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Profile Updates

It is a delight that the world of wine is continually changing; new vintages, new winemakers, new wines, new responsibilities. Less appealingly, new prices! Nevertheless such changes demand that my profiles be updated from time to time, and I have a full program laid out for the first few months of 2008; many updates are planned, and a good number of new profiles too.

Looking through my program I see a few profiles not included but certainly in need of an update to reflect new developments, and so I have made these updates in a rapid-fire fashion as summarised below; this is something I have done before in 2006 and 2005. Such updates are essential if the Winedoctor is to remain current and relevant.

As a reminder, all profiles on this site carry a date of first publication as well as a date of last update where one has occurred; this is in many cases the best evidence that I am the original author, as may blogs authors see fit to carry out wholescale reproduction of the articles. I hope that these dates also serve a useful purpose in reassuring the reader as to the relevance of the words to which they relate. (11/1/08)

Baron Elie de Rothschild, who many would credit with the revival of Lafite-Rothschild following World War II, has died. Elie ran the estate for nearly 30 years, between 1945 and 1974, when he relinquished control to his nephew, Eric de Rothschild. My profile has been updated.
There is to be a new man in charge at Bollinger in 2008, and in a bold move control passes for the first time to outside the Bollinger family. The new managing director is Jérôme Philipon, releasing Ghislain de Montgolfier, the great-great-grandson of founder Jacques Bollinger, from his responsibilities.
On August 1st, 2007, the wine region of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer underwent a change of name, with a significant contraction to just Mosel. Just what the benefit of this change is I find hard to imagine, although it is said to be a simplification aimed at consumers. In addition, the designation Qualitatswein mit Pradikat has been shortened to Prädikatswein. I have updated the appropriate pages of my German wine guide accordingly.
During 2007, Carol Duval-Leroy became the first woman to take on the presidency of the Association Viticole Champenoise, a local trade organisation, succeeding Bollinger descendant Ghislain de Montgolfier, mentioned above, who has moved on to head up the Union des Maisons de Champagne.
Finally, in August 2006 Al Brounstein, the founder of Diamond Creek, died. I am sorry that I never had the opportunity to meet him, but I have been delighted in the past to meet his wife, Boots, who was reported to be at his side when he passed away. I have already updated my profile sometime during 2007 in respect of his death, but felt that I should note the passing of this Californian (Canadian by birth though) visionary here as well.

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