Comments on The Gray Report: Antonio Galloni's first reviews of Napa: 94 is the...

Chris: I don't actually think there's anyt...

2012-01-06T14:25:42.818-08:00

Chris: I don't actually think there's anything wrong with the 100-point system. I don't think it's the best system -- I think 5 stars better represents the fluctuating, personal nature of criticizing anything, including wine. But this is a niggle, not a resistance.

As for why I use the 100-point scale when I think 5 stars are better: I'm trying not to be Betamax.

I've been reading the comments on this blog as...

2012-01-06T13:27:01.837-08:00

I've been reading the comments on this blog as well as those on Dr. Vino's regarding this same issue and it appears that you see the failings in the 100-point system. Yet you use that same system to rate wines. I'm sure you get asked this a lot but why do you continue to use the 100 point system when you see everything that is wrong with it?

All right, thanks guys, I changed it. Now I'll...

2011-12-30T16:14:04.893-08:00

All right, thanks guys, I changed it. Now I'll see if somebody calls me unethical for correcting a fact error. Sigh.

According to the November Wine Spectator (page 70)...

2011-12-29T19:43:35.385-08:00

According to the November Wine Spectator (page 70), the 2008 Matriarch is $95.

glenn

Hi Blake, A quick look at Wine Searcher shows the...

2011-12-29T19:16:09.377-08:00

Hi Blake,

A quick look at Wine Searcher shows the aforementioned magnum of '08 and three prices for the 2007 vintage in retail stores ranging from US$149 to $176 (excluding sales tax).

Regards...Mark

Does anyone know where I can verify the Bond Matri...

2011-12-29T17:43:58.275-08:00

Does anyone know where I can verify the Bond Matriarch release price? I just printed what the Advocate printed, and Bond's website doesn't list a price. I HATE that. Price matters!

The Matriarch is $85 on release, not $400.

2011-12-29T15:57:15.181-08:00

The Matriarch is $85 on release, not $400.

Interesting late-added comments on scoring with re...

2011-12-29T13:09:55.825-08:00

Interesting late-added comments on scoring with respect to aging. It's definitely the case that lightly structured wines that drink best young and won't improve have a score ceiling in the WA/WS system. The amusing part, though, is that though the aging requirement is implicit, mature wines apparently are not subject to this. If Parker scores a young Cab 100 and it matures well, then

Galloni is unlikely to do wholesale changes at the...

2011-12-28T22:30:42.399-08:00

Galloni is unlikely to do wholesale changes at the Advocate for one reason: the vast majority of wine consumers prefer non-food-friendly, ripe & oaky wines and you can bet that a good portion of Advocate subscribers prefer the same wines. If high scores drift to more balanced, food-friendly wines, readers will notice and lose trust for what had been a good barometer for wines that they would

2011-12-28T22:24:08.271-08:00

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Larry P: May I also add that I am somewhat ashamed...

2011-12-28T13:31:46.572-08:00

Larry P: May I also add that I am somewhat ashamed of my own crankiness? I really don't understand why people write the things that they write sometimes, but I do realize that readers expect that media veterans -- and I qualify there -- will stand there and take the slings and arrows. There have been times when I've just decided not to read the comments. But I like interacting with people

Kent: These are two fascinating points, worth sepa...

2011-12-28T13:25:50.964-08:00

Kent: These are two fascinating points, worth separate discussions: sad to see them so late on this comment page.

First: The Advocate critics really believe these wines that have been getting 100 points will improve with age? There's a disconnect between the Advocate's scoring system and what we seem to know about ageability. I know that you're right, but it would be

If there is a bias against Sauvignon Blanc at Spec...

2011-12-28T13:04:46.423-08:00

If there is a bias against Sauvignon Blanc at Spectator or Advocate, I suspect it is a bias against wines that don’t improve with age, not the grape itself. Advocate explicitly states that 10 points are reserved for “the overall quality level or potential for further evolution and improvement—aging.” To my knowledge, Spectator hasn’t disclosed exactly how their points are allotted, if allotted at

Larry P: I often wonder what some readers want fro...

2011-12-28T10:49:27.849-08:00

Larry P: I often wonder what some readers want from this blog.

