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He is in the same position as bookshops were a few years ago, or estate agents, or auction houses, or newspapers ah yes, the traditional media - dying slowly.
Blogs are about entertainment as well as opinion and fact and most of the ones I read are far more interesting than Parker's output.
<abbr>Check out Gabriella Opaz’s last blog post - El Cucuraucho del Mar - Seafood Restaurant Review in Madrid</abbr>
What bugs me most about this is that I feel Parker was blogger before there were blogs. The Baltimore Wine Advocate was an indy newsletter, looking to be an indy voice to bring his thoughts, impressions, and likes to the world. Sure it was a business venture, but he skipped the traditional media route, grabbed onto a relatively new medium w/ no advertisers and lots of criticism from the traditional media community. You'd think he'd be almost supportive of it (that may be a stretch) but at least not a jack-a** about it-- Making dangerous and false statements with obviously having ZERO clue about what really goes on.
BUT- This is not uncommon behavior for him. Parker has been sued (and settled) for making damaging statements, he's attacked other critics for daring to contest his opinions, and he's seemingly employed a number of questionable people (or that don't uphold his professed standards) Hanna, now Squires, now Miller...
Like him or not, Parker's value is not his palate but his pro-consumer, independent stance.... In light of current events, it seems that this professed independence is more myth than reality... To me, his edge and value is gone.
<abbr>Check out Dirty’s last blog post - Old And In The Way? The Wine Advocate Gets Even Grumpier</abbr>
There are certain things that ring true in his words such as that bloggers are more friendly with the trade. I see blogs as the pillars of Social Media and SM is also an emerging marketing tool so it's a natural symbiosis. One clear differentiation has to be made though: Wine Advocate cannot accept advertising because they are being PAID by their READERS.
Most wine blogs don't have advertising but, why shouldn't they really? As you pointed out, most bloggers don't even intend to make a business out of their blog and are hobbyists. However, make no mistake: Wine Advocate has SPONSORSHIP. It's just from the consumers and not the trade, and that fact does bestow RP with a unique ability to take an altruistic position. Yet, as with journalism in general, the core of the paradigm shift that Web2.0 and freedom of information is bringing about is that representing the readers is becoming an unsustainable business model. If I was RP, I'd probably be a little uppity too, watching my revenue dwindle away. If you can't get people to pay for subscriptions anymore because they can get information for free, how do you sustain a publication? Um...advertising? I don't know, maybe there is some other model and as soon as someone thinks of it, they will be the next Bill Gates.
<abbr>Check out Becky’s last blog post - Golubtsy in my Glass!</abbr>
<abbr>Check out Vintuba’s last blog post - Vintuba Podcast 13 what we’ve been drinking review 4</abbr>
I can imagine equally heated debating and finger pointing during past technological upheavals in the wine industry, like when hybridization or non vinifera rootstocks was emerging to combat industry devastating diseases.
In then end, we are left with a stronger and more exciting wine industry than could have been imagined before. Those who refuse to accept future are forced to watch it as it passes them by. Those that work through it, come out stronger for it.
<abbr>Check out Tim’s last blog post - Social Media and the Large Company</abbr>
<abbr>Check out John Corcoran’s last blog post - Do Wine Review Scores Matter in a Wine 2.0 World?</abbr>
Paul
The Internet and blogosphere have transformed every industry from gossip and fashion to cars and computers. Now, finally, it's happening in the wine space.
Joel - invite RP to the WBC! Let him show us the light (fading and dim though it might be!)
When he started out, he was like many of us. And, more importantly, he was sort of a consumer's advocate. Now he's part of the industry and all about empowering his own commercial leverage. If he were smart, he'd toss Web 0.5 like Joe and petty despots like Squires overboard.
Unfortunately, I think he's become too much like what he railed against in the 1970s to hear the message.
The way in which wine is perceived, evaluated, and enjoyed has changed. Unfortunately, the self-important dinosaurs facing extinction are saying whatever they can to justify themselves to their shrinking readership. "Wine Critics" are now just another set of individuals who are free to add their expertise to the discussion. They no longer have the last word. Sad that their leader/spokesmodel has to resort to petty insults and flinging his dino-poop around.
Parker should know better. As Hardy points out, Robert Parker, Jr was an Ur-blogger with the BWA in the old days. He should be a Paterfamilias to the wine blogging world. Instead he comes across as a tragic figure like Major Fambrough in Dances with Wolves who goes mad in his irrelevance and wets himself as he sends the next generation out into the wild.
<abbr>Check out Patrick Llerena’s last blog post - Someone Just doesn’t get IT</abbr>
And you know what?
Here are some telling statistics for you:
Number of TWA issues I've read: 0
Number of Robert Parker reviews I've read: 0
Number of wines I've purchased recommended by TWA staff: 0
Number of people who I know well that have subscriptions to TWA: 0
This is not to take anything away from Parker's amazing career. It's just to point out that a different sort of train is probably leaving the wine appreciation station.
For now, the train is small, just like TWA was when Parker founded it. But it's got a lot of THINK-I-CAN passion behind it. Just like TWA did when Parker founded it.
