looking for wines with 15pt disparities between critics

WINE TALK
1

I know it has been done before; but I am looking for wines with at least 15pt disparities in scores. I thought it would be an interesting theme for a tasting. I know some friends that take spectator as gospel, and I know others that think the WA walks on water.

I ran a thread a couple of years ago and thought I’d update it since I noticed the difference on the 07 Spat from a retailers email. I hope to put together a tasting this fall.

I’d like to get a balanced tasting -ie WA thinks this wine is 90 while WS thinks it is 75 AND VICE VERSA. Ideal would be to find some differences with Burghound and JR etc.

thanks

-paul

list so far:
WA WS BH JG JR
2007 Adam, AJ Dhroner Hofberg Spatlese 94 62
2005 Vinedos Alonso del Yerro-Cuvee Maria 95 78
2005 K Vintners Wells Vineyard Syrah 95 77
2005 Mollydooker Carnival of Love 99 94 45
2004 Espectacle del Monstant 99 72
2002 Saxum James Berry-Bone Rock 95 75
2002 Turley Petite Sirah Hayne 93-95 72
2001 Ch. Montelena Estate Cab 95 72
2001 Ch. Montelena Estate Cab 95 69
2000 Cantina del Taburno Grecco 87 50
2000 Chapoutier Ermitage l’Ermite Blanc 100 65
1990 Pichon Comtesse Lalande 79 94
1983 DRC-La Tache 92 50 87

2

Who rated the AJ Adam a 62 and on what possible basis?

It will probably get harder and harder to compile examples like this now that nobody publishes bad reviews.

3

per MacArthurs email on 7/7 WS rated the Adams 62. I agree that this sort of tasting will be more difficult in the future as no one seems to be willing to say a wine sucks. I hope to find a few interesting ratings from Gilman and JR; it would be nice if Claude Kolm had a searchable database.

I’ve tried to format this a couple of times so it would be easy to read who rated what, but I can’t make it work.

-paul

4

That doesn’t sound right. Maybe a typo. Can someone with a WS subscription confirm this? I can’t find any reference to it via google.

5

13 points:

1989 Ridge Monte Bello RP 79 WS 92

6

WS gave the Spatlese 92 points!

Elegant and filigreed. Apricot, orange and brown spice aromas and flavors are augmented by a savory, minerally element in this seamless white. It has terrific cut and length, with a floral and anise aftertaste. Drink now through 2030. –BS

7

The most difficult part is knowing that TWA, for the past 10 years, has not published any scores below 85 points. Maybe you should contact Bob, and ask him for that list?

8

[rofl.gif] [rofl.gif] [rofl.gif] that’s a good one…it’s not like he want’s to warn his readers of what to avoid or put himself out there for under scoring the wine…it also benifits the producers too… that way he and his friends both win…

9

2002 Bouchard Volnay Caillerets Cuvee Carnot: Tanzer 90, Burghound 90 or 91, Gilman 74

If I remember right, Gilman also panned the '05 version, which garnered an even higher BH score. Opening it now though, I think it might be easy to agree with Gilman.

10

Absolutely horrendous what Bouchard did to that wine with oak.

11

If you are including John Gilman, you should be able to find a lot of wines!

12

2001 BV Georges de Latour Private Reserve cab. WS gave this a 69. I can’t find another “professional” rating, but CT average is 88.8.

13

Nowhere near 15 points, but there was a fairly noticeable disagreement between Parker and Laube on the 1997 Beaulieu Tapestry.

Laube 94 points [and lots of praise - maybe Top 20 in the Top 100 list at the end of the year?] but Parker only something like 87 [or 86 or 85???].

Would be interesting to taste a 1997 Tapestry and see how it is progressing.

BTW, rumor has it that the Cinq Cepages[es] from that era are not holding up very well.

That could be another big source of disagreement.

14

Another big disagreement - back in the day- was between Steiman and Parker over the Penfolds Yattarna chardonnay.

Steiman went all ga-ga over it, but Parker was like, “meh”.

15

Of course, the mother of all catfights would be Parker -vs- Suckling on 1996 -vs- 1995 Bordeaux.

Or maybe that would be the daughter of all catfights, with the mother being Parker’s initial vintage score on 1993 red Burgundy.

Of course, Meadows wasn’t around back then, and Per-Henrik Mansson has since departed the scene, so I guess you’d have to compare Parker to Tanzer.

PS: Note that the 1993 Roumier Musigny sold for $8470 per bottle in 2007.

16

Parker panned the 1993 Red Burgundy vintage before he even tasted the wines. Something he said “blobbers” did about 2008 BDX…hmmm…

17

Really? Just so I can put it into perspective, what is your opinion of the '99? I haven’t had the '02 yet.

18

Torbreck The Descendant 2006
Benjamin Romeo Contador 2005
Greenock Creek Cabernet 1996

Just a few I thought of.

19

A couple that come to mind are:

2003 Marcassin Blue Slide Ridge Pinot. BH: 80 Parker 98
2003 Marcassin Estate Pinot: BH: 78 Parker 99, ST:97, WS: 95

20

I liked the '99 when it came out but haven’t had it since then.