The Observer: Why Peter Mayle hates wine snobs

[Robin Garr]

Why I hate wine snobs

Peter Mayle may paint an idyllic picture of life in Provence in his books, but he has no patience with pretentious wine talk

Sunday November 19, 2006
Observer Food Monthly

Perhaps because I work every day with words, I have for a long time been fascinated by the elaborate terminology used by wine experts when they're telling us what to drink and why. Other subjects, of course, from opera to stamp collecting to golf, have their own languages, but none of them is quite so ornamental, so inventive, so delightfully imprecise or, on occasion, so self-consciously silly as the vocabulary of the grape.

Full article in <I>The Observer</I> online

Boy, here's a challenge -- identifying Champagne from the sound of the bubbles:

"One of the tasters, a man with an impressively tinted nose that suggested a long and close relationship with the grape, suddenly held up his hand for silence. He raised his glass to his ear, tilted his head, and listened. 'One can always tell Krug from Roederer,' he said, 'by the sound of the bubbles.'"

Thanks for posting, Robin.

Bob

Robin, That was AWESOME! I almost fell off my chair laughing. Now I have to use some form of 'weasel' to describe a wine. stay tuned...



Prost!
Bill

"Innocent youth that I was in those days, I was surprised that there was never a mention of the main ingredient. I now know that grapes, honest and worthy and indeed essential though they may be, are not considered sufficiently exotic to gain a place in the wine-lover's lexicon."

Quite obviously he never had a wine made from muscat grapes (from AT, AU, FR, GR, IT, PT — to stay in alphabetical order), nor did he ever read an appropriate TN.

Am I the only one to feel him ridiculously over-pretentious? Or simply don't I get British humour?

[Robin Garr]

Quite obviously he never had a wine made from muscat grapes (from AT, AU, FR, GR, IT, PT — to stay in alphabetical order), nor did he ever read an appropriate TN.

Am I the only one to feel him ridiculously over-pretentious? Or simply don't I get British humour?

I think maybe you're missing his tongue in his cheek, Michael, although I didn't find it hilarious.

Of course, "British humour" is a moving target ... Mayle certainly has little in common with the Pythons or the Goon Show.

Indeed British humour is a difficult target to pin down. Ignoring of course the mainstream 'family' humour which usually consists of regurgitating old (sanitised) jokes.

I struggle with some of the extremes of British comedy (especially League of Gentlemen - glad they made it, but glad I could turn over!). Catherine Tate is getting big now, but I've not taken to it. I've probably enjoyed Tittybangbang more as well as Little Miss Jocelyn.

All time favourite is Rob Newman (from Newman and Baddiel and the Mary Whitehouse Experience). Now very much a political comedian.

regards

Ian

Yeah, I got the tongue in cheek part, but it isn't really a funny piece. The only line that made me think "humor" (or shall I spell it humour?) is the one about no grapes ever being mentioned in the descriptions. The reason I found that vaguely funny stems back to my experiences in my tasting room years ago.

The wine list included brief descriptions, and I can't tell you how many people wanted to know why we added pineapples or lemons or vanilla to our wines...

Why I hate wine snobs

He’s got some kind of complex going on. “Hate” is a strong word. Why would you hate some kind of enthusiast, – and at the same time spend so much time around the genre?

I’ve got his ‘Encore Provence’ sitting on my desk in front of me, for some reason. Tried to read it a couple of times and found it a little too l'homme moyen sensual. It belongs in a Gatsby library. Think I’ll retire it to the cellar and try it again when I am 80.

[Robin Garr]

He’s got some kind of complex going on. “Hate” is a strong word. Why would you hate some kind of enthusiast, – and at the same time spend so much time around the genre?

Let the record reflect that the Observer's headline writer used the term "hate." It does not appear in the text of Mayle's article.

Can't say I'm much of a fan of Mayle's books. Mostly because I'm terribly jealous that he was financially successful enough to take off for Provence and then became even more financially successful by writing about taking off for Provence. I hate him with a raging passion for that.

Not a bad piece, though. Not terribly original but I enjoyed it.


Mike

He’s got some kind of complex going on. “Hate” is a strong word. Why would you hate some kind of enthusiast, – and at the same time spend so much time around the genre?

Let the record reflect that the Observer's headline writer used the term "hate." It does not appear in the text of Mayle's article.

Is there a title to the article? The 'hate' didn't make sense, since Mayle seemed to be poking fun. Unless I am just not seeing the title - or it was supplanted by the Observer writer.

[Robin Garr]

Is there a title to the article? The 'hate' didn't make sense, since Mayle seemed to be poking fun. Unless I am just not seeing the title - or it was supplanted by the Observer writer.

No, it's in big type at the top of the page. "<b>Peter Mayle hates wine snobs</b>"

Covert,

You want a strong statement? How's this:

I hate headline writers and book publishers' good title-killers...

Or this: Peter Mayle's a prat who has made a fortune by belittling people. The fact that wine (or art, or music) is sometimes represented by idiots doesn't make the whole field pretentious, in fact it makes no difference to the thing itself. And the English wine trade used to be full of candidates for the Upper-Class Twit of the Year Award, so this is hardly news.

His books about Provence are mostly xenophobic put-downs of the appearance and customs of his French neighbors. I am told on good authority that most of them don't talk to him any more, which is only right.

