A Vintner's tale
From Mr John Charles Townend Sir: I was appalled that Bruce Anderson saw fit to bring my company's reputation into disrepute in his article about my father (Politics, 5 May). He didn't even have the courtesy to ask me for the true version of events concerning our relationship with Professor Alejandro Hernandez of Portal del Alto; I know the facts because I was involved.
Mr Bruce-Gardyne's son met the winemaker concerned when visiting Chile, and was asked if, on his return, he would find an importer for his wines. Eventually Mr BruceGardyne decided to import the wines himself.
Sometime later my father was invited by 'Pro Chile' to visit wineries in Chile. During the visit he was discussing with an official the wines from the vineyard concerned and said that, if the present arrangement didn't work out, then we would be interested. The winemaker contacted us very shortly afterwards and said that he had asked Mr Bruce-Gardyne to find an agent, and that he wanted an established firm with infrastructure. He had never considered appointing Mr Bruce-Gardyne as his agent.
The press has done a pretty good hatchet job on my father, especially as he never said that immigrants had created a mongrel race. However, if you wish to bring our business into the equation, then please at least get your facts right.
John Charles Townend
Managing director, House of Townend, Hull
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