A Critical
Survey of Major Wine Review Publications
Faced with the ocean of
new-release wines arriving in the market every month, the
consumer who wants some guidance in making selections has
a few resources available to help sort out the allegedly
good from the allegedly ought-to-be-avoided bottlings.
One resource is an educational wine tasting group, such
as the Vintners Club, which meets weekly, where a group
of wines -- say 12 Chardonnays -- can be personally
evaluated in a blind tasting format. Similarly, although
without the structure and organization of the Vintners
Club, the consumer can visit a wine tasting bar to
evaluate wines on a personal, though not blind (and thus
not completely unbiased) basis. Another option is the
small, private tasting group of wine loving friends and
acquaintances, which can provide blind tasting
opportunities on an occasional or regular basis.
Another resource are
the individual wine merchant newsletters, which, although
geared to entice the consumer to buy the wines offered,
will nevertheless provide some helpful commentary and,
usually, a fair number of tasting notes in each issue.
The thing to remember here is that the wines described
are rarely tasted against each other comparatively to
arrive at some kind of ranking order. Instead, each wine
is evaluated on its own and the tasting notes are usually
only brief snippets of description. And, merchant
newsletters always focus on the positive, never warning a
consumer about a flawed wine that may happen to be in
inventory.
However, even if one
devotes a considerable amount of time to participating in
personal tasting opportunities and perusing merchants'
newsletters, only a tiny fraction of newly released wines
can be evaluated or discovered. Consequently, the wine
consumer should consider utilizing publications that
offer evaluations of many wines at a time. Since
newspapers, even those in major metropolitan areas near
wine-growing regions, nowadays offer less and less wine
coverage, the specialty wine review magazines and
newsletters are the consumer's best bet for keeping pace
with large numbers of new releases. Gathered together for
this critical survey are seven major wine review
publications, selected on the basis of their regularity
of publication, length of time in existence, extent of
circulation and quality of coverage. Two types are
represented -- publications devoted almost exclusively to
reviewing and rating wines by tasting notes (California
Grapevine, Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine and
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate) and publications that
regularly offer wine reviews and ratings, along with
articles and feature stories on wine and other topics
(the Underground Wine Journal, The Wine News, Wine &
Spirits Magazine and Wine Spectator). The best informed
wine consumer will subscribe to at least one of each type
of publication, as diversity of opinion makes wine a much
more interesting topic.
The publications
available only by subscription may provide a sample copy
on request for evaluation, or may offer a money-back
guarantee of satisfaction. If you're interested, contact
the publication directly by mail or telephone using the
information provided here. The publications offered both
by subscription and for sale where magazines are sold may
be examined at the point of sale.
Just a word about the
100-point rating scale used by some of the publications.
While subject to considerable criticism (Hugh Johnson,
one of the world's foremost wine authorities, calls the
100-point system the "least appropriate or reliable
system" because its apparent greater accuracy is almost
certainly spurious, or at least not subject to any kind
of scientific check), this scale is the most widely used
rating system in the United States. It's important to
note, however, that only the top half (from 50 to 100
points) is used for scoring purposes -- no wine to my
knowledge has been publicly rated a 28 or a 36. Thus,
under this system, a wine earns at least 49 points just
for being wine. It might more accurately be called the
"upper 50-point system" or the 50-100 point scale.
This survey deals
exclusively with the hard copy publication. Other
services provided by some of these publications, such as
Internet connections, on-line editions, digital editions
provided to subscribers via e-mail, interim recorded
tasting results updates via charge-per-minute 900-number
telephone service, and the like, may be properly
evaluated once you get to know the publication through
its hard copy.
Here are the
publications, presented in alphabetical order:
UP
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California
Grapevine
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First published
1973
Total
circulation 3,000 +/- (99% paid)
Paid
subscriptions 2,970
Publication
frequency Bimonthly; 6 issues per year
Publisher/Editor
Nicholas A. Ponomareff
Subscription
cost $32/year. (Available only by
subscription)
Office address
P.O. Box 22152, San Diego, CA 92192
Office Telephone
(619) 457-4818/FAX (619) 457-3676)
Average No. of
pages 24 per issue, including front and back covers
(non-glare paper)
Average No. wines
reported 160 per issue
Scope of wine
reporting CA, OR, WA, occasionally other states
(e.g., VA); USA only.
