Bob Campbell MW (AKA Mr Grumpy) The Real Review

A big, warm, heartfelt thanks to everyone who responds to an article I have written. I react well to praise of course but even the harshest criticism is welcome. Once I have cleared up the bits of broken glass and apologised for my language to anyone within earshot I take on board constructive criticism and try to do better.

I wrote a magazine wine column for several years without getting any response from a single reader. I started to imagine that no-one read my column apart from my greatest critic (my wife, Marion). It was like shouting into a vacuum. Finally it got too much for me and I gave up the column. Thirty-five readers wrote to me to say how much they had enjoyed my scribbles. Several had kept every single column I’d written. I was deeply touched by the response.

No praise is worse than false praise. I am occasionally introduced to a wine enthusiast at a party who will gush:

“Bob Campbell, great to meet you, I love your work, never buy a wine without checking your tasting notes, I’ve got every book you have written.”

I am then forced to admit:

“I have never written a book, you must be thinking of Michael Cooper.”