Global Interest in World’s 1st Grenache Symposium!
Representatives from 22 Countries Converge on Provence
to Discuss the Future of the Grenache Grape
Saturday 5 June – Sunday 6 June
La Verriere, Le Crestet, France
London – 31 May, 2010 – 200 Representatives from 22 Countries (Australia, Austria, Brazil, China, Croatia, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, United States, United Kingdom) will attend a cutting-edge wine forum to debate and create a blueprint for the future of the Grenache Grape at the world’s first Grenache Symposium (www.grenachesymposium.com). The delegates attending reads like a who’s who of the wine trade (see list below).
The event will be fully wired and can be followed live at www.Twitter.com (search for @grenachesym). Numerous bloggers and tweeters will be attending the event and sites including www.Corkd.com and www.internationalwinechallenge.com/blog will be covering it daily. The current programme can be found at www.grenachesymposium.com/programme.html
This inaugural think-tank is an “assemblage” of top winemakers, producers, merchants, experts, and critics, many of whom are from the recognised Grenache growing regions (traditionally France, Spain, Australia, America and more recently South Africa, Italy, Morocco, and Israel among others). Grenache is the most widely planted red grape in the world, and most important in economic terms. Much loved by professionals, it is generally unknown to many consumers, but many feel, including Robert Parker and Jancis Robinson, its time has come to be in the spotlight.
The Symposium will be led by Steven Spurrier, world renown wine expert and consulting editor of Decanter magazine, and Michel Bettane – the premier French wine critic and co-author of Le Grand Guide des Vins de France.
According to London-based symposium organiser Nicole Rolet of award-winning wines Chêne Bleu, “The response has been surprising. This event is the first of its kind and it has been embraced by all facets of the industry from scientists to producers to sellers – all interested in coming together for an international brainstorming session that will go toward creating the Global Guide to Great Grenache, as well as on-line resources and forums.”
Limited places are available to attend the event. The €450 entrance fee includes all presentations, tastings and lunches on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 June, as well as the Saturday night Gala Dinner. This is an entirely not-for-profit event. For more information: http://www.grenachesymposium.com
The Grenache Symposium is presented by Domaine de Mourchon and Chêne Bleu. The patron of the event is Inter Rhone, in conjunction with sponsors including The Wine Academy of Spain (representing top Garnacha regions); Wine Australia; Sud De France; Gigondas; Vignobles Investissement; WorldFirst; Riedel Glassware; Harpers Wine & Spirits; Provence Consulting; Tonnelerie Vicard and others.
2010 Symposium Co-Chairmen:
Steven Spurrier…………………………. Decanter/UK
Michel Bettane ………………………….. Bettane Desseauve guides/FR
2010 Symposium Participants:
Tim Atkin …………………………………. Wine Critic and Columnist, The Times/UK
Vincent Avril……………………………….Producer/Clos de Papes/Châteauneuf-du-Pape/FR
Charles Back …………………………….. Producer/Fairview/SA
Eddie Cheung………………………………Wine critic and Importer / Winespace / CH
Marie-Louise Banyols ……………….. Group Head of Wines Selection – Lavinia /SP
Clive Barlow MW ………………………. Chairman/Education Committee IMW/UK
Hervé Bizeul ……………………………… Producer and Blogger /Clos des Feìes/ Roussillon/FR
Merete Bo …………………………………..Wine writer/National Newspaper Dagens Naeringsliv /NOR
Claude & Lydia Bourguignon ……. Terroir and Climate Warming Specialists – LAMS/FR
Emmanuel Bourguignon ……………… Soil microbiologist and Oenologist- LAMS/FR
Erik Brasher …………………………… Director of Winemaking/Owen Roe Winery/Oregon/US
Daniel Brunier…………………………..Producer/Vieux Télégraphe/CdP/FR
Bernard Burtschy ……………………… Wine writer/Le Figaro/FR
Philippe Cambie ……………………….. Oenologist and Wine Consultant- S Rhone & Priorat/FR
Pancho Campo ………………………….. President of Wine Academy of Spain/SP
Christopher Cannan …………………. Founder of Europvin Fine Wine and Producer Clos Figueras/SP
Michel Chapoutier ……………………. President & Winemaker/M Chapoutier/FR
Dr Isabelle Cutzach-Billard ……….. Dr of Oenology/Oenologue Conseil/Laboratoire Rière/FR
Rodolphe De Pins……………………… Producer/Château Montfaucon/FR
Thomas Dormegnies………………….Oenologist/Pépinières Viticoles Merciers/FR
Mary Dowey………………………….…Wine Writer/The Gloss Magazine/Decanter/IRE
