I was heading home from work the other day when I ran into a
friend. My friend is also a wine lover, one who happens to own a
subscription to Wine Spectator magazine.
I was heading home from work the other day when I ran into a friend. My friend is also a wine lover, one who happens to own a subscription to Wine Spectator magazine. She claims she rarely gets the chance to look at all the glossy photos, let alone tear into any of the articles, so she sometimes passes the magazines on to me.
There were two things about the November issue that caught my eye. The first was an article that highlighted the 50 best cabernet sauvignons from Napa. The second was an interview with Fred Franzia, a proclaimed “bad boy” of California wine. I found these two stories intriguing and their contrast open to debate.
If you are familiar with purchasing wine in stores, wine shops and online, you know that there are point-ratings that are connected to the various wines we are hoping to consume. It is unavoidable.
Robert M. Parker, Jr., considered by many to be the most influential wine critic in the world, created a scale to rate wines. The scale rates wine on a 100-point system: Classic, 95-100; Outstanding, 90-94; Very good, 85-89; Good, 80-84; Mediocre, 75-79. Any rating less than 75 is not recommended. Others like Wilfred Wong, Wine & Spirits, Stephan Tanzer, Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator also use a similar system when rating wine.
In the article on Napa cabernet sauvignons, a list was compiled from the archives of the magazine to find Napa cabernets that had vintages rated a minimum of 10 times during the time period 1990 through 2003. From this list, ratings were added and averaged out to the nearest tenth.
It comes as no surprise to fans of Napa cabernets that many of the most famous wineries make the top 50. Heavy hitters like Caymus, Shafer, Opus One, Joseph Phelps, Pride and Screaming Eagle had average ratings in the low to mid-90s. The average cost per bottle for wineries in the Top 10 was $215.
Fred Franzia, CEO of Bronco Wine Company, has an opinion on wine that costs that much. He is quoted in his interview as saying, “Wine doesn’t need to be expensive. It shouldn’t be so &^%$#* expensive!”
Franzia’s company, based in the San Joaquin Valley, is best known for producing wine under the Charles Shaw label. Infamously known as Two-Buck Chuck, these red and white wines are sold exclusively at Trader Joe’s for around $2 per bottle. Over 5.5 million cases were sold last year.
Another quote from Franzia that caught my attention (and I give props to the Wine Spectator for publishing it) was his disdain for anyone “preaching the high end.” “The two worst things, in no particular order, to happen to the wine industry are Wine Spectator and Robert Parker. You do a disservice to the consumer.”
The dichotomy of the debate tends to center on the influence Parker has had on the wine industry.
Critics of Parker claim that his ratings drive up the prices of 90+ rated wines and make wines that are rated respectably in the 80-89 categories hard to sell – and those with lower ratings impossible to sell. They also claim that vineyards and wineries are being “Parkerized”. In other words, they are changing their winery practices to make wines Parker prefers, with the hope that higher ratings will let the winery charge higher prices for their wine.
People who have praised Parker have called him “a fierce champion of the wine consumer, a passionate lover of wine who is responsible for the improved quality of wines made throughout the western world and for the exponential growth in interest and knowledge of those who drink wine.”
As consumers in the United States, we are heavily influenced by pop culture, the media and critics when it comes to buying almost anything – wine included.
When it comes to buying wine, do not let yourself be overly influenced by a wine’s rating. Let your palate decide. Do a bit of research and explore. And as I keep saying over and over, think about the situation, the food you will enjoy with the wine and the company that will be with you at the time. Remember, wine does not need a rating or a high price to taste good!
Do not get me wrong. We all like scoring points, whether with our spouses or our bosses.
Just last week, I had the best game I ever had in basketball. I did not even start the game, but when I entered, I went on a scoring explosion. I scored 36 points, blocked seven shots and grabbed 17 rebounds. If the bell for recess had not rung, and those first-graders were not forced to return to class, I might have scored more!
Cheers!
David Cox is a wine enthusiast and executive director of St. Joseph’s Family Center in Gilroy. He can be reached at wi**********@***oo.com.
