Well, we can post for free.
Lisa’s article (and conventional hagiography) suggest that RMP’s reviews of 82 Bordeaux ‘which turned out to be right’ cemented his place among critics, seemingly as early as 1984. How the hell did they know the aging potential of 82 Bordeaux in 84?
I recall seeing a tiny ad about the WA in 1987… “write for a free sample issue” (still have it somewhere). I subscribed for a few years, bought a few of his books, and learned a lot from him.
Three cheers for RP! Here is a good article about him from last year
https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/2018/10/15/robert-parker-ages-like-fine-wine
He was a great guide in my formative wine years, as was the BB to finding new wines, values and vintages.
Even though a bit of a curmudgeon, not sure we will ever see as much influence from a single critic or publication again. He was well ahead of his time, loved what he loved, liked what he liked and hated what he hated…and consumers love transparency.
I bought lots of wines on his scores, sold lots too.
Hope he enjoys the rest of his life in retirement and appreciates the legacy he leaves.
In the process of moving and sorting through “stuff”. Discovered I still have every one of RP’s Wine Buying Guides, Bordeaux books, etc etc.
Learned a ton from the man…
First time I ever read about Donnhoff or Muller Catoir was in the Wine Advocate. My first Bordeaux purchases in the mid-1990s were recommended values from the Wine Advocate.
I may have come to disagree with Bob’s palate after several years, but he helped set me on a very enjoyable path.
I had the good fortune to tast wine with him over a half dozen times. Dowell, as he is called by his family, is truly an idiot savant when it comes to tasting wine. He was fiercely independent of the wine community and even more fiercely loyal to the only group he cared about, his readers! One may not agree with his taste, but he was remarkably consistent. No one, I predict, will ever remotely approach his talent!
I wish him well too. We take it for granted, but after a lifetime of professional wine criticism I bet it’s hard for him to just sit down and enjoy a wine in an uncomplicated way. I’m sure it’s also taken a toll on his health. These are real sacrifices that he’s made. Not to mention his intentions - to advocate on behalf of the wine consumer - were entirely pure and laudable to begin with, regardless of what TWA has now become. So cheers RMP ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
If nothing else, no one can deny his ability to influence the industry/market
Wish him the best. Remember reading The Wine Advocate as soon as it arrived. I think I may drink from as many regions as I do because of him.
Cheers, Bob. Just a wee drop of Pappy Rye in your honor.
Cheers to a long and happy retirement with family and friends. I always looked forward to reading my “paper” copy when received in the mail…
Good for him, its hard to retire, staying retired is even harder than that. Cheers, good health, and much enjoyment with family and friends.
I am working a 2003 Pegau da Capo – via Coravin. Both Bob suggestions.
At this point, Parker is a miracle of Nature simply for still being alive.
The guy has been tasting something like 20 to 40 wines PER DAY every day for the last forty years.
He used to tell Rovani that if you took off a day or two from tasting, then you’d lose your chops & and you’d have to retrain your palate all over again - as though the wine critic were a Principal in a major Symphony Orchestra who had to practice his instrument religiously every day, for fear that someone else might be gaining ground on him.
I wouldn’t last two weeks on a tasting schedule like that - no later than about the 10th day, I’d be admitted to the RICU with bilateral pneumonia.
Same here. I was working construction inspection and had much free time. I read his Bordeaux and Rhone books several times over back in the 1990s.
Wish him healthy and happy retirement, the first wine book I purchased was written by him.
Eric,
I’ll come over and we can just remove the cork vs. Coravin.
When I went home one weekend during college and told my father I was interested in wine, he immediately opened a 1976 Lafite and gave me a spare copy of Broadbent’s Great Vintages book along with some other older wine appreciation books. They were fascinating reads, but very intimidating at times. I remember especially a detailed instruction in the fire and feather method- and actually thinking I had to open old wines that way.
Luckily, just prior to my visit home I had purchased the 3rd volume of Parker’s Wine Buying Guide and had already read much of it. At a time when the internet was young and wine was still generally considered an elitist hobby versus a merely elite one, his book was about the only widely known tome that covered all the bases. And it was the only one that spoke at length about things like storage and how to be careful when buying wine in stores. In a business where even most of the critics were industry cronies and- at best- ignored such important details, Parker gave a comprehensive road map.
Over the years I have disagreed with him on the tasting side at many points, but he has also had astonishing accuracy in many instances. Plus it bears remembering that he himself was the first to say your own palate should be the final judge. With a wine boom on the horizon and his 100 point scale, he was destined to be followed by many as more of an investment advisor than a wine critic, but I do not think that was ever what he really wanted.
And when you look at how many of his successors- not necessarily at the WA but across the board- never address many of the topics he took on like importation and storage practices- I think it is safe to say the normalized presence of cold rooms in wine stores and even portable storage units in grocery stores for higher end bottles- is due primarily to his efforts to educate consumers.
Whatever you think of his tasting notes, the condition of bottles that land in the average US cellar now are far better thanks to Robert Parker, and that is the best gift of all.
In the hopes you see this thread Mr. Parker- a toast to you sir, and thank you for all you have meant to the world of wine. Best to you and I hope you find great enjoyment in your retirement.
Hah! We should get together. It has been way too long. Bisato sometime?
I hope Robert Parker is well and he can enjoy his retirement. Best wishes to him.