So after hearing all the (still vague and unclear) news about Robert Parker and his famous/infamous publication The Wine Advocate one thing became very clear to this wine slinger....still fresh out of shits so I won't be giving one, glittered or otherwise.
Never cared, read or bought a wine because of Parker's publication, not ever, so other than clogging my news feed on Facebook and probably requiring me to avoid any if not all wine blogs for the coming weeks this "news" changes nothing for me, or the customers I buy wines for.
Off to pour myself a nice cold glass of something white, and dry from the Loire Valley....something that makes my heart thump and feel thankful I'm in this business and something Parker would likely give 84 points to.
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16 comments:
first!
-RMP
2nd
-Monkey's Uncle
Glittered or otherwise? Awesome.
...and so wine critic continue their gradual descent into irrelivance...
My Gorgeous Samantha,
So does this mean you don't want me to write about Parker's retirement?
But, yup, you're right, it's a topic I already wish were dead. Sigh. Gonna be a long week with all these fucking Poodles yapping.
I love you!
Michael My Sweet,
As you know it is you I have to thank for even knowing Shit Glitter exists, there are few ways for me to properly thank you but maybe of you and your husband can make it to Spain for a bit, well I will make you dinner, fill you full of wine and I will try NOT to take damning photos of you once you are passed out. How's that?
Gabe,
In my book, and for our store, (that never posted scores from anyone and writes our own shelf talkers) score givers never had relevance. So no sweat off my balls as it were....
Ron My Love,
I swear to you baby, the very first thing that went through my mind when I read the first mutterings was, "Oh...poor Ron, now everyone is going to want/expect him to write about this". Kinda silly when you were reporting his death like years ago. Poodles man, too busy yapping to listen. Meanwhile, I love you too and you can bet your adorable ass that I will be the first one to read should you write about this nonsense...and hell, I'll even post it on Facebook and clog those other fucker's feeds in return.
i never listen to a score, but i do listen to wine writers. wouldn't it be great if words replaced numbers as the reason people buy a wine?
Gabe,
Dude, that is what I have been saying for years. Read the description and you can decide from there if what it sounds like, or the story, move you to want to be a part of tasting, drinking and experiencing it too. How hard is that?! The whole 100 points bs is a little too much like cock measuring for me, therefore it makes me suck my teeth and roll my eyes. Ever notice how much more a mans game that is? Just sayin'
Yours always glitters. Try a glass of Picpoul de Pinet, perhaps?
What's all this about? Have I missed something on purpose again?
Did you see my YAWN at Wark's place?
Aside from the story itself, I chuckle at the gossiping nature of wine geekdom. It would put a hen's circle to shame.
Webb,
Well I keep stepping into steaming piles that's for sure...
Thomas,
I did see your comment at Wark's and began to comment on it but that in of itself is feeding the beast so I opted to leave my voice out of the chicken coop. I'm much more glitter poop than chicken coop anyway...
Sam,
It's still going on over at Wark's, and it has devolved into a conversation about the importance of the point system and the advertising influence in magazines. I am certain these items have been discussed once or twice before.
Thomas,
Oh boy, that's got to be riveting....again. You had it right with YAWN kid. I was momentarily compelled to go look but as it turns out, still out of shits so....not gots, no can give right?
In this world, there are very few totally independent wine merchants who still hand-select their merchandise and know every bottle in their shops before they bring them in.
For those folks, there is no value in wine ratings. For the rest of the world, they are the currency, the lingua franca, of wine reviews. The good ones come with long descriptions that deal with far more than surface hedonistics, but even a short description is better than none at all.
Now, if Wine Country could open up as many franchises as Starbucks, we would not have need any writer--whether big shots like Asimov or beginners like young bloggers trying to pay their dues and earn their spurs.
Sir Charles,
But, but, I love wine writers! It's wine score-ers that I have no use for. Now you know we independent shops can't open a bunch of new stores, how would or could we stock the shelves with all the smaller production wines that keep us thrilled and excited to share with our customers? The wines that taste and feel like they were made by somebody rather than by something. We need more business for sure but seeing as the majority of the BIG print publications, (Spectator, Enthusiast, Wine & Spirits) never feature the likes of many of the tiny, less than 6,000 case production wines we deal with, they aren't helping us get any. We deal in word of mouth and getting to know, understand and at times, educate our customers. Wine drinkers not score chasers. The latter tend to be a fickle and not so loyal bunch and I just can't understand what moves them...but to each as I say.
Charlie,
This is the nub:
"...seeing as the majority of the BIG print publications, (Spectator, Enthusiast, Wine & Spirits) never feature the likes of many of the tiny, less than 6,000 case production wines..."
Why is that?
In any case, the need for critics wasn't the subject over at Wark's place. The subject is the Parker franchise, followed by the potential for advertiser control over information. If anyone other than Parker cares about his franchise all I can say is, "get a life." Speculation and non-factual opinions do not matter.
If anyone believes that advertisers have no power at magazines and newspapers, you are either a PR person who won't ever consider such a possibility or you are too far to get a life. Sure, there is no visible quid pro quo' to do it that way would be stupid.
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