Purchased this book last week and I already regret a little buying it.
One major flaw is not to include one of the best qpr producers in Burgundy, Frederic Esmonin from Gevrey Chambertin, owner of a parcel in Ruchottes Chambertin and Mazis Chambertin. He was included in the 1st Edition. His cousin, Sylvie Esmonin has been included in both editions!!
Isn't Beaujolais supposed to be part of Burgundy or at least considered?? Not a single word about Bojo in this second edition of the book.
Seems a bit unfair to condemn a book on failing to include one producer (I have a few of his Ruchottes)... as there are thousands of them in the Cote d'Or and assessing a producer takes time (so need to prioritise... although it could simply be a cancelled appointment... for covid reasons?)).
Ref BoJo, French administration has decided to include BoJo in Burgundy only a few years ago with the belief that it could help it to recover from the well documented BoJo crisis.
His book scope is quite well defined and for BoJo, I agree with you that it would be nice to have a similar book but not his choice.
I have the first edition and am happy about it. It contains a whole pack of information and the 2nd edition is meant to be an improvement. Given the complexity of the whole subject, I would welcome your wider assessment given the book is not cheap (especially for an update when one has the 1st edition). Are there major improvements (which ones) or just marginal and other regrets?
One hundred fifty more pages in the second edition.
In both editions, he mentions Frederic Esmonin's cousin Sylvie Esmonin, and he included Frederic Esmonin in the first edition.
He could have added 10-20 pages with a list of best Beaujolais producers like Thivin, Jean Fouillard, Jean-Marc Burgaud, Guy Breton, Mee Godard, Marcel Lapierre and Louis Claude Desvignes and do a short survey on all Crus. But he didn't!.
I was a novice to Beaujolais until three months ago, plan to make a comparative tasting of Morgon in 2018 and 2019 from these producers in January next year. Also, think of adding some Fleuries in both vintages. So I will probably make more fuzz about Bojo than him. Have purchased app. 30 bottles of Bojo to go in-depth with a different approach to winemaking and different styles.
I don't have the first edition, so I can't compare. But reading his description of producers like f-i. Arnoux Lachaux and Perrot Minot, I think the both descriptions are IMHO way short.
Thanks! There is really not much on F Esmonin in the first book... not even areas nor wine assessment (his ruchottes and Mazis only quelques rangs a few rows
The new book must be even bigger then...
The Bojo would have been quite slim then... so why bother as he is no real expert there.
The producer description are also quite short (and anecdotic in some cases) in the first edition.
Generally, critics have a tough job though... criticise and you may not be welcome in anymore (is it a cause for F Esmonin?)
I'll read your new articles with interest... including the coming 2019 Bordeaux in bottle I assume (?)
Last edited by Antoine on Sat Oct 09, 2021 8:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
