Common sense, sequel

Following my post from Wednesday:
“Some of the points you make are valid, if not exactly original by any stretch of the imagination or in any language; others, simply tendentious and/or aggravating in that they make all journalists sound like luxury-loving, freebie=hunting, know-nothing parasites. Most ungenerous of you and very untrue. Life is not long enough for me to respond to this characterization or to express just how frustrating it can be for serious, hard-working, ill-(and un-) paid journalists to get information from winemakers. Nevertheless, have a good day and a good 2009 vintage. “
Jacqueline Friedrich, the winehumanist.com.

Jacqueline is part of a group of critics, journalists, writers who deeply like their jobs and she is not the only one, of course.
My words, often a bit exaggerated, tend to trigger some reactions. But in fact, my thoughts are based on what takes place in the Roussillon – which she knows for having been there a few years ago – without also forgetting Bordeaux. I always expect that people who affect our lives have some seriousness. The few erring ways I see pop up in some French media make me react. It is one of the rare luxuries we still have in our democratic country.
Making us believe that the moon is made of green cheese, at least try to be exact. It wouldn’t hurt to do a bit of checking, blind, like the Grand Jury Européen, or a bit with Bertrand Le Guern, or with lab analysis to see if they detected any bretts, TCA, methoxypyrazines (every time I use this word, I think about Jean Marc Quarin)… If the nose of our critics doesn’t work properly, try to check with a few so-called “normal” clients, women or men, gourmands and not sectarian.

Of course, there are all sorts of opinion or taste in the world, a friend of mine tells me when I get carried away. But when it concerns individuals who write for general readers publications, such as Terre de Vins or Revue du Vin de France, some precision should be imposed for, in the same publication, some journalist might like modern wines full of ripe fruits while others prefer unripened fruit and acidity.

There should not be only one voice to defined taste, the minimum should be to agree in common on what a good wine is and a well tended vineyard.

Last Wednesday, we tasted at the Comptoir de Genès (in Belvès de Castillon), a very good : Poupille Atypique (2003 ?) with no sulfite, produced in Castillon, A proof that the choice of being organic and sulfite free, can also make good wine with talent and more.
Also tasted: Presbytère from Château La Clarière Laithwaite, very good.
The meal was delicious, and the fact that the place was busy shows the quality of the establishment. The wine proposed at the price of the producer as well as a 6 Euros corkage fee gave us the opportunity to taste the best wines of Castillon along with a 14 Euros menu.