Singapore. Reuters sourced the story from The Wall Street Journal. Lisa Perrotti-Brown will apparently take over 'editorial oversight'.   

In tweets Parker has clarified that suggestions that the print edition of The Wine Advocate will cease are incorrect nor will it take advertising. There will be an emphasis on online and pdf editions.

Robert Parker and Pancho Campo (before he mislaid is MW)

November 2011

Vincent Pousson's thoughts on the news of the sale and here.

Dr Vino on the changes.

Chinese 'Monsieur Castel' (Daniel Li) to promote Spanish wine

Daniel Li with Robert Parker and Pancho Campo@Wine Future Hong Kong November 2011

Daniel Li (the Chinese 'Monsieur Castel') and CavesMaître, who own the Castel trademark in China, much to Castel's displeasure, are planning to promote Spanish wine in China and will be holding a one day conference in Shanghai on Monday 26th November 2012. CaveMaître was a leading sponsor of Wine Future Hong Kong last November. Daniel Li, the only sponsor to be given this opportunity, shared the platform with Robert Parker and Pancho Campo (then an MW) for Parker's Magical 20 tasting.

Email from Ezequiel Franco Lopez of CavesMaître France:

De: efranco@chateau.cc [mailto:efranco@chateau.cc]
Enviado el: martes, 24 de julio de 2012 10:55
Para: 冯逸凡
Asunto: EZEQUIEL / CAVESMAITRE CATA-CONFERENCIA en 26 NOVIEMBRE 2012

Hola Queridos Amigos.

Quiero en primer lugar agradecer vuestra confianza, compromiso, apoyo y paciencia por trabajar con nosotros como distribuidor de vuestros vinos en el mercado de China.

Nuestra compañía CAVESMAITRE (卡斯特) junto con PANATI (班提) ambas pertenecen a Daniel Li. Cavesmaitre está orientada a todo nuestro negocio de vinos franceses y Panati es donde estaran los vinos españoles. Daniel Li empezó a trabajar en sus comienzos hace 17 años (año 1995) con PANATI importando y distribuyendo vinos españoles, esta marca y empresa es una de las primeras importadoras de vino en China y una de las más antiguas que hoy en día sigue trabajando en el sector de los vinos importados.

Pensamos que el vino español tiene un buen futuro (próximos años) en China, a día de hoy sigue siendo Francia y Francia, pero pensamos que el vino español jugará un papel importante en China, cuando el consumidor chino adquiera mas conocimiento en vinos. Por eso queremos empezar a introducir más vinos españoles en China, pero queremos hacerlo poco a poco y bien hecho, de una forma muy profesional y bajo el reconocimiento de nuestra empresa en China.

 Nosotros ya distribuimos una serie de vinos españoles desde hace muchos años, pero con la incorporación de vosotros y algunos más, pensamos que tenemos un portfolio de vinos que puede cubrir y representar bien a España. Nuestra intención es tener vinos "buenos", con una relacion precio-calidad junto con puntuaciones y premios internacionales que sean atractivos para el consumidor chino y a día de hoy, en China, Robert Parker es la referencia, aunque como estamos hablando de vinos españoles, puntuaciones de Peñin tambien pueden ser interesantes.

El motivo de este email, es hacer un anuncio para una CATA-CONFERENCIA que queremos hacer en SHANGHAI el Lunes 26 de Noviembre. Queremos aprovechar la ocasión de una visita de ciertas personalidades de políticos de España que estarán viniendo en esas fechas, para ver si es posible que puedan acudir a inagurar o atender al evento unos minutos.

Esta CATA-CONFERENCIA va a consitir en un día entero donde estarán todos nuestros vinos españoles, ES IMPORTANTE que venga, DIRECTORES DE EXPORTACION, DIRECTORES GENERALES y ENOLOGOS de cada bodega. Estaremos todos en un hotel donde el público objetivo será: NUESTROS CLIENTES, PRENSA ESPECIALIZADA EN CHINA, GOBIERNO DE CHINA, PROFESIONALES DEL VINO, PERO SOBRETODO NUESTROS CLIENTES, a los cuales les tendreis que explicar vuestros vinos y particularidades.

