Interview with writer Stephen Brook on his latest edition of Complete Bordeaux.

[Musigny 151]

Stephen Brook has written the fourth edition of “Complete Bordeaux”

For Bordeaux lovers, it is an excellent take from one of the world’s top wine writers. I normally skim through books like this, but found myself reading longer and longer passages. Highly recommended for Bordeaux lovers.

Here is John Mariano’s interview.
http://www.johnmariani.com/current-issue/index.html

[Comte Flaneur]

Thanks Mark for flagging I will seek it out. I did not buy Jane Anson’s book after I heard some mixed reviews from some cynics over here.

The last book on Bordeaux I purchased was ten years ago: Neal Martin’s Pomerol.

[greatbxfreak]

Mixed reviews for Jane Anson's book here??

Mark, how different is this updated book by Stephen Brook compared to Jane Anson's "Inside Bordeaux"?

I'm reluctant to buy more books about Bordeaux anymore because I know a hell of it by myself through many years visiting it (40 years in 2024).

Jane Anson's book provided some extraordinary facts about geology, soil, etc.

[Comte Flaneur]

I have not seen Stephen Brook’s fourth edition but maybe the bar Jane Anson set to clear is not particularly high?

Here is a review of Jane Anson’s book from someone I admire and respect:

————

“I still can't figure the point of her classifications ... mostly entirely neutral with a few upgrades like LLC and Palmer to 1st Growths. But nearly every downgrade is marked with a slight apology. And just when you think she is getting mildly critical in the text about Pavie, she still classifies it at the top level.

Moreover, in every case where classification may be interesting (say Tertre Roteboeuf, let alone more minor growths) she doesn't say anything. And…all of Sauternes is ignored too.

Perhaps “this book had high production values, except for the lack of an editor” would be fair. Much seems to be in the style of informal email or quasi-powerpoint notes.

I think she is too much an insider to write anything critical about Bordeaux, not accurate enough to write a definitive (or even near definitive) factual reference book and too bad an author to write a compelling read.

Maybe others are more excited to read: “Le Pin was born in 1979, as were Chris Pratt, James McAvoy and Kate Hudson, and it’s fair to say that its star has risen just as high as every one of those.”

This is not in the same league as Jasper's "Inside Burgundy".

—————

When are you publishing Izak - your compendium of 40 years …?

[greatbxfreak]

Ian,

No sponsor so will you pay my expenses then?

I wrote a book about Pomerol in 1998 in Danish.

There's a million of critics now and a lot of onliners like f.i. Inside Bordeaux and Lisa Perrotti's website financed by subscriptions and similar.

I run my own little website without any sponsors and it's free to everybody to read. I pay myself for travels, hotels and similar. But a few here acknowledge the immense amount of time and work, I put into running it.

i have Inside Burgundy book and Jasper Morris is neither critical nor exciting writer and forgets to mention several less famous producers like f.i Frederic Esmonin. He announced before publishing that there will be a Beaujolais chapter. There's none!! Total waste of my money for me to purchase this book!

Jane Anson's book is much better imho. Great pictures and maps. Writing about small estates. Some inside informations.

I've SB's book second Ed. Nice to have it but I doubt the 4th will add that much about Bx than I already know.

[greatbxfreak]

Ian,

You refer to Tom Cannavan obviously.

As far as I know he's the only one who has criticized Jane's book. His credentials, knowledge of Bordeaux and merits?

Why don't you bring a review from Jancis Robinson's website to balance different opinions. As you often do with wines in your posts here.

Strange proceeding.

[Musigny 151]

Mixed reviews for Jane Anson's book here??

Mark, how different is this updated book by Stephen Brook compared to Jane Anson's "Inside Bordeaux"?

I'm reluctant to buy more books about Bordeaux anymore because I know a hell of it by myself through many years visiting it (40 years in 2024).

Jane Anson's book provided some extraordinary facts about geology, soil, etc.

I think of Stephen Brook as a writer rather than a pure critic, so you will find much to enjoy from the pure pleasure of reading about Bordeaux.

[AlexR]

I would like to defend Jane Anson's book.

In light of the sheer size and complexity of Bordeaux, *of course* there a some big chunks of the reality that have been omitted, while other quirky and little-known estates have been included.

But let me put it to you this way: has a better book on the subject been published in the past 30 years? I think not.

Bordeaux is all about hierarchies and try as one may, it is next to impossible to well and truly upset the apple cart because the pecking order is so deeply ingrained. Neither is it possible to abstract oneself completly from personal friendships and relations.

it is easy to find shortcomings in Jane's book, but I think it is highly useful because it is a snapshot of the way things are viewed in our times. Jane reflects prevailing attitudes more than her own, in my opinion, which is not such a bad thing.
The same sort of book written in 2040 would necessarily be quite different.

