At the risk of poking the hornet’s nest — I don’t have a category here for “ethics” and not really criticism per se — I must pass along this story. Seems like a better deal than a trip to St. Louis.
From the UK wine magazine Decanter:
Wine magnate Bernard Magrez has outraged a group of journalists by offering each of them a Cartier wristwatch worth €1,650 (£1,322/$2,641).
The watches were distributed after a press lunch hosted by Magrez and French actor Gerard Depardieu on 26 March. The lunch was held at the Alain Ducasse restaurant at the Hotel Plaza Athénée in Paris. Around 50 journalists attended – including wine critic and ex-Revue du Vin de France editor Thierry Desseauve, Philippe Bidalon from L’Express magazine and Gérard Muteaud of Le Nouvel Observateur.
One journalist told Decanter.com that he and his colleagues discussed the situation and agreed among themselves that keeping the watches could be misconstrued.
Or maybe correctly construed.
“Seems like a better deal than a trip to St. Louis.”
I dunno, throw in a Card’s game, lunch on the Landing, and a trip to the Bowling Hall of Fame — seems like a better deal than a watch that will just attract muggers!
No one says you have to drink the beer…
OK, that was just a back-handed way to link to Andy’s post, and maybe to compare beer and wine.
I love St. Louis, visiting Schafly, eating on The Hill, going to the City Museum (four Schlafly beers on tap). And I’m sure the upcoming Heritage Festival will be terrific.
Did I mention eating on The Hill?
Might be misconstrued…classic. It’s crazy to hear from wine writers about some of the stuff that goes on in that trade. A beer writer’s soul is comparatively cheap.
I look forward to the group writers’ shot from the A-B trip.