tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post777579611907192235..comments2024-03-11T10:03:54.473-04:00Comments on TheWineBlog: What were you thinking Maria João de Almeida?Luiz Alberto, #wineloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16176998729974487627noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-4086577496338782372011-04-05T06:49:06.503-04:002011-04-05T06:49:06.503-04:00Dear Luiz,
It has been a great pleasure to be con...Dear Luiz,<br /><br />It has been a great pleasure to be connected with you. <br />Regarding Wine events and wine tourism in Portugal we are far away<br />from Spain, Italy and France.<br />I Love to attend wine events in Uk because British people love wine and are great organizers.<br />Im really dissapointed with the Portuguese institutions connected in wine Industry.<br />They love big companies and forget small producers as well.<br />As a wine producer from Douro valley I love my region and Portugal<br />and I want to say thank you to for being a great ambassador of Portuguese wines. <br />Carry on your great job!<br /><br />Warmest regards from Douro Valley.<br />Victor Marquesvictor Marqueshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14508591824067676902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-31668982165548072462011-04-04T12:37:38.020-04:002011-04-04T12:37:38.020-04:00I don't have the address of Maria Joao de Alme...I don't have the address of Maria Joao de Almeida personnally (someone can give it?), but would like to know how the 'prestigious international sommeliers' were selected (friends of?)? Very few of these have real (inter)national importance, don't write about their experiences, haven't any real influence on the market! Eg for Belgium: Eric Boschman is not a MW (!), William Wouters is very good in his restaurant-bar, but where is the impact on the market? How can I get the results of this tasting?<br /><br />Dirk-Antoon Samyn<br />Consultant-Buyer, WSET, MW student, educator, ...grapesqueezerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14897293898603945397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-52966716401118095232011-04-02T11:00:55.725-04:002011-04-02T11:00:55.725-04:00I have sent a report of my findings and feelings a...I have sent a report of my findings and feelings about this conference to Maria. But I do have one addition to make on this post re the last day. There were 2 bottles of each wine for the 'invite only' tasting. That could easily have served 40 people (although one of the bottles turned out to be corked ... even so. To be taken to a tasting that you are expressly "NOT INVITED" to attend, then to have to hang around for hours when there IS a tasting with producers waiting since 9 am to receive us, gave added insult. I gave up hanging around at 12.30 and took a lift to Celorico venue and was one of the first to be at the tasting. This was the first time in the 3 days that we were going to taste properly and we couldnt get there! Wrong! I am afraid I do not comment on other people's interpretation of a wine. Only what I myself taste.Angela Reddinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-8355741023502759082011-03-31T07:20:22.392-04:002011-03-31T07:20:22.392-04:00This is what jancis Robinson had to say about the ...This is what jancis Robinson had to say about the event in Celorico:<br />“Last week I went, with several other British wine writers such as Sarah Ahmed, Tim Atkin and Jamie Goode, to the Encontro e Prova Internacional de Vinho in Portugal organised by Portuguese wine writer Maria João de Almeida. It took place in the mountainous Beira Interior in the natural park of the Serra da Estrella (Star Mountain) where that lovely gooey cheese comes from. I must say that, had I realised it was a three-hour drive from Lisbon (albeit a spectacular drive), I might have had second thoughts about accepting the invitation to speak there – in the strangest place I have ever seen for a wine conference: an arctic sports hall in the little hill town of Celorico da Beira. I should have learnt the lesson of studying the itinerary carefully from my last, 36-hour flight to the Central Otago Pinot Noir event. (I can't believe I didn't whinge about this, and being met straight off the plane and expected to visit four wineries without even going to my hotel room here, but don't seem to have done.)“<br /> <br />http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/a20110320.htmlLuiz Alberto, #wineloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16176998729974487627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-36147331509833957052011-03-29T15:24:48.030-04:002011-03-29T15:24:48.030-04:00Here are the comments posted by Jamie Goode on his...Here are the comments posted by Jamie Goode on his blog:<br />"I’m in the process of writing up the great Portuguese fortified wine tasting in Linhares on Saturday morning. This was one of the most remarkable tastings that I’ve been involved with, and it rather took me by surprise.