That is prolly my biggest kvetch about wine critics, tasting room employees, wine educators etc etc etc. I honestly don’t care what their opinion of the wine is (jammy, with a medium finish) b/c I’m going to taste it for myself and come to my own opinions, but weeding out if it’s sound before hand, saves me from having to try those wines to begin with.

as for the wine stains, I think of them, like the people who all jumped on the band wagon over cupcakes being the new ‘party cake’ they lack imagination and individuality, the same people who boast about the books they’ve read or movies they’ve seen - as if they are the only person to think to pick up a book from the NYT best sellers list or a flick that was at sundance. Wow - so original, just like the rest of us.

For what my opinion is worth, most of what is done by the subjective wine writer seems to be a commentary on style, not really quality at all. Even wines that should be considered flawed by even the most basic standards of wine Quality may be (and are often) lauded as great stylistic successes. But overall, I do believe that average wine quality is much improved worldwide, even as some decry the loss of regional individuality (I’m not buying that argument; there is still huge regional difference and regional tradition everywhere you look!)

But you know what? I still enjoy reading these commentaries when I can. Particularly Parker does a great job of giving some of the context and background on the producers, not really reducing them to a mere number as some other publications can do. I enjoy reading several bloggers for the same reason - give me the lowdown, the story behind the region or the producer, or the wine itself. That is what is valuable and engaging, and what can drive people to build their own confidence and interest about the amazing array of wines in the world. And eventually, as they mature in their tastes, they can eventually leave the numbers behind and taste for themselves.