Image cite: http://maisonilan.com/

Often an epitaph is used as a form of honour – and that clearly shouldn’t be the case here – I simply choose to use this word in the context of remembering something has, eventually, officially, died.

The wheels of French justice are certainly not the fastest – it has taken 18 months – but Maison Ilan is now officially being liquidated. This means that despite the piecemeal promises of its former owner to those whose money he took, they will see nothing in return. Okay, perhaps there may be a few cents on the dollar / pennies on the pound – but that assumes somebody will buy what remains. The bottles – as many as 3,000 of them – will without doubt find a buyer, somewhere, but the barrels of 2015, 2014 and even a couple of 2013s? It’s equally likely that the administrators will have to pay to dispose of them.

Think what you will of the former owner most recently choosing to blame his children; his wife; racists; personal vendettas; bit-part bloggers; defamers; stalkers; moles; #FrenchCustoms; oh and himself – if only in part – I’m sorry if have missed a few…