Why “Fine Wine” and “Experts” Are Not Obsolete

wine snobSometimes expensive wine is great, and sometimes it’s ludicrously overpriced. Sometimes experts are blow-hards that want to obfuscate and confuse to make themselves feel important, and sometimes experts are actually helpful. Sometimes ratings are just a crutch for the timid and unimaginative, and sometimes they help us find a previously undiscovered gem.

You might wonder why I’ve begun this post with lots of italics. Well, the italic type is my reply to an article recently published in livemint.com, which I believe is a Wall Street Journal online publication from India. Here is the article’s headline and subhead:

“Robert Parker is obsolete, wine is in vogue: Fine wine–the term is used so often and in so many situations that it has almost become meaningless–has now reached the tipping point in terms of affordability, access and most importantly, status “

Author Shoba Narayan is reporting on a study of wine drinking preferences conducted by food and wine critic Robin Goldstein. To cut right to the chase, Goldstein’s study concludes that, “Individuals who are unaware of the price do not derive more enjoyment from more expensive wine.” Narayan goes on to give “a prediction: that the notion of “fine wines” might become obsolete in the future, at least for the broader wine-drinking public.”

She also says, “If you are not a wine expert and rely on the price of a bottle or the recommendation from an expert in order to choose your bottle, then don’t. Stop reading Wine Spectator; stop joining wine clubs in the hope that the wines their experts pick will be the ones you like. And above all, don’t assume that the market is right—that the more expensive the wine is, the better it will taste.”

OK, I see the point of Goldstein’s study and agree that chasing a price tag doesn’t guarantee a great wine-drinking experience.

I’ve learned that lesson as a wine retailer. I work with countless customers who walk in and say, “I want a really good bottle of wine,” and start looking for the most expensive bottle. I invariably say, “Good for whom?”: And then, “What kind of wines do you usually enjoy.” If they say they love a good Riesling, I steer them away from the Premium Napa Cabernet  section. Why? Because I know it’s not right for their palate and they won’t enjoy it. While I could make more money selling them a bottle of Opus One (at $190) than a bottle of Piesporter (at $10), I’d have led them astray. They would have blown good money on something they didn’t even like,  and for me that’s bad Karma and bad business.

There is, however, a section of the market that wants to drop $190 for that Opus One whether they like it or not. They’re the same folks who want to buy a Rolex even though a Timex works just as well (or almost as well). They’re the Status Seekers, and they will always be with us. Their pleasure comes from feeling the admiration and envy of those around them. Critics such as Robert Parker, Jr. and magazines like Wine Spectator have played a key role in defining Status in the wine world: they have helped anoint the Wanna Have and Need To Have wines. So contrary to Narayan’s prediction, I don’t think Status is going away anytime soon.

The other problem I have with Narayan is with this assertion: “If you are not a wine expert and rely on the price of a bottle or the recommendation from an expert in order to choose your bottle, then don’t.”

“Experts” aren’t necessarily the bad guys. You can call me an “expert,” because I advise and educate people about wine. They come to me for advice because they want to try new and different things and they don’t know where to start. I help them find those (often inexpensive) wines that they’ll really enjoy. I don’t usually quote Wine Spectator ratings to them — except when they’re dead on, as with a great Australian blend called Stump Jump GSM that even an unsophisticated palate can enjoy. It costs around $10, and it was named to Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2010. (Mind you, I was recommending it even before the rating came out.)

So here’s my conclusion: sometimes expensive wine is great, and sometimes it’s ludicrously overpriced. Sometimes experts are blow-hards that want to obfuscate and confuse to make themselves feel important, and sometimes experts are actually helpful. Sometimes ratings are just a crutch for the timid and unimaginative, and sometimes they help us find a previously undiscovered gem.

It’s all relative, you know?



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