Tasting
procedure Wines are tasted by a panel in individual
flights consisting of 6 to 12 wines each; double-blind
tasting format. The wines comparatively tasted in a
particular flight or grouping are ranked against each
other, so there may be several separate panel tasting
rankings of a particular varietal reported in a single
issue. Wines are scored on a 20-point scale, with the
group average determining the wine's ranking within the
flight.
Rating system
Points (20-point scale, with the equivalent 100 point
scale rating also given for publication. The
editor/publisher's adaptation of the 20-point scale uses
a six-point range of the scale -- 13 through 18 points --
with half-point increments providing eleven possible
ratings). The system is explained as follows: 17-18
points (equivalent to 90-100 points) for an outstanding
wine; 16-16.5 points (equivalent to 80-89 points) for a
good to very good wine; 15-15.5 points (equivalent to
70-79 points) for an average to good wine; 14-14.5 points
(equivalent to 60-69 points) for a below average wine;
13-13.5 points (equivalent to 50-59 points) for a poor
wine.
Comment The
editor states that "While a score given on a 100-point
scale may infer [sic] a high degree of precision
in evaluating a wine, the threshold for repeatability
generally falls within one or two points for even the
best palate. One or two points difference between wines
should not be considered significant."
Contents of wine
description Combination of commentary & rating
points, arranged as follows: Wine number; name and
vintage of wine; appellation and vineyard, where
applicable; California retail bottle price; description
of color; appraisal of nose (descriptors, intensity,
flaws, if any); palate feel (fullness, texture,
smoothness, coarseness, tannin level, tartness, etc.);
appraisal of flavors (descriptors, intensity, depth,
flaws, if any); overall quality assessment (superior,
above average, standard, below average); drinkability
assessment (sometimes); succinct statement or observation
beyond tasting note (sometimes); level of recommendation
(very highly recommended, highly recommended,
recommended, recommended with reservations, no
recommendation indicated); additional information as to
producer (usually for second labels), where applicable;
alcohol content percentage; technical data (total acidity
(TA) and pH, and in some cases information concerning
barrel fermentation and extent of malolactic
fermentation); case production; release date; varietal
composition of the wine; group average score, number of
first, second and third-place votes, plus
editor/publisher's individual score and relative ranking,
all in parentheses. Note: A "True Ranking" based on a
statistical analysis of the results appears at the end of
each set of tasting notes. Wines that do not differ
significantly from one another are grouped together in
brackets. Example:
[1, 2] [3, 4, 5] [6, 7, 8]
[9] [10, 11, 12].
Readability of
text Excellent, clear and concise.
Other text
Summary discussion concerning the wines reported appears
on the inside front cover under the heading "ABOUT THIS
ISSUE." See also Notable features, below.
Structure of
issue Focus on several varietals broken down by
vintage year (may include seven or more per issue) set
out in separate tasting notes sections that are listed in
the contents-of-issue box on the first page, along with
their starting page number; commentary by wine writer Dan
Berger (see Notable features, below); book reviews (see
Notable features, below); interim report on the year's
wine competition results (see Notable features, below);
Grapevine recommendations column (see Notable features,
below).
Notable features
Commentary column by wine writer Dan Berger, presenting
lengthy, thought-provoking pieces by one of the country's
most knowledgeable wine authorities. Book review section
entitled "In the Wine Library" by Bob Foster, in which
new wine texts are thoroughly examined and critiqued.
Wine competition results beginning usually with the
second issue of the year, in which the top medal-winning
wines from the major wine competitions are set out in a
grid format and tracked on a continuing basis throughout
the year. Each issue updates the results, adding wines,
as appropriate, culminating in the final report at the
end of the competition season, usually in issue No. 5.
"Grapevine Recommendations" column, a summary of what the
editor/publisher considers to be the best premium
California wines available at the time of publication
based on their previous review in the Grapevine. This
column grows larger with each issue. Issue and volume
number are listed with each wine, as well as the price,
to facilitate locating the original review. This is a
very useful tool for the consumer. In the final issue for
the year, the column focuses on what the editor/publisher
considers to be the very best wines tasted that year.
