Robert Parker
Jul 8, 2009 | 8:40 am
#31
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Yes. Traffic is down. There are less new post when I logon. A group of posters set up a new website earlier in the year. the traffic on Winebeserkers.com (sp)? IS VERY BUSY. I SEE LOTS OF THE OLD POSTERS THERE, AND THEY'VE SWORN OFF THE PARKER BOARDS. it's pretty amazing when you think about it. it reminds me of the old days here. 
Some say that permanent damage has been done to the Wine Advocate "brand"... I guess only time will tell. Perhaps there is still time to salvage things if the Guillotine is polished & sharpened.... alas, it remains to be seen if the Egos involved allow this to happen...?
Jul 8, 2009 | 1:44 pm
#32
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 250
"Education and certification
Though sommelier is a job title potentially anyone may claim, becoming a certified sommelier requires classes and an examination.[3] The certification is offered by a wide range of educators, and a basic education may be attained for $8003,750 over the course of six months.[3]
The Court of Master Sommeliers, established in 1977, is the examining body for the Master Sommelier Diploma, the Advanced Sommelier Certificate and the Introductory Sommelier Certificate, and was created under the supervision of the Vintners Company, The Institute of Masters of Wine, The British Hotels & Restaurants Association, The Wine & Spirit Association of Great Britain and The Wholesale Tobacco Trade Association.[4] The Court also offers an intermediate level of Education titled "Advanced Sommelier Course" which invites carefully selected candidates to sit and be both tested and educated in the rigors of the Master Sommelier program. The course is generally offered 2-3 times per year and acceptance is highly controlled. Often candidates will apply for 3-4 years before being offered a position. The course is extreme in its preparation and testing for potential Masters Candidates. The Guild of Sommeliers is a nonprofit membership organization, created by a group of Master Sommeliers, to support the development of the trade.
Master Sommelier
Since the Master Sommelier Diploma was introduced in 1969, 171 people from around the world had become Master Sommeliers by 2009.[4] Of these there were 74 active Master Sommeliers in the Americas, 25 in Europe, with a female contingent of 12, all based in the U.S.[4] By 2008, the diploma had been awarded to 167 professionals world wide since its inception, 96 of these from North America, of which 15 were women.[5]
In France a few top catering schools offer a Sommelier's Diploma which is regarded as the basic for French Sommeliers."
Though sommelier is a job title potentially anyone may claim, becoming a certified sommelier requires classes and an examination.[3] The certification is offered by a wide range of educators, and a basic education may be attained for $8003,750 over the course of six months.[3]
The Court of Master Sommeliers, established in 1977, is the examining body for the Master Sommelier Diploma, the Advanced Sommelier Certificate and the Introductory Sommelier Certificate, and was created under the supervision of the Vintners Company, The Institute of Masters of Wine, The British Hotels & Restaurants Association, The Wine & Spirit Association of Great Britain and The Wholesale Tobacco Trade Association.[4] The Court also offers an intermediate level of Education titled "Advanced Sommelier Course" which invites carefully selected candidates to sit and be both tested and educated in the rigors of the Master Sommelier program. The course is generally offered 2-3 times per year and acceptance is highly controlled. Often candidates will apply for 3-4 years before being offered a position. The course is extreme in its preparation and testing for potential Masters Candidates. The Guild of Sommeliers is a nonprofit membership organization, created by a group of Master Sommeliers, to support the development of the trade.
Master Sommelier
Since the Master Sommelier Diploma was introduced in 1969, 171 people from around the world had become Master Sommeliers by 2009.[4] Of these there were 74 active Master Sommeliers in the Americas, 25 in Europe, with a female contingent of 12, all based in the U.S.[4] By 2008, the diploma had been awarded to 167 professionals world wide since its inception, 96 of these from North America, of which 15 were women.[5]
In France a few top catering schools offer a Sommelier's Diploma which is regarded as the basic for French Sommeliers."
Jul 8, 2009 | 3:29 pm
#33
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i did not see the names parker, tanzer, johnson, Robinson on the list.
i have never been to a tasting in which kysela has participated. i do know him. he must have a great palate, as he has generated an excellent portfolio of imports from what at the time were nowhere places(like Languedoc).
he is also one of the major importers of Argentinean wines.
i do not know whom else is a member.
i do not think that anyone has a lock on the title MASTER SOM., and there are a lot of groups bestowing it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Wine
this is an impressive list of people. anyone in the trade has heard of half of them.
i did not see the names
Jul 10, 2009 | 10:45 am
#35
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Jul 11, 2009 | 11:57 am
#37
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Jul 11, 2009 | 12:18 pm
#38
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Jul 11, 2009 | 3:53 pm
#39
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Wirelessly posted (Nokia N97: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/Palm-D050; Blazer/4.3) 16;320x448)
Shoes just how Tech handicapped I am....
Shoes just how Tech handicapped I am....
Jul 21, 2009 | 2:55 pm
#40
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As a marketing tool, RP is invaluable - I know someone whose idea of shopping for wine is the cheapest red/white at Costco at or above 90 points. Her palate tells her that it is a fantastic wine and she's happy.
However, as a tool for those with individual palates it's next to useless, apart from the fact that he often ranks good wines low, meaning they are available at a more reasonable price. There are several problems, other than his somewhat unusual taste buds. First, a 50 point scale (for that's what it is - it starts at 50 rather than 0) is ludicrously precise for a matter which is 90% qualitative. Second, the scale ignores the question of what you are enjoying with the wine - is it on its own, with food and what type of food. A wine that tastes fantastic by itself might overwhelm food, which requires a more subtle approach etc. Third, wines develop over time, whereas his score (whilst it can be amended in theory) attaches to the wine, whether the wine improves with age or deteriorates.
