Tom Mann,
Good to see you posting.
Post more!
I avoided most of that thread. It is pointless.
Jeff is always right.
He never promoted the vintage. Yet when the critics come back with high scores in a few months, he will tell everyone that he was first. He knew, just by seeing the grapes on the vine, and despite never working a harvest, that this was the vintage.
He just knew.
+1.
I sense desperation over there. Unfortunately for them, the world is changing to a newer model where all-things-Parker are not the only respected voice or opinion.
His is not the only board. Wine Berserkers has become a viable and legitimate alternative which survives on its own merits. Even better, WB is not just a “board of no” or an anti-Bob board.
As for tasting notes, the mass views of the people, most notably available on Cellartracker! have nearly trumped Bob’s influence on most every released wine. Bob’s still wields amazing power on barrel sample reports, however, even that is beginning to wane as more amateur and professional tasters begin to do the same and also provide tasting reports.
Robert Parker is hardly the only credible resource anymore, and when people voice that on the other board, the crushing reminds me of an oppressive governmental regime struggling to maintain power. People are getting really ticked off. We have seen debates increase in frequency and also become more heated. Members don’t want this and are bailing to go elsewhere.
I cannot blame them one bit.
The other day, I was at Binny’s, looking at a wine, and the sales clerk said to me, “Parker REALLY loved this wine!” I found myself replying, almost before I even thought, “And that’s a GOOD thing?” Someone commented that TWA’s first 15 years were very different than their last 15 years, and I have to agree. Bob has almost become synonymous with big, ripe, fruit bombs (think of his exuberant comments regarding 07 CdP versus many others’ views). I also find myself, when looking at wines at auction, thinking “Oh, this will probably be a style a like because it was produced largely before the influence of Parker which changed things.”
As Drew said, kind of sad, given how influential Bob was in the early days for many of us.
I don’t run into this all that often, but when I do, I try the following. I stop, I turn to the sales clerk, and I look them right in the eye. Then I say something like: “That’s great, but I wasn’t planning on serving this to Robert Parker.” And just continue to stare at them until they get the point (so to speak).
I try this approach anytime a sales clerk tries to sell me a bottle based primarily on some wine critic’s review…
Bruce
We welcome all with open arms!
Moving back to the 2009s though, I think that the high alcohol’s are definitely a concern. I don’t want Bordeaux at 14% thank you.
But one man does Tom, and that is all that matters…okay, maybe two men?
Parker’s career is like that of a politician. He started off young and idealistic, and had to fight his way to the top. Then he got there . . . . and he was an insider instead of an outsider. Once you get there, your motive is to stay there because you can’t go up, only down.
‘The greasy pole’, to quote Benjamin Disraeli.