True ranking display appearing in brackets at the end of
each set of tasting notes. This has been mentioned above,
but deserves to be mentioned also as a notable feature of
the publication, inasmuch as it is unique to the
California Grapevine. Statistical analysis is used to
group together in brackets wines in the flight that do
not differ significantly from one another. See the
example set out above in the "Contents of wine
description" section.
Index system
Each issue contains an index of wines review in the
issue; a comprehensive annual index of all wines reviewed
in issues 1 through 6 of a particular volume is presented
in issue No. 6.
Advertising
None.
Punched for 3-hole
binder Yes.
Impact of
publication Limited use of ratings by retailers in
point-of-sale shelf displays and in newsletters, and by
wineries in press releases and promotional literature
(newsletters, tasting room displays, etc.). I suspect
this is so because the tasting notes provide as much
sensory information as necessary to fully inform the
reader about the aromas, flavors and overall quality of
each wine, and are not written with the advertiser or PR
department in mind. Moderately
influential commercially, but very highly regarded by
those consumers who subscribe.
UP
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Connoisseurs'
Guide to California Wine
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First published
1974.
Total
circulation 7,000 +/- according to the publisher.
Paid
subscriptions 7,000 +/- according to the publisher.
Publication
frequency Monthly.
Publishers/Editors
Charles Olken; Stephen Eliot, Assoc. Editor.
Subscription
cost $50/year; $81/two years; $132/three years.
Available only by subscription.
Office address
651 Tarryton Isle, P.O. Box V, Alameda, CA 94501-0265
Office telephone
(510) 865-3150.
E-mail
cgcw@aol.com
Average No. of
pages 16 per issue (non-glare paper).
Average No. wines
reported 150 per issue.
Scope of wine
reporting CA, OR, WA, occasionally other states
(e.g., VA); some Bordeaux coverage.
Tasting
procedure Up to 16 wines on one occasion are tasted
by a panel in two flights of 8 in a blind tasting format.
Several tastings over the course of weeks may be required
to cover the varietal for publication. Wines that rate
poorly (inverted glass), 3-puff, 2-puff and some one-puff
wines are brought back for retasting on another occasion,
with tasting notes adjusted accordingly and final ratings
determined on retasting.
Rating system
Symbols, explained as follows:
Quality: 3
puffs (***) for an exceptional wine that is worth a
special search; 2 puffs (**) for a highly distinctive
wine that is likely to be memorable; 1 puff (*) for a
fine example of a type or style of wine without
notable flaws. Note that the publication calls these
symbols "stars," but virtually everyone in the trade
refers to them as "puffs."
Availability:
3-bottle symbol denoting a wine generally available in
most market areas; 1-bottle symbol denoting a limited
production and/or limited geographic distribution;
"sorry sign" symbol denoting very limited
availability.
Drinkability: Tilted
glass denoting a wine drinkable now and unlikely to
improve with further aging; tilted glass imposed on a
horizontal bottle denoting a wine drinkable now that
will improve with further bottle aging; horizontal
bottle denoting a wine to be cellared for likely
improvement with bottle aging.
Characteristics and
suggested use with food: Various symbols indicating,
for example, whether a wine is "soft and fruity" and
"quaffable by itself or with light foods;" or a "crisp
white" that's dry with medium acidity and compatible
with "fish or delicate flavored foods;" or a "full and
balanced dry white" that will accompany "rich seafood
and fowl dishes;" or a "medium red" that's "balanced,"
with "good depth" and "medium tannin," suggested for
beef and lamb dishes; or a "robust red" with "full
tannin" and "intense flavors," best paired with
"highly spiced meat dishes;" or a "sweet dessert
wine." Comment: The editors state that "Symbols are
used to complement our descriptions of each wine. They
provide additional information with minimal text. The
most complete picture of a wine can be gained only by
reading both the text and the symbols."
