Which Wine Critics Do You Follow?

[simon1980]

Winefront - in my opinion the No1 resource for those wanting up to date information about Australian (and limited overseas) wine.

When I think about what I'm looking for, TWF ticks all the boxes: comprehensive / ahead of the curve on new producers / great comments section / sensible scoring theory / they don't flog wine too / frequent updates...the list could go on. I have experienced very few "dud" calls...although, as always, searching for the descriptors that suit me in the notes is important.

I used to read Halliday, but became disenchanted with the numerous wines I bought, based on good write ups, that we're frankly dreadful. When mass produced swill gets 96pts, it's time to move on. Sad really.

On a slight aside, I've been buying the wines of Serrat for several years. When the "big win" came, I realised I'd probably missed the boat. However I discovered that a few bottles had been set aside for long term customers. What a great way of looking after your supporters...I will buy for many more years. Highly recommended (I actually prefer the Pinot, for what it's worth!)...and I have a feeling the '15's will be better again...

[Scotty vino]

I'm seeing a lot of love for TWF and little for James Halliday.
I Just want to point out a small detail.
ON the bottom of page 12 of the current Halliday wine companion it states that the initials CM
stand for Campbell Mattinson and TS Tyson Stelzer.
Now have a flick thru and see the frequency of these initials at the end of the tasting notes throughout.
Particularly CM.
Just saying.....

[swirler]

I've been buying the wines of Serrat for several years. When the "big win" came, I realised I'd probably missed the boat

Sorry, but what was the big win?

[rooman]

Sorry to anyone that reads my notes for how far behind on things I am. Just haven't been feeling it for a while now, hope to get the spark back! If anyone likes my notes have a look for salil on Cellartracker as I think we may be twins when it comes to preferences in wine.

.

Salil is particularly good on German Rieslings. He used to post on a small US site focused on NY. They did regular dinners at 11 Madison Ave. he and another friend spend hours chatting about the different barrels of Riesling that someone like Willi Schafer would produce.

Mark

[simon1980]

I'm seeing a lot of love for TWF and little for James Halliday.
I Just want to point out a small detail.
ON the bottom of page 12 of the current Halliday wine companion it states that the initials CM
stand for Campbell Mattinson and TS Tyson Stelzer.
Now have a flick thru and see the frequency of these initials at the end of the tasting notes throughout.
Particularly CM.
Just saying.....

You are absolutely correct, but CM is quite open that he "adjusts" his scores down for TWF to fall in line with MB and GW. And the major advantage is speed...TWF alerts to interesting wines before anyone else.

A good example is the Serrat wine in question. 96pts from CM in early June (a high score on TWF) with a very positive tasting note. 99pts and WOTY from Halliday 6 weeks later.

[Hacker]

You are absolutely correct, but CM is quite open that he "adjusts" his scores down for TWF to fall in line with MB and GW. And the major advantage is speed...TWF alerts to interesting wines before anyone else.

More likely he 'adjusts' his scores up for the Halliday publication!

[Scotty vino]

Another interesting fact is that Campbell Matt is the Editor for 'Halliday' magazine.
Formerly known as the Wine Companion magazine (I'm still trying to understand the name change on that one).

[Mark Carrington]

I buy JO's annual & have it shipped each year. I consider his views are reliable. I read HRH Jancis Robinson's weekly article & Fisch/Rayer Mosel Fine Wines. The latter is a quarterly on-line report which can be subscribed for free. Otherwise, I take note of Forum opinion.

[Bobthebuilder]

Wheeler

And GraemeG

I reckon close to half the wines I have bought in recent years have been purchased partly due to CT reviews by either of these guys

[sjw_11]

Just got another missive from the Halliday machine under the subject "This Mesmerising Bargain Shiraz is about to Score 94 Points - and you are the first to know!"

This is such an amazing opportunity to get in before the hype. As soon as other retailers catch wind of the score demand will go off the charts, driving prices up. Jump on this now and impress your friends at your next dinner party – they will not believe you paid just $12.50/bottle for something that tastes this good (if you tell them, that is!).

[Scotty vino]

IN answer to the actual question with my cap of cynicism removed I'd say CM.
I've really enjoyed his books and although I can see him moving up in the world,
I still find his TWF scores a pretty good guide for my palate.
His descriptors are a little theatrical at times but i Like that approach
over some of the other more dry/overly serious critics.

[tarija]

I probably trust more some of the Cellartracker tasters with decades of experience and deep cellars.

TWF has a nice interactive platform and timely reviews, however I feel they are not really experienced enough (especially with international wine)...they have not tasted through enough wine cycles for my liking. A few too many false positives for "bargain" wines for my liking, and a lot of fluff stories about winemakers that I don't care for.

JO probably the best locally, although timeliness and coverage are poor. Halliday is obviously experienced, however palate has been shot for many years and one has to question impartiality.

Jancis, Allen Meadows and a few other of the old UK and French critics internationally.

