Robinson on Parker and Bordeaux

[Craig Camp]

When asked by Alan Bree about her comments in a Financial Times article on Bordeaux and Robert Parker, Jancis Robinson responded:

"I'm full of praise. I’ve always said that he’s very diligent, and I admire how hard he works and all that sort of thing. I’m just stating what I see as a fact – that if he – as long as he keeps on rewarding these wines – alcoholic, heavily worked, winemaker determined red Bordeaux such as Gerard Perse’s - with high points, they will keep on being made. As a personal opinion – I personally don’t like them, don’t like this new style, and I’m not alone. What was interesting to me was that I didn’t go to Bordeaux to write that particular story. That story came out, and as a journalist, just sort of took me by the lapels and said: ‘This – that even Right Bank winemakers who once adopted the style are rejecting it - is what’s happening now.’Every Bordelais that I listened to – had any conversation with – they’re almost embarrassed by this new style. You know, they don’t feel as though it’s Bordeaux.

I realize it almost may have seemed racist, because I happened to mention two American publications, but I’ve got no agenda. I’m just calling it as I see it."

© Allan Bree, Califusa, as published in Gang of Pour

[malachi]

I think this is what will inevitably happen when you have one palate whose opinion is valued so much more highly than any other by the critical parts of the buying public. It's only smart for the winemakers to produce wines to his palate given that high prices and large sales inevitably follow.

["T"]

True, but well made wines, regardless of the points given, will always be sold and consumed by the wine buying public. Remember, it isn't the average guy/gal on the street that buys Bordeaux, it is the wine enthusiast who spends $$$ on classified growths. Personally I don't give a rats ass regarding points in magazines because what I like doesn't necessarily correspond with the likes of Parker, WS etc. Not saying that these opinions are not valid but I like what I like and I can only spend(ok, my wife will only let me spend) so much on fermented grapes.

That said, I like Parker. I don't like the influence he has over growers in France but it isn't his fault but the fault of the producers. It all comes down to $$$$$$$$.

[viejo majadero]

Craig

Can you put to word the Parker style and the "other style" so that we can understand it clearly?

Can you tell us when the style change took place?

Thanks

Viejo

[Fat Guy]

The discussion doesn't go anywhere unless it can be determined why Parker holds more sway than every other wine writer in the world put together. Possible good reasons: Merit? Consistency? Integrity? His taste reflects a consensus? Possible bad reasons: Its some sort of scam? He lies? He cheats? He steals? He somehow has everyone fooled? Sinister marketing?

[Craig Camp]

Craig

Can you put to word the Parker style and the "other style" so that we can understand it clearly?

Can you tell us when the style change took place?

Thanks

Viejo

The Parker style would be defined as a very dense, extracted wine with very dark color and significant new oak flavors. Usually the alcohol levels are quite high and the tannins very soft. Often wines made in this way lose the taste of the area when they are made. It is generally referred to as the 'international style' because it often difficult to tell where they were made by just tasting them.

Bordeaux changed course with the 1982 vintage which naturally produced a super rich style of wine. It is also this vintage that made Robert Parker. He championed these wines as the best vintage of the century and they were a huge commercial success in the United States. The producers made so much money they could not resist.

[inventolux]

Craig

Can you put to word the Parker style and the "other style" so that we can understand it clearly?

Can you tell us when the style change took place?

Thanks

Viejo

The Parker style would be defined as a very dense, extracted wine with very dark color and significant new oak flavors. Usually the alcohol levels are quite high and the tannins very soft. Often wines made in this way lose the taste of the area when they are made. It is generally referred to as the 'international style' because it often difficult to tell where they were made by just tasting them.

Bordeaux changed course with the 1982 vintage which naturally produced a super rich style of wine. It is also this vintage that made Robert Parker. He championed these wines as the best vintage of the century and they were a huge commercial success in the United States. The producers made so much money they could not resist.

Not to stray too far off subject but has burgundy for the most part resented RP because he focuses on fat, meaty reds (drc style) and provides lower scores for those producers that go for a much more lighter, delicate and complex style?

[Jean Fisch]

Craig

Can you put to word the Parker style and the "other style" so that we can understand it clearly?

Can you tell us when the style change took place?

Thanks

Viejo

The Parker style would be defined as a very dense, extracted wine with very dark color and significant new oak flavors. Usually the alcohol levels are quite high and the tannins very soft. Often wines made in this way lose the taste of the area when they are made. It is generally referred to as the 'international style' because it often difficult to tell where they were made by just tasting them.

Bordeaux changed course with the 1982 vintage which naturally produced a super rich style of wine. It is also this vintage that made Robert Parker. He championed these wines as the best vintage of the century and they were a huge commercial success in the United States. The producers made so much money they could not resist.

Not to stray too far off subject but has burgundy for the most part resented RP because he focuses on fat, meaty reds (drc style) and provides lower scores for those producers that go for a much more lighter, delicate and complex style?

If I remember correctly, somebody at an US University did a regression analysis, and found out that PArker's points are perfectly correlated with the price of a Bordeaux, but un-correlated with that in Burgundy.

Put simply: the buyers of Burgundy do not follow the Parker points.

[Mark Sommelier]

Bob Parker no longer reviews Burgundies. Pierre Rovani has that job now. Parker had lunch and a tasting in our restaurant today. I asked him to stop in and take a look at eGullet.

[ctgm]

Jancis says that she is just calling as she see's it. So does Parker.

It's as FatGuy says, why do people follow Parker so closely?

Maybe he is in tune with the "average" wine drinker or maybe drinkers are afraid to take the plunge without some reassurance. I think that it has also got alot to do with people investing in wine. The more influence he gets the more people. Here in England I sometimes feel that people are afraid to state their own opinions especially if it differs from Parker.

Merchants (myself included) will find it easier to sell wines if they have higher scores so tend to "let" him sell the wines for us. We dont like it and (personally) disagree quite often with his thoughts but....

My Japanese clients are even more influenced by him that the British - I think that this is down to the wine market being very young there and it goes back to the opinion/reassurance that Parker brings.

Whether you agree with him or not, you have to admire him for making such a success.

[Carema]

Bordeaux changed course with the 1982 vintage which naturally produced a super rich style of wine. It is also this vintage that made Robert Parker. He championed these wines as the best vintage of the century and they were a huge commercial success in the United States. The producers made so much money they could not resist.

There were other economic factors at play as well. The economic boom of the 1980s was in high gear when the wine press swept this vintage up in their shovels (or shall we say pooper scoopers?) At the time I was 14 and working in my father's wine shop. A trader came in (you know commodities, pig manure, corn whatever it is that they trade in that world). He was frenzied for the 82s- wanted cases of all the first growths. Down below sat happily cases and cases of these along with 1959s 1961s etc. My father asked him what he wanted them for. Apparently he was going to sit on them and sell them. My father got it out of him that he didn't have a proper cellar and that they were probably going to languish in some warm humid place so he refused to sell him any and told him to leave. oi!