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 A well-known British wine journalist, author and a celebrity speaker, the 76-year old Johnson is a rock star of wine education, comparable to the legendary British rock group the Rolling Stones since both started their highly successful careers in the UK around 53 years ago. He has won many accolades and sold 16 million books during his journey. He was also the Decanter Man of the Year in 1995.
The citation on the certificate reads, “Nominated by a panel of prominent wine industry professionals and members of the Institute of Masters of Wine, this award recognises an outstanding and inspirational figure in the world of wine whose enduring contribution spans a whole career.” The selection js made by the Members of the Institute of Masters of Wine. Previous awardees have been late Robert Mondavi (2005), Marchese Piero Antinori (2007), Jean-Michel Cazes (2011) and the late Baroness Philippine de Rothschild (2013), according to the Institute of Masters of Wine Website.
On hearing the news, Hugh Johnson said, 'no salute could give me more of a glow than one from the MWs - the gold standard of wine knowledge and appreciation. If it’s taken 55 years, it has all been fascinating, absorbing, even inebriating.’
Since his first book ‘Wine’, appeared in 1966, Hugh Johnson has been making the subject of wine approachable to all with his witty and humorous style. His Story of Wine, World Atlas of Wine with Jancis Robinson (latest 7th edition was released early last year and barely a column is devoted to the Indian vineyards in the 377 page coffee-table book with a cellar full of wine information) and Wine Companion are classics. His other books include the bestseller ‘Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book’ and make him one of the most favourite and sought out wine authors.
Johnson does not claim to be a qualified wine expert and didn’t dream of becoming a wine writer when he started writing. ‘When I started my career I wanted to simply write about fashion, trends and travels. Some newspapers had reserved small space for wine. I didn’t aspire for the job but I knew I wanted to write and had to start somewhere. I started as a copywriter for one of the magazines published by Vogue. Writing about wine regions seemed to be a good living as one could travel to those destinations.’
He doesn’t like to be called a wine critic. ‘I am not a critic but more of a commentator. If I don’t like some wine, I just don’t talk about it; but I won’t like to criticise it.’ The extremely modest Johnson says that this is very important for wine education. He says ‘we have to stop people thinking that a wine with 85 points is better than 84. I think the spirit of the experiment is what drives the whole process of wine tasting. There is nothing like a winemaker taking me to a corner and showing me something and saying- what do you think of this?’
I had met Hugh Johnson about 18-19 years ago on the terrace of the Oberoi, Delhi where he had been invited to talk about wines showcased at an exhibition which was futuristic for its time, as wine imports were restricted and allowed only to hotels that paid heavy customs duties. I was a novice but very inquisitive about wines and anxious to learn. He was very gentle and patient in answering my questions and explaining to me things that I realise today are very basic and I would be embarrassed to ask in public.
I met him again in November last year at the World Wine Symposium 2014 in Villa d’Este when he was invited as a speaker to go through the memory lane of the last 50 years of his wine journey and what he thought was the future of the industry. I had interviewed him at length. Though he didn’t obviously remember meeting me in Delhi, he shared a lot of insight into the wine industry, which was reported in delWine
Johnson is not only a celebrated wine expert but also a horticulturalist with a particular interest in trees. He has published several books on gardening - notably the International Book of Trees and the Gardener's Companion, the Principles and Practice of the Gardener's Art. His garden, a 17th century manor house in Essex, is a horticulturists’ delight. In fact, he was given the OBE recognition in early 2007 for his services to winemaking and horticulture.
We at delWine and Indian Wine Academy salute this wine educator extraordinaire and propose a toast to his health and long life so he can ‘Carry On Educating’ for years to come.
For the earlier related articles in 2014 and 2007 respectively, please visit:
VDEWS 2014: Down Memory Lane with Hugh Johnson
Wine writer Hugh Johnson awarded OBE
Subhash Arora |