<br />I was expecting a walk-around tasting, of the sort we normally have in the wine trade. Yet it turned out to be a sit down tasting for just 12 participants, compered by Bento Amaral of the IDVP, with 40 rare, high-end fortified wines, dating back to 1863.<br />This was great, but unfortunately many of the journalists present at the conference turned up expecting to taste, only to be turned away. It was quite painful and embarrassing. A communication issue. I know how I would have felt if I had turned up only to watch a tasting."<br />You can check the entire story by going here: http://bit.ly/gAjSwoLuiz Alberto, #wineloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16176998729974487627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-51774371764569954212011-03-28T07:11:58.359-04:002011-03-28T07:11:58.359-04:00Luiz, you know I share your amazement of the Satur...Luiz, you know I share your amazement of the Saturday tasting. I have commented on it previously here: <a href="http://bkwineblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/experience-in-how-not-to-market.html" rel="nofollow">An experience in how not to market Portuguese wines: the 1st International Wine Meeting and Tasting (in Portugal)</a><br /><br />But in addition, I have also expressed much concern of the whole event: the organisation and management (as well as the conference contents) - the whole usefulness of it for visitors and for wine producers. <br /><br />You can read more about these concerns in my blog post here: <a href="http://bkwineblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-dig-deeper-and-deeper-hole-or.html" rel="nofollow">on the 1º Encontro e Prova Internacional de Vinho / 1st International Wine Meeting and Tasting in Portugal</a>.<br /><br />I just happened to look at the map today and saw clearly another very strange thing that the organisers had done: the first three nights we were staying at a hotel in Vila Ruiva - about half an hour's drive away from the conference, towards Porto. We were bussed back and forth each day. <br /><br />Late on the Friday night at dinner we were told to pack our bags for the following morning because we were to check out in the morning and change hotels for the last night. (The organisers had given us no info on lodging in advance so we knew nothing about it beforehand.) We were moved from Vila Ruiva to Trancoso. <br /><br />It turns out that Trancoso is half an hour's drive in the wrong direction - up in the mountains, away from Porto, away from Celorico where the conference was. <br /><br />So the last night the organisers put us up in a hotel even further away than Celorico, which means that we had essentially one additional hour of transport to get to Porto. People had morning flights to catch and needed to get to the airport. And that night we are moved away even further. Not very clever. (No surprise we almost missed our flights.)<br /><br />What was the point? <br /><br />Had money been extracted from the Trancoso municipality too so that there was an obligation to bring people there? If so, it certainly did not work as intended. We arrived well after darkness and saw nothing of the town. And no one said a word about it either; if it had any touristic sites or remarkable history we do not know. <br /><br />I certainly don't understand the logic. It seems to be just another aspect of how not to organise an event like this. Read about other strange things in my blog post referenced above.<br /><br />So, I must agree with your question again Luiz: "What were you thinking Maria João de Almeida?" Who knows? She doesn't say.<br /><br />-PKPer and Britt, BKWinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10186610884099544351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-28206189081786173842011-03-26T11:18:47.984-04:002011-03-26T11:18:47.984-04:00Niklas,
Thank you for posting this comment. It'...Niklas,<br />Thank you for posting this comment. It's very relevant to the discussion!<br />Roy has arguably the most breadth and depth when it comes to fortified Portuguese wines and, certainly, he is the person who writes the most about it in the United States.<br />Not having him invited to the "historic tasting" of fortified wines shows a total lack of understanding of the wine industry by the organization of the event.<br />LALuiz Alberto, #wineloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16176998729974487627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-45291011044559037282011-03-25T20:00:18.300-04:002011-03-25T20:00:18.300-04:00Sorry Luiz for going a bit OT but I just need to g...Sorry Luiz for going a bit OT but I just need to give some cred to Roy Hersh and his work. FTLOP is the place to be on the internet for many of us who loves the fortified wines of Portugal, Port and Madeira mainly. Just keep up your fantastic work - you're one of the stars when it comes to International Portuguese wine writing!<br /><br />Not playing in your league I still reckon the feeling; how much do one have to convince others of one's knowledge in a topic, to be considered? <br /><br />Best<br /><br />NiklasNiklas Jörgensenhttp://madaboutmadeira.org/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-86486351518308949742011-03-25T09:57:47.509-04:002011-03-25T09:57:47.509-04:00"Vinhos",
