Decanter World Wine AwardsSylvie Cazes: early Bordeaux scoring is 'marginal' problem
- Wednesday 30 March 2011
Bordeaux 2010: critics 'respect rules''
Following French critic Michel Bettane’s open letter of complaint about those who publish before the official start of en primeur week, Cazes said most respect the rules.
'Every year there are a few journalists who taste before en primeur, and we ask all of them not to publish their notes before the official week. Almost all respect this rule completely.’
She said the UGC had no jurisdiction over the press, nor over individual chateaux – their role was simply to provide samples in the best possible conditions for journalists. She added she considered pre-publication a minor problem.
‘We cannot of course tell individual chateau members of the UGC what to do – or of course other Bordeaux chateaux who receive journalists – but we believe the problem remains very marginal.’
Bettane went on, in a letter to Decanter.com, to lambast critics who considered themselves ‘supermen… able to give a precise ranking on one short tasting, one sample, in real time, and not after a complete tasting of the vintage’.
Have your say!
Byron Sharp
April 02 21:35
Critics who publish early undermine their own credibility. That's what keeps most in-line, not the UGC.
r
April 02 19:53
People still drink Bordeaux?
Francois
April 01 06:28
"BDx 10 Journo claims of acting in consumer interest by being :first" are simply mealy-mouthed justification for seeking financial advantage." -tweet by anthony rose.
1: this mountain of an molesheap is the reason people find the wine industry pompest and self involved.
2: do anyone believe the en primeur system is in place for any other reason THAN financial gain for the partaking cellars?? so why not for the journos who's paying job it is to cover it....?
3: you cant gag someones opinion on soemone.
David Cobbold
March 31 15:24
Of course this is all about vested interests. What else?