robert parker

Wine Critic Robert Parker Changing Things Up At Wine Advocate

Filed under: Wine

Those in the world of wine got a little shake-up recently. The emperor of wine, legendary critic Robert Parker, the founder of the Wine Advocate, is going to stop reviewing most California wine. His publication will still feature California wine of course, it's just that one of his other critics, Antonio Galloni, who has been responsible for Italian wine for several years, will be taking over that responsibility. Wine writer Jon Bonné reports that Galloni will also be responsible for influential portions of Burgundy, the Cote d'Or and Chablis, and Champagne reviews.

Meanwhile Parker will focus on his beloved Bordeaux and the Rhone Valley. He will continue to do occasional California wines including older wines. He wrote to subscribers that he would soon do a series focusing on horizontal and vertical tastings of perfectly stored California wines to see how they develop over time.

Parker's influence in wine, and specifically in California wine, is huge. Some say that you can lay the responsibility for the popular big, bold, pricey status Napa Cabs nearly wholly in his lap. But he also raised the profile of Rhone-style California wines and in general has served as a starmaker, helping to increase the critical attention paid to California wines around the world.

Wine Advocate began with one man's palate but has evolved beyond that, now a whole team of tasters cover the world. While wine scores may not be as influential as they were before social media made everyone a wine critic, they do still carry a lot of weight and Parker's Wine Advocate brand remains one of the top trustworthy institutions.

Tags: california wine, robert parker, wine, wine critic

Dana Estates Gets Perfect Wine Score

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

A Napa winery owned by a Korean maker of animal food has earned a perfect score of 100 points from wine critic Robert Parker for one of its wines. The Dana Estates' 2007 Lotus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon was one of just a few bottles this year to attain this prized ranking. When the wine was announced last January, a press release said the wine had a 94-97 point estimated score for the barrel sample of 2007 "Lotus Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon. The difference in just a few points may not seem like a lot but those few points carry a lot of prestige. The ranks of Parker 100-point wines are small.

Dong-A One, a unit of the Woosan Group, is one of the country's largest wine importers and it crated Dana Estates in Napa Valley, California, in 2005, after purchasing a winery and vineyards. Dana is the pen name of Woonsan Group Chairman Lee Hi-sang and means "spirit of generosity.'' Winemaker Philippe Melka is behind the vintage which is an edition of 3,000 bottles. The Dana Estates wines are primarily sold through the winery's mailing list. Last year's vintage sold for around $275.

Tags: cabernet sauvignon, CabernetSauvignon, dana estates, DanaEstates, robert parker, RobertParker, wine

Small Splurge: More Delicious Summer Wines

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Click Wine Group, a privately held, Seattle-based company that owns and imports wine from around the world, features a great selection of recession-friendly vintages with average prices of between $10 - $13. Their Global Wine Collection consists of signature varietals from world-class appellations with easy to pronounce (and sometimes amusing) names and appealing, consumer friendly packaging aimed at taking the intimidation out of wine. They have something for virtually every palate and summertime occasion.

Fat Bastard Chardonnay:

To craft Fat Bastard Chardonnay, grapes are sourced from all over France's Languedoc-Roussillon region. The golden yellow wine with pale-green tints has expressive stone-fruit aromas with soft floral undertones and well-balanced citrus and acacia notes. Soft oak gives warmth and balance to the palate. Serve with fresh crab or shrimp, or with a roasted pork tenderloin and vegetables. Try also: Rosé.

2 Up Shiraz:

Named for a popular game of chance in Australia, 2 Up is an elegant, intense and exceptional quality Shiraz that is hand-crafted from a blend of grapes carefully selected from highly prized local vineyards. According to Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate, 2 Up represents "the type of wine value that simply can't be found in California." Goes well with Italian dishes, ribs, and grilled meats such as aged beef and lamb.

Root: 1 Cabernet Sauvignon:

Chile is one of the very few grape growing regions in the world where original European rootstocks have survived, producing the intense fruit flavor and authentic varietal character of Root: 1 wines. Rich ruby color with aromas of ripe berries and soft plum are followed by tastes of black cherry, soft vanilla and dark chocolate characterize their Cabernet. Artfully accompanies grilled meats, ripe cheeses, Italian and Mediterranean cuisine and chocolate. Try also: Chardonnay.

Tags: Argentina, Australia, Chile, Click Wine Group, ClickWineGroup, France, Germany, Robert Parker, RobertParker, Seattle, smallsplurge, Washington, wine

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Robert Parker's Words About The 2008 Vintage Lift Prices

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

The sudden rise in the price of Chateau Lafite 2008 proves that wine critic Robert Parker's influence remains strong. Parker gave the 2008 high marks in the Wine Advocate newsletter saying that it compares favorably to both the 2005 and the 2000. Almost immediately the price jumped. Decanter reports that according to Liv-ex, Chateau Lafite was trading at £2000 per case but jumped to £3,500 after Parker's words (it later went back down to around £3000).