As Steve Heimoff commented on a recent blog post of mine that talked about Parker (and others), the fact that we are even considering calling Parker to task is a big sign that things are changing when it comes to wine appreciation...
Nice work, Joel.
<abbr>Check out 1WineDude’s last blog post - My Apology to Wine Spectator (or “Has Hell Frozen Over?!??”)</abbr>
They care about finding value wines that they will like and matches their taste profile- So if for example they like the Bogle Petite Sirah I poured they would be inclined to like the Rosenblum Heritage Clone Petite Sirah also in my opinion- So to the defense of blogs and bloggers if a person searches out a wine recomendation on the internet and comes across Bob the wine guy in Arkansas and he likes a wine that they do also then they would be inclined to give another suggestion of his a try.
I think that might be what Parker misses in all of this, is just how big the wine drinking public has gotten in America and its growth in the last 5 years which has little to do with a Parker or Wine Spectator but people talking to people about wine.
Ok I suck and it is time to go eat some food and drink some wine! Thinking a Girard Petite Sirah
<abbr>Check out Patrick Petruccello’s last blog post - Make your own salsa!</abbr>
Don't be gutless about taking a swipe at me or my work. Why is the eRob thread shut down? I didn't even get to defend my self. Complete punk move.
For the folks who DM'd me via Twitter - it doesn't take balls to say this to Parker. Why do I give a shit if Parker likes me or not? He doesn't sign my paycheck and I'm NOT going to let my name or anything associated with me or my character (i.e. family name) get called into question.
As far as I'm concerned, if he really wants to help, I'm sure we'd all welcome an education from the original maverick. If not, then I guess Gary Vaynerchuk really IS Robert Parker 2.0. Which is fine with me because I know Gary wouldn't punk out if he made statements like that.
Cheers!
or perhaps he thinks greater of wine than say food and uses zagat anyway.
needs to be appreciated by everyone.
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Karen Walter
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I do not discuss the undeniable work that Mr. Parker has done for the past 30 years and the amount of people that he helped along the way to be discovered and attain the recognition that they have now.
What I'm trying to say is that Mr. Parker is only one man with one, now well established and characteristic, palate. He has been for years attracted by much more extracted, bolder, riper, heavier, woodier wines than the public wants to taste...
When he started, the American consumers were not educated and needed to follow the conviction and enthusiasm of someone that show them the right path. 30 years later, and I'm sure that is the reason why he is acting and talking like this (as Alastair said in his comment), he is slowly dying and loosing his touch.
People are now much more educated about wine than they used to be 20-30 years ago and they are eager for much more info than before, more precision and more discoveries: value wines, with more balance, more acidity, less wood, fresher, juicier fruit, lower prices, from smaller producers, more organic, biodynamic and from sustainable culture. More over, with this economy, who can really afford big labels and brands anymore.
Consumers want some new juice for a better price and that is what most wine bloggers bring to our attention and write about: somewhat undiscovered, small, artisan winemaker and lesser known wineries freshly arrived in the market. New wines that have not necessarily been in Mr. Parker's office or even Wine Spectator bureau for approbation.
They talk about what they drink and taste everyday. What fascinate them and trigger their interest. We are talking about thousand and thousand of different palates from all around the world, tasting wines from all around the world and expressing their opinions, and most of the time without rating and other numbers, just words and passion.
I would even agree more, with Alastair comment, by repeating his last sentence: "Blogs are about entertainment as well as opinion and fact and most of the ones I read are far more interesting than Parker's output."
Keep up the good work wine bloggers, as long as you stay true to your taste buds, to the wine and its origin, you should not be discourage to express yourself. People browsing the internet knows that to get the best info, you have to diversify your source of information. So keep up writing!
Enjoy!
LeDom du Vin
www.LeDomduVin.com
How long will Laube and Parker be the bar for winemaking and consumer interest in a wine? As long as it takes for the sheer viral aptitudes of interested wine lovers and growers to develop. Nothing more. We all have a hand in this and it shouldn't be in just two guys hands that have been or should be excusing themselves from the table and opening doors for the next revolution that they started 20+ years ago.
Elenora
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At last count, more than 60 million worldwide bloggers are talking about everything from wigs, wine, wedding bling and grandma’s recipes. According to Technorati, nearly 100K new blogs are created each day. Consumer generated media is so powerful, it helped elect the most unlikely of candidates, President Barack Obama, against nearly impossible odds.
On the flip side, traditional media as we know it, is taking it’s last gasping breaths. Many reporters we’ve relied on for decades are going the way of the dinosaurs; by virtue of reduced space for editorial; daily layoffs; and the rise of the proletariat blogger.
The ascendency of the blogger and the ubiquity of social media have transformed the the very definition of influencer. Like it or not, luddites beware.
I'm sure it's very challenging as a journalist who has been the primary influencer for decades to realize that they no longer hold the keys to the kingdom. Parker's influence has been stripped away, not because of systematic conspiracy by the wine industry, but by a mass of humanity who no longer accepts that there is only one flavor profile (big fruit anyone) that is acceptable.
Parker and can either embrace the citizen journalist or be left behind at his own peril.
Carin Galletta
I really like to read.Hope to learn a lot and have a nice experience here! my best regards guys!
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