La estructura del evento está por detallar pero la idea es que se hagan conferencias de cada vino, para nuestro publico objetivo, durante unos 30-45 minutos y luego por la tarde hacer una cata de vinos donde pueda venir cualquier persona, hasta llenar el aforo, paraa cerrar con una cena de gala.

Estamos trabajando para que ciertas personalidades del vino y organismos guberbamentales puedan apoyar el evento y hacerlo atractivo para el consumidor de China. Pensamos que es una idea única y vosotros vais a tener un foro para explicar vuestros vinos y el vino español a nuestros clientes que son los que os tendrán que vender en China.

Bodegas Españolas tendrán que financiarse su viaje y estancia en Shanghai y se hablará en su momento de la posibilidad de compartir algun gasto con nuestra empresa para cubrir el evento. Bodegas podreis financiaros con ayudas OCM para la promoción de vinos a paises como China. Nuestra empresa se ocupará de organizar el evento, invitar a nuestros clientes de toda China a Shanghai, traer a la prensa especializada, gobiernos y demas.

Esta es la idea que creemos puede ser buena y por la que vamos a trabajar, cualquier sugerencia, comentario y crítica no dudeis en contactarme.

Un saludo desde China

Ezequiel 冯逸凡。

Ezequiel Franco Lopez (冯逸凡)
Marketing
Mobile: +86 18721737852
skype: ezequiel.franco.lopez
Facebook: Ezequiel Franco Lopez

MY WINE VIDEOS / MIS VINO VIDEOS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maCZ1Bn-mIQ
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzY1NzU4MD

English translation from Google:
 

Hello Dear Friends.

I want to first thank you for your trust, commitment, support and patience in working with us as your distributor of wines in the Chinese market.

Our company CAVESMAITRE (卡斯特) with Panati (班 提) both belong to Daniel Li. Cavesmaitre is aimed at all our business is Panati French wines and where they will be Spanish wines. Daniel Li began working in its infancy 17 years ago (1995) with importing and distributing Panati Spanish wines, this brand and company is one of the first importers of wine in China and one of the oldest still working today in sector of imported wines.

We think the Spanish wine has a good future (next few years) in China, today is still France and France, but we think that Spanish wine will play an important role in China, when Chinese consumers acquire more knowledge in wine. So we want to start introducing more Spanish wines in China, but we want to do it slowly and well done, in a very professional and low recognition of our company in China.

 We already distribute a range of Spanish wines for many years, but with the addition of you and then some, we think we have a portfolio of wines that can cover well and represent Spain. Our intention is to have wines "good", with a value for money along with scores and international awards that are attractive to Chinese consumers and today, in China, Robert Parker is the reference, but as we are talking about Spanish wines Peñin scores can also be interesting.

The reason for this email is to make an ad for a CATA-CONFERENCE we want to do in Shanghai on Monday November 26. We want to use the occasion of a visit of certain political personalities from Spain that are coming at that time, to see if they may be able to attend the event or attend for  a few minutes.

This CATA-CONFERENCE will consist of a day where will all our Spanish wines, it is important to come, export managers, general managers and winemakers from each winery. We'll all be in a hotel where the target audience is: OUR CLIENTS, PRESS SPECIALIZED IN CHINA, Government of China, wine professionals, but most of our clients, which you will have to explain to them your wines and special.

The structure of the event is to detail but the idea is to make each wine conferences to our target audience, for about 30-45 minutes and then in the afternoon to do a wine tasting where anyone can come, to fill the capacity , Paraa close with a gala dinner.

We are working for certain wine personalities and bodies guberbamentales to support the event and make it attractive to the Chinese consumer. We think it's a unique idea and you are going to have a forum to explain your wine and Spanish wine to our customers who are the ones you have to sell in China.

Spanish wineries have to finance their trip and stay in Shanghai and will be discussed at the time of the possibility of sharing some expense to our company to cover the event. Wineries podreis financiaros with CMO aid to promote wines to countries like China. Our company will organize the event, invite our customers across China to Shanghai, bringing the trade press, and other governments.

