The Desert Wine Guy - A Review Of The Wine Reviewer - An Update

   Today I want to re-visit or update an article that I wrote about a couple of years ago. Today I want to revisit an article about the wine reviewer / critic. Many of you out there actually rely on these individuals in order to choose the particular wines that you are going to buy. What people fail to also realize however is that these wine reviewers are also very important to wineries and wine businesses as well. Let me give you an example. If a famous wine critic happens to say that a particular wine is bad, the sales of that wine can be negatively effected. There was a movie entitled "Sideways" that had a particular line in it by the character named "Miles" that said "If anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving, I am NOT drinking any (expletive) Merlot!". While Merlot sales dropped simply because of the movie, sales of the varietal Pinot Noir (which was praised in the movie) actually went up 16%. Some wine reviewers hold a lot of sway as to whether a wine sells well or not. If these wine critics happen to say that a particular wine is great, the sales of that wine can be positively effected and a lot of money can be made. The money side again also includes not only the winery but the wine establishments that we visit to buy out wine. On the other hand, these wine critics can also single handedly destroy a wines potential for sales. While this may seem like common sense to some, to others it isn't something they really think about. Some people will simply read that wine critic "A" loves a particular wine and they will go out and buy that wine. If enough people go out and buy that particular wine of course, up go the sales and therefore profit for all involved except for the consumer of course who might not benefit if they don't like the wine. At the bottom line there is one reality. Wine critics critique wine and get paid as their living to do so, they make money. Now, with that understanding let's move on.
   How long would a wine critic be around if he bombed wines from a winery, vineyard, magazine or store that he actually worked for or was getting paid either officially or unofficially by ? The answer of course is, he wouldn't be around long at all. Let me give you an example. When was the last time you read about or went to a winery who was just releasing a particular wine or their wines in general and advertised that wine or their other wines it to be of the worst vintage or wines they have ever experienced or made? Yeah, me neither.   Here is another example. If a certain wine reviewer works for a particular popular wine magazine do you think that there might be a chance that there are (unofficial) incentives involved in giving high acclaim to particular wines who in turn give (unofficial) incentives to the magazine? How many of you have ever heard of the term "pay to play"? For years record companies were paying radio stations to play their music or promote performers more often than other music or performers, this is illegal and the government stepped in and SUPPOSEDLY put a stop to it. Go ahead right now and Google the term (pay to play) and see if you are convinced that the practice has indeed stopped. How about wine distributors? Have you ever gone to a wine tasting in a store or elsewhere and been told that a particular wine that they have available for tasting that day is not good and that it is suggested that you don't buy it? Once again, yeah me neither. Did you also know that there are investors and collectors who just wait for wine critics to rate a particular wine before deciding whether to go buy the wine? Let's break this down now. What this means is that if a particular wine critic loves a particular wine there are tons and tons of people who will go buy that wine solely because 1 person whom they never met says it's great. I hope you also know that that particular wine will jump in price as well. A particular vineyard that had a huge hit (review) on last years vintage will boost the price of the next years vintage through the roof. Let's take a particular Champagne as an example for a second. We have all heard of Dom Perignon. When was the last time you have read a review on that particular Champagne? I haven't seen that particular Champagne rated well in a long time. What if I told you that I had a bottle of the Champagne that has been kept chilled and out of the Sun for 5 years and I wanted to sell it to you for $10? I bet many people would take me up quickly on that offer solely based upon the name. What if I told you that that particular champagne in the 2003 vintage was rated only at 91 points by two big wine magazines yet sold for $159.99? Does that sound like a great deal? What if I told you that the 2003 Don Perignon "Kooms" Brut Rose Champagne was rated at 94 points by a famous wine critic yet sells (http://www.totalwine.com/wine/champagne-sparkling-wine/champagne/rose/dom-perignon-brut-rose/p/12558750?s=1204&igrules=true) for $419.99?

To me that is outrageous. Can you now see how a vineyard or winery name or a particular review / reviewer can carry a product (good or bad) sometimes for many years? As with all products that become "hot" it all comes down to marketing or advertising. Do some wine reviewers get paid for their positive reviews? That I cannot answer for you. My opinion is, yes they do.What I can tell you though is what I always tell you in my reviews and that is my opinion. I firmly believe that there are reviewers of all different products including wine that get "benefits" for reviewing certain wines or products in a positive light. I once had a wine Dinner with a winemaker from a prominent wine vineyard and when my Wife and the winemakers handler went to the bathroom I was finally able to talk to him one on one. His answers to some of my questions along the lines of this article reinforced my views and beliefs that there is indeed a lot of "pay to play" in the wine industry. I guess the old saying of buyer beware still holds.

   O.K so your next question should be, what about you there Desert Wine Guy? You review wines. That is a good question and here is my response. Without giving away too much personal information I will tell you that I have had my job for the last 24 years. My family and I are comfortable. I really  do this whole wine thing (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and this wine blog) in my spare time because I enjoy it and it helps keep me and my kids in shape in the garden. As I have said previously many times, I don't do this for money. I also do this to tell you about good wines, bad wines and what is going on in the wine world. I hope that you guys do notice that when I get an invite or a wine that is comped I do disclose that fact to you, the reader, right away, Now of course it is still left up to you to believe me or not believe me but I guess you could also assume that I have an ulterior motive behind all this. I have a way around all the doubts though and I'd like you guys to think about this. If you read an article about a wine that I have reviewed and liked or loved, say for instance the 2009 Vino Egui, Tempranillo Reserve (https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-desert-wine-guy-2009-vino-egui.html) and the description that I give you as far as the wines notes what you can do is read the review first and see if what I am describing in the wine is what you would like in your wine. If the description sounds good than go buy the wine as a test. In this case the wine costs $4.99 which is a very small price to pay to see if you have found someone who has your taste at least in that particular varietal. If you determine that your tastes match mine than you might have found someone that you can follow and trust, again at least in that varietal. If on the other hand your tastes do not match mine that you know that you know at least on that varietal that our likes do not match and move to someone else on that particular varietal if you so choose.
  

   So that's about all for this article, it's pretty straight forward but I have discovered that for some people they aren't thinking along the lines I have laid down in this article. I hope however that I have opened some eyes with my thoughts today. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this article.

                                                                                                             The Desert Wine Guy

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