I understand your point. I do think that one of Parker’s strengths, especially in Bordeaux, is seeing where a wine will end up. It is too early to tell about Jeb at this point, but that is a fair argument. I will say, Jeb is doing a lot of retrospectives which should give him more insight into this question.
As for my wines, I think the 89 will be the longer lived wine. If I had to choose, I think the 93 will provide more enjoyment over the next 10 to 12 years at which point the other will still be holding strong as the 93 starts to fade. Others will certainly disagree with either or both assessments. Time will tell though. For me personally, I like them both and it depends on mood, circumstances, food, etc. as to which I like more on a given day.
You should be absolutely thrilled that he’s dissing the wines you like. How much more upset would you be if he gave them all 100 points and the prices quintupled?? You know what you like and don’t need or value his reviews to make your buying choices. As a complete burg fanatic and someone who’s palate aligns closely with Meadows, believe me when I write that you should be jumping for joy.
No issue with Jeb’s reviews in general, nor in this issue specifically. Of the wines I drink and follow here, Dragonette, Jaffurs, Deovlet, Chanin and the rest, he’s pretty much on point for me. I’ve had some Qupe Syrah - not enough to generalize. If I loved the wines, though, I would be ecstatic that they were critically under-esteemed. In all but the most rare cases, score inflation means the wine you love is either unavailable or financially ruinous.
Damn right. I’m watching in increasing horror as Galloni continues to pen absurd mash notes and fling inflated scores at the piedmont wines. Just. Shut. Up.
Critics, not hype men are what I want. Galloni needs to put this puffery to rest and bring those scores back to some historical relation.
I’ve ignored Jeb since an ill fated run in with the crap that passed for southern rhone ‘wine’ several years ago. His palate must be unbelievably dulled after passing so much of that dreck down his throat. Tutti frutti Santa Barbara swill sounds about right for him.
On the other hand, it seems like “heads I win, tails you lose” for the critics in that when we agree with the critic they get credit for getting it right and where we disagree we’re glad because prices stay low.
A very succinct illustration of the problem with empowering a single critic who sets the market for wine style. On second thought, I should be extremely thankful that Parker and Jeb have driven SQN through the stratosphere, instead of Copain and Halcon.
That shows Jeb has excellent taste! I am so happy for him. He will become one of the best tasters out there.
He is young and is just getting started. I think he is constrained by certain expectations at this point. FWIW.
I can see that, but I guess I’m not giving the critic any “credit” for getting it right or censure for getting it wrong. I just appreciate a kind of consistency that allows me to calibrate his/her palate and experience against my own.
But I can see how the critics win/win given my point of view doesn’t cushion the blow to a winemaker whose wines are overlooked or outright panned. Here the critics power to shape styles is evident and a charged debate is a given. Still - as much as I root for winemakers and wineries I follow - I know exactly what these folks do with any exaggerated critical praise they get.
I’m not sure what Parker’s deal is, but I’m not convinced an appreciation for Jamet makes Jeb an excellent taster. I generally like the same types of Rhones/RhoneClones as Jeb and Parker, but even for me, loving Jamet isn’t hard to do.
Um, Parker bashed Jamet for years. While he did like the '09, he said the '08 was “herbaceous, tannic, austere and tough to grasp,” the '07 had “little ripeness or depth,” the '06 was “lean and dilute,” the '03 “disjointed [and] jagged,” and on and on and on.
I do think that one of Parker’s strengths, especially in Bordeaux, is seeing where a wine will end up.
Which comes from experience, not retrospectives. It’s also why it’s absurd for someone to decide “Hey! I know about region A so I’ll write about region B!”
I’m not trying to be insulting to the individuals, but it’s why I couldn’t care less about Galloni’s or Suckling’s or Jeb’s opinions about CA, Lisa’s opinions about Australia, or pretty much anyone’s opinions about Spain.
At this past spring’s Rhone Rangers tasting in the Bay Area, I thought the '11 X-Block Syrah would need years of bottle age before it will hit its prime. Haven’t tasted the '11 Sonnie’s yet, but the regular bottling of '11 Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard Syrah was one of my favorites of that tasting. I certainly didn’t find either to need any additional ripeness either, with very good balance of fruit and other cooler-climate Syrah characteristics - pepper, herbs, flowers, etc. But everyone has their own preference for ripeness.
Some yrs ago, Parker exiled SteveEdmunds off to the woodshed because the lack of concentration & extract in his Rhones. Now, Jeb as
sent BobLindquist off to the woodshed (again…Parker had hustled him off there some 5-6 yrs ago) for lack of extract in his Rhones.
There they shall remain, in exile, until they mend their silly ways and start making Rhones suitable for the Parker/Dunnuck palate.
Those two are probably having a rolicking good time in that/there woodshed.
Afore RR next March, we’re hoping to get-together a tasting of Woodshed Rhones, in which Steve & Bob pull some old examples
of their Rhones from the respective libraries and we taste thru them. Hopefully at BayWolf. Sounds like a fun event.
Tom