This is the idea that we can be good and we are going to work, any suggestions, comments and criticism do not hesitate to contact me.

Greetings from China

Ezekiel 冯逸凡.


Ezequiel Franco Lopez (冯逸凡)
Marketing
Mobile: +86 18721737852
skype: ezequiel.franco.lopez
Facebook: Ezequiel Franco Lopez

MY VIDEOS WINE / WINE MY VIDEOS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maCZ1Bn-mIQ
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzY1NzU4MD

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzY1NzU4MDg0.html

2012 Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay wins an award

I'm delighted to have won Best Investigative Wine Story at the 2012 Born Digital Wine Awards. My particular thanks go to Harold Heckle, who obtained the crucial emails. I will be splitting the 1000€ prize with him. Thanks to ours sources who were brave enough to provide us with the emails, especially when the reaction, especially in Murcia, was to institute a witch-hunt to find out who had passed on the emails.

My thanks to Vincent Pousson, who broke the story, and to Jacques Berthomeau, who gave the initial story legs by allowing Vincent to post on his blog. Also thanks to the many who offered us their support during the investigation.   

Born Digital Awards Results

Congratulations to all the prizewinners and the runners up.

The winner of each category receives 1000€ a Jancis Robinson Purple Page membership, a pass to the 2012 European Wine Bloggers Conference and an invitation to join the Circle of Wine Writers with a one year complementary free membership. Unfortunately the CWW offer does not apply to Best Winery Self Produced Content category. The CWW also welcomes membership applications from bloggers, in particular those shortlisted for the Born Digital Awards. Details from our administrator, Andrea Warren, on andrea.warren@btinternet.com      

There is an additional prize from Laithwaites, one of the sponsors of the award, who will be offering help to winners to obtain a piece of equipment that they always wanted. The first runner up receives a WiFi Kindle and the second runner up a £50 voucher to spend on Amazon.   

Best Editorial Wine Writing

1. Andrea Frost (The New Ruby Press): The Invention of Wine

2. Paul Keers (Sediment): Just Looking: The Joy of Wine Browsing

3. Amy Corron Power (Another Wine Blog): Wine Intelligence admits Bias, Ulterior Motives in “Wine Blogger Distrust” Release

Best Investigative Wine Story

1. Jim Budd (Jim’s Loire): Campogate, no Pay no Jay

2. Evan Dawson (Submitted Piece to Palate Press): Message from California  Winemakers: Stop Slandering Our Pinot!

3. Chris Kissack (Wine Doctor): Pressure Sensitive

Best Wine Tourism Feature

1. Nick Stock (Post Ferment): Preserving Home Turf: A very special part of the world

2. Louise Hurren (Submitted Piece to Wine Travel Guides): Authentic wines and hearty cooking in Bucelas outside Lisbon

3. Tom Florina (The Vine Route): Contextual pleasures: NYC chic meets Corsican mystique

Best Winery Self Produced Content

1. Ryan O’Connell (O’Vineyards): Who Visits Vineyards

2. Gavin Quinney (Bauduc Blog): 13 Unpalatable Facts about the UK Wine Duty

3. Kerith Overstreet (Brulium Wine Blog): Insufferable

Best Wine Themed Video

1. Giorgia Guarienti (Off Road Strade Creative): Wine: Got to Deserve It

2. Richard Hemming (Purple Pages): An MW student’s guide to remembering appellations

3. Ophélie Neiman (Miss Glou Glou): Au coeur du bouchon de liège

Best Wine Photo Essay

1. Matt Wilson (MattWilson.cl): Small Wine Producers in the Maule Valley Chile

2. Mick Rock (Cephas): A biodynamic day at Dr Bürklin Wolf

3. Giacomo Tincani (La Basia): Tie (Legare)

The Judges:

Ulf Sjödin

Tim Atkin

Elin McCoy

Patrick Schmitt

Fongyee Walker

Hervé Lalau

Richard Ross

Wink Lorch

        

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.

