In the first of his new columns for The Times, Tim covers various wine scandals – made topical by Pinot Noir scam. Although there is a long history of wine adulteration etc. Tim concludes that the majority of of producers are honest.

Among his wine recommendations is a 2008 Chenin Colombard Vin de Pays des Côtes de Lastours  from Domaine Ventenac, part of Vignobles Alain Maurel. Maurel was involved in the fake Pinot scam and was fined 30,000€ with a three month suspended jail sentence. He is currently appealing against the conviction. Of course, there has never been any claim that the grapes sold through Ducasse and Sieur d'Arques were poor quality just that they weren't Pinot Noir and were consequently cheaper.

PS Pleased to see that Tim has obviously taken advice on shirt selection from from Olly Smith.

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Jane MacQuitty: putting the record straight

Following my news item on decanter.com, Jane MacQuitty has posted the following comment:  

'Further to Jim Budd's article, the record needs to be set straight. Tim Atkin is filing a trial wine column for 5-6 weeks for a new supplement of The Times, entitled The Table.

As before, I continue as The Times Wine Correspondent and The Times Drink Correspondent. Jane MacQuitty.'

I'm very happy to confirm that the the best of my knowledge Jane continues as The Times wine correspondent and that her regular wine column will appear on Saturday.  Indeed Jane is described as the Times Wine Expert on their website. 

However, I believe she is mistaken over Tim's 'trial wine column'. My understanding is that Tim has a  a contract to write 46 pieces per year and that there is no trial period included in the contract. I should also make it clear that at no time has Tim suggested to me that he is The Times new wine correspondent.   

  

www.decanter.com/news/295407.html

Tim Atkin MW, multiple award-winning wine columnist, is moving to The Times.

He will have a regular weekly page in The Times’ new Thursday food and drink supplement. His first The Times column will appear next week – Thursday 4^th March. Tim’s weekly wine recommendations will continue in the Observer until the end of March, when he will leave the Sunday paper.

Tim has written for the Guardian newspaper group since 1989 – first for The Guardian and then, since 1993, The Observer. As part of their ‘relaunch’ The Observer axed Tim Atkin’s column reducing him to just two wine recommendations.

Immediately the news broke freelance drinks journalist, Rebecca Gibb, set up a Facebook group – Save the Wine Column. It immediately attracted a lot of support and now has 1308 members.

Jim’s Loire understands that The Times approached Tim by email on Tuesday 16^th February – just eight days after the news broke that Tim’s long standing Observer column was being axed.

Atkin commented: “Partly because of the wonderful Facebook site I have been offered a new job on The Times starting next Thursday – they thought the support was pretty amazing! It’s a bit of a wrench leaving The Observer after 17 years but I’m delighted to be involved in The Times’ new supplement.

Jane MacQuitty’s column will continue in The Times on Saturdays .

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I'm delighted for Tim, especially after the shameful way he has been treated by The Observer – what a bunch of incompetents. Not only do they contrive to lose the UK's best wine columnist – especially from the number of awards Tim has won – but they have also 'relaunched' a widely criticised Observer magazine. With The Times Tim will get more exposure and I suspect will be paid more for his writing.

This also shows the power of Facebook – Save the Wine Column now has 1309 members.

See Tim's announcement about the move on his website. 

 

What Tim probably thinks of the current editor of the Observer Magazine

Tim Atkin 6 The Observer 0