I'm open to all opinions....."Vinhos",<br />I'm open to all opinions... just make them relevant to the topic of the discussion.<br />Thanks.Luiz Alberto, #wineloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16176998729974487627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-86452398848580411012011-03-25T08:10:33.923-04:002011-03-25T08:10:33.923-04:00I agree. You should delete comments that are again...I agree. You should delete comments that are against your opinion. Because that is what you usually does.<br /><br />VinhosdecaUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10846093403388272763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-68855366974261600272011-03-25T07:58:06.427-04:002011-03-25T07:58:06.427-04:00I'm totally open to discussions and people are...I'm totally open to discussions and people are free to express their opinions here in my blog.<br />However, if you have something to say, please use an identity. <br />If you post your comment anonymously, it will be removed.<br />Thanks for understanding.Luiz Alberto, #wineloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16176998729974487627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-33703389784479499372011-03-25T07:55:13.688-04:002011-03-25T07:55:13.688-04:00I am not available to comment on blogs without int...I am not available to comment on blogs without interest, with reduced visualization that is used solely by your 32 friends,<br /><br />VinhosdecaUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10846093403388272763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-68171410187638558752011-03-24T21:42:41.266-04:002011-03-24T21:42:41.266-04:00"vinhos",
I'm not sure how it can be..."vinhos",<br />I'm not sure how it can be relevant to our discussion... But based on the comments that you deleted, I'm pretty sure you will be able to develop a very interesting theory.<br />Would you care to share?<br />Best,<br />LuizLuiz Alberto, #wineloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16176998729974487627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-75304243763951802902011-03-24T21:22:47.126-04:002011-03-24T21:22:47.126-04:00What comments so silly. You do not even know how t...What comments so silly. You do not even know how to handle the glass.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10846093403388272763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-48402349226920114332011-03-24T20:06:18.582-04:002011-03-24T20:06:18.582-04:00Roy,
Having the support of a person so respected...Roy, <br /><br />Having the support of a person so respected in the wine world means a lot to me.<br /><br />And you're absolutely right. Her response is even worse than the problem that she caused in the first place. Unbelievable.<br /><br />When is your next trip to Portugal? I know it will leave a wonderful taste in the mouth of the lucky ones joining you...<br /><br />Thank you so much again!<br />LuizLuiz Alberto, #wineloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16176998729974487627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-17841716881369558832011-03-24T19:26:56.206-04:002011-03-24T19:26:56.206-04:00It is truly amazing to me that this was handled so...It is truly amazing to me that this was handled so poorly. The response is horrendous and the myopia involved, almost comical, if it wasn't so sad.<br /><br />I felt awful that I never even received an invite, considering my full time career entails writing (600+ pages a year) about Portuguese wine and bringing tourists to Portugal to explore the wine regions and experience the great depth of wines produced there. <br /><br />After reading this humble post by Luiz Alberto, it is clear that I didn't miss a thing afterall, but the fact that FTLOP was ignored still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.<br /><br />It is clear the "organizers" simply don't get it!<br /><br />Roy HershRoy Hershhttp://www.fortheloveofport.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-45689789466575790502011-03-24T17:22:45.154-04:002011-03-24T17:22:45.154-04:00I have the answer for this...
Obama is to blame!
