Michael Broadbent RIP

A note from his son Bart. Sorry to hear, a real gentleman and a powerhouse in the wine world in his day.

Bad news on top of bad news. So sad to hear this. Had been hoping to meet him at some point.

RIP Mr. Broadbent. By all appearances a true gentleman who lived a rich and full life. I always enjoyed reading his books and commentary.

He was a titan. I still have a copy of “The Great Vintage Wine Book” he signed for me.

So sorry to hear. Godspeed Mr B

Wow. What a giant in the industry. RIP.

A legend. There will never be another like him.

Rest In Peace.

Agree, a legend. Greatest of condolences to his family and friends.

a legend who won’t be forgotten.

*****(*)

This is terribly sad news. Lots of wine that I’m fond of that may not be as known with him.

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Well said, sir.

Looking back on over 20 years of deep experience in wine, my first and most enduring love has been for Bordeaux, and for my part the intellectual approach and style of note-taking of Michael Broadbent captures the essence of those wines so very perfectly. And it took me a full 20 years to be able to say that and understand why I am saying it.

Anyone who has read a few of my tasting notes will readily see that Broadbent is the inspiration for how I chronicle my journey, and always there will be in me that 21 year old who went home one weekend to tell my father I was interested in wine, and received a tattered worn out first edition of The Great Vintage Wine Book to take back to college with me along with a mixed box of first growths and fresh memories of my first formal tasting note- 1976 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild. I read that book cover to cover countless times.

Parker taught me to be a savvy wine buyer - Broadbent taught me to seek to fully understand and love it, and appreciate the decades of experience required to truly master it.

RIP sir.

MB, along with Harry Waugh, were my go to guys in my early wine days.
He will be missed…

TTT

Sorry to hear the news. A great writer and better taster, he witnessed the full blossoming of wine appreciation to the masses. His books were like a tonic whenever I had a bad day I would just read his notes and look forward to the day when I could taste the wines for myself. RIP.

Very sad, he was a real master in his day. RIP.

Wish I could have met Mr. Broadbent. Bless him and may he rest in peace.

I lived in London from 2003-2018 and had the great privilege to meet him at events on numerous occasions and then become friends and had dinner with him socially on at least half a dozen occasions. In the mid-1980s on, he and Hugh Johnson (who I also met half a dozen times) were my most important formative influences in those early years. They wrote about wine in ways that spoke to me and helped me understand wine in a way that resonated. Their commentary was almost always very different from Mr. Parker’s and from most of the other writers at Decanter…their commentary seemed to have an entirely different dimension.

Socially, he was the epitome of graciousness and charm…never a note of English sarcasm (not that I mind English sarcasm)…and often surprisingly bawdy. Watching him taste a great wine…stop and reflect upon it…and then offer his comments was a very special experience. You knew he felt a wine was great when stopped talking and looked down at his glass and reflected before speaking.

Others have talked about his wicked sense of humor. At a dinner at Vinexpo, there was a shortage of toilets, so there were a number of people peeing in the vineyards. He looked at them and said, “the Sauvignon Blanc this year at Xxxxxxxx” will have a strong aroma of cat peepee”.

His son Bart said on his Facebook page that he is unable to return to England because of C-19. That sucks