Let me put it to you this way: as someone who has spent decades studying Bordeaux wines, I not only enjoyed leafing through Jane's book, but learned a lot from it.

Best regards,
Alex R.

[greatbxfreak]

Ian,

I fully agree with Alex.

I think you are hiding behind Tom C's back, who is Scottish. Can we have 100% your own opinion of Jane's book?

I wonder why the British are so fond of bashing their fellow citizens.

Inside Bordeaux was never meant as buying guide, and for someone to criticize the book's maps of vineyards in Bordeaux but throw around superlatives on the same in Burgundy.......?

[Comte Flaneur]

Izak

You would do well to work on your social and diplomatic skills.

I have to worry about my retirement so I can’t afford to sponsor anyone - did your book on Pomerol get translated into English?

Regarding Jane Anson, at least people (outside BWE) have heard of her. As I said I didn’t buy her book because it received mixed reviews. I was originally going to suggest to my daugher than she could buy it as a Christmas present to put on the coffee table next to the Aga Khan’s race horses.

But I have not read it. Alex’s positive review might make me change my mind, as most of the wine books on my bookshelf are around 30 years old, and the last one I acquired - also a Christmas present from Maureen - was Jasper’s inside burgundy - in French.

Your assumption that the critic I quoted was Tom Cannavan was incorrect. It wasn’t a wine critic at all, it was a friend of mine - Paul Day - who is not ITB but who happens to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of wine across the board, and knows even more about wine than Jasper.

My only experience of Jane is via zoom tastings and reading her in Decanter. I would describe her style as user friendly and designed to appeal to a wider audience whereas someone like Jasper or Stephen Brook have a more intellectual, rigorous and analytical approach. So Paul’s criticisms, though ostensibly harsh, did somewhat ring true to me.

Jane also seems susceptible to grade inflation with her scoring, which harks back to Paul’s view that she is too much of an insider to be an effective and impartial critic. I could not possibly comment on that, except to say that it certainly was a problem with English wine critics before Parker came along.

The critic I really enjoy reading is Georgina Hindle who is following in Jane’s footsteps in Decanter. She writes particularly well, and seems to have a good palate.

[greatbxfreak]

Ian,

Actually, I had translated my book to English or correctly said to Danglish (English with Danish way of speaking/writing English) to a Word document. Only Danish version of the book was published.

But since I have a subscription to Grammarly, I will let it go through my translation of Pomerol book. I use it as well here in BWE and on my website to correct my writing.

I was thinking of making so-called e-book about Pomerol, but it's too much work and I already have a nice choice of profiles in Pomerol on my website.

Yes, your friend's review was harsh imho.

You should buy it and you won't be disappointed. For me, she's not a tendency to give high scores and sometimes I think she underscores several wines.

[Comte Flaneur]

I will probably buy it Izak, because I just read Jamie Goode’s review which was also highly complimentary.

[Blanquito]

I think many would argue that Parker lost the plot precisely around the time when the Bordelais succeeded in making him an insider. Pre-2000 vintage, he used to regularly brag about taking no favor and having 'no friends" in the wine making world, but somewhere between the 2000 and 2005 vintages, that all changed and he was lionized along the Gironde, reportedly flown from famous chateau to chateau via helicopter. That famous New Yorker article on RMP captured some of this dynamic well, including quotes from Parker's own mother that her son was too insecure and vain to not be seduced by blandishments.

John Oliver said it well, something to the effect that a critic should not, cannot be friends or even friendly with the people subject to his critiques.

[AlexR]

Patrick,

John Oliver's statement is correct, but it also shows a great deal of wishful thinking.

How can you go to a wine region for years and divorce yourself from the people you meet, the estate owners you've had dinner with?
I'd say that it is virtually impossible to abstract oneself entirely from the human element.
If it were, there would be no need to go to the wine country, and critics would be no more than human tasting machines.

Intelligent critics get around this - as best they can - by resorting to "damning with faint praise" when a wine is not up to par, i.e. criticizing it in such a way that intelligent readers will read between the lines although superficially it does not appear that the wine has been dissed.

With regard to Bordeaux, perhaps more than elsewhere, there are specific expectations of the name wines.
Should one of these really screw up in a given year - be not just lacklustre, but seriously off the mark - how many critics do you think would call them out, dare to say the emperor had no clothes? Offhand, I couldn't name any...

Best,
Alex

[DavidG]

Film/theater/art critics remain aloof but the model and interaction with the art there makes it easy. Restaurant critics manage to avoid becoming chummy with chefs and owners, and often dine incognito. It can be done with wine, but not without giving up some of the pre-release tastings only available through the Château.