Do you still read Wine Spectator?

This post was originally prompted because I was completely baffled by the ad on the back of this month’s issue. I wanted to know if anyone else had any insights into the giant Sangria ad featuring what looks like a non-professional model wearing a fruit necklace. It’s truly weird, by the way, and you should check it out. But then I asked myself, “wait, does anyone actually read this?”

When I first got interested in wine, 20 years ago, it was WS or Parker and I think that was pretty much it. Maybe there were some underground 'zines floating around (or maybe that’s just a Gen X fantasy on my part). Either way, I would pick up an issue here and there over the years.

More recently I have started subscribing again. While I find it interesting I do note that it is heavy on the big names and the famous regions, though they appear to have improved their coverage of value wines. I also have difficulty believing their tastings are truly conducted blind given the clustering of big dollar / big name wines at the top of their rankings each month.

Is Wine Spectator still required reading if you’re into wines, warts and all? Or have people started dropping it as alternative sources, especially online, start supplanting it?

Tariq K,

I don’t read Wine Spectator. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t read it if it was in a Dentist office or some other public place, but I don’t even bother tp pick it up on magazine stands anymore when I travel. So to me, it’s lost it’s value and I don’t honestly care about scoring wines. There’s content to spare if you need it on the internet…so why bother?

Initially I read it probably in the first year or two that I identified as getting into wine. I enjoyed the articles, it did give me some information, and largely helped me understand what I do and don’t like based on others palate. Like not long into it I learned I did not align with James Laube all that often.

Read it for a few years when I got interested in wine about 30 years ago. It’s been decades since I felt it had much to offer.

Years ago I would use some of my air miles to get “free” magazine subscriptions and Wine Speculator was one of them. Currently not a subscriber…to any wine magazine or wine critic newsletter. I did enjoy Wine Advocate (paper copy) back in the day when I was first getting into this crazy hobby.

Cheers,
JP

Nah. May flip through it if there is one at my dentist or doctor’s office, but gracefully, i rarely have to wait. I ended my subscription in the late-90s. There is very little in that publication that appeals to me. This website is 100x more interesting.

I will browse an issue occasionally when I stop into my local library for some coffee.

My recollection is that WS doesn’t taste wines blindly, at least in Laube’s case.

Every few years I catch a ridiculous deal (like less than $1 an issue), or I need to keep a frequent flyer account alive, so I subscribe. In those circumstances, it’s worth it just for the pictures.

I liked it better when they had pictures of Shanken smoking his big-ass cigar.

I am so unclean…I still subscribe. When they start sending me notices to re-up in the Summer (subscription expires in the late Fall),
I debate w/ myself whether to re-up or not. But I always seem to pull the trigger, year in & year out. I am soooo unclean.
I am a charter subscriber…back in the '70’s when it was a paper tabloid put out by BobMorrisey down in SanDiego. Heck…I
even used to write for the WS back in those days. Bob was a real straight shooter who I liked quite a lot. But WS writer is not
something I’d ever put on my resume.
It usually takes me about 30 min to read completely the WS. A bit more if the ads are particularly lurid. I would say from time to time,
there may be an article in there that I actually learn something from…maybe about one an issue. But, generally, they’re prety
much the same ole/same ole. I just skim their wine ratings, but can’t recall ever actually buying a wine on their rec. And I do value their ads
when I’m in the market for a new Cartier watch or another Lear jet to add to my fleet.
But that’s pretty much it. I am soooo unclean!!
Tom

No. I don’t even thumb through it at the airport. For fluff porn, my 50c or $1 per issue subscriptions to Robb Report & T&L more than fill the void. I rarely open those without throwing them in the blue bin as it is. I’m not against WS, but it doesn’t scratch an itch anymore.

This.

Asking about WS here is like shooting fish in a barrel.Of course nobody on this site reads it, or when they do,they don’t take it seriously. They lie about doing blind tasting and only give high “numbers” to wines that advertise in it. It is really a “lifestyle” mag that has no relevance to wine. Does that cover it? Oh, I subscribe and enjoy most of its content. Boy does that make me feel stupid!

Cheers,
Curt

My subscription lapsed about 6 months ago. I don’t miss it a bit.

Years ago when it was on newsprint and the internet was just an idea, it was useful to keep up with winery news (things like wineries closing, being bought, merging, expanding, etc.). Then it went to the glossy coffee table format and became less interesting.

-Al

occasional interesting restaurant article. I got a $1 offer a few months back so I started getting it after many years. I remember when it was a newspaper pre-Shanken. It’s oretty much worthless.

Thanks all. Seems like we have a group verdict. Honestly I was expecting most people to say, “yeah, I still get it, but it’s fishwrap.”

By the way, they really do still insist that they taste all wines blind. See their policy here https://www.winespectator.com/display/show?id=about-our-tastings.

Sometimes the pictures are pretty. And on a rare occasion they run into good wine content. Almost seems by accident.

Yearly subscription for $2 a year. At that price it’s worth it

i like the pictures as well
still subscribe

Hmmm, Curt…I think that’s pretty easy to refute by glancing thru any issue. Left as an exercise for the student.
Tom