Pancho Campo looks outside wine after 'disgusting attacks'

Published: 05 April, 2012

Pancho Campo MW of the Wine Academy of Spain is switching his business away from wine trade-only events in part response to the "deeply upsetting" attacks he and his family have suffered in recent months.

Campo admitted to Harpers he needed to step out of the wine industry's "limelight", following the fierce criticism levelled at him from some quarters over the alleged access to Spanish wineries given to US wine critic Jay Miller and the Wine Advocate.

The controversy resulted in the Wine Advocate's Robert Parker conducting a review of Miller and Campo's business arrangements.

Campo said he looked forward to the results of the report, which is expected soon, so that he and his family could "move on" from what he described as the "disgusting attacks" on himself and his close family.

"This is a family business and we want to grow and be proud of what we do. The attacks received have been deeply upsetting and very personal, not only about myself but members of my family, which they do not deserve."

He said it had left a "bitter taste" after all the good work he felt he and his team had done in building up the Climate Change and Wine Future events. He did not rule out running similar events in the future, but said his focus was no longer just on the wine trade.

Specialist lifestyle events company Chrand Management has bought the Wine Academy of Spain to help run a series of consumer events featuring gastronomy, sport, wine and culture. Campo, who maintains a small shareholding in the academy, said he was excited by his first two events set to run side by side in Barcelona in October.

The Barcelona Experience event, taking place between October 21-23, will give people the chance to train with ex-Barcelona football stars and former Spanish tennis player Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, as well as take part in gastronomic dinners, specialist wine tours and tastings.

This follows a separate event on October 20, where Campo has invited former US vice-president Al Gore to be the keynote speaker at the Green Economy Forum aimed at all business areas. "This is going back to what we used to do in sport and lifestyle events as well as wine. We are bringing them altogether in a new blend for consumers to enjoy."

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