A Friulian producer's online comments about Italy's national immigration policy have become an international PR disaster.
The Wine Advocate’s
Italian reviewer has announced that she will omit the wines of Friuli’s
Fulvio Bressan from the publication’s future tastings after he posted a
racist rant on Facebook
On August 23, the Italian producer referred to the country's Minister for Integration, Cécile Kyenge, as a “dirty black MONKEY” [sic] and her friends as “GORILLAS” [sic], leading to an outcry on social media.
Monica Larner announced today via Twitter that she would boycott Bressan’s wines. “In light of the unacceptable comments recently made by Fulvio Bressan, I will not taste his wines in my upcoming Friuli report,” she explained.
Earlier in the week, Larner, formerly Wine Enthusiast's Italian editor, noted that she had previously given Bressan’s wines scores in excess of 90 points, including 93 points for his pinot grigio – thought to be her highest mark ever for an Italian pinot grigio.
“His wines, those terrific territory-specific nuances, the excruciatingly long macerations, the maniacal vineyard care have always impressed me,” she noted on The Wine Advocate’s website.
However, there has been an outcry from wine lovers over Bressan's comments about immigrants, with many saying on forums that they will now boycott his wines. They include retailers such as New York-based organic wine specialist Chambers Street Wines, and Friuli-inspired Boulder restaurant Frasca, owned by Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey.
Bressan has apologized for his comments, but has attacked those who have criticized him. On the Italian blog Do Bianchi, he responded: “I will use whatever word I want to express myself. So if I compare someone to an animal and they get offended so be it. My target indeed was to use the most offensive word I could use on that person. And I do not regret having used it.”
The producer added: “If you are offended by my rants… just don’t read them. If you don’t like me please DON’T buy my wines; remove me from the list and talk to your other bubble heads friends how bad I am.”
Source: www.wine-searcher.com
On August 23, the Italian producer referred to the country's Minister for Integration, Cécile Kyenge, as a “dirty black MONKEY” [sic] and her friends as “GORILLAS” [sic], leading to an outcry on social media.
Monica Larner announced today via Twitter that she would boycott Bressan’s wines. “In light of the unacceptable comments recently made by Fulvio Bressan, I will not taste his wines in my upcoming Friuli report,” she explained.
Earlier in the week, Larner, formerly Wine Enthusiast's Italian editor, noted that she had previously given Bressan’s wines scores in excess of 90 points, including 93 points for his pinot grigio – thought to be her highest mark ever for an Italian pinot grigio.
“His wines, those terrific territory-specific nuances, the excruciatingly long macerations, the maniacal vineyard care have always impressed me,” she noted on The Wine Advocate’s website.
However, there has been an outcry from wine lovers over Bressan's comments about immigrants, with many saying on forums that they will now boycott his wines. They include retailers such as New York-based organic wine specialist Chambers Street Wines, and Friuli-inspired Boulder restaurant Frasca, owned by Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey.
Bressan has apologized for his comments, but has attacked those who have criticized him. On the Italian blog Do Bianchi, he responded: “I will use whatever word I want to express myself. So if I compare someone to an animal and they get offended so be it. My target indeed was to use the most offensive word I could use on that person. And I do not regret having used it.”
The producer added: “If you are offended by my rants… just don’t read them. If you don’t like me please DON’T buy my wines; remove me from the list and talk to your other bubble heads friends how bad I am.”
Source: www.wine-searcher.com
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