WineJedi
Grape Sorter
Posts:351
 | | 01/21/2006 5:30 PM |
| i'm very new to wine collecting so i'm going to have lots of newbie questions in the future. my 1st question is this, do robert parker's wine scores carry as much weight as Wine Spectator's scores? from the research of done so far a high score(95-100) from WS seems to effect the price of a wine more than RP's. looks like he trys every wine out there.  am i correct or am i a newbie without a clue?  | | | |
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stemor
Collierville, TN
Wine Thief
Posts:2813
| | 01/21/2006 5:42 PM |
| | It depends what wine type and area you're looking at. For example, Parker's followers tend to be higher-end enthusiasts who respond aggressively to his scores on high end Bordeaux and California cabs, while Spectator, particularly with its end-of-year Wine of the Year pronouncement, can make a star out of a very good wine like the recent examples of Paloma Merlot, Guigal, or Chateau Cinq Cepages. | |
Cheers, y'all | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15711
| | 01/21/2006 6:20 PM |
| This may offend some of you but it is just my opinion and is based on absolutely nothing other than a swag.
Wine Spectator is a great magazine to introduce new people into the world of wine. Lots of articles about where and how it is made, about winemakers, about tasting, about eating... about everything that might intice a person to buy a bottle of wine. And millions of people read it and then start drinking more wine. And a lot of the wines are readily available at the corner grocery store (Trader Joe's loves Wine Spectator).
Of all the millions of people that drink wine there are really only a small percentage that really "get it". It's kinda like the NBA. Everybody out there plays or has played basketball but there are only a few that dedicate themselves to learn the talent to be able to score in the NBA. Wine drinking is the same; one really has to do a lot of "training" do really understand all the nuances of the wine world. It is definetly a honed skill if you ask me.
Millions of people have that glass of wine everyday and think nothing of it. But there are always one or two that become fanatical. And that imo is where Wine Spectator slides out of the picture. Sure, it is interesting reading but that fanatic knows more about wine than Wine Spectator does (well, they think they do).
That fanatic starts to look around the wine world (like you are doing right here). And that is the time when one starts reading Parker/WA or Tanzer. Wine reviews and nothing but wine reviews; no advertising. These publications are aimed at the wine fanatic. And they are a huge influence (whether we want to admit it or not) over what we think of wine.
So, to answer your question...
Wine Spectator has more influence simply because their readers are in the millions. And those millions are very much influenced by what they read there.
Parker/WA and Tanzer don't have millions of subscribers but the "few" they have are serious wine buyers. They don't buy the wine in a grocery store. Every purchase is researched before completed. And as I said above, whether we want to admit it or not, these publications have a great impact of what this small group of fanatics drink. | | | |
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ojeffso
warren, new jersey
Wine Lover
Posts:4877
| | 01/22/2006 2:59 AM |
| well said david.
in actuality, other than winebid and wine commune, wine spectator scores carry very little weight. the other exception is the wine spectator wine of the year, but even that loses some lustre after a few years. most of the big auction houses do not even include wine spectator scores, unless it is a wine of the year or there is no other rating. i know the wine spectator groupies do not want to hear this, but it is the truth. | | | |
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WineJedi
Grape Sorter
Posts:351
| | 01/22/2006 4:30 PM |
| i guess i am a newbie w/out a clue. thanks for everyone's replies. i'm learning a great deal from this website.  | | | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15711
| | 01/22/2006 6:10 PM |
| Quote:
i guess i am a newbie w/out a clue. thanks for everyone's replies. i'm learning a great deal from this website.