Contents of wine
description Combination
of commentary and symbols, as follows Puff(s), if any;
name and vintage of wine; appellation and vineyard, where
applicable; varietal make-up of the wine (sometimes);
appraisal of nose (descriptors, intensity, flaws, if
any); appraisal of flavors (descriptors, intensity,
depth, flaws, if any); palate feel (texture, smoothness,
coarseness, tannin level, tartness, etc.); overall
impression; GOOD VALUE designation, where applicable;
symbols indicating availability, drinkability and
characteristics/food compatibility, or, instead of these
symbols, an inverted glass where the text has panned the
wine; California full retail bottle price.
Readability of
text Good, although there are occasional lapses into
purple prose. Other text Short, sometimes moderately
informative, commentary introducing each varietal review
section and accompanying focus features, such as the
"Collectors' Corner" tastings of cellar-aged wines and
Europe versus California tastings; little or no in-depth
text discussion. Every so often, statistics concerning
vineyard varietal acreage or harvest tonnage will be
presented.
Structure of
issue The front-page display box specifies the
varietal categories for the issue's wine reviews -- one
principal varietal and one or two others -- along with
any focus coverage (e.g., vertical tasting of the
principal varietal from a particular winery) and any
varietal index presented, with the starting page number
for each section. The "Collectors' Corner" feature
appears in the middle (centerfold) of the issue. An issue
wine index with puffs noted, and the "Best Buys in the
Market" feature appear on the back page.
Notable features
Each issue contains a very useful section called "Best
Buys in the Market," in which highly rated wines from
previous issues are listed by variety and are succinctly
described, along with their puff symbols. Some issues
contain the "Collectors' Corner" feature dealing with
tastings of cellar-aged wines, which provides information
on the current drinkability of wines from past vintages.
When the "Collectors' Corner" feature doesn't appear,
there will be some special focus coverage, often a
vertical tasting of the issue's principal varietal from a
particular winery.
Index system
Each issue contains an index covering wines reviewed in
the issue. Indexes of major varietals reviewed over the
course of about a year appear as separate varietal
indexes in individual issues (e.g., Cabernet Sauvignon
Index, Chardonnay Index, etc.) and are noted in the
front-page display box. Each wine is listed by name,
appellation and vintage, along with any quality symbols
(puff(s) or inverted glass) and the month and year of the
issue in which the review first appeared. There is no
comprehensive annual index of all wines reviewed that
year or in that volume.
Advertising
None.
Punched for 3-hole
binder Yes.
Impact of
publication Widespread use of puff ratings by
retailers in point-of-sale shelf displays and in
newsletters, and by wineries in press releases and
promotional literature (newsletters, tasting room
displays, etc.). Quite influential.
UP
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The Wine
Advocate (Robert Parker)
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First published
1978.
Total
circulation N/A.
Paid
subscriptions 40,000 +/- (including approx. 7,000 in
Canada and 36 other foreign
countries), according to Parker. Available only
bysubscription. Beginning in 1998, a French edition was
published, which
currently has approximately 1,800 subscribers.
Publication
frequency Bimonthly; 6 issues per year.
Publisher/Editor
The Wine Advocate, Inc./Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Subscription
cost Domestic: $40/year; $75/two years. Canada:
$60/year; $115/two years. Overseas (airmail): $85/year;
$155/two years.
Office address
P.O. Box 311, Monkton, MD 21111
Office telephone
(410) 329-6477/FAX (410) 357-4504.
Average No. of
pages 56 per issue (non-glare paper).
Average No. wines
reported 400-500 per issue.
Scope of wine
reporting International.
Tasting
procedure Single-palate evaluation. According to
Robert Parker, "When possible,
all of my tastings are done in peer-group,
single-blind conditions
(meaning that the same types of wine are tasted
against each other and the
producers' names are not known). The
ratings reflect an
independent, critical look at the wines.
Neither price nor the
reputation of the producer/grower affect
the rating in any manner."
Parker spends three months a year tasting in vineyards,
with the other 9
months devoted solely to tasting and writing.
Parker prefers to
taste from an entire bottle of wine at proper
temperature using
professional tasting glasses (les impitoyables
-- "the merciless ones").
