RMP retires

[Harry C.]

An article announced that the man who must not be named has officially retired.

[DavidG]

I wish him well.
He taught me a lot early in my journey.
His early influence on winemaking, advocating for cleanliness and against overcropping, was a positive one.
I forgive him the excesses of his later years.
I suspect most of the modernization we bitch about would have occurred eventually without him.

[William P]

I agree David. I my early years he taught me a lot. I hold no grudge for his later dogmatic approach.

[Blanquito]

Like many, I leaned heavily on Parker in the early years. He whiffed on some good wines, but up through at least the mid-90’s, I can’t recall ever disliking any wine he highly recommended.

As styles changed, prices spiked, and Parker got cozy with wine makers, some things went off the rails but by that time his net positive on American wine appreciation was already a life time’s worth.

[OrlandoRobert]

Like many, I leaned heavily on Parker in the early years. He whiffed on some good wines, but up through at least the mid-90’s, I can’t recall ever disliking any wine he highly recommended.

As styles changed, prices spiked, and Parker got cozy with wine makers, some things went off the rails but by that time his net positive on American wine appreciation was already a life time’s worth.

You and David nailed it.

Parker was a force for positive evolution of Bordeaux and appreciation of wine, and then he wasn't. I thank him for the former period, and I have moved well beyond what followed. Funny that I ended my subscription to TWA so far before his excess, but it was his start of the proselytization of the California cults. And then the garage wines.

[DavidG]

I admit to being a fan of the Cali cults back in the early-mid 90s. I got caught up in the thrill of the chase, the "prestige" and exclusivity, and the excitement of something new. The wines were way different than the Bordeaux and white Burgundies I’d been drinking, and were a lot of fun to explore even if they were cocktail wines. The thrill wore off and after a few years of flipping them I decided I didn’t really want to be in the wine "business" so I dropped them. I still have a few in the cellar which are fun to pull out for the right group and occasion.

The cult prices weren’t that outrageous in those early days if you were on the mailing lists. The 1994 SQN Queen of Spades, their first commercial release, was ~$30. Harlan was ~$60-70. Screagle was the most expensive at ~$100 or $125. Parker may have been responsible for creating the cult craze, but he was also the reason I was able to get on those lists and have access to the wines at release prices. I chuckle now at how silly I was chasing the anointed rarities as if there would never be another good wine made, but it was fun and exciting at the time.

Parker went off the rails with his mega-scores and effusive praise for the big ripe juicy style. His influence moved markets enough to convince a lot of producers to shift in that direction. There has been some swinging back of the pendulum with his exit from the scene, but a good deal of the shift will be longer term (permanent?). In large part because it sells. There are more sugar lovers out there than AFWE palates. Parker didn’t do himself any favors with his and Squires' online intolerance of divergent opinions. In person, Parker is affable, generous and welcoming of different points of view. I think that history will remember him more for the positives than the negatives.

[AKR]

The picture of him on their link didn't look good.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

He's been functionally OOTB for a while now so this is concerning. I'm afraid the next thing is RMP RIP.

[Blanquito]

The picture of him on their link didn't look good.

Yes.

[OrlandoRobert]

I admit to being a fan of the Cali cults back in the early-mid 90s. I got caught up in the thrill of the chase, the "prestige" and exclusivity, and the excitement of something new. The wines were way different than the Bordeaux and white Burgundies I’d been drinking, and were a lot of fun to explore even if they were cocktail wines. The thrill wore off and after a few years of flipping them I decided I didn’t really want to be in the wine "business" so I dropped them. I still have a few in the cellar which are fun to pull out for the right group and occasion.

The cult prices weren’t that outrageous in those early days if you were on the mailing lists. The 1994 SQN Queen of Spades, their first commercial release, was ~$30. Harlan was ~$60-70. Screagle was the most expensive at ~$100 or $125. Parker may have been responsible for creating the cult craze, but he was also the reason I was able to get on those lists and have access to the wines at release prices. I chuckle now at how silly I was chasing the anointed rarities as if there would never be another good wine made, but it was fun and exciting at the time.

Parker went off the rails with his mega-scores and effusive praise for the big ripe juicy style. His influence moved markets enough to convince a lot of producers to shift in that direction. There has been some swinging back of the pendulum with his exit from the scene, but a good deal of the shift will be longer term (permanent?). In large part because it sells. There are more sugar lovers out there than AFWE palates. Parker didn’t do himself any favors with his and Squires' online intolerance of divergent opinions. In person, Parker is affable, generous and welcoming of different points of view. I think that history will remember him more for the positives than the negatives.

Funny, I went the exact opposite direction. Once Parker started fetishizing these cult and garage wines, I quit. I ended my subscription. I think that was around 1998 when I quite. I bought some Dale Valles and Mayas, but really did not chase the cults at all, and in fact, ultimately sold my Mayas. The only wines that I have ever sold in my life. It was clear then, that Parker was headed in a different direction than me. And ironically, he was partly the reason I was headed down that path, having been exposed to this books, reviews and many fine bottles of Bordeaux from the 1980s.

[DavidG]

Interesting. I followed him down the cult pathway, but eventually took a different direction.
I may just be a slow learner!

[OrlandoRobert]

Nah, you were rich, I was poor back then!!!

[CJD]

Wrote a really long Parker note but it did not post for some reason.

[CJD]

Parker - not a fan. Created a monster that destroyed the price of Grand Cru Bdx.
Created the run of current day reviewers who cut & paste 100 pointers after 3 sips of bdx EP. A current missed opportunity for someone to rewrite the bdx review book.

Cannot get past buying Palmer in the 90s at 50 bucks & now?etc etc
Bordeaux Grand Cru would have improved anyway with or without Parker.
So, nice notes, hedonistic reviews , privileged lifestyle etc but...

The Lagrange 86 right now tastes delicious, full of bdx character but...reading Parker’s review he kinda nailed it....annoying on this one.