latest Marcassin mailer

Can'r say that I've had enough Marcassin to make a judgement on wines, but the newsletter definitely cemented my impression of the owners:

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DaleW
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DaleW wrote:

newsletter definitely cemented my impression of the owners:

Yes, pretty incredible example of hubris and bad judgment to paint an entire region with that broad brush. Lest one think that they were somehow misinterpreted or taken out of context, we have RMP's comment on it, courtesy of Matt Latuchie:

"I have known both John and Helen for over 20 years....intellectually, both are brilliant, and as well informed about viticulture in all its ramifications as anyone I have met with the possible exceptions of David Abreu,the Smiths at Saxum, and Manfred Krankl. They are also very reclusive, opinionated,and suffer no fools, but I have never seen them throw out outrageous ideas or shoot from the hip...their statements come from carefully considered and deep knowledge and research...they don't need to ridicule Burgundy's viticulture or the DRC to sell one bottle of their wine...they believe certain aspects of Burgundy's pruning, hedging, and trellising systems could be improved(this is a PHD subject), but their theories all make sense and should not be dismissed just because the Burgundians have refused to change anything for several hundred years...and as for the DRC's wines...I will say what I have always said, and believe unequivocally....when they get it right their wines are the greatest expressions of pinot noir in the world...but here is the hitch all their sycophants and apologists refuse to acknowledge...they produce an inordinate amount of fair to good wine rather than inspirational wine....and that seems to me a subject that can be addressed in a fair and responsible manner.....the open-minded folks out there should be reflecting upon the possibility that Turley/Wetlaufer may be correct.....and what is the significance of that? those that can take the opportunity should compare the Marcassin vineyard with any grand cru vineyard in Burgundy(say several weeks before harvest).....and decide for themselves which vineyard looks the healthiest, is rot and disease free,has the smallest berries and lowest yields per vine, has the most evenly ripened fruit,and the most pristine looking foliage....such factors are related to mother nature and terroir, but even more to the methods in which a vineyard is managed....you don't need to be an expert to see the remarkable differences...."

What can one say, but WOW? There is also some spot-on commentary on this topic from Mr. Parker's long time nemesis Robert Callahan to be found here:

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Mark Lipton

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Mark Lipton

lleichtman wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@g39g2000pro.googlegroups.com:

I have never heard of Marcassin before but I thought their bulletin is distasteful and arrogant at the same time.

Regarding DRC, I have had two wines from them and both were excellent, but lately I have been finding more pleasure in drinking wines from people I know than pursuing the excellence of the big and expensive bottles.

At the end of the day, DRC prices are not but the result of a demand aspiring only to the best, which happens also in many other wine regions. If a big enough number of purchasers are willing to pay a big sum for what essentially is bottled fruit juice, fine with me, but they are perhaps missing the point of what fine wine drinking is.

Reply to
santiago

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