Pancho Campo resigns from Institute of Masters of Wine

Pancho Campo, who was at the centre of last year's controversy around the organisation of wine tastings in Spain, has resigned from the Institute of Masters of Wine.

Pancho Campo and Jay Miller

The Institute of Masters of Wine launched an investigation in December 2011 into whether Campo had breached its code of conduct, after allegations that his organisation the Wine Academy of Spain had effectively been charging Spanish wineries for access to Jay Miller, the correspondent for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.

Decanter.com understands from a well-placed source at the Institute that the investigation had been completed. Its report had been sent to members of the IMW Council and was due to be considered this week. During the course of the investigation it is understood that the Institute had sought legal advice.

Decanter.com understands the report recommended that Campo – who became the first Spanish Master of Wine in 2008 – should be suspended from the Institute for a period of two or three years.

Under the Institute’s disciplinary procedures Campo would have had a month to accept or appeal against the Council’s decision. Under Institute rules, if a member accepts the decision then the report is not published. If there is an appeal the report is published along with any submissions the disciplined member has submitted.

Siobhan Turner, executive director of the IMW, sent the following message to members.

‘Pancho Campo has today informed the Institute that in light of his move into more sports and music events and away from wine, he has decided to resign his membership of the Institute of Masters of Wine, effective immediately. We wish him the best in his new endeavours.’

A separate investigation instigated by Parker found the Wine Advocate’s arrangements in Spain last year created ‘inappropriate ambiguity’, but did not find any evidence that Miller had received payment for tasting wines.

At the time of writing there has been no comment from Campo or the Wine Academy of Spain.

Written by Jim Budd