Wine Scores and Ratings

[GordonCooks]

I find that I pay little attention to published wine ratings when making Italian wine purchases (preferring to look at vintages, producers, but mainly recommendations from other people)

Do Italian winemakers pay as much attention to these ratings as the French (Robert Parker), Americans, Australians, etc.

[Andrea Sottimano]

Hello Gordon,

I find guides or winejournals very useful when you begin to discover a wine zone in which you don't have points of reference.When my passion brought me into the always difficult "universe" of French wines, the first thing that I did was to buy every guide, journal that could talking about it.After the first great wines and the first big delusions, I choose what was made for my taste and the next year I bought only one guide.....I am still continuing to buy it, but also if my favourite producer of Cote de Nuits doesn't deserve a 9 from Bettane, believe me, If I like it I will buy it!

This is to say that journals, ratings, guide must be a complement to your knowledge about wine; what matter is only your own palate and your taste.

Of course, Italian producers do pay attention to these ratings(do you remember when I said that the "Tre Bicchieri" pushed everyone here to do better and better?),in some cases they can really move the market in a certain direction!

It's undeniable that also for my wines in the US,the good ratings from Parker and WS helped us a lot.

I'm happy, always, for a good ratings, but, really, believe me when I say that I don't choose the vinification or the wood in function of the actual state of mind

of a journalist or following some marketing strategies!

It's not serious, and it's very dangerous.(not to say a little boring, too...)

Best,

Andrea