A great milestone for everyone involved was the 20th Anniversary of the Hospice du Rhone Grand Tasting on April 28. An article popped up two weeks back with a great story on the Hospice. John Alban, cult producer of Rhone varieties in the US, describes how the quality of the wines poured has built up the Hospice du Rhone event. The article states: “Perhaps the most dramatic example of the quality that keeps Hospice du Rhoners coming back, and attracts new ones, is the E. Guigal Tasting Seminar led by Philippe Guigal in 2008. It was a remarkable tasting of nine wines, including the famous “La La’s. Making this seminar happen was no small feat. John told me it took the most years and the most trips to France of any he’s produced.”
The article continues: “In his opening comments at the seminar, Philippe Guigal spoke with amusement about how he reached his decision to put on a tasting at Hospice du Rhone. He and John Alban were in an elevator in France, leaving a venue after yet more discussions. Alban reached over and pushed the emergency stop button. “We’re not leaving the elevator,” Alban told him, “until we come to an agreement on when you’re coming to Hospice du Rhone.” Smiling, Philippe said, “I think he may have been serious.” It’s almost unbelievable. How does Philippe Guigal wind up in Paso Robles pouring hundreds of bottles of wine that people are on a waiting list to purchase for huge amounts of money? And he’s there giving them away and talking about them at Hospice du Rhone. Just that phenomenon right there show’s there’s a certain lunacy to all this.”
To read the full article click here.
