Comments on: 5 questions for Robert Parker http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2010/04/22/5-questions-for-robert-parker/ A blog about the world of wine Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:15:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: The Best From the Wine Web in 2010 | Nectar Tasting Room and Wine Blog http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2010/04/22/5-questions-for-robert-parker/comment-page-1/#comment-131761 The Best From the Wine Web in 2010 | Nectar Tasting Room and Wine Blog Mon, 20 Dec 2010 13:20:30 +0000 http://www.steveheimoff.com/?p=5752#comment-131761 [...] Steve Heimoff provides some great content to the wine blogging world. Steve Heimoff’s’ post “5 Questions for Robert Parker” generated 50+ comments. Steve asks the questions respectfully and [...] [...] Steve Heimoff provides some great content to the wine blogging world. Steve Heimoff’s’ post “5 Questions for Robert Parker” generated 50+ comments. Steve asks the questions respectfully and [...]

]]> By: Toni Ettore, Texas Sake Import Agent http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2010/04/22/5-questions-for-robert-parker/comment-page-1/#comment-104035 Toni Ettore, Texas Sake Import Agent Fri, 05 Nov 2010 09:53:24 +0000 http://www.steveheimoff.com/?p=5752#comment-104035 Wow. I am a baby in this industry @ 29, only having been in it for 8 years, and I specialize in Sake, THANK GOD. While I was in wine (and still dabble recreationally) I was appalled at the glory they gave these men (and women?) that gave scores to wines. I would watch as a product would get a great score, and run out, while a lesser known product that was stellar would sit on the shelf, crying for its release from the bottle. I quit reading them all. At the end of the day it is what you appreciate that matters, and all these guys (and girls?) go to bed with the wine makers so to speak, anyways. I wish there were transparency within the printed community, like Rodney Strong has mentioned with bloggers, etc. But the sad thing is the wineries that buy their 90+ Ratings have enough money to work their way around getting their products into their hands by any means necessary. I once saw a large distributor give a $100 gift card to a wine store owner for featuring his products on a large display, and to push the wines....we all see it, can you imagine what the wineries do? If ratings come to the sake market I will be rather dissapointed, and if it is from any of the goons in the magazines - you can count that it will be BS. They wouldn't know the difference in a blind tasting between a Sanzoshu or Tokuteimeishoshu. Translation: The Rot Gut to the Special Classifications. Toni Ettore, Kikizakeshi Sake Import Agent Dallas, Texas Wow. I am a baby in this industry @ 29, only having been in it for 8 years, and I specialize in Sake, THANK GOD. While I was in wine (and still dabble recreationally) I was appalled at the glory they gave these men (and women?) that gave scores to wines. I would watch as a product would get a great score, and run out, while a lesser known product that was stellar would sit on the shelf, crying for its release from the bottle.

I quit reading them all. At the end of the day it is what you appreciate that matters, and all these guys (and girls?) go to bed with the wine makers so to speak, anyways.

I wish there were transparency within the printed community, like Rodney Strong has mentioned with bloggers, etc. But the sad thing is the wineries that buy their 90+ Ratings have enough money to work their way around getting their products into their hands by any means necessary.

I once saw a large distributor give a $100 gift card to a wine store owner for featuring his products on a large display, and to push the wines….we all see it, can you imagine what the wineries do?

If ratings come to the sake market I will be rather dissapointed, and if it is from any of the goons in the magazines – you can count that it will be BS.
They wouldn’t know the difference in a blind tasting between a Sanzoshu or Tokuteimeishoshu. Translation: The Rot Gut to the Special Classifications.

Toni Ettore, Kikizakeshi
Sake Import Agent
Dallas, Texas

]]> By: Monday Links. « the broke wino http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2010/04/22/5-questions-for-robert-parker/comment-page-1/#comment-50412 Monday Links. « the broke wino Mon, 31 May 2010 14:47:44 +0000 http://www.steveheimoff.com/?p=5752#comment-50412 [...] 5 Questions for Robert Parker – SteveHeimoff.com One of only a few who have the legit chops required to take a piss on Mr. Parker’s leg, and he does so as only a consummate professional could. [...] [...] 5 Questions for Robert Parker – SteveHeimoff.com One of only a few who have the legit chops required to take a piss on Mr. Parker’s leg, and he does so as only a consummate professional could. [...]

