And more points! Daniel Posner rant

[Robin Garr]

From an E-mail sales bulletin distributed by Daniel Posner of grapesthewineco.com. I feel his pain, although Daniel is hardly one to blast the 100-point system or its use in general.

"Yesterday, I took my first sick day in nearly 7 years at Grapes. It was a good thing I was home when the new Wine Advocate was released because I could not stop vomiting after reading the new Spanish reviews by new Spanish wine guru, Jay Miller. I will, of course be selling all of the wines. I am not an idiot. The wines got very high scores and high scores is what sells, so look for the Spanish wines to be offered over the weekend, including a couple of the 100 pointers (after all he did give 5 Spanish wines perfect scores!). In fact, he gave out more 100 pointers yesterday than Wine Spectator has probably given out in 5 years and he only tasted 800 wines versus the 200,000 wines Wine Spectator probably reviewed."

I can't think of a better playground for the pointchasers.

In the theatre the old playwright's trick is to switch from comedy to tragedy in the blink of an eye as a means of shocking the audience. Reading those threads on eBob, the magical status is attained simultaneously. Between the points obsession and the hero-worship, I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry.
cheers,
Graeme

Not that I think anyone will be confused, but I do want to point out that it's not me. I've gotten contacted by 3 Spanish wineries or importers to date to do tastings...

Not that I think anyone will be confused, but I do want to point out that it's not me. I've gotten contacted by 3 Spanish wineries or importers to date to do tastings...

The way you love wines with an excess of fruit I'm sure you would have given 100 points to at least 50 wines.

Not that I think anyone will be confused, but I do want to point out that it's not me. I've gotten contacted by 3 Spanish wineries or importers to date to do tastings...

The way you love wines with an excess of fruit I'm sure you would have given 100 points to at least 50 wines.

Or maybe 50 points each to 100 of them...

Jay,
The first thing that popped into my mind is "hey, I know that guy". I read the "Emperor of Wine" and then figured you may not be old enough to be that Jay Miller. Additonally, as I remember you were a Burg nut so that also does not fit the RP profile. You could probably do a better job but I guess I still have to look for someone else famous to claim I know them.
Walt

A New Zealand wine-bloggiste I've got to know (only in cyberspace) over the last several years, has gone one better - he scores out of 109 these days. Point being, Craig dishes out plenty of 100+ pointers, too!


Prior to that, he scored to three decimal places!

Not that I think anyone will be confused, but I do want to point out that it's not me. I've gotten contacted by 3 Spanish wineries or importers to date to do tastings...

Sounds like a great opportunity for some free wine to me!!




Mike

Not that I think anyone will be confused, but I do want to point out that it's not me. I've gotten contacted by 3 Spanish wineries or importers to date to do tastings...

Everyone can call him 'Dr Jay' - that'll distinguish him. Rather like 'Dr Nick' from the Simpsons. Perhaps in more ways than one...?
Graeme

[James Roscoe]

Jay, you ought to take those Spanish wineries up on the deal and bring the Latin Liquidator along for the ride. Let him do some reviews. There would be some interesting points! Do you think Manuel would give anything above 75? Of course fatherhood will probably soften him up.

Just went over to ebob...8 pages of enthusiasm, disgust, surprise, enlightment, whoop-la, discord!! Ah well, more price increases, wonder if Portugal is next on the horizon?

[David M. Bueker]

For anyone who really reads the eBob thread(s), most of the reaction on eBob is disgust. Even the point chasers are lamenting grade inflation.

All I can say is that the one time I met Dr. Jay (then at his wine shop in Baltimore) he recommended a wine to me that was flat out undrinkable (and later I found out it was also wildly overpriced). I won't be buying Spanish wines off WA recommendations.

I like Daniel, very fair guy as a businessman. He certainly uses points to sell (few retailers don't), but if you ask him what he thinks of a wine he tells you right out his honest opinion. AFAIC it is fine to use points as long as you don't hide behind them.

Not that I think anyone will be confused, but I do want to point out that it's not me.

Shocking!

If it was our Jay giving out 100 pts, I'd pay attention to points!

[Jenise]

If it was our Jay giving out 100 pts, I'd pay attention to points!

Ditto!

I am really enjoying the show. Particularly for a striking feature: practically no one opining (here or on eBob's) has ever tasted the infamous 100-point wines. But ignorance is no obstacle to pontification.

[David M. Bueker]

Victor,

I'm not questioning the scores, just Dr. Jay Miller, as my one experience with him was dismal to say the least. I hope to try some of the highly rated wines just to see if they are to my taste, but of course I will have to find them first.

Victor,

I'm not questioning the scores, just Dr. Jay Miller, as my one experience with him was dismal to say the least. I hope to try some of the highly rated wines just to see if they are to my taste, but of course I will have to find them first.

Perhaps cheaper to try the ones he didn't like to see if your tastes align?

But ignorance is no obstacle to pontification.

If it were, Victor, these boards would be pretty quiet.

I took a little journey to the other place mentioned specifically to peruse that thread. Thank you. It was very entertaining. And your occasional comments added to the entertainment factor, as always.

I too enjoyed Victor`s remarks!! Must be close to 10 pages now?

Pierre Rovani just responded to Posner's email over on eBobby. Train wreck.

That's too bad. One of the positives of The Wine Advocate in the past has been a relative resistance to grade inflation. Oh, well.

-Paul W.