Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Monday 15 June 2009

Monday news: threat of mildew, new Wine Doctor Blog, more scams, ...

Montlouis: Chenin flowering – 14th June 2009

Threat of rampant mildew
The rain at the early part of last week, especially Monday's heavy rain – 70mm-80mm apparently – has sharply increased the threat of mildew and the vignerons have been busy out spraying their vines. This will have been difficult in vineyards with a high proportion of clay, parts of Vouvray for instance. Yesterday was showery, hot (25C+) and humid with some prolonged thunderstorms over night. Today is a bit cooler but still humid and threatening rain any minute. Fortunately the weather forecast on Meteo France is better for the rest of the week and the beginning of next, so with luck the flowering should be virtually finished by the end of this week.

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The Wine Doctor's Blog
The redoubtable Chris Kissack now has a blog to complement his website. Click here.

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Another example of the disappearing wine order scam
Touraine producers have been receiving another example of the disappearing wine order scam. This time a shorter version of the email and pretending to come from the well-respected wine merchant – Gauntleys of Nottingham.

'Cher monsieur,

Nous sommes exportateurs de vins de la France vers l'Angleterre et souhaiterons exporter vos millésimes pour leur vente en Angleterre où nous sommes basés.

Nous effectuerons nos paiements de préférence à 45 jours fin de mois. Merci de nous le confirmer et de nous transmettre vos tarifs.

Cordialement,

John Gauntleys

Gautleys Of Nottingham

4 High Street, Exchange Arcade, Nottingham. NG1 2ET

+ 44 (0) 7551050674'

The giveaway is that the company is run by John Gauntley and the phone number given is a mobile. Needless to say the email did not come from Gauntleys.



.... and another one – this time from the Côte d'Ivoire

'Bonjour,

Je suis MESSOU THOMAS, j'aimerais ravitailler ma cave CAPMA CAVE basée
en Cote D'Ivoire.

Ceci étant je suis intéressé par vos productions notamment par différentes boissons issues de votre production vinicole c'est pour cela que je viens vers vous vous solliciter.

Et donc si vous êtes intéressé, veuillez m'indiquer les productions que vous avez en stock et le prix pour chaque désignation afin que je puisse passer une commande urgente et importante.

Veuillez me contacter dans les plus bref délais, des réception de ce mail afin que nous puissions entamer la procédure d'achat.

Bien à vous.

Mr MESSOU THOMAS
Tel : 00 225 66 42 90 73
Courriel : messou_thomas@gmail.com'


Will Monsieur Messou place an order for 419 cases of wine, I wonder?

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Hervé Lalau's 'power list'
Following the publication on 1st June of Decanter's latest version of their Power List – the 50 most influential people in the world of wine, Hervé Lalau (Chroniques Vineuses) drew up his own list and I was decidedly flattered to find myself one of those Hervé chose. Looking forward to Decanter's 5000 Power List – might just creep into that on a good day!


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