Going to Rioja...and drinking Chateauneuf?

WINE TALK
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For those that are unaware, Robert Parker is setting foot on Spanish soil for the first time since 1972, when he speaks at http://www.winefuture.es" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; in November.

There are many rumors (for you Philip Franks) that state Parker is getting as much as 100,000 euros ($150,000 USD) plus a dinner.meeting with the king of Spain for his appearance.

Anyways, Parker is conducting a seminar for those that are paying extra to sit with him (350 people can sign up for the extra seminar). Rather than pour Rioja, which is where the event is taking place, and who is sponsoring the event, Mr. P has elected to pour 2007 CDPs and some other Grenache wines…Interesting selection of wines for a first trip to Rioja in 40 years.

Interesting blog entry here…with the translation.
http://www.laotrabotella.com" onclick=“window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Flaotrabotella.com%2F2009%2F09%2F23%2Fde-rioja-en-rioja-y-sin-riojas-la-encuesta-de-la-semana%2F&sl=es&tl=en&history_state0=” onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Old news.

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Reminds me of the time he posted on a meal at Le Bernardin where the wines consisted of several magnums of Chateauneuf luxury cuvees.

Lovely with the uni, I’m sure.

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Not for here, mi amigo (that is Spanish for my friend).

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http://dat.erobertparker.com/bboard/showthread.php?t=209945&highlight=alto+moncayo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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I am not familiar with that bulletin board, thanks.

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I’m taking my ball and going home!!! [neener.gif]

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Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!

I am using this emoticon, just because…

pepsi

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It’s a curious call. On the one hand, if you go to Rioja and pour wines from a few producers, you piss off all the rest. On the other hand, if you go to Rioja and pour wines that have nothing at all to do with Rioja, then, well, you’re pouring wine that doesn’t have anything to do with Rioja. Obviously there are reasons for making the line up that was made, but the more I think about it, there is no way he could really go there and talk about Spanish wine. Too many people there who know more. He loves the Rhone and he also knows it well, so maybe that’s not a bad thing to talk about.

Still don’t understand the vintage choices though. And there’s really no need to hype the 2007 CdPs either. Much more interesting would have been to do a few 1998s from Spain, Rhone, etc. Particularly since he was the reviewer for both back then and it would have been interesting to see how the predictions held up.

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Think there is any chance I could get him to pour a nice little PQR from Granada? I mean Jay has tried them and said he liked them all and was going to publish them…eventually. [dontknow.gif]

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Greg:

I agree with you that it would have been a tough call selecting some wines and pissing off the ones that do not get selected for the tasting with Parker. But you have to realize that Parker is not the Spanish wine writer for the Wine Advocate anymore and he could have selected his favorites. He does it for his EWS Bordeaux and Rhone tastings and he is the writer for those regions.

I also agree that Parker does not know that much about Spanish wine but for a tasting like that he could study in depth the wines he selected prior to the event.

What amazes me is that with so much wine history in Rioja, why did the folks from the DO and their governing body, having sponsored the event, did not have any kind of Rioja wine tasting or Rioja wine seminar in the two day program? What the hell they were thinking? Maybe those folks should take Wine Library’s cruise and learn some marketing skills from Gary.

Getting 1998 Priorat’s would have been close to impossible for a tasting as big as this one. I do not think you will be able to track even two cases of any of the major players on Wine-Searcher. In addition, any retrospective of those wines would have not be in his best interest given his extremely generous drinkability windows.

SALUDos,
José

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For the money he is getting paid, you would think that he would pour Rioja.

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If the payment amount is true, that is alot of money for a speaking fee.

Any relation to Sierre Carche and Jay Miller exploits?

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Has Rioja now been added to the lineup?

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.larioja.com%2F20091001%2Frioja-region%2Fcampo-dice-ahora-riojas-20091001.html&sl=es&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Dan:

The selection of the two Rioja wines have been announced. The traditional Rioja is the 1945 Marqués de Riscal, a legend among Spanish wines. I wonder how much pressure was placed to Marqués de Riscal, one of the sponsors of the event, to provide enough bottles for 450 participants.

The second Rioja wine, the modern one, is the 2007 Contador. Another wine from Jorge Ordóñez portfolio, increasing to 15% the share of wines from his portfolio for the tasting. He is also participating on one of the panel dicussions of the event.

Interesting to notice that the above selections do not contain Garnacha in their blends (The 1945 Riscal is about 60 Cabernet Sauvignon with 40% Tempranillo, while the Contador is 100% Tempranillo).

This last minute change has been a reaction to a lot of pressure and complaints from wineries and folks from Rioja. They are upset that their goverment was paying close to half of the cost of expenses plus the locale for the event and in return the organizers were doing this Grenache tasting with wines from Aragón and Cataluña and no Rioja wine related seminar or tasting at the two day event. Pancho’s statements about including Rioja’s from the get go sounds to me like [bullshit.gif].

I am wondering with all of these events unfolding if the King is still looking forward to the dinner with Parker and Pancho Campo.

SALUDos,
José

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An interesting article on elmundovino’s website.

I saw an interview on Spanish TV station TVR and the Rioja goverment representative was not a happy camper at all.

SALUDos,
José

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I am still amazed that the producers of Rioja are going along with Parker’s program.

Is it really worth it?

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The event is not geared to Rioja producers, Daniel, but to a nationwide and international audience. But some serious errors were made in minimizing the Rioja presence on the program of an event held in the capital of the Rioja region.

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It is like playing basketball on a football field, Victor.

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Not even… I’ve seen basketball played in ourdoor soccer stadiums, and as long as the playing court was of OK quality, the game could be OK.

We’ll see if the surprise appointment of Kevin Zraly tonight to replace Pancho Campo at the helm of Wine Future translates into something new. I doubt it though - less than six weeks left.