Jeff Leve on Eric Asimov

[Bacchus]

Settle down Bobby and Bobby; that's not what I meant. Leve's interview of Asimov touches on many of the issues we've been discussing in some of our recent threads. In fact, I can't help but think he helped himself to some of the questions we have discussed. Take the following exchange as an example:

Jeff Leve While Robert Parker did not invent the tasting note, it perhaps dates back to the 1600’s, certainly the most widely read and influential writer of tasting notes is Robert Parker. Has he been helpful or harmful to wine and consumers?

Eric Asimov “I think simply by virtue of his enthusiasm and the profound pleasure he has found in wine, Robert Parker has done a tremendous amount to kindle interest in wine among Americans. I’m certainly among those people who, as a beginning wine drinker, found Robert Parker to be an inspiration. I think that will be his legacy. But I don’t think he has done himself any favors or burnished his legacy with his peevishness and intolerance over the last 10 or 15 years.”

http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/201 ... love-wine/

[RDD]

Isn't this exactly what we were saying the other day? Especially the affordability of benchmark wines.


Eric Asimov “I find the continuing wine culture wars to be oppressive. I think the trend of increased corporate ownership will always be a threat to diversity. I’m alarmed by small family estates that evaporate because generational transition proves impossible. I think it’s terribly sad that young wine enthusiasts for the most part can’t afford what have historically been the benchmark wines. But for the most part I’m more optimistic than pessimistic.”

[JimHow]

I agree with everything he says except for the most part I'm more pessimistic than optimistic.

[Jeff Leve]

Thanks for the nice words. We'll be publishing a lot more interviews with other opinionated, wine people during the year, that should make for fun reads...

[Bacchus]

Looking forward to them.