How do wine critics get their wines?

I have been ITB for 9 years now. For the first few years, I always heard that WS gets samples from wineries for tasting, but WA (specifically Robert Parker) buys much of their wines via retail channels.

In Parker’s Bordeaux book from a few years ago, he talks about how he buys Bordeaux off retailers shelves to ensure he is reviewing the same wine that his subscribers have purchased.

Recently, James Molesworth, of the Wine Spectator reviewed Silver Springs winery. The owner has said he does not send in wines for review. One can only assume that the WS purchased the wine?

Recently, Parker said that he did not review Ch Montelena because they did not visit him at his hotel in Napa, with samples. He elected to not review them, rather than buy the samples for review? Ch Montelena, one of Napa’s icons? Why would they refuse to see him? He admits to have contacted them numerous times.

Ch Montelena has elected to pull themselves out of the Wine Advocate? They already no longer submit to WS. Parker, who only last year, claims that 60% of the wines he reviews are PURCHASED by him, chose not to buy their wines? Well, in Napa, the number was 0%, it would appear. In the Rhone Valley, where he visited in August, it was 0%, and in Bordeaux, where he visits each March, it is 0%, presumably. How does that add up to 60% (The number was 75% until last year)?

In this light, I would like to point out that Ken Birman posted a thread on eBob about critics that “you trust.” Steve Tanzer is in the lead…on the Robert Parker website.

The WS is buying wine (albeit I gave just one example) for review, a tiny winery from the Finger Lakes, for their subscribers to see, but Parker skips Ch Montelena…weird stuff…

I can’t speak for all wines, but this is how each reviewer gets (or used to get) our wine:

Wine Spectator - We hand deliver 2 bottles of each wine to their office in Napa. No payment for the wine.

Pinot Report - We ship 2 bottles of each wine to their office in Sonoma. No payment for the wine.

Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wine - They purchase our wine at retail, so we never know what’s being reviewed.

California Grapevine - We ship 1 bottle of each wine to their office. No payment for the wine.

Paker - We ship 1 bottle of each wine to his office in Maryland. If he’d asked for the wine, he asks to be billed. We billed at a silly low amount. If submitting unsolicited, no payment for the wine. The last two vintages we submitted (2006 and 2007) were sent in unsolicited, and Parker didn’t review them. We sent them in early because he used to ask us to ship in July . We no longer submit wines.

Tanzer - We ship 2 bottles of each wine to his office. No payment for the wine. We no longer submit wines.

Burghound - We ship 2 bottles of each wine to his office. No payment for the wine. We no longer submit wines.

Wine Enthusiast - We ship 2 bottles of each wine to their office. No payment for the wine. $900-ish per review to include a label image in the magazine. We no longer submit wines.

Very interesting, Brian - thank you…

Me, too. Very illuminating.

Parker wouldn’t have any reason to buy any bottle that doesn’t come as a free sample, given:
(1) the WA’s policy of not printing any bad reviews, and
(2) Parker’s stated belief that the only people who do not send him free samples are those who produce lousy wine.

I have heard from itbers that WS gets most of its wine direct from the wineries, sometimes even from competitors that want their wines tasted in comparisons to the competition. As long WS is satisfied with the providence of the wine and trusts the other winery they except the wine. They also get numerous wines from distributors on personal swaps (two bottles of Grange for one bottle of X) or free tickets to various wine events. I think actually buying a wine retail is there last resort because they don’t what the history of the bottle is.

Laube has given Montelena enough poor scores it doesn’t surprise me that they don’t submit.

Laube has commented before “that they get so many submittals, it’s hard to review all the wines submitted. Unless they have some particular interest in a given wine, the WS critic won’t go out and buy it retail”. My guess Parker is the same, and I doubt if Montelena excites him much based on the wines he raves about. So he probably just doesn’t seek them out.

Not sure if you were trying to start another bashing thread but,imo, a bit of ego with Parker, Laube, and others are at play here. If the wineries think they are so great they don’t need/want their ratings to sell wines, the boys will return the silence treatment. May not give you something to hang on the retail shelf, but egos get massaged.

Well, to be fair, he didn’t call it lousy wine, he called it “swill”.

