Wine Critics – Parasites or Prophets?
04/24/2008 
3 Comments
Vinography.com led with an edgy piece, featuring a great photo yesterday pointing out the writing of Jancis Robinson, who speaking recently in Ronda, Spain, proclaimed that wine critics were parasites. In an article appearing on Decanter.com, she is quoted as saying: “We must always remember that we are parasites on the business of winemaking.”
This, in turn, sparked no less than Food & Wine’s Senior Wine Editor, Ray Isle, to proclaim, Good Gosh, I’m a Blood-Sucking Bug!.
In much the same way that the intelligentsia of yore went to the ballet as a socially acceptable way of enoying a “leg show,” Isle draws the parallel that wine has both romance, esthetic sophistication of the highest order, and it still gets you drunk.
As you will find from reading these posts, wine for me is predominantly a way of life, in the sense that it should be something enjoyed with an every day meal. This puts me squarely in the $8-$20 range for a bottle of wine, and if you keep your eyes glued to these pages, I’ll share a number of the more reliable wines that consistently pack a bang for the buck.
Viewed in this light, I see my role as being more like the Epinions.com, or ConsumerReports.com of wine. It’s an investment, and is worth a bit of research. My responsibility to you should be 100% honesty and candor about what does and doesn’t work at any price point. Expect it!
Michael, over at the Food and Wine Blog, writes about exactly this essential factor in wine as the QPR, or Quality/Price Ratio in this post.
I still heartily recommend Best Cellars, if for no other reason than they make wine selection fun, the store is a great experience to shop in, and that ease is translated to their well-constructed website.
Full Disclaimer: I personally did the information architecture and project management for the Best Cellars site creation, from initial discussions through launch, through several rounds of upgrades while at e-commerce specialty agency Fry Interactive. Seven years later, it still appears to continue to serve Best Cellars’ growing needs, largely unchanged, at both the front end, and at the back end (shipping, billing, fulfillment, and customer support).
Popularity: 18% [?]
You’ve hit the nail on the head! When it comes down to it, wine QPR is all that matters. Further, I respect your full disclosure about your help with Best Cellars- this is the most important aspect of wine journalism- informing the reader of one’s position.
Well done!
Michael,
Thanks for your note. Let me congratulate you on your excellent, consistent work on your blog, which is extremely well organized, down to the ability to sort wine ratings by varietal, price, region, etc.. I look forward to continuing to promote your great efforts in getting the word out on better eating and drinking!