I edited out something, but didn't deny its existence; I said it's worthy of its own discussion. And maybe I'll write a post on that soon, but I am a little tired of writing about the Wine Advocate, though not as tired as I am of readers lecturing me about what my blog should or shouldn't be, as if they have

Blake: are you really, seriously, shocked that one...

2011-12-28T10:20:20.848-08:00

Blake: are you really, seriously, shocked that one of your readers would be offended, after calling out an unsupportable statement in your blog, you edit out the statement without notice, then deny its existence? Forget about "rules of ethics." Can you honestly say you have absolutely, positively, no idea why someone would take offense with that?

If anyone truly thinks that Galloni likes Saxum, A...

2011-12-28T08:39:36.557-08:00

If anyone truly thinks that Galloni likes Saxum, Aubreu, Harlan, Kongsgaard, SQN, etc. they need their head examined. He drinks Champagne in his free time and grew up in love with Barolo. He not only likes but he L-O-V-E-S high acid (make that SUPER high acid), tannin, grip, structure, and low Ph.

Either he is:

1) Waiting to change the direction of the Advocate slowly.<

Charmion: The problem with punitive taxes on high-...

2011-12-28T06:53:06.786-08:00

Charmion: The problem with punitive taxes on high-end products is that they just don't raise much money. But it would be interesting to see what would happen if we had an additional luxury tax on all products over, say, $300. I can't see it ever passing; people would scream about the increased cost for necessities like furniture and refrigerators.

But it would be interesting

I still wonder what a 95 point or 98 point Sauv. b...

2011-12-27T22:30:03.677-08:00

I still wonder what a 95 point or 98 point Sauv. blanc tastes like, or a 98 point Pinot Meunier, Charbono, Valdigue, and so forth. If the grape does not command a great big ole inflated price, it cannot get more than 92. Right. Plus or minus a point or two. Or a + or - on the cusp. In the afternoon session. In the morning, scores are higher for the biggies and . . .

Oh what

Andy here.... I do not care that critics, tasting...

2011-12-27T21:32:49.417-08:00

Andy here....

I do not care that critics, tasting bling (or non-blind), en masse without food generally score bigger wines higher. I suspect most of us would -- riper wines taste really good and oak has a wow factor. But, wines that exhibit these characteristics can be tiresome with dinner and sometimes do not age well-- this discrepency can only be reconciled by the consumer knowing

Kudos to Blake for doing the statisitical legwork,...

2011-12-27T19:28:31.562-08:00

Kudos to Blake for doing the statisitical legwork, and it does make one wonder if the scorers are at all aware of their own patterns.
That said, since many of the wines are in a economic category that 99% of consumers will never approach, I specifically have to wonder what the actual impact of this role shift on the wine world will be. At what point are critics and those who have the

The pricing of Bond Matriarch is inaccurate on the...

2011-12-27T13:00:18.179-08:00

The pricing of Bond Matriarch is inaccurate on the Advocate site, linking to a single magnum at $800 at a single store. In reality, Matriarch is the second wine of Bond and comes with a release price around $150 as opposed the single vineyard bottles around $275.

Mike: What is up with winemakers talking about the...

2011-12-27T12:26:07.995-08:00

Mike: What is up with winemakers talking about the rules of journalism?

Unethical? To change my own blog? UnETHICAL?

Your horse is pretty darn high here, Mike, and I hope you don't break your neck getting off it.

"Galloni reviewed 1061 wines. I used the Advo...

2011-12-27T11:38:38.552-08:00

"Galloni reviewed 1061 wines. I used the Advocate's search engine to determine that 815 of them -- 77% -- scored 90 points or higher; 699 wines scored 91 or better. And people mock wine competitions for giving "gentlemen's bronze" awards."

Great comparison, Blake. If a wine competition gave 77 percent of the wines entered either silver or gold medals - say

Wow! You changed your blog after I first commente...

2011-12-27T11:12:52.821-08:00

Wow! You changed your blog after I first commented and you don't even say so in your response to me, letting my comment hang out there like I have no reading comprehension? That strikes me as pretty unethical. I guess the rules of journalism don't apply to blogs.

yet more dissapointment on the Galloni transition....

2011-12-27T11:12:29.228-08:00

yet more dissapointment on the Galloni transition....