Having said all of that, the background information included in his books is invaluable and authoritative, cutting through a lot of the PR BS which emanates from the producers. The best of both worlds is to use him for background info, but use the 4 or 5 star scales favored by for example Decanter, Hugh Johnson et al.
However, as a tool for those with individual palates it's next to useless, apart from the fact that he often ranks good wines low, meaning they are available at a more reasonable price. There are several problems, other than his somewhat unusual taste buds. First, a 50 point scale (for that's what it is - it starts at 50 rather than 0) is ludicrously precise for a matter which is 90% qualitative. Second, the scale ignores the question of what you are enjoying with the wine - is it on its own, with food and what type of food. A wine that tastes fantastic by itself might overwhelm food, which requires a more subtle approach etc. Third, wines develop over time, whereas his score (whilst it can be amended in theory) attaches to the wine, whether the wine improves with age or deteriorates.
Having said all of that, the background information included in his books is invaluable and authoritative, cutting through a lot of the PR BS which emanates from the producers. The best of both worlds is to use him for background info, but use the 4 or 5 star scales favored by for example Decanter, Hugh Johnson et al.
Jul 22, 2009 | 7:16 am
#41
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Having said all of that, the background information included in his books is invaluable and authoritative, cutting through a lot of the PR BS which emanates from the producers. The best of both worlds is to use him for background info, but use the 4 or 5 star scales favored by for example Decanter, Hugh Johnson et al.
i think parker's scale is really a 30 point scale that starts at 70 or so. mad dog, thunderbird, mogan david, or wild irish rose, probably score in the low 70's on the parker scale.
one of the most famous systems uses a three beaker rating.
parker came out with that 100 point, taste only system, and it became very popular.
Jul 22, 2009 | 7:55 am
#42
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Agreed that Parker (and his tasters) use only a 30 point scale.... I think wines that score below a certain level are simply not published.
Jul 22, 2009 | 7:56 am
#43
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As a marketing tool, RP is invaluable - I know someone whose idea of shopping for wine is the cheapest red/white at Costco at or above 90 points. Her palate tells her that it is a fantastic wine and she's happy.
However, as a tool for those with individual palates it's next to useless, apart from the fact that he often ranks good wines low, meaning they are available at a more reasonable price. There are several problems, other than his somewhat unusual taste buds. First, a 50 point scale (for that's what it is - it starts at 50 rather than 0) is ludicrously precise for a matter which is 90% qualitative. Second, the scale ignores the question of what you are enjoying with the wine - is it on its own, with food and what type of food. A wine that tastes fantastic by itself might overwhelm food, which requires a more subtle approach etc. Third, wines develop over time, whereas his score (whilst it can be amended in theory) attaches to the wine, whether the wine improves with age or deteriorates.
Having said all of that, the background information included in his books is invaluable and authoritative, cutting through a lot of the PR BS which emanates from the producers. The best of both worlds is to use him for background info, but use the 4 or 5 star scales favored by for example Decanter, Hugh Johnson et al.
However, as a tool for those with individual palates it's next to useless, apart from the fact that he often ranks good wines low, meaning they are available at a more reasonable price. There are several problems, other than his somewhat unusual taste buds. First, a 50 point scale (for that's what it is - it starts at 50 rather than 0) is ludicrously precise for a matter which is 90% qualitative. Second, the scale ignores the question of what you are enjoying with the wine - is it on its own, with food and what type of food. A wine that tastes fantastic by itself might overwhelm food, which requires a more subtle approach etc. Third, wines develop over time, whereas his score (whilst it can be amended in theory) attaches to the wine, whether the wine improves with age or deteriorates.
Having said all of that, the background information included in his books is invaluable and authoritative, cutting through a lot of the PR BS which emanates from the producers. The best of both worlds is to use him for background info, but use the 4 or 5 star scales favored by for example Decanter, Hugh Johnson et al.
Jul 22, 2009 | 1:11 pm
#44
Join Date: Nov 2003
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The fallout over on the Parker boards appears to be ongoing.... some say that traffic on his BBoard has dropped 40%... and that subscriptions to the Wine Advocate are not being renewed. Hard to know for sure if this is true or not... but the questions on the travel practices of some of RP's 'employees' continues....
http://dat.erobertparker.com/bboard/...d.php?t=206266
It seems that Jay Miller gave a 96 rating in 2007 to a Spanish wine, Sierra Carche 2005, a Jumilla from a new brand name winery. That rating was used to market the wine (of course) and it has sold briskly. However, over 10 months ago, a Parker board member tasted the wine and found it undrinkable, not corked, just lousy wine. He Fed Exed a bottle of it to Miller (whom he knows personally) with his "TN" and suggested Miller re-taste the wine. Apparently, Miller sat on it for 10 months until a couple of weeks ago, then tasted it and pronounced it equally undrinkable and that "any resemblance to the wine"...he'd tasted earlier was non-existent.
Sets up some interesting questions. Among them: did the winery substitute inferior juice under the auspices of the highly rated wine (when it ran out due to the hot sales..or for other reasons) and, why did Miller wait 10 months before re-tasting the wine?
The Wineberserkers.com board has really taken the gloves off on this one: http://www.wineberserkers.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7441
Sort of like a wine geek version of an episode of Law & Order. Some very tangled storylines leading to a suprise ending?
Like Watergate's Deep Throat said...."follow the money".
Jul 22, 2009 | 1:16 pm
#45
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clover-- thanks for the heads up on this. While Im a member of the Parker BB, I rarely post there anymore.... I guess this proves the old saying... "when it rains, it pours..." 