tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post153188472925193913..comments2024-03-18T04:47:16.199-07:00Comments on The Gray Report: Is it crossing an ethical line for a critic to make wine?W. Blake Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-12371777542481688812013-04-03T11:53:42.959-07:002013-04-03T11:53:42.959-07:00I have a lot of experience in dealing with conflic...I have a lot of experience in dealing with conflicts in the corporate world so I will draw on that experince for this post. Conflicts arise all of the time and they are usually resolved with disclosure. Tell people that you may be conflicted, and why, and let them use that as their guide in how to view your actions. Independence is a different matter. If you receive an "economic benefit"Chris Wallacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09471260133005217326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-39530146829597252552013-04-02T17:51:04.516-07:002013-04-02T17:51:04.516-07:00Of course it's a conflict of interest!
It'...Of course it's a conflict of interest!<br /><br />It's worse than having a predilection for steak and so grinding seafood restos. He needs to hang up his criticism gig or he's operating in bad faith.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08839236994990699117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-87012842713179944562013-04-01T10:45:08.969-07:002013-04-01T10:45:08.969-07:00Gregutt had a perception of bias issue before craf...Gregutt had a perception of bias issue before crafting his own wines. For a number of years, he has had his shingle out as a musician for hire at wineries and for their special events. At what point does taking money from a winery become a conflict of interest? Does he only accept gigs at wineries whose wine he already likes? This makes for an interesting dilemma. Of course, he does have the wallawallawinegalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06059999606187948529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-57704121537434063672013-04-01T08:39:39.397-07:002013-04-01T08:39:39.397-07:00I think it is refreshing to have a critic finally ...I think it is refreshing to have a critic finally put his own ass in the hot seat. It would be nice if Waitsburg cellars sent samples to winemakers for review. Of course I am confident this is nothing more than a marketing stunt and Paul has a long way to go before he can command the same sort of respect as a winemaker that he does as a critic.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05519141064167347499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-1971609932711878822013-04-01T08:28:59.055-07:002013-04-01T08:28:59.055-07:00I got this comment by email from a west coast wine...I got this comment by email from a west coast winemaker who asked to remain anonymous:<br /><br />Another disturbing trend ( to me) is high end sommeliers making private labels for themselves and the restaurants they work at (I think it was Rajat Parr). When asked by guests in the restaurants what wine goes best with a dish will they lean towards their own wine (with a 300% mark up) and reap W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-22850857608856827502013-03-31T10:56:54.888-07:002013-03-31T10:56:54.888-07:00Only objectivity is a necessary and sufficient con...Only objectivity is a necessary and sufficient condition for achieving and maintaining reliability in fact and appearance.<br />In my opinion this is true in journalism and in wine writing.<br />The question triggered my own blog poste here:<br />http://georgesmeekers.me/2013/03/31/slate-of-independence/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-89577174518798339902013-03-30T07:48:18.462-07:002013-03-30T07:48:18.462-07:00To answer your question directly: Yes, it is a p...To answer your question directly: Yes, it is a poor ethical decision for a critic to "make" wine. The reasons are too numerous to write about from an iPad keyboard. Lets just say I have recieved some email dialogue on this and it's not positive. Yet another reason the ScoRevolution is a justifiable and honorable cause. <br /><br />As the Borg would say my dear Gray:<br /><brAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06861331716478013797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-17760897188573433782013-03-30T04:28:00.568-07:002013-03-30T04:28:00.568-07:00I left a comment to this effect on Steve's sit...I left a comment to this effect on Steve's site, but he doesn't usually respond to me...kschlachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12810309689429676303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-87482285689169292492013-03-29T22:15:05.877-07:002013-03-29T22:15:05.877-07:00Oh Doug, you tease. Now I have to know. Neighbors,...Oh Doug, you tease. Now I have to know. Neighbors, eh?W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-10674972814628281132013-03-29T16:57:25.763-07:002013-03-29T16:57:25.763-07:00another thought...
those of us in the industry hav...another thought...<br />those of us in the industry have often wondered about the obvious issues of reviewers and how they review the wines made by good friends. As subjective as reviewing is, is it not possible that scores may be skewed if your good friend made the wine, and happens to live next door? Then, after the good scores come out, the quasi partner of the friend then makes the reviewer aDoug Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10195891825116596465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-89972532254153086032013-03-29T15:05:45.868-07:002013-03-29T15:05:45.868-07:00Blake, there was a somewhat analogous situation at...Blake, there was a somewhat analogous situation at your former employer, The San Francisco Chronicle. Patricia Unterman was the Chronicle's restaurant critic for 15 years before Michael Bauer took over, and held the same position at the SF Examiner for 20 years after that. Around the time she started at the Chronicle, she founded and became co-owner of the Hayes Street Grill. The Chronicle gurenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12212928072016843956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-44350928923715167822013-03-29T10:48:52.191-07:002013-03-29T10:48:52.191-07:00Hi Blake,
I think we might see a change in commen...Hi Blake,<br /><br />I think we might see a change in comments and scores/ratings if wine critics were required to sell a few vintages of wine they made – not had made for them, but made. <br /><br />Wine Business Monthly did a little feature on Pinot Noir a while back where CA and OR Pinot Noirs were reviewed by the respective winemakers. It was certainly a different perspective.<br /><br />Amalie Robert Estatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06581258604443446976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-73430754034577711792013-03-29T10:39:39.360-07:002013-03-29T10:39:39.360-07:00Blake and Andy, shame on me, I wasn't aware of...Blake and Andy, shame on me, I wasn't aware of Precept's long reach, which would seem to complicate matters for Paul Gregutt, at least with respect to his reporting and writing. Good point, Patrick, and, of course, the editors of book sections often turn to novelists for reviews of newly published novels.Mike Dunnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11283754786126866796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-51866689050226146412013-03-29T10:04:27.330-07:002013-03-29T10:04:27.330-07:00I see this as analogous to a situation in the art ...I see this as analogous to a situation in the art world: a lot of artists also write art criticism, and no one claims a conflict of interest there.Patrick Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10144823620170293402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-51000531956373780182013-03-29T09:26:41.476-07:002013-03-29T09:26:41.476-07:00Precept also makes a fair bit of wine in Oregon an...Precept also makes a fair bit of wine in Oregon and owns Oregon vineyards. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17095235782574899528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-31486896442741899602013-03-29T09:10:51.996-07:002013-03-29T09:10:51.996-07:00Mike: I should point out that Precept is also the ...Mike: I should point out that Precept is also the largest winery in Idaho, inconvenient for the Enthusiast as Idaho wines are improving very quickly and it's not likely that Spectator or the Advocate will pay attention immediately.W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-16099004484947731702013-03-29T08:28:01.003-07:002013-03-29T08:28:01.003-07:00Since you asked...
While Paul Gregutt is being ope...Since you asked...<br />While Paul Gregutt is being open about this transition in his relationship with the Washington wine trade, I question whether his plan not to review Precept wines goes far enough. It would be a significant sacrifice for him to abandon writing of Washington wines entirely, but nothing less assures his continued credibility. Perhaps Wine Enthusiast should realign whatever Mike Dunnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14496499437274796935noreply@blogger.com