Oh, thanks, I was trying to remember the right keyword to find that thread!

http://dat.erobertparker.com/bboard/showpost.php?p=1735265&postcount=27" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Brian

That was fascinating stuff!

Steve and Keith

Even more fascinating!

And this is why I love the Wine Berserker board. Thank you so much Brian!

@ Wine Enthusiast. $900 to include a label image. gee.

One of the most interesting posts I have ever seen on a wine board. With so much speculation on so many topics, it’s nice to see some facts.



BTW I have just started The Super Mario Wine Advocate. Brian (and all other winemakers), I will pm you the address to send the free bottles to!

As an importer:

Wine Spectator - send or deliver 2 bottles to their office in Manhattan

Wine and Spirits - ditto

Wine Enthusiast - ditto except their office is in Westchester

Wine Advocate - depends on the region. Send bottles to office, or taste with critic.

Tanzer - send or deliver 2 bottles to his apartment in Manhattan

Tasting Panel - sent some samples, no longer do.

SF Chronicle Wine Competition - Send 2 bottles.

New York Times - they buy at retail. Have never asked for samples

Snooth - they bought at retail. Never asked for samples. However, we later gave them samples of other things. Mixed sources.

One or 2 bloggers who we respect - sent them samples, entirely unsolicited.

Love of Port - some years ago I think we sent a couple samples. He has never asked for any though.

Penin guide - he bills the wineries.

Decanter - wineries send them bottles.

The Thunder Show aka Wine Library TV - never sent him anything. He already bought it. And FWIW, if you have doubts as to his integrity, has slammed one that he owned pallets of.

Purple Pages - not certain how she gets most of her wines, but she has tasted at wineries with the proprietors and also has tasted at various events where importers and wineries show their wares. Also makes retail purchases.

European Wine News or European Cultural News - an entirely bogus publication run by a leech who’s always trying to cadge samples and steals bottles when he’s at trade shows. Never sent or gave him anything.

All the other bloggers, “wine educators”, “wine writers” , “wine teachers” and so on - they’re on their own. They can buy whatever they need, God bless them all, particularly if they don’t ask for free stuff.

Some competitions charge money. Most reviewers don’t. Some trade organizations set up tastings with reviewers and charge for the wine to be included in the tasting, and placed favorably.

And if you demonstrate that your reviews have an effect on the wine buying public, and that you like the style of wine we make, we’ll gladly send you free wine to review.

One of the main reasons we don’t send wine to Tanzer and Burghound is that no matter how good their reviews are, they don’t really affect sales for us. And given that we don’t normally get too many great reviews from them any way, it adds up to a waste of $$$ for us.

Wine Enthusiast scores do a bit better for us than Tanzer or Burghound, but when you add in the cost to add a label image, the slight extra bump gets washed out.

I’m also not interested in sending wine to critics who’ve taken on a “crusader” attitude when it comes to things like alcohol levels, clones, etc. Why would I send wines to someone who’s already made their mind up that we’re doing something wrong? I.e. Azimov and Allen Meadows

“I” agree with homestyles here, everything I review I either buy, or taste (in small amounts) at trade tastings or samples left by rep. Or you chug it if a friend or foe provides an open bottle. Used to do offlines in NYC, that was another avenue. No offlines in Charlotte. The whole town is offline.

With THWR you get what you pay for. Zip.

Actually Marc - I forgot about you. Sorry, but you know, out of sight . . .

We’ll see if we can get you something soon. I enjoy the prose!

All the best.

Does a negative effect count?

I buy a lot of wine, as people in certain stores here in the Bay Area can attest.

I also taste wines while visiting in the region.

Additionally, I taste wine at certain trade events, sometimes walkaround, sometimes sitdown, although the percentage of reviews that come from doing so is relatively small. For the most part, these events are " background."

I do not solicit samples, but I accept unsolicited samples.

I thought Gary said that he never reviews wines that WL has more than 5 cases of?

Are you sure? Anyways, if he does I wouldn’t blame him. He has no obligation to review everything (or almost everything), unlike Parker/Tanzer/WS. As far as I can tell he’s been 100% honest about all the wines he has chosen to review, which is what’s important.