Grand Jury Européen
Encyclopedia
The Grand Jury Européen is an Association sans but lucratif (association without lucrative purpose under Luxembourg
law) with an aim to provide 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.
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. 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
.
In 2006 Mauss expressed criticism of the Judgment of Paris 30th Anniversary, adding to a reputation as "a dissenting voice in the wine world", also established by the Beaujolais nouveau
"vin de merde case".
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
law) with an aim to provide alternative classification of wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, 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
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
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
Grand European Jury Wine Tasting of 1997
In the Grand European Jury Wine Tasting of 1997, the Grand Jury Européen, consisting entirely of European judges, conducted a blind tasting of 27 Chardonnay wines from seven countries. Held in Bordeaux , 70 percent of the entries in the wine competition were from France...
and the "Judgment of Sauternes" of October, 2006.
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
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Robert M. Parker, Jr. is a leading U.S. wine critic with an international influence. His wine ratings on a 100-point scale and his newsletter The Wine Advocate, with his particular stylistic preferences and notetaking vocabulary, have become very influential in American wine buying and are...
, in order to provide an alternative to Parker's scores. 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
Château Haut-Brion
Château Haut-Brion is a French wine, rated a Premier Cru Classé , produced in the Gironde region. It differs from the other wines on the list in its geographic location in the north of the wine-growing region of Graves...
, Pichon Lalande
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a winery in the Pauillac appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is also the name of the red wine produced by this property...
and Sociando-Mallet
Château Sociando-Mallet
Château Sociando-Mallet is an unclassed Bordeaux wine producer from the appellation Haut-Médoc. The winery is located on the Left Bank of the Bordeaux wine regions, in the commune of Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne north of Saint-Estèphe, France...
.
In 2006 Mauss expressed criticism of the Judgment of Paris 30th Anniversary, adding to a reputation as "a dissenting voice in the wine world", also established by the Beaujolais nouveau
Beaujolais nouveau
Beaujolais nouveau is a red wine made from Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region of France. It is the most popular vin de primeur, fermented for just a few weeks before being released for sale on the third Thursday of November...
"vin de merde case".