Wines from obviously badly corked or
defective bottles are
retasted from new bottles. Parker typically tastes about
200 wines a week at his home
office. About fifty red
wines are tasted before lunch, since
Parker feels that red
wines are more complex than whites and are
more difficult to
evaluate. Whites are analyzed in the afternoon.
He tackles perhaps 500
wines a day when he travels to the
vineyards. The tasting
notes and content are solely Parker's
responsibility, except
for articles and tasting notes attributed to his
assistant, Pierre-Antoine
Rovani.
Rating system
Points (100 point scale), explained as follows: 96-100
denotes extraordinary (a wine of profound and
complex character
displaying all the attributes expected of a classicwine
of its variety; worth a special effort to find, purchase
andconsume); 90-95 is outstanding (a wine of exceptional
complexity and character; terrific); 80-89 means barely
above average to very good (a wine displaying various
degrees of finesse andflavor as well as character with no
noticeable flaws); 70-79 is average (a wine with little
distinction except that it is soundly made;
straightforward and innocuous); 60-69 is below average (a
wine containing noticeable deficiencies, such as excess
acidity and/or tannin, an absence of flavor or possibly
dirty aromas or flavors); 50-59 denotes unacceptable.
Comment
According to Parker, "Scoring wines is simply taking a
professional's opinion and applying some sort of
numerical system to it on a consistent
basis. Scoring permits
rapid communication of information to
expert and novice alike.
The score given for a specific wine
reflects the quality of
the wine at its best. Scores, however, do
not reveal the important
facts about a wine. The written
commentary that
accompanies the ratings is a better source of
information regarding the
wine's style and personality, its
relative quality level
vis-a-vis its peers, and its value and
aging potential than any
score could ever indicate."
Contents of wine
description Combination of rating points and
commentary, as follows: Vintage, name of producer, name
or type of wine, price, designation
as red or white (sometimes, usually with imported
wines) and rating score,
all on one line -- one or more such
identification lines will
appear above the commentary discussing
all of the identified
wines, with the name of each particular
wine set off in boldface.
Commentary generally includes some
background on the
producer, winery or personality behind the
wine(s) and/or some
overall impression of recent production and,
sometimes, an exclamation
of praise; and as to each wine,
observations concerning
nose, flavors, finish, best time to begin
drinking or ageability
potential, etc. Finally, the name of the
producer, winery or
importer is given, along with a telephone
number.
Readability of
text Good to very good, although there are occasional
lapses into purple
prose during bursts of enthusiasm.
Other text
Occasional, short pieces on whatever wine-related topic
strikes the
author's fancy, usually winemaking techniques, but
also marketing
trends, wine lingo, dining experiences, etc.
Structure of
issue Usually, at least three, sometimes six or more,
groupings of tasting
notes (e.g., 1997 Red Bordeaux: First Impressions;
1996 White
Burgundy: Part II; 1996 California Zinfandel;
recommended new
releases from specific regions, special vertical
tastings, etc.) are
presented, set out in separate review sections that
are listed in the
in-this-issue box on the front page without their
starting page number;
other tasting notes sections not noted at
the front; maturity charts
and vintage guides (sometimes).
Notable features
Best wines of the year are listed by vintage, name of
wine and rating in
the last issue of the year, but without reference
to the specific
volume, issue and page where the review appeared. The
special vertical tasting sections are particularly
valuable for the
collector. Parker has entree to many of these
tastings because of
his status, and the information provided on the
producer, plus the tasting
notes themselves, add immeasurably to
the collector's
appreciation of any of the wines that might be in
his or her cellar.
Index system A
"Pocket Buying Guide and Index" is issued as a supplement
to the last issue
of the year, listing by vintage, name of wine,
appellation, rating,
volume and page the very good, best buys and
outstanding wines reviewed
in the Wine Advocate during the
preceding 12 months.
Advertising
None.
Punched for 3-hole
binder Yes.
Impact of
publication Overwhelming use of ratings by retailers
in point-of-sale shelf displays
and in newsletters, and by wineries in press
releases and
promotional literature (newsletters, tasting room
displays, etc.).
Robert Parker has been called the most important
and powerful wine
writer in America, if not the world. Extremely
influential.
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Wine &
Spirits Magazine
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First published
1981
Total
circulation 75,000 +/-.
