Simon

Furthermore, I have never known an industry complete such a ‘turnaround’ in sentiment following publication of a certain critic’s scores, which has resulted in various other merchants sending out numerous ‘highly-recommended’ wines in what is viewed as essentially a good, but not exceptional, vintage.

I assume that if Parker’s scores are so influential the majority of wine drinkers and chateaux owners do not compare nis scores to his contempories?

It would be interesting to know which wines have the biggest difference in scores. ie, what did Parker rate highly and BBR give a low score to?

On En primeur and most Fine Wines the margin is 10% which is woefully small considering the costs involved. So in essence we don’t set prices at all, it is the market that dictates. What has happened now is that the sense that was being seen in the release prices has gone, as we thought it might. I would have guessed that before the scores, Pontet-Canet would have released at Lynch Bages prices and we would have been selling at c.£360/390. We have released this morning at 10% Margin (£540) because the Chateaux has reacted to the scores. So customers get excited by the score and speculate in it. Please don’t get me wrong, I am not a purist and there is nothing wrong with this but if it’s only Parker who sees this as a magnificent vintage, and this particular wine will be “in superb form in 2060″, what do we advise our customers apart from “proceed with caution”?

I have absolutely no issue with Parker voicing his opinions, I read them with gusto myself, but the issue I have is that he knows what his scores (and it really is the scores not the notes I have an issue with) do to prices and he should take responsibility in this. Over the years his tastings have usually been in the same two-week window (end March) and he invariably changes the format of release ie. sometimes end of April, sometimes end June, sometimes scores, no notes. Surely, during a global recession, he could have come up with a more sensible way to drop such a bomb? We have people wanting to sell blue chip 2000’s and 2005’s to “get into” this new “amazing” vintage etc. What should we advise? He is the self-proclaimed advocate for the consumers, he knows what these scores will do, and they will drive them out of the hands of the drinkers.

I’m just saying that he really should have thought harder about timing of release rather than content of release of the Advocate. That’s a whole other issue. I hope this helps show you a part of where I was coming from. It’s almost over now. Many thanks, Simon.

Similarly, he is not responsible for your ability to sell wine to your customers. While his scores may influence sellers, the price at which wines are released remains ultimately a matter for the chateaux.

Yes, his scores may be accorded disproportionate respect in the industry, and unhealthily so, but is that his fault? I assume that Berry Brothers prices its wine according to the price that it believes it will command in the market. You will seek a higher price for a wine that Parker rates very highly, even if you personally disagree. So you are as complicit in the process as anybody.

If you want to say Parker is wrong about 2008, then fine. But the rest of your various criticisms are unfair.

Do the bordelais have any respect for their partners in the wine trade at all, or is it simply about getting the most money for their product?

It is an interesting divergence of views. Like most people I will not get to sample the ’08s for some time yet. Not having the pockets for the first growths, I haven’t felt any urgency to jump in the water en primeur. I very much look forward to tasting the wines and coming to my own conclusions. By then, I hope that I can still afford them!