The Grand Jury Européen (GJE) is an Association sans but lucratif ( association without lucrative purpose under Luxembourg law) with the aim of providing an alternative classification of wine, founded in 1996 by François Mauss.
The Grand Jury Européen assembles a minimum of 12 permanent members, from at least 6 different countries of the European Union and Switzerland, for blind tasting a maximum of 68 wines in two daily 3-hour sessions. Such events have included the Grand European Jury Wine Tasting of 1997 and the "Judgment of Sauternes" of October, 2006. [1]
The concept of GJE came to Mauss at "6 o'clock on the morning of 29 June 1996", as he sought to develop a method that in several ways was opposite to the approach of Robert Parker, in order to provide an alternative to Parker's scores. [2] Initially Mauss wrote to some 200 Bordeaux châteaux, announcing plans of tasting the 1983, 1985 and 1990 vintages and requested purchase information, but received only three responses, from châteaux Haut-Brion, Pichon Lalande and Sociando-Mallet. [2]
In 2006 Mauss expressed criticism of the Judgment of Paris 30th Anniversary, adding to his reputation as "a dissenting voice in the wine world", [3] also established by the Beaujolais nouveau "vin de merde case". [4]
References
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^ Anson, Jane, Decanter.com (October 24, 2006).
"California in pole position yet again". Archived from
the original on June 26, 2007. Retrieved March 25, 2008.
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link) - ^
a
b Beckett, Neil, Harpers (January 23, 2006).
"Ex uno plures: Robert Parker and the Grand Jury Européen". Archived from
the original on October 28, 2007.
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link) -
^ Banks, Libby, Decanter.com (September 21, 2006).
"Paris Tasting 'discredited': rival".
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link) -
^ Styles, Oliver, Decanter.com (June 20, 2005).
"'Vin de merde' case closes in favour of freedom of speech". Archived from
the original on June 25, 2008. Retrieved March 25, 2008.
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link)
External links
- Grand Jury Européen official site (in French and English)