[swirler]

Such is the subjectivity of wine criticism I think it's dangerous to say who is good or bad. To say Halliday's "palate has been shot for many years" is questionable at the least.

There are many (practically infinite) palates on the planet. For every DRC-tuned Burgundy palate there are thousands of Robert Parker-like palates. Then there are a full spectrum of opinions in between. Which of these is the right one?

[Ozzie W]

There are (practically infinite) palates on the planet. For every DRC-tuned Burgundy palate there are thousands of Robert Parker-like palates. Then there are a full spectrum of opinions in between. Which of these is the right one?

+1.
There are no wrong or right answers when it comes to one's own palate. What you like and dislike is 100% correct.

[Benchmark]

Which of these is the right one?

My wife's. Always.

[Ian S]

Whilst I wholly agree with those saying it's a nonsense to call someone's palate good or bad, there are elements about Halliday that starting putting me off enough to stop buying the annual:
[list=]
[*] A distrust about his impartiality wrt Southcorp (and then TWE)
[*] A feeling he was less willing to criticise wineries / wines - certainly when compared to Oliver
[*] A complete lack of understanding / appreciation of Nebbiolo. Surely a reason to re-introduce capital punishment?
[*] The score inflation thing. Scores are a nonsense, but nonetheless I view inflated scores as a way to suck up to the wineries, and as a result, selling the new/casual reader short as they get conned by seemingly wonderful offers on highly regarded wine.
[/list]

This doesn't take away from what he did for the Aussie wine industry and also in keeping a strong interest up from the general public. Before the internet improved to where it is now, merely the address listings for all these wineries was invaluable. IIRC he also had an interest in Winepros, which was the first wine forum I ever posted on (under the handle 'Ug').

regards
Ian

[Sigmamupi]

IIRC he also had an interest in Winepros, which was the first wine forum I ever posted on (under the handle 'Ug').

regards
Ian

Ah, Winepros!

http://www.just-drinks.com/news/further ... 75985.aspx

Nuff said.

[winetastic]

Basically the only critics I follow are the gents from The Wine Front. I have very similar tastes to that of GW (he also predicted I would get into Barolo/Barbaresco years before I finally did) and find that MB is keeping me up to date with all things trendy and 'natural' in the wine world. Campbell is a great writer and I especially love his longer form stuff, but our palates do not align when it comes to oak treatment

Like others, I use the reviews as a filter to direct me toward wines I should try, then I can buy from there. The exception being Barolo/Barbaresco, where I will generally buy and cellar based on a solid review from GW (too damn expensive to buy a single bottle to try when you plan to only put 2-3 down anyhow).

[via collins]

I've been a Winefront reader/subscriber since inception.

Writing is entertaining, quite clearly unaffiliated with anyone but themselves, and my palate aligns pretty well with CM or GW on a grumpy day. MB is the space cowboy, and that's, I get the feeling, how he likes it.

As Simon1980 mentions above, their speed is breath-taking. Just as the grand old men of the business started slowing, TWF hit warp speed. My cellar is infinitely better since I started buying from advice gained there. And their reviewing turnover enables the buyer early entry to endless treats that sell out fast.

But Jancis will always hold a place in my heart . Max Allen another strong, insightful, unaffiliated voice I'd follow on most days too.

[Jay60A]

Auswine forum ... still THE place to get views on Australian wine, has rejuvenated and we still get enough old timers here.

I still subscribe to The Wine Front (my only subscription, and I had to consider when resubscribing) and have since followed Campbell since maybe 2003, plus Gary on his site. Mainly as they all including Mike Bennie, unearth interesting things, Campbell is a great writer and Gary covers Hunter Valley better than any one.

Anyone dissing James Halliday needs to read and also judge him on his old reviews and books before he became a brand.
"Classic Wines of Australia" should be mandatory reading for anyone here, it still teaches.
From what I read in his books from 198x-1998s vintage Halliday was the guy, sure palate, clear reviews, and points delineation. I feel the points inflation started after Parker and TWA moved in, then Jay Miller, and they gave everything 95+ with (undue and narrow) influence on styles for a period.

Oh ... and Whitey ... for fun. Love the soul in his writing.

[via collins]

Agreed wholly on Whitey - also loads of fun, and shines a light on corners of SA that might otherwise pass the average mortal by. When I'm in the mood, and have time to focus, I love going through a month's worth of his notes - have you noticed of late he's actually reviewing non-existent conceptual wines?

Go Whitey!

[TravisW]

Lately I've been reading Andrew Graham at Oz Wine Review. I like how I learn something technical from almost every note. And he has a nice spread of points. ie: if something isn't up to scratch he tries to pick why and then marks accordingly. Hurrah!

[Jay60A]

Lately I've been reading Andrew Graham at Oz Wine Review. I like how I learn something technical from almost every note. And he has a nice spread of points. ie: if something isn't up to scratch he tries to pick why and then marks accordingly. Hurrah!

Agreed 100%. Really good and he calls what he tastes ...