tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post3792478076146176527..comments2024-03-18T04:47:16.199-07:00Comments on The Gray Report: New critical alternative: In Pursuit of Balance winesW. Blake Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-46294175713983809392013-01-31T17:24:26.405-08:002013-01-31T17:24:26.405-08:00
Hey there. Thanks for the post, Blake, and for al...<br />Hey there. Thanks for the post, Blake, and for all the comments from the readers. Just wanted to respond to some of the comments and questions. <br /><br />IPOB started as literally a back-of-the-napkin idea by Rajat Parr and me. We put a list of wineries together one night and that was the basis for the first IPOB event, in 2011. It was casual and small. The only parameters we limited Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07119684100187052873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-55665487155029444052013-01-30T15:04:57.546-08:002013-01-30T15:04:57.546-08:00"Most consumers want quick, easy guidance; th..."Most consumers want quick, easy guidance; that's why ratings are popular. 100-point-scale ratings are inherently unfriendly to wines that don't jump up and scream at a critic during a long tasting session without food; we know that. How to reconcile the two: provide easy guidance, without giving the highest rewards to the biggest blockbusters?"<br /><br />Blake, I assume you winedoofushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12449783583396728383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-51744471227776410842013-01-29T08:22:23.811-08:002013-01-29T08:22:23.811-08:00I got the following comment from a winemaker who r...I got the following comment from a winemaker who requested anonymity:<br /><br />"I make wine at a small winery and am not sure if any of my wines are on any of the lists that Raj Parr oversees. I’d certainly like him to carry the wines, which is part of the reason I am writing this with hopes of anonymity. <br /><br />While the In Pursuit of Balance tasting sounds like a fantastic tastingW. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-17616371603035474382013-01-28T20:12:19.742-08:002013-01-28T20:12:19.742-08:00Blake,
I mistook what you meant by your list. If...Blake,<br /><br />I mistook what you meant by your list. If you meant that you were surprised that none of those had been considered, then we're on the same page. <br /><br />The idea of cross promoting wineries that you share a vision can be a positive thing. We've done it for years, although not in an organized way as IPOB strives to do. Brian Loring - Loring Wine Companyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01839055051402467378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-89807249869978540912013-01-28T19:50:54.609-08:002013-01-28T19:50:54.609-08:00By the way, along those same lines -- imagine if E...By the way, along those same lines -- imagine if Eric Asimov had published such a list in "How to Love Wine." Maybe he will do such a thing in a second book. There's definitely a market.<br /><br />W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-65439650659221275352013-01-28T19:49:16.043-08:002013-01-28T19:49:16.043-08:00Fair enough, Brian. I don't actually know what...Fair enough, Brian. I don't actually know what wines they considered. It couldn't have been comprehensive, because the tasting was just one day.<br /><br />Personally I find the lack of sparkling wines an omission, which is why I mentioned it. <br /><br />But it is also somewhat beside the point. If IPOB is influential, then it could grow in scope and ambition. If it's not, it could W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-70462311625338652752013-01-28T19:38:17.805-08:002013-01-28T19:38:17.805-08:00Blake,
I'm not trying to yank your chain. No...Blake,<br /><br />I'm not trying to yank your chain. Nor am I setting up any straw man. My impression was that the wines you listed weren't ever considered to be in IPOB. Like I said, I could be wrong. If I am, then I apologize. Brian Loring - Loring Wine Companyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01839055051402467378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-30540471234658614292013-01-28T19:19:42.504-08:002013-01-28T19:19:42.504-08:00Brian: So you are just yanking my chain.
I can...Brian: So you are just yanking my chain.<br /><br />I can't help what you infer. I can defend what I actually wrote, but not any straw man you want to set up based on it. I don't believe you actually inferred anything, but if so, infer away.W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-87559771351671339772013-01-28T18:51:54.161-08:002013-01-28T18:51:54.161-08:00Blake,
I'm asking because I think most people...Blake,<br /><br />I'm asking because I think most people would infer from your blog that the Cabernet Sauvignon specialists, Bubbly makers, Large companies, and Flocks of wines over $100 that you mention had been rejected by the IPOB tasting panel as not producing balanced wines. I don't think that's true. <br /><br />Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought the IPOB's sole focus is Brian Loring - Loring Wine Companyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01839055051402467378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-10466043617359221362013-01-28T15:53:36.835-08:002013-01-28T15:53:36.835-08:00Robert: Raj Parr is co-author of the book "Se...Robert: Raj Parr is co-author of the book "Secrets of the Sommeliers." He's acknowledged by all who have tasted with him as having a great palate. If wine aficionados were going to name 10 sommeliers, I'll bet he would be on most lists. <br /><br />Surely that's not the same level of stardom as proven, accomplished stars like Snookie or Paris Hilton. But it's something.W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-77370165276940611902013-01-28T14:47:15.020-08:002013-01-28T14:47:15.020-08:00Stupid question of the day: What makes a Sommelie...Stupid question of the day: What makes a Sommelier a star and others not? He creates wine lists to pair with the restuarants food and thus is to heighten the dining experience, correct? I have seen wine directors and somms get awards for their wines lists but I am not sure why a extensive wine list with impressive names (and over priced wines) means anything (much like a 100 point score). IfRoberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12259552342538825579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-77249671765875654412013-01-28T12:57:15.807-08:002013-01-28T12:57:15.807-08:00Robert: Is it any more presumptuous than a single ...Robert: Is it any more presumptuous than a single critic dictating what wines are 100-points, or gold medal, or 5 stars? W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-47327358475359014512013-01-28T11:08:13.930-08:002013-01-28T11:08:13.930-08:00It seems a little presumptuous for any panel to be...It seems a little presumptuous for any panel to be dictating what wines are "balanced". When it comes to wine it is all subjective. One persons over ripe over oaked wine can seem perfectly balanced and food friendly to someone else. We all taste differently and have different tolerances for flavors and textures. I think it is disingenuous to use the term balance when all they mean are Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15472095762126303252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-11854227043371557642013-01-28T10:51:47.308-08:002013-01-28T10:51:47.308-08:00Brian: The IPOB website sucks, so if you're re...Brian: The IPOB website sucks, so if you're really interested, and not just yanking my chain as usual, I'll give you Jasmine Hirsch's email address. W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-31768823973405101112013-01-28T08:54:45.172-08:002013-01-28T08:54:45.172-08:00Blake,
Do you know for sure if Screaming Eagle wa...Blake,<br /><br />Do you know for sure if Screaming Eagle was submitted to the tasting panel and rejected? And were all the wineries on the list approved by the blind tasting panel? <br /><br />The list looks a lot like the folks who orignally came together to form the IOPB group. So they had to pass the blind tasting test as well?<br /><br />I can't find any info in the IPOB website on Brian Loring - Loring Wine Companyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01839055051402467378noreply@blogger.com