Castel fined for infringing trademark rights of Robert Parker's 'new friend'

  

 Wine Future HK: Daniel Li (Li Daozhi), Robert Parker and Pancho Campo MW

Last Friday Vitisphere carried the news that Castel Frères, the largest importers of French wine into China had been 4.12€ million for infringing the trademark rights of Daniel Li (Li Daozhi) of Caves Maître France. Back in 2000 the far-sighted Li Daozhi registered a series of prestigious wine trademarks in China  like Castel, Lafite, Mouton, Penfold and Diageo. Although in the West one might view Daniel Li (Li Daozhi)'s action as name theft, in China a court has upheld his right to Castel's name. Castel are appealing against the verdict. 

Chine : Castel condamné pour contrefaçon... de son propre nom !

'L’affaire paraît ubuesque. Le groupe Castel vient d’être condamné par la cour d’appel de Wenzhou en Chine pour contrefaçon de la marque Kasite, traduction en chinois du nom Castel. Le plaignant, Li Daozhi, propriétaire de la société Shanghai Panati, a déposé en Chine en 2000 une série de prestigieux noms de marques de vin comme Castel, Lafite, Mouton, Penfold, Diageo…, qu’il a eu l’habileté de déposer dans leur traduction chinoise. Ainsi Castel en chinois se traduit Kasite. Le groupe français, qui avait eu la sagesse de protéger le nom et le logo Castel en Chine dès ses premiers pas en 1998, n’a en revanche déposé que lors de sa création en 2005 le nom de sa filiale chinoise : Faguo Kasite Xiongdi Gongsi (qui signifie France Castel Frères SAS).'

Read the rest here.
 
Daniel Li (Li Daozhi) and his companies were a major sponsor of Pancho Campo's Wine Future Hong Kong last November. Doubtless Robert Parker knew nothing of Daniel Li (Li Daozhi)'s controversial actions but what did Campo know? And if he didn't should he have checked out his major sponsors?

Robert Parker presenting@Wine Future HK under a large Caves Maître France sign 

Hope Robert was signing over the rights to his name in China to Daniel Li!

See earlier post about Caves Maître and Wine Future HK.

Evan Dawson: Rattling Sabres: James Suckling, Robert Parker, Wine Writer Ethics and Bullying

Evan Dawson@the 4th EWBC in Brescia 

Interesting and topical piece by Evan Dawson on threats to sue for libel made by Robert Parker and James Suckling posted on here on Palate Press. 

'Rattling Sabres: James Suckling, Robert Parker, Wine Writer Ethics and Bullying

April 24, 2012 by Evan Dawson  
Filed under Columnists, Evan Dawson, FCG, Wine Spotlight

'Thankfully, the Pew Research Center has more important things to do than to figure out what the public thinks about wine writers. I fear that if they undertook the task, they would find that many people view wine writing with some degree of scorn.' 

A link to a report on the James Suckling in Quebec controversy, which includes a link to the three videos for which SAQ (La Société des Alcools du Quebec) say they paid Suckling $18,000.      

Campogate: Robert Parker's 'car crash'

"What a fine mess I've made of this!"

The summary report on the investigation by Cozen O’Connor and Kroll Associates into Campogate/No Pay No Jay has some devastating findings and conclusions amongst its measured tones.

Although Pancho Campo MW and Jay Miller are obvious losers, it is Robert Parker’s reputation that takes by far the biggest hit. In short ‘Campogate’ has shown that Parker’s administration and public relation skills are woefully inadequate. The report demonstrates that the management of the world’s most influential wine critic and The Wine Advocate team would make Heath Robinson proud. 

Parker bears the major responsibility both for the genesis of Campogate and for all the avoidable damage it has done to brand Parker and his Wine Advocate. In order to recoup some of the thousands spent on an investigation,  Parker and The Wine Advocate should offer this sorry saga to PR guru Max Clifford as an abject lesson in how not to do ‘crisis management’. 

The report makes ten recommendations – surely a remarkable number for an investigation of this kind. One crucial one, however, is missing: that Parker becomes chairman of the board and appoints as managing director someone who has both managerial and public relations skills. This would allow Parker to concentrate on his strengths: tasting and writing about wine.