Many people have said that while the 2008 is better than was expected, it's not extraordinary. Parker's enthusiastic endorsing of the vintage has wine sellers concerned afraid the chateaux may raise their prices because of Parker's endorsement. Such a move could prove risky in this fragile wine market. And as always when discussing Parker many wonder if one man should have so much power.

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Tags: bordeaux, robert parker, RobertParker, wine advocate, WineAdvocate

Robert Parker's $2,000 Wine Tasting

by Tracy Chait (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Oenophiles mark your calendars for October 23: wine mystic Robert Parker will host an exclusive tasting featuring

Bordeaux wines from 2005, what Parker says is "the greatest vintage produced during my thirty year career." For $2,000 per person ($1,000 of which is a charitable donation toward Culinary Institute scholarships), tasters will sample 18 wines, including all five of the Premiers Grand Crus from the Left Bank, which are currently priced at $75,000 a case.

Check out Robert Parker's website to learn more about the wines he favors and to search over 100,000 tasting notes from Parker's extensive database.

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Tags: bordeaux, bordeaux wine, BordeauxWine, culinary institute, CulinaryInstitute, robert parker, RobertParker, tasting, wine, wine tasting, WineTasting

Robert Parker Pans 2007 Bordeaux Vintage

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Bordeaux chateaux are starting to release their prices for the 2007 vintage but there is already bad news. The emperor of wine, famed wine critic Robert Parker has slammed the latest vintage handing out low scores and branding the vintage as overpriced. Wine buyers often look to Parker's scores to see if they should buy wine futures which are sold two years before a vintage's release. In his vintage review titled "2007 Bordeaux: Who Will Buy Them and at What Price?" he has basically told buyers not to bother unless prices are lowered dramatically.

The news is devastating for some Bordeaux producers for whom Parker's scores may mean less sales. Certainly his advice carries considerable weight and may influence wine dealers not to purchase simply because they are afraid they won't be able to sell to wine collectors in the long run. Should any one man have this much power?

Parker gave only three of his coveted 100 point scores this year and all three were for whites, Chateau Pape Clement white and Haut-Brion, were both marked 96-100, and Chateau Climens, a sweet white tasted by Parker's British sidekick Neal Martin, got 98-100. Even Bordeaux's top five, first growth wines didn't even hit 95 with Chateau Margaux earning a 92-94, Chateau Haut-Brion a 91-94, and Mouton-Rothschild a 90-94. Chateau Lafite and Chateau Latour both got a 90-93.

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Tags: bordeaux, robert parker, RobertParker, vintage, wine

Robert Parker Wine Tie

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Wine

If you are an oenophile, you are doubtlessly familiar with the name of Robert Parker. If you are a Parker fan now you can tell the world with a special Parker-themed tie that includes small images of wine glasses, bottles, grapes, the letters "RP100" (in honor of his famous 100 point wine selections) and his favorite bulldog. Parker's proceeds will go to benefit the Wine Advocate Fund for Philanthropy to benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the AppleTree Institute. If you order from Capital Ties they throw in a snappy pair of Wine Advocate cufflinks. The tie sells for $65.

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Tags: robert parker, RobertParker, tie, wine

Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignons Win Approval From Parker

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Washington wines are getting much more appreciation lately. Recently the 2002 and 2003 Cabernet Sauvignons from Quilceda Creek Vintners of Snohomish became the first wines from Washington state to receive 100-point ratings from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. In over 25 years of wine tastings, Parker has only given his top rating to less than one percent of the thousands of wines he has tasted. Wines from noted vineyards such as Screaming Eagle, Penfold's Grange, Harlan Estate and Chateaux Margaux have been given this honor.

Quilceda Creek is a small, family-owned winery that recently celebrated their 25th vintage. Alas if you are looking to taste these delicious wines you are going to have to hunt around. The wines, which both cost in the mid $80s, are sold out. They produce approximately 3,400 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon each year which always sell out quickly. You might want to get on their mailing list, in 2007 the winery will offer mailing list customers its first Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from the winery's estate vineyard on Red Mountain.

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Tags: 100-point wines, cabernet sauvignon, quilceda creek, QuilcedaCreek, robert parker, wine advocate

Chateau Montelena 2002 Estate Cabernet Sauvigon

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Chateau Montelena, a Napa Valley winery, has just released their 2002 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is the 25th bottling of Chateau Montelena's Estate Cabernet, making it one of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignons in the region. The 2002 growing season produced a crop of small, highly concentrated berries resulting in a richly-flavored wine. Wine god Robert M. Parker Jr. awarded the 2002 Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon a score of 95 points and the winery is featured in Parker's latest book "The World's Greatest Wine Estates." The wine sells for $95 per bottle.

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Tags: cabernet sauvignon, california wine, napa valley, robert parker, wine