Comments on: Wine, the Web, and Jancis Robinson

By: Mahmoud Ali

Mahmoud Ali — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 09:34:25 +0000

Gregg,

Great story, and yes, a very charming lady.

Also, thanks to the GrapeRadio Bunch for the podcast. I first came across GrapeRadio when I was in Australia and the interview was with Serge Hochar of Chateau Musar. Another insightful interview.

Cheers………Mahmoud.

By: Mahmoud Ali

Mahmoud Ali — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 09:18:27 +0000

I’ve listened to two interviews on GrapeRadio today and both were with women writers and both thought that Beaujolais and Greek wines were well worth exploring (earlier it was Alice Feiring). Amazing, this is going to get me to try some ’09 Beaujolais and put a few more Greek wines in the cellar.

Jancis Robinson is one of my favourite wine writers. I first saw her when she hosted the BBC’s 6-part series on wine. Later I read her book “Tasting Pleasure: Confessions of a Wine Lover” a delightful book about her career in wine. The book is chalk-full of interesting insights, delightful characters, amusing anecdotes, and of course her seminal wine moment, the 1959 Chambolle-Musigny.

Over the years I’ve discovered that my palate agrees with hers. This interview only reinforces my opinion as I too find sherry an incredibly underated drink (I’m drinking Lustau ‘Los Arcos’ Amontillado at cost because the store I bought it from can’t get rid of it!). I also think that Canadian Ice Wine overated, overpriced, and relatively simple, and would much prefer almost any other desert wine at the price.

Okay, this is only tounge-in-cheek but, “The King is dead, long live the Queen!”

Cheers……………..Mahmoud.

By: Wine2Three

Wine2Three — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 05:18:25 +0000

Wow that’s an amazing note from Gregg above! I am also a huge fan of Jancis Robinson and will definitely revisit this podcast!

By: Gregg

Gregg — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 06:16:28 +0000

Thanks for the podcast. It was great to hear from Jancis. I really like her “down-to-earthness” reviews on wine. I am also proud to boast that during a trip to London I emailed her from the FT website expecting to get a secretary. All I wanted was my copy of The Oxford Companion to Wine autographed. She graciously emailed me back ( I was elated to receive a personal email from someone I truly admire), and told me NOT to “lug my copy over-the-pond”, but to pick up the new edition which just happened to be in stores the day of my arrival (I think it was October 25 2006). I was more than happy to do so. We finally connected by tele and she invited my nephew and I to her home. We chatted (I was tongue-tied), I gave her a gift of wine that I bought for the occasion and she opened a bottle of Champagne. That’s right, I drank Champagne with Jancis Robinson in her home! Needless to say, I will never forget that day. Jancis Robinson is a very nice, and charming Lady.

Thanks again for the podcast.

Gregg