Power to the people… who have to pay for their wine.

Jamie is no fool. But just because something makes good business sense doesn’t make it right.

Tom Merle likes Cellar Tracker and Trip Advisor. I like other sources that I think are more expert. In older studies, this effect was called The Demonstration Effect. Call it what you like, use whatever source of supposedly good judgment you like and you will see influence.

In point of fact (pun intended), the reason why thousands and thousands of folks listen to critics, in wine and elsewhere, is that they are looking for guidance and tend to believe it when they see it.

If the expert is right, great, but unfortunately, wine is a subject where it’s pretty hard to be “right”. But this shows why the current system, despite this flaw, isn’t going anywhere. It sells, period. Retailers, the big drivers of the current system as the primary purchase point for customers, aren’t going to abandon something that works this well. And so wineries will have to continue to have a strategy for the ratings game and importers and distributors will have to continue to make sure they can move their stock to the retailers who want stuff they can sell.

Yes, what is on the label are ‘facts’ . . . and I say this because they are ‘facts’ that oftentimes do not get checked. Alcohol levels? They are ‘somewhat’ accurate but not always so . . . Varieties? Remember – you have a 25% ‘fudge factor’ to add any other variety in with your ‘labeled’ variety and still call it what you want – and you do NOT have to let the consumer know that you added ANYTHING else.

My main point, though, had more to deal with perceptions. Many see an alcohol level on a bottle and pre-judge that wine . . . Period. Or they see a variety from a specific place and sometimes say ‘it can’t be good because it’s ____ from _____, and I know that better ____ are made in ______.

There is so much subjectivity that takes place at ALL facets of the wine industry . . . Period.

I agree with you wholeheartedly that one should not blindly follow a reviewer and his/her points . . . but that’s the world in which we live . . . How many ‘New York Times Best Sellers’, for instance, are on YOUR purchase list?!?!?

Interesting read as usual, and looking forward to hearing from others!

Cheers!

I start from the premise that certain wines will command higher scores among a cross section of tasters. I like to cite CellarTracker as the superior mode of rating. It follows the Wisdom of Crowds methodology to arrive at a sweet spot for such wines. Our wine society tastes blind, then we compile and average out the scores. The august Vintners Club in SF uses only a simple ranking to list the first place through 12th. This is the way to do, IMHO.

Just because a study comes out and points out the obvious does not mean the system is ‘broken’ folks . . .

If that is the case, no one should pay any attention to OTHER things put on labels or reviews – appellation, variety, alcohol levels, etc. ALL of these have an effect on how the wine we consume is perceived – whether you accept that or not.

What’s important is to use the points as one person’s view on a specific wine – caveat emptor. If you taste the wine and agree, then that’s what matters to you . . . and only to you. If you disagree, then great – a conversation can then ensue where you can compare your notes with the reviewers and see why . . . Different tastes or different ‘bottles’?

I just am not a fan of ‘knee jerk’ reactions and I think in this case, that is what is happening here . . .

Just my $.02 this morning . . . rip away!

Cheers!

All of the above said, I do find having some review of a wine beneficial when the producer and the bottling is unknown AND the reviewer is familiar (i.e., I am familiar with his/her reviews and have tasted many of those wines) – I know then at least a bit more on whether I may like it or not. But at the end of the day, the jury is still out until I actually taste the wine.