Cuisine Sets Record Straight

Media statement
7 December, 2006
Cuisine Sets Record Straight
Statement made by Lynley Belton, General Manager, Fairfax Magazines

Some weeks ago Michael Cooper announced that he was leaving Cuisine to become New Zealand wine editor of Winestate. The parting has been mutually amicable and in no way related to the current debate surrounding Wither Hills.

Cuisine advised all wineries, distributors and Top Ten Cuisine stores last Friday 1 December of the key facts relating to the withdrawal of the Wither Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2006 from Cuisine’s annual New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc tasting. A decision was taken to temporarily reserve any wider comment as we were still investigating the matter with Lion Nathan and New Zealand Winegrowers in an effort to establish the facts. This meant we were not in a position to publish at the time the upcoming issue of our magazine (on sale on 18 December) went to print.

However, statements made since by Michael Cooper may have given the impression that Cuisine intended not to cover the issue fully. This is not correct. While Michael Cooper was advised of Cuisine’s plans of how the facts were to be communicated, he made the choice to disassociate himself publicly from Cuisine.

Our communication on the Sauvignon Blanc wine tasting includes a letter to all readers, which we have inserted in all copies of our January issue (on sale December 18). We have also published details on our website (www.cuisine.co.nz) and plan to include a comprehensive item in our March 2007 issue.

The Chardonnay wine tasting for the March 2007 issue will be written by our new wine contributor Michael Larsen.

ENDS

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