The genesis of this débâcle dates back to November 2009 and Wine Future Rioja. 

Was it ever going to be sensible to appoint a non-Spanish speaker – Jay Miller – to give the increased coverage to Spanish wines that Parker wanted? Probably it wouldn’t have been a problem if Miller’s role had been just to taste samples in the US. Instead, Miller was dispatched to make frequent visits to Spain, thus requiring a Spanish-speaking guide and organizer.

I guess after the adulation of WineFuture Rioja in November 2009 and being well paid for his participation (entirely appropriate as Parker was the headlining act and without him both editions of Wine Future would have had much less impact) it must have seemed to him a smart move to ask Campo to organize Miller’s Spanish visits.

But was it a really that bright to appoint someone who at that very moment was wanted by Interpol (a notice only downgraded in July 2010) for absconding from a conviction for fraud in Dubai in 2003? Furthermore, as the report notes:

‘Robert Parker and the staff at The Wine Advocate placed Campo – someone with ‘a myriad, legitimate commercial relationships with wineries across Spain – in a position that provided him with an opportunity to exert some control over Miller’s itinerary in Spain without adequately briefing him about The Wine Advocate’s strict standards safeguarding its independence. Furthermore, Jay Miller did not speak Spanish, and, as a result, was dependent on Campo to make all arrangements with minimal oversight from The Wine Advocate. This difficulty was exacerbated by Miller’s lack of knowledge and interest regarding the details of Campo’s negotiations.’

Given all this, it is utterly astounding that Parker accepted invoices from Campo and The Wine Academy of Spain (TWAS) without any documentation, as the report states. ‘TWAS submitted its expenses to The Wine Advocate on a single invoice with no supporting documentation – i.e., no actual receipts of its or Jay Miller’s expenses in Spain.’ This from a man convicted of trousering $600,000 from his former business partner! 

Little surprise then that problems arose:

The investigation concluded that, whether intentionally or not, Campo blurred the lines between tastings for rating in The Wine Advocate and TWAS-sponsored private events.

An early example of the blurring of ‘the lines between tastings for rating in The  Wine Advocate and TWAS-sponsored events‘ came in July 2011 with the July 2011 visit to Navarra.  In August 2011 Mercados del Vino y la Distribución reported that the visit to Navarra by Jay Miller and Pancho Campo MW had cost the region €100,000 and included a master class for which Miller was apparently paid $15,000. Chris Kissack (The Wine Doctor) reported that:

‘Parker’s response was to indicate that it was a paid lecture, and it was $15,000, not €100,000, and “and where is there any conflict? He, as all of us do, are paid to give lectures“. “I can’t possibly see any conflict with what Jay has done, but if you actually know anything, I am all ears“.  

Recommendation 8 (Cozen O’Connor): Refuse to allow contractors to conduct private events while travelling for The Wine Advocate.

Irrespective of whether Parker was shooting from the hip or commenting with the full facts at his disposal, his remarks may well have indicated to Campo and Miller that Parker saw no conflict of interest in having private paid events tacked onto Wine Advocate visits.

On 26^th October 2011 Vincent Pousson published on Facebook the now famous ASEVIN tariff for tastings and visits by Jay Miller and Pancho Campo. Shortly afterwards I published further emails that Harold Heckle and I had obtained that supported the email published by Pousson and provided further information. ‘Campogate’ had begun. 

Had Parker been media-savvy he could have stepped in at the beginning of November and publicly launched an investigation into the Murcia/ASEVIN emails, saving himself much grief and money. Instead he allowed the situation to fester and get worse, due, I assume, to an unfortunate siege mentality that any criticism seeks to undermine him and is motivated by envy. 

  

Further Parker inspired PR disasters followed at the beginning of December after our publication of the emails around the abortive proposed visit to DO Vinos de Madrid. On 1^st December Parker claimed in relation to the ASEVIN emails that:

‘This blogger posted about Miller/Campo charging for tasting Spanish wines or for visiting Spanish wineries a while ago. We launched an investigation at that time despite the fact that both Miller/Campo denied all the allegations. We found no substance or truth to any of the allegations.’

Full details here.

