Do Wine Ratings Help Consumers?

[Craig Camp]

Even more astounding is that the world's leading wine publication didn't include a disclaimer: "The bottle you buy might not mirror the taste and quality rating of the ones we reviewed." Australia's largest vintner produced 648,000 cases -- 7.8 million bottles -- of the wine for export, and furnished the Wine Spectator with selected review samples from "Bin 65" a term suggesting a limited-production wine.

[Boris_A]

A wine merchant (specialist for Châteauneuf) told me several years ago how Parkers visit in the Rhone valley was arranged. Every producer knew what's going on and most of them sent samples from their best foudre.

And I remember a Rhône report by Clive Coates MW where he reviewed the regular and the top cuvée of a producer. He wrote that when he was tasting the top cuvée, the producer grinned and said: "That's what we sent in as the regular cuvée for the Parker tasting".

Oh well.

[Brad Ballinger]

Ratings primarily help sell subscriptions (and increase newsstand purchases for rating publications that appear there). Period. Ratings create dependence upon the rater. This is not intended as anything against the raters and their employers. God love 'em that they've found a way to make a buck.

[mikeycook]

I think there is far too much concern about the impact of ratings. I would rather have multiple sources of ratings (whether stars or points) with tasting notes than not have them, as that way I can make my own choice about what to drink and have a variety of research make that decision.

Certainly people get overly excited about high ratings and top 100 lists, particularly wine newbies, but tasting notes in Parker and Wine Spectator are a great source of discovering new wineries. Wine stores can be a good source, but usually they carry what they carry. The better wines are sometimes only available in restaurants and that can prove an expensive way to try a new wine. I prefer to read about a large variety of wines, choose a few I like, buy and drink them, and see if I agree. If I agree, I am more likely to have confidence in the ratings. If I don't, I am not likely to use that source again.

Regarding Clive Coates, could he be any more jealous of Parker's success? This is far from the first comment I have heard from him disparaging Parker (not that some criticism isn't justified, but it often comes across more as bitterness... he's like the Jeremiah Tower of wine.) To me, Coates is just another source who should be listened to or ignored based on your own experience and tastes.

[balex]

I agree with you that the key is to find a critic who likes the same things you do -- just like with movies.

Coates' antagonism to Parker is not primarily motivated by jealousy -- he has a good wall of awards as well-- he is motivated by the fact that he completely disagrees with Parker's taste. Coates dislikes Pomerol, southern Rhone etc. and loves classic claret and Burgundy. They are poles apart.

Coates is in the process of moving to France which is a shame because he had a good series of tastings at his house in Chiswick.

[TrishCT]

Speaking as an ordinary consumer not especially sophisticated in wines, ratings mean squat to me.

You have to be observant in a liquor/wine store. Sometimes there is a rave review and high rating posted in front of a wine display, but that wine is from a different year than the specific wine the review is rating. (I have brought this to the vendor's attention in the past only to be told "The year we are carrying is just as good...if not BETTER!" Maybe, maybe not... I don't know.)

After trying several wines with so-called "Wine Spectator" high ratings (I bought cases years ago from Geerlings & Wade) I realized my tastes and those of these critics really didn't mesh, especially on characteristics such as body.

Edited January 8, 2004 by TrishCT (log)

[Msk]

If there is not a helpful salesman around.

If I do not remember a couple of wines I would like to try from the list I have compiled from excellent resources such as eGullet.

If I am completely baffled by the wine inventory.

Than I MAY look at the rating displayed in the store.

Msk

[Boris_A]

Do ratings help consumers?

Early in my vino career, I found Parker quite helpful to develop a deeper understanding of wine taste. Later on, searching in the unchartered aka unparkerised wine regions, I was able to place his reviews in a larger spectrum of parameters like concentration, acidity, fruit, etc.

Today, I find ratings decently helpful for wines displaying a stable style charachteristic and I'm somewhat familiar with. I tend to buy more bottles of higher rated vintages expecting more aging potential.

Clive Coates, could he be any more jealous of Parker's success?

I dont believe his comment coming out of jealousy. I think the bitterness in his indescretion is more aimed at the factual amount of influence of Parkers preferences on wine style. For a true wine lover, alining of taste is a doubtful development.

especially on characteristics such as body.

Body? Too loaded? A typical element with high rated tasting wines?

[mikeycook]

I agree with you that the key is to find a critic who likes the same things you do -- just like with movies.

Coates' antagonism to Parker is not primarily motivated by jealousy -- he has a good wall of awards as well-- he is motivated by the fact that he completely disagrees with Parker's taste. Coates dislikes Pomerol, southern Rhone etc. and loves classic claret and Burgundy. They are poles apart.

Coates is in the process of moving to France which is a shame because he had a good series of tastings at his house in Chiswick.

I would certainly accept Coates' estimates of Burgundy over Parker's, but I am a sucker for the Rhone, so it's hard for me to hate Parker too much. I just think his comments come off as petty and it has soured me on reading him. He is obviously very accomplished. His comments often make him sound like a spoiled child who is not being heard enough. I have rarely seen Parker disparage other reviewers (he usually saves it for wineries.)

[nanuq]

In the latest Wine Advocate, Parker says:

"The only wineries I will visit and do barrel tastings at are at those that have a track record of presenting authentic representative samples that accurately reflect what will be bottled."

Reads to me like he acknowledges and is doing his best to avoid the problem.

I read the reviewers to assist the buying decision - not to make it for me.

[aprilmei]

When I was in Bordeaux a few years ago, some of the winemakers said that they deliberately blended bottles to Parker's taste - they know the types of wine he likes so adjusted the blend accordingly. These were the bottles they gave him to sample.

[Boris_A]

they know the types of wine he likes so adjusted the blend accordingly. These were the bottles they gave him to sample.

Seems that those smart producers found way to get good ratings and to satisfy their old customer base at the same time.

Reads to me like he acknowledges and is doing his best to avoid the problem.

I never had any doubt about Parkers sincerity. It's the inherent mechanism of his success what's causing trouble.