Parker not in the Vinters Hall of Fame

I just read Linda Murphy’s article in which Parker did not make it into the Vinters hall of fame and what a travesty it was.

Her last quote sums it up for me “I’ll vote for him next year, and the year following, and the years after that…Do i drink Parker’s highly rated wines? rarely. Do I respect the man? Indeed.”

Linda Murphy - Decanter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Does Parker deserve to be in the VHoF?? Maybe…maybe not.
Most of the inductees to the VHoF are people who are in the wine industry. Are wine writers in the wine industry?
Don’t know on that one. The two writers who are in the VHoF are LeeAdams and GeraldAsher. Both of them
have made very strong and large contributions to the wine literature. Is a writer who’s primary contribution to the
wine literature is a vast collection of TN’s and scores the equal of Gerald or Lee?? Maybe…maybe not. I would lean
towards the “not” side of the spectrum.
This is not to deny that he is influential. But is being influential a good criteria for admission to the VHoF??
Maybe…maybe not.
Methinks Linda is overstating her case for Parker’s admission. “Some might have languished without such support and gone out of business”.
Not sure I’d agree w/ that point. People who make good wine eventually get recognized w/o being annointed by Parker.
“But it’s not Parker’s fault that some vintners create wines to suit his palate, so as to achieve high scores.” I thought we had been repeatedly
told by Parker and others that that is simply not the case. There are no Parker cuvees we’ve been told repeatedly.

The one statement in her article that really gets my goat:
“Those who did not vote for Parker for the 2011 Hall of Fame likely resent his power, or wish they were him. Perhaps they despise the 100-point system, or that their personal preferences in wines are diametrically opposite to Parker’s. Maybe by not voting for him, they felt better about themselves.”
Why is it that every Parker defender believes that anybody that doesn’t worship Parker and who says something negative about him is jealous of him??
I’m squarely in the “doesn’t worship” camp. Do I want to have the fame and influence of Parker?? Definitely not. I’ve got a rich & full life that I like
and being a Parker is pretty far down on my list of wanna-bes.
I guess I would say: “Get a life, Linda”.
Tom

I’m a long time fan of Robert Parker - but I do believe that he has done as much harm with the California wine industry as he has done good -

He has trumpeted a very small group of wineries that produce wines in his “style”, and crucified a much larger number of wineries for not producing wines in his “style” - so I can understand the animosity from the bulk of the voters -

I believe that Marvin Shanken of the Wine Spectator should be in the Vintners Hall of Fame far before Robert Parker because he has literally dedicated his magazine to the promotion of California wines - and I do believe, very successfully -

Fixed.

I just read the list of inductees, http://www.ciaprochef.com/winestudies/events/vhf_inductees.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Parker doesn’t seem a natural fit.

Except that they have inducted Leon Adams and Gerald Asher, neither of whom fit your definition.

And also DarrellCorti…who sells wine but doesn’t make wine. Well…sorta…he actually occasionally makes a barrell here & there.

It’s not exactly clear what their criteria for being named to VHoF is.
Tom

The Boxing Hall of Fame inducted Rocky.

Rocky is real.

I think that precedent is not good enough in this case. I agree with others who say that Parker is not a vintner and should not be included. The fact that Adams and Asher are in the HoF, doesn’t matter. They probably shouldn’t be there either. So in this case, I’m saying that 3 wrongs don’t make a right.

Disclaimer: I tend to not agree with Parker’s reviews and I also think that Parker did more harm to the industry than good.

All the more reason he should be in -

Boo Hoo, poor Bobby Parker. How will his life have meaning without this award?

You know it’s not like he’s whining about it.

I’m no Parker detractor, but if you think he belongs in the same company with Andre Tchelistcheff and Gustave Niebaum. . . well, I want some of what you’re smoking.

I know… so why is she?

Well, he does sell Beaux Freres, or at least receive some sort of payout from it’s sales.

Yeah–looks akin to a trade association honor for winemakers and a few fellow travelers.

Note, too, that Adams, Corti and Asher are or were all Californians, native or adopted.

Sounds like a club.

There’s a reason:

The Vintners Hall of Fame celebrates the men and women whose collective vision, determination, and hard work have been responsible for the growth and worldwide prestige of the California wine industry.

Source: http://www.ciachef.edu/california/vhf.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Well, if ABBA can get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…

Seriously though, I’m struggling with the concept of caring about the Vintners Hall of Fame or who is/is not in it. Oh what’s the point of struggling; I don’t really care.

Bruce