I...I have the answer for this...<br />Obama is to blame!<br />I'm positive he has something to do with the organisation of this event! (soon to be reported by FOX news) :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-36240162575539693752011-03-24T07:50:47.190-04:002011-03-24T07:50:47.190-04:00Maria João, I was hoping you would come here to an...Maria João, I was hoping you would come here to answer my questions, apologize (not to me, but for disservice you provided to the Portuguese wine industry) and try to make something good out of the mess that you created.<br />Instead, you keep attacking the journalists (I received the e-mail with your "statement" yesterday) and trying to prove that you are right and the rest of the world is wrong.<br />As I said yesterday on Facebook to Andrea Smith and Andre Ribeirinho: "Andrea - Andre, I just want to add that a sincere "I'm sorry" goes a long way. If MJA had apologized for the confusion right there (rather than trying to blame people for not understanding the program), I'm pretty sure we would all be talking about the great wines of Portugal by now..."<br />You are running out of time...Luiz Alberto, #wineloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16176998729974487627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-13989468055347799152011-03-23T15:11:45.002-04:002011-03-23T15:11:45.002-04:00I feel I have been specifically addressed in Maria...I feel I have been specifically addressed in Maria Joao de Almeidas comments. I think I've had the honour to be named Prima Donna. So I have unfortunately felt obliged to respond.<br /><br />You can read my response to her "communication" here:<br /><br /><a href="http://bkwineblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-dig-deeper-and-deeper-hole-or.html" rel="nofollow">How to dig a deeper and deeper hole. Or: "A Prima Donna shouts too loud"? - A Portuguese challenge</a><br /><br />-Per K.Per and Britt, BKWinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10186610884099544351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-32902481172034664242011-03-23T11:47:34.851-04:002011-03-23T11:47:34.851-04:00Like Ricardo Oliveira above, I also didn't att...Like Ricardo Oliveira above, I also didn't attend this event, and can't, therefore, comment on the specific details (I'm not even Portuguese, though I am in the wine world).<br />I'd just like to say that, 1)irrespective of who is right and who is wrong (if such a thing is possible in this case) it's good go public with this sort of thing, because everyone (not just the direct participants) can learn from mistakes and act accoridngly in the future; and 2) I hope the exchanges I'm seeing on several blogs involved don't degenerate into slagging matches. I know it's hard, when emotions are high, but things really can be learnt by both parties in such disputes.Fabio (Vinos Ambiz)http://vinosambiz.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-18528384669447635182011-03-23T11:07:24.580-04:002011-03-23T11:07:24.580-04:00MJA just posted her "statement" about wh...MJA just posted her "statement" about what happened in Portugal last week:<br />"The organization of the 1st International Meeting and Tasting (vinho.tv Turismo da Serra da Estrela, Câmara Municipal de Celorico da Beira e a APM – Associação Portuguesa de Management DRS) regrets everything that has been written in recent days on the issue of fortified wines Tasting, and regrets even more that many people who doesn’t know us or did not participate at the event giving opinions about facts they do not know.<br />In order to restore the truth and to make it clear, national and international journalists never were invited to participate at the fortified wine tasting. Two press releases were sent earlier this year (on January and February): the first to explain that there would be a fortified wine tasting on March 19th with international sommeliers, and the second completed with the names of the participants. Not enough, the book of the congress had the same information repeated at the end. The only participants who were not sommeliers were international speakers Sarah Ahmed, Tim Atkin and Jamie Goode who were invited to participate in the wine tasting. The national and international journalists were invited to participate at a press conference where information would be revealed about the wines in the competition, because naively I thought it was interesting to them to be present. Instead, I found a true manifestation of discontent on the part of several journalists who wanted to stay inside the tasting room where they were never told to participate.<br />I regret that journalists / bloggers use their «power» to attack someone just because they wanted to participate in a historical tasting to which they were not been invited!<br />I wonder how important are these journalists to give such nasty opinions just because they feel themselves offended by not participating in a wine tasting? Which "disaster” is this that makes the whole event into question? What credibility do we have to give to such people who do not know us, did not attend the event, and speak in the name of others without their consent? Finally, what importance should the producers give to this kind of communicators?