Abi Duhr………………………………..Oenologist and Owner of Château Pauqué /Luxembourg
Bernard Duseigneur …………………… Producer/Domaine Duseigneur/Lirac/FR
Tomoko Ebisawa ………………………. Senior Editor, Vinotheque Wine & Food Magazine/JPN
Sarah Jane Evans MW ……………….. Wine writer/BBC Good Food/Decanter/UK
Philippe Faure-Brac …………………… Best sommelier of the world 1992/FR
Michael Fridjhon ………………………. Wine journalist and critic/SA
Ralph Garcin …………………………….. Oenologist/Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné/ Rhône/FR
Nancy Gilchrist MW ………………….. Christie’s Education and Leith’s School of Food & Wine/UK
Lisa Granik MW ………………………… Manager of Fine Wine / Charmer-Sunbelt/US
Randall Grahm ………………………….. Producer/Bonny Doon Vineyard/Santa Cruz/US
Philippe Guillon ………………………… Reidel Glasses/ AU
Jean-Michel Guiraud …………………… Director of Communications/Inter-Rhône/FR
Yair Haidu………………………………Wine writer and creator/Haidu.net /FR/EU
Julia Harding MW……………………..Editor/www.jancisrobinson.com/UK
Prue Henschke………………………..Viticulturist/Henschke/Eden Valley/ AU
Stephen Henschke ……………………. Producer/Henschke/Eden Valley AU
Dean Hewitson …………………………. Producer/Hewitson/Barossa Valley/AU
Olivier Hickman……………………….. Wine Uncovered/FR
Huon Hooke …………………………Wine Writer,Judge; Winner 2007 Australian Wine Communicator Award (The Wine Press Club)/AU
Dominik Huber …………………………. Producer/Terroir Al Limit/Priorat/SP
Yukari Iwashiro ………………………… Wine Journalist and Educator/JPN
Robert Joseph …………………………… Winemaker/Consultant & Wine Writer/Meininger’s Wine Business Wine Writer/UK/GERM
Eugenia Keegan …………………………. Vigneron and Importer/Distributor/US
Rosa Kruger ……………………………… Viticulturist/Anthonij Rupert Wines/SA
Olivier Legrand ………………………….. General Marketing Manager/Inter-Rhône/FR
Amy Lillard……………………………… Producer/La Gramière/St. Quentin-la-Poterie/FR
Zelma Long ………………………………. Oenologist/US
Jorge Lucki ……………………………….. Wine journalist/ Jornal Valor /Brazil
Kelly McAuliffe …………………………. Sommelier/formerly Ducasse/Las Vagas/Christian Etienne/FR
Lisa McGovern……………………………. Wine Australia UK/EU/IRE Director/UK
Euan McKay ………………………………..Wine Merchant/AU
Doug Margerum ……………………….. Winemaker/Margerum Wines/The Wine Cask/Santa Barbara/US
François Mauss ………………………… Président and Founder of the Grand Jury Européen/CH
Walter McKinlay……………………….. Producer/Domaine de Mourchon/FR
Neal Martin ………………………………. Wine Writer/ eParker.com/UK
Debra Meiburg MW …………………… Wine Commentator and TV Presenter/HK
Charles Metcalfe ………………………. Wine writer & Co-Chairman IWC/UK
Prof Montse Nadal ……………………. Prof of Oenology/URV Tarragona/SP
Rebecca Murphy ……………………….. Freelance wine writer/The Dallas Morning News/US
Camille Nosworthy …………………….. Domaine St Amand/Suzette/FR
Ray O’Connor…………………………….. Wine Writer/IWC/UK
Chester Osborn……………………….Chief Winemaker/Viticulturalist/d’Arenberg/McLaren Vale/AU
Alvaro Palacios …………………………. Producer/ Bodegas Palacio et al/Priorat/SP
Pierre Perrin ……………………………… Chief Winemaker/Chateau de Beaucastel/ Perrins et Fils/FR
Alessio Planeta …………………………. Producer/Planeta/IT
Dave Powell ……………………………… Founder and Chief Winemaker/Torbeck/Barossa Valley/AU
Ed Proctor …………………………………. Rhone Wines Importer/La Cigale Wines/US
Prof Alain Razungles ………………… Oenology Prof/SupAgro Montpellier/FR
Georg Riedel …………………………….. Corporate Head/Reidel Glasses/AUSTRIA
Christophe Riou ……………………….. Dir. Scientifique/Institut Français de la Vigne et du Vin/FR
Michel Richaud………………..…… Producer/Domaine Richaud/Cairanne/FR
Dale Robertson………………………. Wine writer/Houston Chronicle/US
Norrel Robertson MW……………….Consultant Winemaker/Denominacion de Origen Calatayud/SP
Nicole Rolet……………………………. Producer/Chêne Bleu Wines/FR
Telmo Rodriguez ……………………… Producer/ Compañía de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez/SP
Christophe Sabon …………………….. Producer/Domaine de la Janasse/CdP/FR
Eben Sadie ………………………………… Producer/The Sadie Family/SA
Mark Savage MW ………………………. Chief Executive / Savage Selection/Fine Wine Importer/UK
Peter Schulz………………………… Producer/Turkey Flat Vineyards/ Barossa Valley/AU
Julia Sevenich …………………………… Wine Journalist/AUSTRIA
Reva Singh ……………………………….. Owner & Publisher of Sommelier India/India
Doug Skopp ……………………………… Wine Importer/Dionysus/Texas/US
Vicki Stephens-Clarkson……………… Wine Buyer/Liberty Wines and IWC Judge/UK
Nick Thompson ………………………… Domaine de L’Ameillaud/Cairainne /FR
Georges Truc………………………….. .Terroirs Specialist/Université Lyon /FR
Quim Vila………………………………… Founder and CEO of Vila Viniteca/Fine Wine Distributor/SP
Christian Voeux……………………….. Producer/Château La Nerthe/CdP/FR
Michel Veyrier………………… Manager/ Vignobles Investissement/FR
