Le Monde magazine

In this weekend’s issue, which replaces Le Monde’s old version of the supplement, Bettane Desseauve wrote a wine section listing some of their favorites. Wines were presented with fun and had comments I share regarding Bad Boy and Haut Carles which concern me particularly. But also for Marquis de Termes, Fieuzal, Beau Soleil in Pomerol, Guiraud, Rouget, Phelan Ségur and of course Pontet Canet and Ducru Beaucaillou, etc…
It’s hard to get out of the usual frame work such as right bank-left bank, classified growth, crus Bourgeois, the style and imagination of the writers forces them to pay attention to titles and attracting readers, to find new ways to write about wine and generate interest and curiosity and this is not an easy task.

In my shops in Saint Emilion, each sales person is responsible for its own communication and 3 stores have 3 different styles and 3 ways to get the attention of the customer. Each time, there is a common thread, a story, and each time it reminds me of Jacques Luxey’s 2 sayings:
1/ One doesn’t sell a product but a difference
2/ Know-how and let people know.
Jacques, we miss you. And not just Murielle and I but also Michel and Philippe, I am sure…

For your information, Le Monde is a prestigious newspaper in France: 300,000 units sold and 1.5 million readers. I hope that Le Monde becomes the new media which takes us out of the French professional “ghettos”, for here in France, the press is highly controlled: fight against alcoholism, Evin law, auto censorship, without taking in consideration the new gurus of anti Parker style and pro of under-ripe wines, followers of “nature” wines.