[Robin Garr]

Or this: Peter Mayle's a prat who has made a fortune by belittling people. The fact that wine (or art, or music) is sometimes represented by idiots doesn't make the whole field pretentious, in fact it makes no difference to the thing itself. And the English wine trade used to be full of candidates for the Upper-Class Twit of the Year Award, so this is hardly news.

His books about Provence are mostly xenophobic put-downs of the appearance and customs of his French neighbors. I am told on good authority that most of them don't talk to him any more, which is only right.

Whoa! Parody by imitation, or just a coincidence?

xenophobic put-downs

Just as well that no one on this board is guilty of making such sweeping xeonophobic statements, eh?

BTW - Not sure about the British wine trade reference. Mayle was an advertising executive.

I have to say that during some sojourns into the Provence, the Ventoux and the Luberon (Mayle territory), I encountered a remarkable level of disdain for Peter Mayle amongst virtually every one of the locals, and not an inconsiderable amount of same from the other 'sunbird' immigrants, whether Brit or American.

And no one shows disdain quite as well as a Frenchman. [Wait, is that a gross generalization, or merely an acute observation of reality?]

Our hosts during one extended stay were rather pronounced in their dislike of what Mayle has done to the region, while at the same time appreciating his bringing acclaim to the area. They are most upset in that he seemed to portray the locals as country bumpkins and yokels. And while they do appreciate (to an extent) the increased business, they also rail at the incredibly increased prices, and the nouveau riche etrangers coming in in droves and chaning their carefully balanced culture.

Me, I enjoyed the first couple of books, then found they got tedious and repetitive and empty after that, as if he was obviously churning out his cute prose without really having anything worthwhile or interesting to say.

Besides, the best book that Mayle ever wrote (well, co-wrote) was something he did whilst in Manhattan, a book explaining sexuality in surprisingly frank and simple terms to a young child. It was beautiful (and ahead of its time).

a book explaining sexuality in surprisingly frank and simple terms to a young child. It was beautiful (and ahead of its time).

Get caught explaining sexuality to young child these days and boy will you have legal troubles

xenophobic put-downs

Just as well that no one on this board is guilty of making such sweeping xeonophobic statements, eh?

BTW - Not sure about the British wine trade reference. Mayle was an advertising executive.

Indeed he was; but you'll note that he was applying his lively literary ability to a wine merchant, amongst others.

I haven't seen too many sweeping xenophobes on this board. Not sure what you're referring to.

"Innocent youth that I was in those days, I was surprised that there was never a mention of the main ingredient. I now know that grapes, honest and worthy and indeed essential though they may be, are not considered sufficiently exotic to gain a place in the wine-lover's lexicon."

Quite obviously he never had a wine made from muscat grapes (from AT, AU, FR, GR, IT, PT — to stay in alphabetical order), nor did he ever read an appropriate TN.

Am I the only one to feel him ridiculously over-pretentious? Or simply don't I get British humour?

Michael,

I think Mayle was attempting sarcasm; he seems to think that grapes should usually be mentioned in wine description.

This is a best-selling advertising writer's idea of barbed criticism. If you boil it down you get the truism 'there are some pretentious idiots who sell and drink wine', which is news to nobody. It may also be that Mayle has been away from the UK during an important social shift in that market for wine, but that's speculative.

I have to say that during some sojourns into the Provence, the Ventoux and the Luberon (Mayle territory), I encountered a remarkable level of disdain for Peter Mayle amongst virtually every one of the locals, and not an inconsiderable amount of same from the other 'sunbird' immigrants, whether Brit or American.

If my neighbors and I were described the way Mayle described his, disdain would be inevitable. For me, the problem with both Mayle and Frances Mayes' 'Under the Tuscan Sun' is that they are bad books written about a very attractive topic. 'Extra Virgin' is much better; it too pokes fun at the locals, but in a much more human way. The author of Extra Virgin ended up marrying one of the Ligurian locals, whereas Mayle...

Another good book is Italian Neighbors, or A Lapsed Anglo-Saxon in Verona, by Tim Parks.

Parks is a not alwasy sophsiticated, and not always comfortable Englishman who is married to an Italian girl and moves to Verona to operate as a translator while doing some writing to pay the bills.

His report on his first year in Verona is hilarious, but still edged with realities. Parks seems a very honest writer, and he's very seldom cute, and rarely consdescending about the people he comes in contact with. At times he comes across as a hopeless Englishman befuddled by the warm and colorful Italian people, but little of it is negative. He's quite a good observer, and not afraid to put his own shortcomings out in full view when it is occasioned.

There was another book, a very small and tidy book, some years ago about "My French Garden", or something like that, where an American spends a year in France and decides to start a little garden. It's a story about the trials and travails---and the learning experiences about the culture and the people, of course----of his garden. Can't remember the name of it, however. It was good reading though.

Mayle's most recent books (and even his first, tell the truth) seem more like confectionary creations: glittery and appealling to the eye, but sweet and insubstantial in the consumption. And tasting more of saccharin than sugar.

Hoke,

Parks is a novelist, too. Very good writer.

[quote="

I think Mayle was attempting sarcasm; he seems to think that grapes should usually be mentioned in wine description.

quote]

Maybe he would have written "varietal character" instead of "grapes" were it not that the article was intended for a general audience.