Letter: Vintage

Thursday 05 March 1998 00:02 GMT

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Letter: Vintage

THE MENTION in Peter Sichel's Obituary (28 February) of his father, Allan Sichel, reminds me of a story told to me by that wine connoisseur the late Maurice Platnauer, Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford.

Allan Sichel often submitted himself to "blindfolded" wine tasting and was admired for his remarkable success in such tests. However on one occasion he was offered a glass of chambre good-quality tap water. He was obviously puzzled and declared finally: "I have never tasted this stuff before, but I know that it won't sell."

The last words are no longer true. Water does sell.

Professor NICHOLAS KURTI

Oxford

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