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Eduardo Chadwick and Patrick McGrath pay their tributes to Michael Cox

Published:  28 February, 2014

Eduardo Chadwick, president of leading Chilean winery, Errazuriz, and Patrick McGrath, managing director, of its UK partner and importer, Hatch Mansfield, have both paid tributes to Michael Cox, the former head of Wines of Chile, who died last week.

 

 

Eduardo Chadwick, president of leading Chilean winery, Errazuriz, and Patrick McGrath, managing director, of its UK partner and importer, Hatch Mansfield, have both paid tributes to Michael Cox, the former head of Wines of Chile, who died last week.

Both Chadwick and McGrath had worked closely with Cox throughout their careers, but particularly since 2003 when they were instrumental in helping to establish the Wines of Chile and seen its development over the last 11 years in the UK and Europe under Cox's leadership.

Chadwick wrote:

"Last year Michael celebrated 10 years leading Wines of Chile UK and has been one of the most influential figures in Chilean wine and in the international wine community in recent years.  I would like to take this opportunity to once again  thank Michael, our dearest "man of the year"  for having supported our Wines of Chile cause in such a formidable and enthusiastic way.

"I still remember when Patrick McGrath  and I were brainstorming about the launching of  our new WoC office back in 2003 and when we first met him, we immediately knew that he was the man. It is gratifying  to look back and to see the great progress that he, and his wonderful team, have made through his great leadership during these past ten years. Chilean wines enjoy today a stronger and much better image and recognition in the UK market thanks to his great work and endless energy to waive our flag.

"In addition to his  professional accomplishments Michael  gained many, many friends in Chile, and I am honoured to consider myself a very close one. He was an example of leadership and generosity to us all with  his great enthusiasm and sympathy, together with his unique charisma and humour. He always looked after every producer, irrelevant of their size or power with the same interest and dedication  to help and to give his best  and always most friendly  advice. He was dearly loved by everyone.

"Today is a day of mourning for the Chilean wine community which Michael deeply touched with his characteristic fun personality, great spirit and wit.  He will be dearly  missed and  remembered with fond memories in Chile by all of us. I will raise a glass of Chilean wine this evening to pay tribute to this great friend and huge man."

Patrick McGrath paid this tribute to Michael Cox:

"I have been feeling very flat all week as a result of the news that we have been dreading, that our dear friend Michael has lost his fight against his cancer. Boy, did he fight it helped by the loving care and support from his wife Lynne, twin brother David, his children, Henry and Jocie, and all the family. It seems so cruel that someone who was as fit and strong as Michael could have died so early. (Try rowing 2k on the rowing machine in under eight minutes when aged 60, he did it all the time).

"Michael was without doubt one the great character of the UK wine trade over the last 30 years. He was widely admired for his business acumen and liked, no, loved by so many people for his infectious wit and charm. Michael was a 'show off' in the best sense of the word. There was not a ounce of arrogance in him and he rightly despised people he considered so. He threw himself into everything that he did be it running Yalumba UK, setting up Wines of Chile, contributing in meetings, getting his kit off for charity or ensuring that he was the centre of attention on the dance floor!! (He knew how good he was).

"I have had the privilege of working very closely with him  since we set up Wines of Chile in 2003 and in the last 11 years he has been the driving force behind the transformation in the reputation, image, quality and ultimately sales success of Chilean wines in the UK. I don't think Michael would have been seen dead in a Volvo but he has certainly transformed Tim Atkin's Volvo into something far sexier.

"The term a 'people person'is used far too widely but Michael was so successful because he had a unique talent in getting the best out of those who worked for him. This was because they liked him so much and he understood the basic business principle that you will be far more successful in life if you are liked. He did not have to work on this, it came natural to him. I know that Anita and Karen from Wines of Chile will back me up when I say this. It was so unfair that his term as Master of the Vintners Company coincided with his illness but he saw his cancer treatment as a mere irritation and carried on as usual despite often feeling 'shit' from his chemo.

"We have lost a wonderful man. As an identical twin I think I have some sense of the loss that dear David is feeling but the good news is that every time we see David we will always think of Michael and realise how much we miss him."

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