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Magazine Mesa y Negocios
April 2010
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| VINOBLE |
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Wine can only be enjoyed in moderation. |
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NEWS |
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INTERVIEW WITH JANCIS ROBINSON
Wine writer and critic Jancis Robinson has recently given an exclusive interview in relation to her participation in the upcoming Barcelona Wine Festival.
1. Could you tell us about your personal and professional profile?
Jancis Robinson OBE, Master of Wine and award-winning TV host, has written millions of words about wine, in books such as The Oxford Companion to Wine (3rd, much revised edition due out sep 06) and the 5th edition of The World Atlas of Wine (with Hugh Johnson), as wine correspondent of the Financial Times, and for www.jancisrobinson.com, nowadays her principal preoccupation.
2. How was your first encounter with the world of wine?
As assistant editor of a wine trade magazine in London. I knew nothing but I was able to travel a lot and immediately did the WSET courses, followed eventually by the MW.
3. How difficult was to become world renown wine expert and critic?
I do work too hard! Luckily I have an excuse to ?play? with good wine and food every evening, but my working days are long and concentrated.
4. The profession of wine critic seems to be a speciality mostly for men. Do you agree? Have you had any difficulties being a woman in a world of men?
None at all ? in fact it was an advantage initially as women in wine were rather a novelty and there was a time when we got a lot of media coverage in the UK. I think women do tend to have a slightly different approach to wine. Society doesn?t expect us to know all about it so we can be more relaxed and not worry about what is the ?right? choice. I think as wine writers we tend to be a bit less dogmatic than our male counterparts.
5. How does it feel knowing that your critics and punctuations could move millions of dollars and even affect many years spent in trying to produce a wine.
I honestly don?t believe that?s true! And in a way I hope it never becomes so. I have always preached that there are no absolutes in wine assessment. It?s subjective. We all have our own tastes. I say what I honestly think about wines personally and then I would like my readers to work out how their own personal taste relates to mine and that of other wine critics so that they can make an informed judgement. The last thing I want to do is to ?tell? people what to drink.
6. Have you ever been overwhelmed by such responsibility?
Not yet but if you keep on repeating this question I might become so!
7. What about fame and being a celebrity?
I was at my most famous in the 1980s when I was on British TV most often. Once I was waiting to cross the street in London and I could see a woman out of the corner of my eye wanting to speak to me. I turned to her expecting the usual ?Oh I do like your tv programmes? when in fact what she wanted to say was that she really liked my dress!
Nowadays I am not often recognized in the street, but it?s absolutely wonderful to be able to go virtually anywhere in the world (with the possible exception of parts of the Middle East) and be able to find like-minded friends and wine enthusiasts who appreciate my work.
8. What characteristics do you value the most in a good wine?
Balance and refreshment. Too many wines today bludgeon the palate rather than caress it.
9. Do you look after you palate? Do you worry about your taste buds deteriorating with any food product which could affect your fine tasting abilities?
No. All I do is ensure that I don?t use a mint toothpaste immediately before tasting wine. Try it. It makes the wine taste horrible.
10. Do you believe that the New World countries represent a serious threat for the traditional producers of European wines?
They already have. Australia is the no 1 exporter of wine to both the US and UK now.
11. What wines do you personally prefer? Which are you favourite?
I particularly appreciate the variety. I would hate to drink nothing but top red bordeaux for example. I love the way that the juice of a single fruit can be fermented into so many different styles of liquid.
In hot weather I appreciate the low alcohol and refreshing acidity of fine Rieslings, typically but not exclusively from Germany. But otherwise I just like to keep changing?
13. Amongst the new wine producing regions, is there any area or country that you believe we will soon be hearing about in regards to the quality of their wines?
China, which is now the 6th most important grower of grapevines, is bound to make some seriously good wine before too long. Already Grace has produced some pretty good wine south fo Beijing.
13. In regards to France, have they lost market shares because they have been relying on their past history?
Partly. Partly complacency, and partlya structural problem. The French wine business is so fragmented with very few producers of any real size ? and they tend to be co-operatives, too many of which have been run by local bureaucrats rather than people with real appreciation of the needs of the international marketplace. There are definite signs of life in the co-operative movement now in France, and the bigger merchants are starting to get the hang of selling globally. If the French could organize selling as opposed to producing it would help them enormously.
14. Which are the Spanish wines that you value the most?
Ooo, difficult question! I suppose sherry is Spain?s most distinctive gift to the world of wine and is pitifully undervalued, although it?s good to see signs of life in Jerez at the moment. I like really good Albarino and I am absolutely fascinated by the speed with which really interesting wines have sprung up in all sorts of unlikely places ? Bierzo, Jumilla, Campo de Borja, Alicante, Manchuela, the Canary Islands, Mallorca ? I could go on!
15. What should the Spanish producers and wine industry improve?
A more sensitive oak handling.
16. Are the new technological advances helping to create better wines or just more uniform wine throughout the World?
Both. We have to do what we can to encourage variety. But 10 years ago we were all worried that there would be nothing but Chardonnay and Cabernet planted. Then producers got bored with these and we now have a much wider range of vine varieties to choose from. I hope the same will happen with wine styles.
17. How is globalization affecting the wine industry?
Putting terrible pressure on suppliers at the bottom end of the market, not helped by a global grape glut. So the quality of really cheap wine on sale in Europe has declined to meet price points, even if it is technically not faulty.
18. It appears that there is a certain tendency towards the elaboration of varietal wines. Is this correct?
Yes, a trend that has accelerated over the last 15 years.
19. Are varietal wines less complex and interesting than blends?
Not necessarily. Romanee Conti is pretty complex but contains nothing but Pinot Noir.
20. Is there a global overproduction of wine?
Yes
21. What regions should focus more on quality than quantity?
All
22. What is your opinion on global warming?
I don?t think we can deny it
23. Concentrated and overextracted wines, fruit bombs with alcohol levels way beyond 14.5%; is what the consumer is looking for o they are made just to gain points and medals?
I?m not sure about the proportion of consumers who, like me, prefer less concentrated wines. I?m sure that some of the tendency has been fuelled by a desire to win points and therefore, the producers hope, sales.
24. At the Barcelona Wine Festival you will be conducting a masterclass on New World wines tasting icons such as Penfolds Grange, Opus One of Felton Road. What else can the participants expect to learn?
They can make comparisons which is always much more interesting than just tasting one wine in isolation. I will also be talking about global trends for both producers and consumers.
25. What is the importance of being a Master of Wine? When will Spain have an MW? Is this relevant for the Spanish wine Industry.
I can?t wait for Spain to have its first MW. It is a truly international organization of excellence in wine knowledge and appreciation and we would all benefit from a Spanish element.
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