]]> By: Chris http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2010/04/22/5-questions-for-robert-parker/comment-page-1/#comment-45617 Chris Thu, 06 May 2010 16:38:53 +0000 http://www.steveheimoff.com/?p=5752#comment-45617 I have a story about Parker to share: I used to work for an importer of boutique Australian wines. We submitted a sample of a Barossa "old vine" Shiraz (vintage 1999, I believe). We included information about the age of the vines, which were documented to be some of the oldest in all of Australia. He gave the wine 89 points and said it was from "supposedly 100 year old vines" or something like that and proceeded to give the wine a middling review. This was one of the only reviews we received from him despite sending many samples of wines highly regarded by other publications. The next year, the producer switched importers and went to The Grateful Palate. The 2000 vintage of the wine was reviewed and gushed about. The wine was from a producer that Parker said "I have never seen before" despite the fact that the label hadn't changed at all (and he supposedly has a "photographic palate".) He gave the wine 97 points and called it one of the greatest examples of Barossa Shiraz he had ever seen. I am not a professional reviewer, but I am a wine professional. I tasted these two wines side by side at the winery. Yes, 2000 was a slightly better vintage, but I can tell you these wines were not that different. If the 1999 deserved a score of 89, then the 2000 was a 91. If the 2000 was 97, then the 1999 was a 94/95. But what really got me was this; in the review he went on and on about the fact that the wine was from the oldest vines in Australia and how this was documented, etc. All information we had given him too. So, what was the difference? I assume that he tasted the wine in person with Dan from the Grateful Palate and was able to get the "full story." This was a courtesy he would not extend to us despite several requests to meet him in person. Did the relationship affect the score? I have a story about Parker to share:
I used to work for an importer of boutique Australian wines. We submitted a sample of a Barossa “old vine” Shiraz (vintage 1999, I believe). We included information about the age of the vines, which were documented to be some of the oldest in all of Australia. He gave the wine 89 points and said it was from “supposedly 100 year old vines” or something like that and proceeded to give the wine a middling review. This was one of the only reviews we received from him despite sending many samples of wines highly regarded by other publications.

The next year, the producer switched importers and went to The Grateful Palate.

The 2000 vintage of the wine was reviewed and gushed about. The wine was from a producer that Parker said “I have never seen before” despite the fact that the label hadn’t changed at all (and he supposedly has a “photographic palate”.) He gave the wine 97 points and called it one of the greatest examples of Barossa Shiraz he had ever seen.

I am not a professional reviewer, but I am a wine professional. I tasted these two wines side by side at the winery. Yes, 2000 was a slightly better vintage, but I can tell you these wines were not that different. If the 1999 deserved a score of 89, then the 2000 was a 91. If the 2000 was 97, then the 1999 was a 94/95.

But what really got me was this; in the review he went on and on about the fact that the wine was from the oldest vines in Australia and how this was documented, etc. All information we had given him too.

So, what was the difference? I assume that he tasted the wine in person with Dan from the Grateful Palate and was able to get the “full story.” This was a courtesy he would not extend to us despite several requests to meet him in person.

Did the relationship affect the score?

]]> By: Charlie Olken http://www.steveheimoff.com/index.php/2010/04/22/5-questions-for-robert-parker/comment-page-1/#comment-45146 Charlie Olken Tue, 04 May 2010 05:33:27 +0000 http://www.steveheimoff.com/?p=5752#comment-45146 The proof or lack thereof of Parker's credibility with the people that matter, the ones who pay his bills, is measured by how many of them subscribe to his services. If they think he has credibility, then all the nay-saying about Parker, all the criticism of his foibles and inconsistencies, all the evidence that he does not practice what he preaches, do not amount to a hill of beans. Retire? Why would he retire when he is is making fabulous amounts of money all of which is being paid by the folks for whom he has credibility? The proof or lack thereof of Parker’s credibility with the people that matter, the ones who pay his bills, is measured by how many of them subscribe to his services. If they think he has credibility, then all the nay-saying about Parker, all the criticism of his foibles and inconsistencies, all the evidence that he does not practice what he preaches, do not amount to a hill of beans.

Retire? Why would he retire when he is is making fabulous amounts of money all of which is being paid by the folks for whom he has credibility?

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