Life is too short to drink 'Recommended' wines

[Yellow Ted]

Hi All,

Just found my way here and to Ric's website, and in particular to his "2003: In Review". Very useful stuff, and it got me thinking, that life is too short to drink wines that are Recommended (or below) - I'm going to stick to Highly Recommended and Outstanding ones. What do you reckon?

Seeya, YT

[Adair]

Hi All,

Just found my way here and to Ric's website, and in particular to his "2003: In Review". Very useful stuff, and it got me thinking, that life is too short to drink wines that are Recommended (or below) - I'm going to stick to Highly Recommended and Outstanding ones. What do you reckon?

Seeya, YT

I think TORB's "Recommended" rating means that life is too short to drink anything less than "Recommended", otherwise he would not recomend you drink it!

Adair

[MartinC]

Life is too short for not drinking(or taste) Grange 1998.
No hype, the best wine ever produced fr the land down under

[Wizz]

Hi All,

Just found my way here and to Ric's website, and in particular to his "2003: In Review". Very useful stuff, and it got me thinking, that life is too short to drink wines that are Recommended (or below) - I'm going to stick to Highly Recommended and Outstanding ones. What do you reckon?

Seeya, YT

Why is that Ted?

[Adam]

I think this was more of a unveiled dig at Rics article on point chasers...

[Paul T]

Drink what ever tastes great to you. I read many reviews..i place credance acording to a reviewers taste..but at the end of the day..if i taste a wine i like i will buy it.I dont care if Halliday, RP Jr , Torb etc dont like it...i dont care..its my taste buds i care about. Everyone has a unique paltate..my wife is a chef and i have seen the differences of our palates many times..what is heaven to one can be hell to another.

No one persons opinion is right..opinions are like arseholes..every one has one.If you like it drink it!!! Drinking by points/ ratings is silly..by all means use ratings as a guide..but if you like a wine..and a reviewer doesn't..buy it..you just have different opinions..no crime there

Someone on Mark Squires board said they would never buy a wine that rated under 90 pts...that is their loss as Mr Parker rated Rockfords sparkling Black Shiraz in the 70's...their loss is my gain.

Who cares what others think..if it agrees with your taste buds..what else matters?

Cheers

Paul

[Guest]

I dont care if Halliday, RP Jr , Torb etc dont like it...

Getting a bit carried away there?

[TORB]

I think this was more of a unveiled dig at Rics article on point chasers...

Adam,

I find it extremely amusing when you consider that Yellow Ted (another anonymous drive by poster) thinks so much of my work that they look at my site and respond to my latest article within minutes of it going up on http://www.torbwine.com

Who cares what others think..if it agrees with your taste buds..what else matters?

Paul, could not agree more.

Cheers
Ric

[Adair]

Life is too short for not drinking(or taste) Grange 1998.
No hype, the best wine ever produced fr the land down under

The man who counts does not think so. He only rated it 99. That means that there are at least 10 others wines in the past few years that are of its equal or better - therefore you must be wrong!

Seriously thought, Ric, have you had the chance the taste the 1998 Grange?

Adair

[Adair]

Ric,

While we are on the subject of TORB's 2003 Year in Review, it is interesting that "one of the best wines ever produced in Australia" gets only an Outstanding rating (the 4 stars for value for a $75 wine is also a great remark) but, out of interest, have you ever given an Australian wine the "Ultimate" rating? I remember covering this on the old Auswine Forum but I can't remember an Austrlian wine being there. I actually don't think you listed one but did comment that there have been a few.

After searching your website, I "sort of" answered my own question by finding 2 cases:

1) 1985 Seppelts Show Reserve Sparkling Shiraz
2) Bullers Rare Calliope Tokay
... and the 1998 Veritas Hanisch "could" get the rating in time.

Any else?

Adair

[Kieran]

TORB answered that question a while back. 86 and 96 Grange got it I think. Maybe one or two more.

Kieran

[TORB]

Adair,

I have not had the opportunity to taste 98 Grange.

As I rate wines as I find then now, its quite possible, indeed probable that the Cullen Diana will get an Ultimate when its mature. The 86 Bin 707 I had on new Years was a contender but by the time we had it I had consumed a bit so went on the conservative side of the tossed mental coin.

There have been a few as Kieran pointed out. The difference between quality in an Outstanding and an Ultimate rating is a very fine line so its no huge deal. Its quite possible that on a second tasting they could be rated in each others category. And thats why the TN's are the most important part, not the rating.

[Adair]

Its quite possible that on a second tasting they could be rated in each others category

It is just the RPjr in me that asks.

And thats why the TN's are the most important part, not the rating.

...yep!

[Guest]

I dont care if Halliday, RP Jr , Torb etc dont like it...

Getting a bit carried away there?

Please, why is that? Seems fair comment to me.

[Craig (NZ)]

I never drink a wine that has not been scored out of 20 to 2 decimal places of accuracy

[Murray]

I never drink a wine that has not been scored out of 20 to 2 decimal places of accuracy

Craig,

As such you'd be pretty thirsty from this side of the pond,

would this be better written:

I never drink a wine that is not about to be scored out of 20 to 2 decimal places of accuracy

[Guest]

ROTFLOL!

[Confused]

Adair,

I have not had the opportunity to taste 98 Grange.

As a such a red bigot I am amazed that you have not found your way to one of the many tastings of this wine in the last year ?

And thats why the TN's are the most important part, not the rating.