Hey PictureTaker,
You are a newbie but you are certainly not without a clue. Finding this website and just plain surfing the web sites of the wineries etc. puts you miles ahead of most newbies. Like the old saying, "It all starts with a firstdrink ". | | | |
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WineJedi
Grape Sorter
Posts:351
| | 01/23/2006 1:38 AM |
| thanks David and good job figuring out nikonf100  . this website has been awesome so far and everyone very helpful. and to think the first glass of red i had i sent back because it was warm!!  now i know better. still trying to learn all the different flavors. the only one i can pick out right now is oak. must practice tasting more. | | | |
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JimmyV
Central Connecticut
Wine Connoisseur
Posts:5015
| | 01/23/2006 9:52 PM |
| | I agree with davidn's first post. WS "shelf-talkers", (those little cardboard or paper cut-outs that they put next to bottles in wine shops giving you a quick score or review) are seen by far more people, and tend to sway more purchasers than RP's reviews. So in an average wine shop, WS influences more people. At auction, it is the other way around. RP is by far the most influencial critic when it comes to establishing the secondary market value for wine. As a consumer, you can and probably should pay attention to both. But most important would be some experimentation with wines where WS and RP have differed by a fair margin (5+ points). Buy a few wines where the two sources disagree and taste them blind. You might find that Parker (or WS) just doesn't suit your palate. It matters little which is the "most influencial" in theory. What matters is where your tastes line up in practice. | |
Beta testing a new signature. | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15711
| | 01/23/2006 10:46 PM |
| Very good point JimmyV.
One should know that their likes and dislikes are similar to the reviewers.
Just FYI, I think my tastes are pretty close to those of Dan Bailey's. You can download Dan's Enophile (sp?) from the VinoCellar home page at no charge. | | | |
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NorCalVinoLover
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2200
| | 01/23/2006 10:51 PM |
| A lot of good information here for a newbie ....... Have fun!
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GATC
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2420
| | 01/28/2006 3:16 AM |
| | I judge a person's wine knowledge based on how much credence he/she gives to WS scores. | | | |
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WineJedi
Grape Sorter
Posts:351
| | 01/28/2006 4:26 AM |
| | i have to say that after doing more wine research that i had it backwards. looks like RP's scores are more respected. thanks for everyone's input on this so far. | | | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15711
| | 01/28/2006 4:27 AM |
| Quote:
I judge a person's wine knowledge based on how much credence he/she gives to WS scores.
LOL | | | |
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wineismylife
Arlington, TX
Master of Wine
Posts:12003
| | 01/28/2006 4:29 AM |
| Quote:
I judge a person's wine knowledge based on how much credence he/she gives to WS scores.
I judge a person's wine knowledge based on how much he actually knows. | |
Joe
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Wine is like potato chips around me...if it's open, it's gone. | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15711
| | 01/28/2006 4:32 AM |
| Quote:
Quote:
I judge a person's wine knowledge based on how much credence he/she gives to WS scores.
I judge a person's wine knowledge based on how much he actually knows.
Hey, Screw you. What do you know. Half the people here don't know who you are. You should change that.
And besides... I agree 110% with GATC. Your statement is too logical Mr. Spock. | | | |
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wineismylife
Arlington, TX
Master of Wine
Posts:12003
| | 01/28/2006 4:37 AM |
| Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
I judge a person's wine knowledge based on how much credence he/she gives to WS scores.
I judge a person's wine knowledge based on how much he actually knows.
Hey, Screw you. What do you know. Half the people here don't know who you are. You should change that.
And besides... I agree 110% with GATC. Your statement is too logical Mr. Spock.
You're statement is so full of sh!t. I LOVE IT! | |
Joe
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Wine is like potato chips around me...if it's open, it's gone. | |
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mountainman
Mammoth Mountain
Wine Bottler
Posts:3113
| | 01/28/2006 5:46 PM |
| Quote:
I judge a person's wine knowledge based on how much credence he/she gives to WS scores.
You mean it is not their post count? | | | |
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David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15711
| | 01/28/2006 9:29 PM |
| | Where is that mooning-avatar when you need it? | | | |
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Seaquam
Barrel Filler
Posts:1141
| | 01/28/2006 11:20 PM |
| | There's an excellent biography of Parker by Elin McCoy called The Emperor of Wine : The Rise of Robert M. Parker, Jr. and the Reign of American Taste. It will tell you more than you might want to know about Parker's influence relative to that of all other critics. It's currently on sale at amazon.com (around $17), and highly readable. | | | |
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GATC
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2420
| | 01/29/2006 12:26 AM |
| Oh yah, I forgot about post count.
I didn't mean to stir up anything. Maybe I should have said I judge a person by what they think of Hundred Acres | | | |
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