100 Most Influential People in the WineWorld

As linked in TheWineTerroirist, this lists (in no particular order, as best I can tell)
the top 100 most influential people in the WineWorld:
https://www.intowine.com/intowinecoms-top-100-most-influential-people-us-wine-industry-2018

Lots of familiar faces there, lots of total unknowns as well, lots of undeserving as well.
As I scrolled thru, I kept thinking "Where's my hero, Robert Parker". There he was...down towards
the end.
To tell the truth, none of those folks have much influence over my buying habits. There are lots
more folks here on WB and WLDG that have more influence on what I buy/try than any of those big names.
I cannot think of a single wine I was influenced to buy by Robert Parker, even though I followed
him from the very start. Though he has influenced me to avoid a lot of wines, I must say.
Tom

[David M. Bueker]

I see Annoying Alice is on the list.

I actively avoid whatever wines she recommends.

[Robin Garr]

I cannot think of a single wine I was influenced to buy by Robert Parker, even though I followed him from the very start. Though he has influenced me to avoid a lot of wines, I must say.
Tom

I got one wine on his recommendation, back early in the day, having followed him from not long after the very start. It was a Clos Windsbuhl Gewurtz that he gave 100. Because he wasn't as dominant yet, and because Alsace Gewurz, it was still relatively affordable, so we pulled cork with a roast goose for Thanksgiving.

It was disappointing.

[David M. Bueker]

I absolutely love ZH Clos Windsbuhl Gewürztraminer. Year in and year out it’s great. Parker is not the only critic, or wine lover who loves that wine.

[Robin Garr]

I absolutely love ZH Clos Windsbuhl Gewürztraminer. Year in and year out it’s great. Parker is not the only critic, or wine lover who loves that wine.

It's been way too long for me to remember what disappointed us, but it was long before RMP became all that controversial. My recollection is that it was one-dimensional and not worth its $50 price tag to us, but this was maybe mid-'90s, and I doubt I could find the notes at this late date.

“Parker is not the only critic, or wine lover, who loves that wine.”

“I actively avoid whatever wines she recommends.”

Uh-huh.

[David M. Bueker]

Yes, I know.

Alice annoys the shit out of me. She could recommend DRC, and I would never touch it.

[Robin Garr]

My recollection is that it was one-dimensional and not worth its $50 price tag to us, but this was maybe mid-'90s, and I doubt I could find the notes at this late date.

Reflecting on it, I think it was mid-80s, so really before RMP got to be all that full of himself. Prodigy may not even have existed yet.

I'm rather surprised not to Jancis on the list.

[David M. Bueker]

It’s a list. Pretty much meaningless and designed to provoke commentary and thus social media shares and clicks.

I started bridling when I saw the almost 100% American content of "100 Most Influential People in WineWorld". Then I saw that the article was more accurately entitled “Top 100 Most Influential People in the U.S. Wine Industry”.

[Jenise]

I never subscribed to Parker but did take his opinions into consideration when buying Bordeaux wines on the second-hand market. On WineBid where I did most of my shopping, they usually included both RP and WS points and there was often a 4-6 point spread. It was fairly reliable, regardless of what the numbers actually were, to buy only when RP's points were higher than the WS.