<br />I must also say that I also received very positive reviews about the Congress, not only from national and international speakers, but also from sommeliers, winemakers and producers, not to mention the international journalists who also sent me e-mails thanking for having been invited. I do not recall seeing an event in Portugal that has assembled such important personalities in the sector to discuss key topics. Do we need to improve? Yes we do, certainly, but you can never please everyone, especially those who are prepared to throw the first stone.<br />Finally, I want to thank everyone who believed and participated at the event, thank those who supported me in this moment of tension and inform that we will continue to organize events within the wine sector, and we are now preparing the 2nd International Meeting and Tasting.<br /> <br /> <br />Maria João de Almeida"Luiz Alberto, #wineloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16176998729974487627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-18441537922669616142011-03-23T10:43:11.451-04:002011-03-23T10:43:11.451-04:00@ wine pleasures
I also agree with Victor and tha...@ wine pleasures<br /><br />I also agree with Victor and that's why I finished my article with "Let's make some positive out of this". <br />I only made this public because the organizer (MJA -, who I addressed in person), is denying that there is a problem and put the blame on me (and other journalists) for not being able to understand the program.<br />This is what I told her: "People make mistakes and things go wrong... this is the nature of life and we all understand that. However, on the day of the tasting you were disrespectful to many people and that’s why I went public with this. The Portuguese are wonderful people and you were so “unportuguese” in the sense that you didn’t even try to fix the problem, but rather tried to blame it on us for not understanding what you were trying to do."<br /><br />Also, you would be surprised how many new friends I made with this article. Dozens of people in the Portuguese wine industry sent me notes expressing their support. Many of them even apologizing for what happened in their country...<br /><br />I know how you feel Anthony. Please correct if I'm wrong, but you organize events yourself... would it possibly explain your preference for keeping things private?<br /><br />Also, you're only the second person saying that making it public was not positive. Interesting enough, neither one of you are Portuguese...Luiz Alberto, #wineloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16176998729974487627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-30957334060462429752011-03-23T07:02:31.850-04:002011-03-23T07:02:31.850-04:00@ Wine Pleasures
"Address the issues to the ...@ Wine Pleasures<br /><br />"Address the issues to the organiser", was exactly was I did. I was told off, told I was incompetent and told I was insulting the organisation.<br /><br />Read about it here in what is a comment to this post but did not stick: <a href="http://bkwineblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/experience-in-how-not-to-market.html" rel="nofollow">http://bkwineblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/experience-in-how-not-to-market.html</a><br /><br />What is important to remember though is that this "historic" tasting was just the tip of the iceberg. <br /><br />Reducing the whole issue to "a group of journalists who have not understood the information they have received", as Maria João de Almeida apparently does on Facebook, is false.<br /><br />It was the whole conference that was the problem, both form (organisation, management), and contents.<br /><br />If you want to get involved in that, good luck.<br /><br />-PKPer and Britt, BKWinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10186610884099544351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-58453077158210552192011-03-23T05:05:58.462-04:002011-03-23T05:05:58.462-04:00Seen tweets about this so finally dropped in to se...Seen tweets about this so finally dropped in to see what the fuss is all about. <br /><br />Astonished that this has gone public.Just address the issues to the organiser don't slag people off in public it won't get you any friends. Agree with Victor when he says:<br /><br /> Finally to MJA, and this is just an humble advice. Take a close look at the conclusions of this event, write down what went wrong and I'm pretty sure that next time we'll have a much better event! I´m sincerely open to cooperate and help you and your team to make better next time...Wine Pleasureshttp://www.winepleasures.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9216097425984492529.post-9383399211862538712011-03-22T10:01:42.521-04:002011-03-22T10:01:42.521-04:00Good old PR, cultivating ostracism in the benefit ...Good old PR, cultivating ostracism in the benefit of alignment and control.<br />Regardless, the story I look forward to read about is how the event helped achieving the real aims of the wine meeting and tasting in Portugal - to provide answers and insights about the challenges and strategies for Portuguese wine trade.<br />Everything else will be a learning experience, but for some, it will increase the odds that reputed writers such as Luiz will not be taking part of unknown events with the good will demosntrated.Onirovinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17892769396904317617noreply@blogger.com