Funny I’m the polar opposite - my palate aligns with his and I appreciate his candid style - doesn’t mince words at all, he knows what he likes/dislikes, doesnt care about being all things to all people and isn’t afraid to call a spade a spade.
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When it comes to Cali Pinots, Laube is not a bad critic. I think his descriptions of the wines are accurate but his preferences (scores) are opposite to mine. I can read his reviews and know whether I will like the wine, I just ignore the number.
My bottle of 1947 Lopez Bosconia Gran Reserva of a couple of nights ago, had from said Dan Posner, suggests otherwise. And I think that it matters, for purposes of this thread, WHOM he criticizes. That would be wine critics and Rex Ryan. (No such thing as heaping too much scorn in either case, eh?) Wine? Not so much. He just sells that shit for a living, and I suspect a pretty nice one, for a guy who does not know a good wine from a bad one, nor a corked wine from one that isn’t. Somebody must be reading those blast e-mails. And on Monday mornings after a big NY sports weekend, he is a regular Chris Berman!
You have your opinion and I have mine. I was totally unimpressed by his palate on two occasions and at the Berserkerfest at Jay house he refused to acknowledge the Spanish wine he was pouring was corked. He may know how to recommend wine but he doesn’t have a palate.
This is just my opinion and I know that he’s not a critic but he is quoted in magazines and newspapers making a known person.
When he is quoted in magazines is it in reference to a wine or the wine industry?
Just seems totally odd to bring his name up in this thread about wine critics…
As I expected, this is not going well. There are certainly statements that are being perceived as personal attacks, even though the concept of a ‘personal attack’ on WB is geared toward members, and none who are being criticized in this thread are members. I’m strongly considering deleting the thread, but want feedback first, before I take action, as if I take action and don’t ask for it, each side will have its say and throw out the insults my way.
Sorry if I offended you or anyone else and maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up in this thread and if Todd wishes to delete my post I have no problem with that.
It doesn’t offend me. I just thought it was odd. Like if someone started a thread about bad movie critics and I said I said I didn’t like some director.
I try to separate out the critics I don’t like versus ones who I feel don’t know much about wine. Paul G. is one of the latter for me, as is Harvey S. I don’t think they have good palates, period. A guy like Laube or Suckling is at least an understandable entity and while I don’t like the same wines they do, I know this already.
This gives me a great idea: I’m going to suggest to Frank that the next Orange County offline be themed “Wines Scored Below 90 by Wilfred Wong.”
It may be hard to find many examples, but the scarcity will be part of the appeal.
Interesting thread. I have a few that annoy me for specific reasons but that I believe have their own place in our world of wine criticism.
James Suckling, is an obvious choice. I used to read his reviews religiously, now he has become a parody of a wine critic.
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If wine critiquing suddenly stopped tomorrow, was made a capital offense, would we see a decrease of wine sales by hundreds of millions of bottles? What kinds of bottles might they be?
I’m still undecided as to the long-term benefits v. detriments of pointy wine critiquing. I realize that that is a subject for another thread (one that has been hashed out here many times over). But when you ask who might want to change the system… depending upon my mood I might raise my hand in response.
The ‘critic’ system, I gave up following it long ago, cancelled everything. I’d rather read a tasting note in CT by Loren Sonkin, Mike Dildine, Outplaying, EGH…I can go on. These are the reviews and comments that I enjoy, to name a few.
PS–reminds me of the TV show “Whose Line Is It Anyway”. The tag line within the show? “Where everything is made up and the points don’t matter”.
I have a hard time taking Paul Gregutt’s near religious zeal for all things Washington seriously
I always felt Laube was kind of random in his scoring. The only wines that are easy to predict that he will like are the very heaviest and ripest of Pinots.
Is it comfy in the cheap seats
None of the people named above hold a candle to the walking case of conflict of interest / misunderstanding of wine that is Luca Maroni…
Paul Gregutt’s predecessor as a Seattle Times wine writer, Tom Stockley, was an unabashed promoter of Washington wines.
He was often said to never have met a wine he didn’t like. Something of the same was expected of Gregutt. Although he preached the AFWE creed, his reviews and ratings rewarded rich wines richly. I think he felt it better to rate wines as he expected his audience to perceive them.
I use the past tense, as Paul has become a winery owner and retired his critic’s pen. His wines show the restraint and low alcohol he always claimed to admire.
On another continent, James Halliday is a critic I can’t depend on in any way shape or form. He may be extremely knowledgeable, but his ratings are unusable in addition to inflated. With J Miller, R Parker and H Steiman I can at least tell from the notes when I won’t like the wine.
P Hickner
Well said. Halliday’s points scale is completely unintelligible. The percentage of wines he reviews that get 94 - 96 points is off the charts and ratings are incredibly inconsistent.
Without a doubt- Maroni - I am frankly shocked he hasn’t gotten the living snot kicked out of him for his obvious financial/political biases - he is without a doubt the most hated man in the Italian wine industry -