Wine expert in France?

[Megan Bay Dorman]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if you might possibly be able to help me please? I am looking for a wine expert in France, and wondered if anyone has any recommendations?

This is for a television programme in which we are exploring the potential health benefits of red wine, focusing on research that shows it contains compounds that are good for the memory. We have found a fantastic scientist who is going to tell us about this, but also want to explain that in fact for centuries people have believed that red wine is good for health and mind.

So we are looking for somebody in France who might know about the history of wine and how people have long believed it has health benefits.

Due to schedule issues we need to find someone to film with next week, and I am searching hard, but would really really appreciate any suggestions or pointers you may have!

Thank you so much for your time,
Best wishes,
Megan

 

[Ian Sutton]

Hi Megan
My first thought is Francois Audouze, someone who probably does know a lot of French wine history, but definitely has a well-established habit of consuming most of it. He has contact details at the start of his blog Académie des vins anciens | Wine-dinners.com et l'Académie des vins anciens
If he is anywhere near as interesting in person, as he is in print, then if willing he could be a real bonus.
regards
Ian

 

[David Crossley]

...and he's pretty well known in French wine circles, Megan, famous indeed.

There are also several well known French wine critics...if they need to be French...

 

[Nayan Gowda]

Megan,

I have a few ideas, but would need to know how much you intend to pay the expert for their services?

 

[Claude Kolm]

I'd recommend . . . oh, I've forgotten.

Although he's mostly associated with Burgundy, I think Jacky Rigaux of the Université de Bourgogne in Dijon would fill your bill, and if for some reason he can't take it, he should be able to direct you to someone else who can.

 

[Tim York]

It is much easier in France to find people who think that wine is harmful to health. Their public health activists are just as neo-prohibitionist as Dame Sally, the UK CMO. There is, however, an oncologist, David Khayat David Khayat, Chef de service à la Pitié-Salpêtrière , who has written popular books on diet and who is in favour on moderate wine consumption.

PS: The editor of La Revue du Vin de France, Denis Saverot dsaverot@gmc.tm.fr , may be able to point you in a good direction.

 

[Megan Bay Dorman]

Thank you so much everyone, I really appreciate your help! And I have followed up some of those leads, fingers crossed.

I should have mentioned that due to our tight schedule we need to film this interview either in Paris or near Roquefor-sur-Soulzon (so for example, Montpellier, Toulouse, etc). If anyone else in those areas comes to mind, I'd be ever so grateful to hear your suggestions!

Thank you so much!!

 

[Megan Bay Dorman]

Megan,

I have a few ideas, but would need to know how much you intend to pay the expert for their services?

Hi Nayan,
thank you so much - I'm afraid I can't give you an exact figure at the moment, I do know our budget is tight and as this is a factual documentary, people are often happy to appear with just expenses covered and of course their name and job title talked about in the programme. However if that's not possible or agreeable, I would certainly do my best to get a fee earmarked by my manager. We would only need an hour or two of someone's time.
Many thanks and best wishes