Paid
subscriptions 22,000 +/- (29% of total); single-copy
sales 50,000 +/- (67% of total);
3,000 +/- unpaid distribution.
Publication
frequency 8 issues per year, including two special
issues (see below).
Publisher/Editor
Joshua Greene.
Subscription
cost Domestic: $26/year; Canada: $36/year; Overseas
(airmail): $56/year
(US funds). $3.95/copy at newsstand ($4.95 in Canada).
Office address
East Coast: 2 W. 32nd Street, Suite 601, New York, NY
10001 | West Coast: 818 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA
94103
Office telephone
New York: (212) 695-4660/FAX (212) 695-2920. | San
Francisco: (415) 255-7736/FAX (415) 255-9659.
E-mail
winespir@aol.com
Average No. of
pages 90 per issue (slick paper).
Average No. wines
reported 120 per issue in the regular tasting notes
sections (excluding the
special "Guide to Understanding Wine" issue). Another
200 wine
descriptions (100 "Best Wines" of the year plus 100
"Best Values" of
the year) appear in the annual Buying Guide issue.
Additional wines may be
reported (but not rated in the same
manner as in the regular
tasting notes sections) in articles
beyond the tasting notes
sections.
Scope of wine
reporting International.
Tasting
procedure Panels meet regularly in New York (imported
wines) and San Francisco
(American wines) to assess in a blind tasting
format wines
submitted by wineries and purchased by Wine &
Spirits. Panel
judges are given no information other than type or
variety, price
range and vintage. Second bottles of
panel-recommended wines
are then presented in blind tastings to single
critics (Joshua
Greene for imported wines, Burke Owens for
American wines),
who rate the wines and prepare the tasting notes.
For example, for
the 10/98 issue, the East Coast panels tasted 491
wines, 184 of which were
recommended and critiqued by Greene; the
West Coast panels tasted
374 wines, 155 of which were recommended
and critiqued by Owens.
Rating system
Points (100-point scale). The meaning of a range of
points, say 90 to
100 points, is not explained, as is done by some
other review
publications, which would explain, for example, that
a wine scoring 90
to 100 points is outstanding, or that a wine
scoring 70 to 79 points is
an average wine.
Contents of wine
description Combination of text and rating points, as
follows: Name of producer; rating score; vintage,
appellation (and vineyard,
where applicable) and name of wine; overall
appraisal of the
wine; case production, usually (more so with the
American wines) or
comment concerning availability; retail bottle
price; name and
location of winery or importer.
Readability of
text Good to very good; often outstanding in the case
of pieces by writer-at-large
Rod Smith.
Other text
Various departments, including the Editor's Note (opinion
and comment from
Josh Greene); Letters to the Editor; "Fined &
Filtered" (news and
comment concerning developments in the wine
and spirits scene,
including products, gadgets, new books, videos
and coming events); "The
Fearless Omnivore" (food experiences by
columnist Bill St. John);
"Vinelands" (focus on wine regions and
touring); "Pith &
Vinegar" (commentary); articles by regular
columnists and senior
editors (including Clive Coates, David
Lynch and Tara Q. Thomas),
writer-at-large Rod Smith, contributing
editors (including Tom Maresca, Harriet Lembeck,
F. Paul Pacult,
Charles Rubenstein and Doris Tobias) and
contributing writers
(including such freelance talent as Michael
Bonadies, Gerald Boyd,
Josh Eisen, Ben Giliberti, Richard Paul
Hinkle, John Winthrop
Haeger, Anita Mizner, Gary Regan and Mardee
Haidin Regan) and
critic-at-large Robert Finigan. Additionally, in the fall
(usually September), a special issue
entitled "Wine &
Spirits Guide to Understanding Wine" is
published, which focuses
on a single theme interpreted by the
magazine's regular
columnists and writers, as well as freelance
writers. For example, the
Fall 1998 Guide's theme was wine and
food pairings involving
Spanish tapas, Thai food, Chinese food
and Middle East food. A
glossary of terms was included, as well
as an index to the wines
tasted in the issue. Finally, in the winter, the magazine
publishes its annual Buying Guide,
presenting the 100 best wines of the year, the best
buys and the best
wineries. Included is a Wine Finder Index listing
addresses and telephone
numbers of wineries and importers of
brands recommended during
the year.