Then why do you go on so much about the 100 point system as being "bad" ??

Confused.

[Guest]

I never drink a wine that has not been scored out of 20 to 2 decimal places of accuracy

I don't get this one either. Obviously a dig at somebody. I don't think Paul said he would NOT drink any wine based on a certain reviewers critique. I understood it that it doesn't matter who says what about the wine, in the end its his palate which counts, same for all of us. The earlier guest has not responded to the question posed, unless it was this guy Craig from NZ who, without further clarification for a newbie like me, seems to have a bit of chip against someone or something. Makes it hard for the uninitiated. I'm sure if he's a reasoned and intelligent debater that he will respond with clarity.

[Guest]

I dont care if Halliday, RP Jr , Torb etc dont like it...

Getting a bit carried away there?

Please, why is that? Seems fair comment to me.

I think the point being made, is that one of these people is not like the others.

[TORB]

As a such a red bigot I am amazed that you have not found your way to one of the many tastings of this wine in the last year ?

Dear Confused,

Life is full of little mysteries isn't it!

Then why do you go on so much about the 100 point system as being "bad" ??

The answers to that are very simple. Just read some of the articles I have written on the subject and all will be revealed.

[TORB]

I dont care if Halliday, RP Jr , Torb etc dont like it...

Getting a bit carried away there?

Please, why is that? Seems fair comment to me.

I think the point being made, is that one of these people is not like the others.

Absolutly correct - I am better looking than Halliday and taller than Parker.

[Red Bigot]

I never drink a wine that has not been scored out of 20 to 2 decimal places of accuracy

I don't get this one either. Obviously a dig at somebody.

Don't worry, he's just fishing to see if I'm around and might take the bait

Quote (TORB):
And thats why the TN's are the most important part, not the rating.

Then why do you go on so much about the 100 point system as being "bad" ??

Confused, did you read the above again after you posted it? You really are confused aren't you.

[Confused]

Quote (TORB):
And thats why the TN's are the most important part, not the rating.

Then why do you go on so much about the 100 point system as being "bad" ??

Confused, did you read the above again after you posted it? You really are confused aren't you.

Yes, confused as to why a rating of "recommended" is different to any other kind of rating. Always read the notes myself and have always scratched my head a bit when people go on about how BAD one particular form of rating is over another.

Still Confused

[TORB]

Yes, confused as to why a rating of "recommended" is different to any other kind of rating. Always read the notes myself and have always scratched my head a bit when people go on about how BAD one particular form of rating is over another.

Still Confused

Dear Still Confused,

As I said in my last post, if you have read some of my articles on this subject you would know the answer to your question.

[Still Very Confused]

Yes, confused as to why a rating of "recommended" is different to any other kind of rating. Always read the notes myself and have always scratched my head a bit when people go on about how BAD one particular form of rating is over another.

Still Confused

Dear Still Confused,

As I said in my last post, if you have read some of my articles on this subject you would know the answer to your question.

I went to your website and took a look as you said to do.
Now Really Still Very Confused.
What is the difference between "recommended" or *** or 17.5 or 85 ?
No offence intended mate but aren't they all ratings ?

[TORB]

Still Very Confused,

If you read your way through these you will get the answers you are looking for.

http://www.torbwine.com/index.htm?..//pa/2002/Understanding%20the%20numbers.htm

http://www.torbwine.com/index.htm?..//pa/2002/Understanding%20the%20numbers%20part%202.htm

http://www.torbwine.com/index.htm?..//pa/2003/Life%20is%20too%20short%20to%20drink%2089%20point%20wine.htm

http://www.torbwine.com/index.htm?..//pa/2003/Using%20Points%20to%20Flog%20Wine.htm

http://www.torbwine.com/index.htm?..//rating.htm

And if after all of that you are still confused I politely suggest you seek answers elsewhere.

[Popov]

I went to your website and took a look as you said to do.
Now Really Still Very Confused.
What is the difference between "recommended" or *** or 17.5 or 85 ?
No offence intended mate but aren't they all ratings ?

Hi Still Very Confused,

To some degree I think what you are trying to say is correct in that "recommended, highly recommended, etc" is suggesting a certain performance level.
The main difference I see between TORB's rating system compared to others is that he is merely offering an indication of his enjoyment of the wine while the other rating systems are offering a critique of the wine in the bottle itself.
ie. Rating the enjoyment of the product vs quality of the product itself.
I think that is what I have tried to say.

Cheers
Popov

[Lincoln]

The main difference I see between TORB's rating system compared to others is that he is merely offering an indication of his enjoyment of the wine while the other rating systems are offering a critique of the wine in the bottle itself.
ie. Rating the enjoyment of the product vs quality of the product itself.
I think that is what I have tried to say.

So Ric doesn't always enjoy quality wine?

[ note to self: why am I joining in this fruitless thread? ]

[Lincoln]

The main difference I see between TORB's rating system compared to others is that he is merely offering an indication of his enjoyment of the wine while the other rating systems are offering a critique of the wine in the bottle itself.
ie. Rating the enjoyment of the product vs quality of the product itself.
I think that is what I have tried to say.

So Ric doesn't always enjoy quality wine?

[ note to self: why am I joining in this fruitless thread? ]

Actually, just went to torbwine and his ratings (Excellent, Outstanding, etc. etc.) are part of the TORB Wine Quality Rating System, so he is assessing quality. Dunno what else to say.....