This is inspired by the updated "Who do you trust. " I am curious about John Gilman. I had not heard of him until recently – I just googled and read some good write ups. What do people think are his strengths? Does he review both current and older vintages? Anything else I should know that will help decide whether to subscribe?
I have known John Gilman for a very long time and we have tasted together. He has a superb palate as well as a very strong insight into the market in general. I have been a long-time subscriber and recommend him most highly.
John’s notes are highly “technical”- meaning he will give you the laundry list of every single aromatic and taste sensation he experiences. More importantly, he has both the memory and experience to compare a particular vintage of a wine to past vintages- in large part because he revisits past vintages with great frequency. And finally- he is brutally honest, both in his assertions in the here and now and in correcting himself when time and cellaring prove initial conclusions vary from initial beliefs.
For this I admire and respect him- plus read and heed his guidance.
As wine has become more mainstream, the number of wine critics has risen dramatically. And as always, wineries have certain expectations of those who come to visit and opine after the fact (human nature.) The number of wines being made, as well as the number of wines marketed broadly has also increased substantially.
Point being- there is increasing pressure on critics to taste everything, which hinders their time and ability to taste and post notes on older vintages, plus there is an even greater pressure than before for critics to “be nice” if they want to be given access. It is no coincidence that at least one critic we ridicule here on this forum (and rightly so) for always giving high scores also happens to have an incredible degree of access to just about every important winery address.
John does not play that game- and still he is not only relevant but an important and trusted voice. He covers a wide range of regions, and in great depth, but not in the full breadth. Still- for me and many he is a very important voice.
My advice is to subscribe for a year and see what you think. If you are looking for point scores and commentary on every single wine of note from a given region- you will be disappointed. If you are looking for general guidance, in depth historical discussions, and tasting notes on a solid selection of wineries from a given region- then you will be very happy I think.
I gave up wine reviewers/critics 20 years ago.
But if I ever read anyone, it would be Gilman.
Best, jim
If only he would double space between paragraphs!
I rely on John Gilman for Burgundy and German Riesling and Neal Martin for Bordeaux.
I am a subscriber. I think my palate is fairly close to his. I value his notes. I’ve also written a couple of times to him with questions and he’s written me back detailed, useful responses. He clearly has a lot of knowledge about Burgundy and Piemonte.
I hold John in the highest regard as a wine critic, not only because he really gets into a wine when he writes about it, and because I have found our tastes converge, but because he’s just very generous with his knowledge and his experience.
Whenever I run a tasting and ask him if I can share his notes on the wines we will be tasting with the participants in our wine group, he not only has no objection, but actually sends me TNs from other issues of his View from the Cellar.
He is also a critic who likes to go back in time. He’s long been my best source of TNs on long verticals of great and often under-the-radar wines. He is also fiercely independent and tells it like he sees it.
He is a wonderful and engaging person who just happens to be a wine writer. He has a singular point of view and doesn’t follow the crowd. I read his notes concentrating on Burgundy and Germany.
Perhaps the only wine critic that truly “gets” Loire Cabernet Franc.
Solid on Bordeaux, Northern Rhone and Riesling as well.
John is incredibly knowledgeable and (a rarity these days) willing to say when he doesn’t like a wine. VFTC was the only magazine I subscribed to for many years.
Disclaimer: he’s a friend that I’ve known in and off for a while.
Thanks for the detailed and helpful responses – particularly Tom R. I am intrigued and have signed up for a year.
Also a close friend, and someone I have traveled with and tasted with over several years, so somewhat biased. That being said, I think John has a really fine palate, is painstaking in his notes (I have seen many a dish go cold in front of him, as he writes assiduously in his notebook) and I have found many an incredible wine through him.
No critic is going to be completely aligned to my palate, but John is as close as it gets.
I subscribe, happily.
I have happily subscribed since issue one. Great newsletter with interesting notes from wines from a variety of places.
Also, all of his reviews and articles are integrated in CellarTracker for subscribers. I just made sure to turn things back on in your CT account for a few days to give John time to get me his latest subscriber data.
He seems to have many drinking windows that are significantly different from everyone else on the planet.
Thanks Eric!
Yes, they seem to be much longer, which I think is more consistent with my own palate. So again a good reason for me to start following him and his recommendations.
I read some very interesting views of his a while go where he seemed to suggest that screwcap-sealed wines didn’t just taste bad, but were a danger to public heath due to some additive or other. I formed the distinct impression we were all going to die, but so far I’m still here!
cheers,
Graeme
John was (and still is as far as I know) of the belief that screwcaps ruin pretty much everything they touch due to excessive reduction, unless they are treated with egregious amounts of copper.