Structure of
issue A regular issue of the magazine is laid out
with its departments and
features presented first (see Other text, above),
followed by separate
wine review/rating sections on American and imported
new releases. Each
segment is noted in a table of contents, with its
starting page.
Notable features
Feature-length, in-depth articles by writer-at-large Rod
Smith provide
thought-provoking, informative reading. Each of the
regular editions of the magazine is accompanied by
a Wine Shopper's
Guide, a separate, heavy-cardstock, pull-out
section listing by one or
more categories, every wine tasted by
the magazine's panels over
a 12-month period for each category
(e.g., all Chardonnays or
all American Merlots or all values
under $8 or all California
Cabernet, Meritage & Cabernet-Based
Blends). Recommended wines
are specially marked, along with their
score; wines not
recommended are also listed; and all listings
indicate the date of the
issue for which they were evaluated. The Guide to
Understanding Wine special issue is, as noted
above, extremely
informative and useful. Color photography, artwork and
layout combine to make the magazine
easy on the eyes.
Index system
Other than the Wine Shopper's Guide, described above,
there is no index.
Advertising Yes.
The editorial policy is stated as follows "All tastings
are conducted
blind. After tasting results are tallied, wineries
are offered the
opportunity to advertise recommended wines with
label reproductions.
There is no obligation to advertise, and the
tasting results are in no
way affected by a winery's decision
regarding advertising."
Punched for 3-hole
binder No.
Impact of
publication Limited use of ratings by retailers in
point-of-sale shelf displays
and in newsletters, and by wineries in press
releases and
promotional literature (newsletters, tasting room
displays, etc.).
Moderately influential.
UP
First published
1985
Total
circulation 55,000 +/-.
Paid
subscriptions 30,250 +/- (55% of total); single-copy
sales 24,750 +/- (45% of total).
Publication
frequency Bimonthly; 6 issues per year.
Publisher/Editor
T.E. Smith, Inc./Tom E. Smith
Subscription
cost Domestic: $20/year; $38/two years. $4.00/copy at
newsstand ($5.95 in
Canada). Foreign: Add $24/year (U.S. funds).
Office address
P.O. Box 14-2096 Coral Gables, FL 33114
Office telephone
(305) 444-7250/FAX (305) 444-5706.
E-mail
WineLine@aol.com
Website
www.thewinenews.com
Average No. of
pages 80 per issue, including Inside Wine supplement
(slick paper).
Average No. wines
reported 150 per issue in the "Buyline" section of
the "Inside Wine" supplement,
which is an integral part of the magazine.
Scope of wine
reporting International.
Tasting
procedure Panel tastings at the magazine's office in
Coral Gables, FL. Wines
are tasted double blind using Riedel Ouverture
tasting glasses,
and each entry is evaluated and scored based on
individual merit.
Comment
According to The Wine News, "Tasting and
interpreting wine
is a purely subjective exercise; all scores and
accompanying notes,
compiled by John Stoker, represent the collective
opinions of our
panel." Tasters for The Wine News are Tom Smith (editor
and publisher), Athena
Yannitsas (tasting panel coordinator), David
Beaulieu (editor-at-large),
Fred Tasker (Miami Herald wine critic),
Maurice Adams (specialty
food and wine merchant) and John Stoker
(wine data consultant).
Rating system
Points (100-point scale), explained as follows: 96-100
denotes superb; 90-95 is outstanding; 85-89 means
very good; 80-84 is
good; 70-79 is acceptable; 0-69 not listed.
Comment
According to The Wine News, "Tasting notes reflect
the panel's overall
impressions; scores are averaged and represent
the panel's mean." Only
wines that score above 70 points will be
reported in the "Buyline"
section as recommended.
Contents of wine
description Combination of commentary and rating
points, as follows: Rating score; name of producer;
vintage and varietal or type of
wine; appellation (and
vineyard, where applicable); succinct
description of nose,
palate and finish; suggested retail price.
