Wine publications

[LaNiña]

I have access to free magazine subscriptions, and have been offered The Wine Spectator and The Wine Enthusiast. Are either of these worth reading?

What's Parker's magazine called? Anything else I should subscribe to?

[Robert Nesta Marley]

parker's newsletter (it accepts no advertisements & is purely consumer-driven, so i wouldn't call it a magazine) is called the wine advocate. it's expensive, so if you could get a free subscription to that, by all means....

i suppose if your subscriptions to the wine spectator are free, i'd accept them. but i find reading that magazine just provides me fodder for criticism of the napa-centric, more commercial producers killing their wine with filtration, fining, etc...

try and get decanter. it's a european publication with a different twist.

how do people feel about food & wine, anyway? do any egulleteers read it anymore for anything other than the best new chefs issue?

i expect, nina, that you already have a subscription to saveur with this opportunity....

[LaNiña]

I get Saveur, Food & Wine, Gourmet, and Cook's. And a lot of other magazines that are not food and wine related. But nothing wine-centric, yet, hence the question.

[MartyL]

Nina,

Parker's publication, The Wine Advocate, is far and away the most influential wine periodical out there, especially in terms of high-end wines and wines from Bordeaux, the Rhone valley and California. Pricing in these area's generally tracks his ratings and he has a consistent palate. There is a view out there, however, that his preferences tend to run towards gobs and oak.

I have found the Wine Spectator and the Wine Enthusiast to be isappointing as far as wine information goes, but the Spec has some decent travel issues.

If you like Burgundy, I would highly recommend an online subscription to Allen Meadows' Burghound.com quarterly newsletter. Allen provides good information about the growers and vineyards and he has a great palate for Burgundy.

[helenas]

If for free, i would get "House&Garden" to read McInerney's wine column, and i actually like this magazine.

As for Food&Wine, i know that i'm in minority (as i recall, only John Whiting said something positive about this magazine), but this is the only food magazine that i read regularly.

[Beachfan]

Do you consider yourself a novice, intermediate or advanced wine fan?

While I disagree with the Wine Spectator's rating approach (inconsistent due to differing reviewers), they are the most influential at the retail level. WS's high ratings will make things fly out the door, more so than Parkers.

I think the WS is a very good read for people wanting to start out. They do good overviews of areas now and again. For example, the current issue's discussion of Loire wines is very good if you don't know much about them. If you know a lot about it, then it may seem pauce.

It's website is the best free website.

Wine Spectator

Parker is more influential with the more serious collectors, but Parker is also the most influential with respect to affecting winemaking practices over time. And Parker certainly affects availability at the retail level. Their overviews are much more detailed (see the current issue on Austrian wines).

Burghound is great for the truly serious Burgundy afficianado's, but I would consider it the most advanced journal. It's upside is that it presents a different perspective (more traditional) than Parker, and many Burgophiles have more in common with Allen Meadow's tastes than witrh others.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar get's a lot of respect too.

He has a sample free issue at his website

Tanzer

[Brad S]

I agree %100 with Beachfan,WS is a good rag for those starting out and want to get there feet wet,but parkers wine advocate get's my vote for truly being %100 dedicated to the wines of the world without all those cigar ad's and california biased writers.

I have been getting a free subscription to wine country living edited by Jim Gordan formally of the WS,not really impressed,very predictable and glossy

[LaNiña]

Thanks, everybody. I just subscribed to 6 mos. of of the Tanzer web product ($40 for 6 mos). And I'll get the Wine Spectator. Will check into Wine Advocate too.

[Ron Johnson]

Wine Enthusiast: Crap

Wine Spectator: A good "wine lifestyles" mag with articles on spas, fancy hotels, wine country trips, etc. The wine ratings are limited mainly to large-scale producers and the more well-known wine regions.

Wine Advocate: Parker's slant on wine. If your palate matches his (huge wines with lots of wood) then it is invaluable, if not its a waste of $$.

Decanter: Good with interesting Euro-slant.

The best wine resource is Robin Garr's Wineloverspage.com. There is content from expert reviewers as well as a very informative wine forum where wine-geeks from all over the world post their opinions on wine. I have learned more from this site than any other source. Plus, it is free!

[hollywood]

I have access to free magazine subscriptions, and have been offered The Wine Spectator and The Wine Enthusiast.  Are either of these worth reading?

What's Parker's magazine called?    Anything else I should subscribe to?

Suggest you get on line with wineexpo@aol.com. Also, you definitely want to get their witty periodic mailers with good Spanish and Italian picks. I realize you are on the opposite coast but it would still be informative.

[Fat Guy]

Just remember that reading about wine is no substitute for drinking wine. I meet plenty of people who read multiple wine publications avidly but can't make tasting notes worth shit and have no idea what they're drinking when they do drink. The most educational thing you can do for yourself is participate in structured tastings with expert guidance. If you have the time, money, and inclination, there are many opportunities for classes and tastings, especially in the big cities.

[Brad S]

I agree,

This is also the difference between reading a cookbook and cooking.

[Robert Nesta Marley]

nina, i stumbled upon this website last week. it's good if you're interested in the who's who of american winemakers--their stories, histories.....

for burgundy stories, clive coates' burgundy book (forget the exact name; it's a recently published book) is indispensible.

good luck in the IWC class, by the way.

wine people interviews

[pnarena]

Nina,

As you know, I continue to recommend solid basic wine primers over magazines. There is no substitute if you desire a strong foundation in wine - regions, vinification methods, varietals, etc...

The Wine Handbook, if it is still in print, by Serena Sutcliffe, M.W., was one of the first I read.

I'm getting to this post late, but I disagree with you, Ron Johnson, that Parker is a waste of money. He may not provide the most wine education per dollar spent, but he has an exceptional palate. You may recall that when the 1983 Bordeaux were still in the barrel, he called the Phelan Segur right on, and said that there was a problem with the wine and that it would be flawed. He was correct.

[LaNiña]

I subscribed to the Tanzer web product, and so far I'm really enjoying it...so thanks, Senor Arena.

[Ron Johnson]

I'm getting to this post late, but I disagree with you, Ron Johnson, that Parker is a waste of money.

Thats not what I said.

Here is what I said:

"Parker's slant on wine. If your palate matches his (huge wines with lots of wood) then it is invaluable, if not its a waste of $$."

As you can see, I said if your palate matches his then his publication is INVALUABLE. I was using the word invaluable as a synonym for inestimable or priceless or any other hyperbole meaning really really great, topnotch, neato, or super.

I only said his publication is a waste of $$ if you do not have the same taste in wine as Mr. Parker. I, for one, prefer the Old World style of wine making, so it would not do me any good to subscribe to Mr. Parker's mag where he gives New World style wines high scores.

sheesh!

[southern girl]

Beachfan...Thank you for the heads up on Tanzer...I too subscribed (both print and web as I like to save hard copies but am too impatient to wait for them ).

[LaNiña]

Beachfan...Thank you for the heads up on Tanzer...I too subscribed (both print and web as I like to save hard copies but am too impatient to wait for them ).

I didn't mean to forget that BeachFan also recommended Tanzer - it was just pnparena who told me about it first (not here). Sorry if I didn't acknowledge.

[pnarena]

You're quite welcome, Ms. Wugmeister.

Mr. Ron Johnson, I hastily disagreed with you on a position that you obviously did not take. My apologies.

[Ron Johnson]

Mr. Ron Johnson, I hastily disagreed with you on a position that you obviously did not take. My apologies.

No apology needed. , but it is appreciated and accepted.