As well as threatening me with legal action over the new Madrid allegations, Parker launched a four-month legal investigation that presumably cost  thousands, which backed up what the ASEVIN emails had shown:

‘There was plainly an early attempt by ASEVIN to solicit such contributions’ (page 4, Cozen O’Connor).

Another claim made in Parker’s outburst was also shown to be wrong: 

‘Jay chooses and controls 100% of the wines he tastes and wineries he visits.’ (RP). ‘According to Jay Miller, he typically provided a list of wineries to Campo that would fill approximately 75% of his schedule; this left a portion of his schedule (approximately 25%, by Miller’s estimation; much lower by Campo’s estimation) to be completed with recommendations from Campo. (The investigation confirmed that no one else at The Wine Advocate was aware of Campo’s significant role in proposing wineries to visit.)’ (Page 3).

It looks to me like an awful lot of money has been spent to demonstrate managerial incompetence and that you don’t know what is going on in your business.

Parker’s announcement and the DO Viños de Madrid emails merely fanned the internet ‘explosion’ as well as a rising tide of criticism in Spain. Just when it seemed it couldn’t get any worse Parker capped it all on 4^th December by baldly announcing that Jay Miller was leaving The Wine Advocate. Although Miller’s departure had apparently been long arranged, it was widely assumed that he had been sacked. Parker gave the appearance of being entirely oblivious to the effect that his announcement was bound to have in the fevered atmosphere of the time.

How far ‘Campogate’ has damaged Parker’s reputation and that of The Wine Advocate remains to be seen, but what is clear is that most of the damage has been largely inflicted by Parker himself. It has certainly demonstrated that the administration and management of Team Parker is a ramshackle affair. This might be hubristically amusing if Parker and The Wine Advocate did not have the power to make the reputations and fortunes of wine producers as well as very significantly influence the wine investment market.    

Pancho Campo MW

Pancho Campo will doubtless trumpet that he has been cleared by the investigation citing ‘no evidence of actual impropriety’. However, the blame for the ‘appearance of impropriety’ is largely laid at Campo’s door and ‘sever relations with Pancho Campo and The Wine Academy of Spain (TWAS)‘ is the report’s very first recommendation. (So much for Campo’s allegation of ‘disgusting attacks’ somewhat supinely reported last week by Harpers.)

One crucial question remains unanswered in the report: did ‘the blurring of the lines between tastings for rating in The Wine Advocate and TWAS-sponsored private events’ mean that Spanish wine regions had to accept, or thought they had to accept, the TWAS-sponsored private events in order to have a visit from Jay Miller and for their wines to be rated in situ? Email evidence relating to the proposed trip by Miller and Campo in the summer of 2011 to DO Viños de Madrid suggests that this was the case but is not mentioned in the report.   

Campo has acknowledged that wine no longer holds the financial rewards it did and is attempting to resuscitate his career by returning to music and sports promotion as well as deluxe lifestyle events under the Charade Management umbrella (‘can’t these bloggers get anything right?’ – special representative for Marbella – ‘it’s Chrand Management SL – director: Pancho Campo.)

Jay Miller

From the report, Jay Miller appears to have stumbled around Spain in ‘don’t ask questions’ mode.

‘Furthermore, Jay Miller did not speak Spanish, and, as a result was dependent on Campo to make all the arrangements with minimal oversight from The Wine Advocate. This difficulty was exacerbated by Miller’s lack of knowledge and interest regarding the details of Campo’s negotiations.' 

Miller had power of veto over Campo’s suggestions of wines and wineries to visit but never used it. ‘Although Miller always retained “veto” over wines and wineries suggested by Campo – and thereby ultimate control over his itinerary – Miller admitted that he never had reason to exercise this power with any of Campo’s recommendations.’

‘Thus, while this investigation revealed no evidence of actual impropriety, we believe the dynamic of Miller and Campo’s collaboration in Spain –  even if undertaken with the best of intentions – created an appearance of impropriety.’

***

One of Spain's leading wine critics, Andrés Proensa (www.proensa.com), gives his verdict on Campogate and has a look at Charade Management in this article.