WA Sues Galloni (article link)

[dan-the-man]

http://www.courthousenews.com/2013/03/20/55893.htm

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

So it's correct, right, that Parker is still an employee/consultant or whatever to the WA with charge of what, Bdx and possibly something else like Napa?

Does anyone believe that WA will survive his ultimate departure? Despite having had other correspondents for a while, WA truly is Parker branded.

[RDD]

Wow.I thought this was all about loving the best wines.
But it is all about the money.
But it's not that much money

The Wine Advocate seeks at least $75,000

[RDD]

So it's correct, right, that Parker is still an employee/consultant or whatever to the WA with charge of what, Bdx and possibly something else like Napa?

Does anyone believe that WA will survive his ultimate departure? Despite having had other correspondents for a while, WA truly is Parker branded.

I think it will collapse with his departure.
Unless Jim gets on the ball and applies for a position.
Rovani came and left
Wasn't there a defector and scandal a few years ago? Oh yea Miller. http://www.vinography.com/archives/2011 ... ne_ad.html
Now's who left:
Mark Squires
Neal Matin
David Schildknecht
Lisa Perrotti-Brown

I'll take Steve Tanzer .

[JimHow]

It's all money money money.
What a grotesque world fine wine has become.
I still say we are not better off because of the existence of Robert Parker.

[Tom In DC]

Wow.I thought this was all about loving the best wines.
But it is all about the money.
But it's not that much money

The Wine Advocate seeks at least $75,000

Not a lawyer, haven't even played one on TV, but I got the impression that it was at least $75,000 for each count.

[OrlandoRobert]

The 75K is the jurisdictional allegation to get in to federal court. The damages could be much higher. You do not typically plead the actual damage amount in a complaint.

This suit really is about ownership of the Sonoma report. TWA seeks specific performance to get it turned over to TWA, and an injunction to prohibit AG from publishing it on his site. Damages are requested as well.

The suit for AG looks bad at first blush. He was under contract with TWA. While he owned the "work" he granted TWA the first right of exclusive publication. Appears he breached that. Will be interesting to see his defense, which will likely be that TWA breached first, thus releasing him of his contract obligation. Either way, he is fucked. He was being paid $375K per year, now it is gone, and now he has to pay expensive lawyers to defend him in federal court. Federal court ain't cheap. Pucker up.

[RDD]

The 75K is the jurisdictional allegation to get in to federal court. The damages could be much higher. You do not typically plead the actual damage amount in a complaint.

This suit really is about ownership of the Sonoma report. TWA seeks specific performance to get it turned over to TWA, and an injunction to prohibit AG from publishing it on his site. Damages are requested as well.

The suit for AG looks bad at first blush. He was under contract with TWA. While he owned the "work" he granted TWA the first right of exclusive publication. Appears he breached that. Will be interesting to see his defense, which will likely be that TWA breached first, thus releasing him of his contract obligation. Either way, he is fucked. He was being paid $375K per year, now it is gone, and now he has to pay expensive lawyers to defend him in federal court. Federal court ain't cheap. Pucker up.

It would be very interesting to know what the contract says. Does it call for specific reports from specific properties/areas by specific dates.
How did the TWA breach. Drama.
Might take Judge Judy to straighten all this out. But I'm sure Fed court is a huge money sink hole. $375K to review wines. WOW.

[finner]

I think it will collapse with his departure.

Yep, just like when Garcia left the Grateful Dead (for that great tasting room in the sky)

[stefan]

>>
$375K to review wines.
>>

How about $5 million + for coaching a college football team?

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

>>
$375K to review wines.
>>

How about $5 million + for coaching a college football team?

Roll Tide!

[DavidG]

I'd rather have $375,000 for critiquing wines than $5,000,000 for coaching a football team. There is no way you could get me to coach a football team.

The complaint really makes Antonio look bad, then again, it is the complaint. Wonder what he'll say in his defense. Any way you slice it, it's a mess. The only winners are going to be the lawyers.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

We're going to find out, as with many a great travel article, that a substantial number of the tasting notes of a substantial number of wine critics are pure fabrications. Just recycled terms like "solid core of fruit," "kirsch-filled finish" and bouquet of "smoldering embers."

[DavidG]

While quite possibly true, Art, no one would have noticed because all they look at are the scores.

[JCNorthway]

Very interesting. Will be very curious to discover the "facts" as it were. Regardless, $375K to taste wines - where can I apply for that job ???

[Jeff Leve]

Must I provide you guys with links to everything good!

http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/201 ... -contract/

[OrlandoRobert]

Must I provide you guys with links to everything good!

http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/201 ... -contract/

Respectfully Jeff, your article really doesn't offer anything new or insightful. You are in the "inner circle" so cough up the good stuff!

[stefan]

Be that as it may, OR, It is nice to have the entire lawsuit copied in an article.

Jeff, will you do an analysis of the merits of the allegations on your site?

[JimHow]

Robert Parker
$2000 sushi dinners
The Koch Brothers
John Kapon
The wine label counterfeiter
Christie's/Broadbent
Hardy Rodenstock
The Jay Miller controversy
Marv
Billionaires Vinegar
Squires
WS v. Galloni
The Jefferson bottles
Lafite
15% alcohol

Money, money, money.


Yuck!

The fine wine world has become so grotesque.

James Suckling is coming across as the most respectable of the bunch!

[robert goulet]

. James Suckling is coming across as the most respectable of the bunch!

what? By driving up to giscours in the 911porsche

[JimHow]

Lol ok maybe I went a little overboard there.