Comments on: Fictitious restaurant wins Wine Spectator Award of Excellence

By: Food & Wine Thursdays: The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence | The Satellite Show

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 19:04:27 +0000

[...] you receive a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for your wine list. In fact, in 2008 a guy perpetrated a hoax where he created a non-existent restaurant, typed up a wine list, and submitted it with his fee to [...]

By: Vinotology » The Wine Trials 2011 Enters My Court

Vinotology » The Wine Trials 2011 Enters My Court — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 22:39:48 +0000

[...] with the previous editions of this book, Goldstein has created quite a stir in the wine world. He exposed a ploy to sell advertising in the Wine Spectator that was masked as an “Award for Excellence” for restaurants, incited some spirited [...]

By: Two O.C. restaurants win top wine award, but is contest legit? - Fast Food Maven : The Orange County Register

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:58:40 +0000

[...] there’s the famous “fictitious restaurant” scandal of two years [...]

By: Award Winning Kentucky Wine Lists – Louisville Juice

Award Winning Kentucky Wine Lists – Louisville Juice — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:59:06 +0000

[...] application fee is not inconsiderable, in a tight economy. Also, last year a prankster submitted an entirely fictional restaurant to Wine Spectator and received an Award of Excellence, which didn’t do the awards’ [...]

By: Dog food: an impossible food-wine pairing? | Dr Vino's wine blog

Dog food: an impossible food-wine pairing? | Dr Vino's wine blog — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:01:40 +0000

[...] Goldstein, author of The Wine Trails and chef/owner of a fake, Wine Spectator award-winning restaurant, is the lead author on the working paper from the American Association of Wine [...]

By: Frever t.

Frever t. — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:47:20 +0000

It seems like something is missing, no?

By: JC in GR

JC in GR — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:54:11 +0000

First of as a current restaurant GM and in the business for 13 years I can tell you I have always known that the award was just a purchased parchment.

so…..

Think of it this way. I have a set budget for advertising. For a mere $250 a year, I get an award and my restaurant name listed on a nationally recognized website. A website searched by many to find a restaurant in a specific area with excellent wine lists.

The award gives you press and recognition, all be it maybe only to the less informed but which make up probably a 80% share of my business.

You find me another advertiser that does that for $250 as effectively and recognizably and I will be happy to give you my business.

Of course I do agree that the award is meaningless but it serves a purpose and is what it is…. an advertisement….

By: DMFT

DMFT — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 13:14:47 +0000

Being extremely low-brow and blue collar, but still capable of knowing and enjoying fine wine, I’m behind Matthew on this one. Typically any awards given by any magazines are the product of advertising dollars spent with said magazine. And on the off chance that an award might not be directly linked to revenue, then it is surely based on inter-political boys-club connections.

By: M Plummer

M Plummer — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 15:44:02 +0000

After reading the restaurant award article, I wonder what the WS criteria is for a wine to be reviewed. I notice that I never see Raymonds or Stags Leap’s Vinyards or Wine Cellars on their lists.

By: Clinton Rothchild

Clinton Rothchild — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:49:16 +0000

That magazine is where I found out about Apex Wine Cellars, who built my beautiful,4000 bottle redwood cellar. For that, I’m most grateful.
C.R.

By: Live, from New York, it’s Condé Nast Traveler! | Trip Delivery

Live, from New York, it’s Condé Nast Traveler! | Trip Delivery — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 22:50:38 +0000

[...] questions and the methodology used to determine the winners. This isn’t that guy who won a fake wine award; this is a carefully vetted process with input from savvy [...]

By: Live, from New York, it’s Condé Nast Traveler! | Family Travel Guide

Live, from New York, it’s Condé Nast Traveler! | Family Travel Guide — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:21:23 +0000

[...] questions and the methodology used to determine the winners. This isn’t that guy who won a fake wine award; this is a carefully vetted process with input from savvy [...]

By: I Frickin’ LOVE this: Made-up restaurant wins Wine Spectator award | The Scotch Blog

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:09:10 +0000

[...] Taking a veering left turn from our usual take on the world of whisky, and beating up, (once again) on the concept of ratings – especially in the wine world – I submit for your approval a fantastic piece (courtesy of Dr. Vino)*. [...]

By: Kevin Erskine

Kevin Erskine — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:51:54 +0000

Well it’s certainly illuminating to know that not a single person who reads Wine Spectator takes its editorial content seriously.

It’s also nice to know that it’s reader’s consider Wine magazines apparently exempt from ANY sort of journalistic integrity!

By: David Conlon

David Conlon — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:00:16 +0000

I was disappointed to see that Wine Spectator fell victim to this spoof. I have long known that WS does not make site visits and that the technique in determining its awards is/was based on submissions by restaurateurs. In the past, I’ve used WS as a source, not the sole source, of information about restaurants when traveling to a part of the world I’ve never been to before. Rarely have I been disappointed with the quality of the food or wine or overall experience at those establishments receiving the WS awards of excellence. That said, I’ve always understood WS is a commercial endeavor and therefore its commentary, including its ratings and awards, is leavened with that knowledge. Caveat Emptor!