Readability of
text Good to very good; often excellent.
Other text
"Commentary" department presenting wine-related articles
by regular
columnists (senior editors Lyn Farmer and Bob Hosman)
and guest
commentators; articles on wine, food and travel topics
by contributing
editors (including such freelance talent as
Barbara and Edward
Beltrami, Gerald D. Boyd, Clive Coates, Jeff Cox,
Gerry Dawes, Harvey E.
Finkel, M.D., Richard Kinssies, Julie Ann
Kodmur, Steve Pitcher and
Norm Roby); wine, food and travel
articles by guest
contributors/freelance writers; "Grapescapes"
department featuring
one-page wine country photography submitted
by freelance
photographers. The "Inside Wine" supplement consists of
the "Vignettes" department
focusing on wine and food personalities, new
products, wine
auction developments and a calendar of wine and food
events; "Firstlook"
department containing the cover article; and the
"Buyline" department
containing the tasting notes.
Structure of
issue The magazine is laid out with its regular
departments and features
presented first (see Other text, above), finishing
with the
"Grapescapes" photography. The "Inside Wine" supplement
is inserted in the
middle, and is easily detached from the magazine.
A table of contents with
starting page numbers is presented for
both.
Notable features
The Wine News' features and articles are mostly submitted
by freelance
writers, which results in a wealth of diverse
opinion and
perspective. "Taster's Choice" and "Best Value" segments,
forming the first part
of the "Buyline" section of the "Inside Wine"
supplement spin off
for separate consideration tasting notes and ratings
of wines that
display outstanding quality, character and
potential, and
wines of exceptional quality that sell at a moderate
price, respectively.
Extensive color photography, artwork and layout combine
to make both the
main magazine and the "Inside Wine" supplement easy
on the eyes and
often a joy to behold.
Index system
None.
Advertising Yes.
The Wine News states that "all labels which appear in
the Buyline are
editorial artwork and should not be construed as
paid advertising
positions."
Punched for 3-hole
binder No.
Impact of
publication Limited use of ratings by retailers in
point-of-sale shelf displays
and in newsletters, and by wineries in press
releases and
promotional literature (newsletters, tasting room
displays, etc.).
Moderately influential.
UP
Wine Spectator
First published
1976
Total
circulation 207,290 +/-.
Paid
subscriptions 171,636 +/- (82.8% of total);
single-copy sales 35,653 +/- (17.2%of total).
Publication
frequency 18 issues per year; published semi-monthly
on the 15th and last day of each month except monthly in
January, February, March, April,
July and August.
Publisher/Editor
M. Shanken Communications, Inc./Marvin R. Shanken.
Subscription
cost Domestic: $40/year; $75/two years. $2.95/copy at
newsstand. Canada: $53.50/year (U.S. funds). $3.95/copy
at newsstand. Overseas (airmail): $125/year (U.S. funds).
Office address
East Coast: 387 Park Avenue South, New York, New York
10016 | West Coast: 601 Van Ness, Suite 2032 San
Francisco, CA 94102
Office telephone
East Coast (212) 684-4224/FAX (212) 684-5424 | West Coast
(415) 673-2040/FAX (415) 673-0103
Subscription
telephone (800) 752-7799.
E-mail
winespec@mshanken.com
Website
www.winespectator.com
Average No. of
pages 160 per issue (slick paper).
Average No. wines
reported 300-500 per issue in the Buying Guide
section.
Scope of wine
reporting International.
Tasting
procedure Panels meet at Wine Spectator offices in
New York, San Francisco and
London to assess wines submitted by wineries and
purchased by the
magazine. Tastings are blind bottles are bagged and
coded, capsules are
removed and corks are substituted to ensure that
the wines remain
anonymous. Panel judges are told only the general
type of wine (varietal or
region) and vintage. Price is not
disclosed. Tastings
conducted in Europe are usually done at the
source -- Bordeaux,
Burgundy, Germany, Tuscany, etc. -- where
fresh, well-stored samples
are readily available. Wine Spectator
organizes these tastings
at independent sites (not at estates or
offices of wine companies)
under conditions tightly controlled by
Wine Spectator staff. All
wines that taste corky, that show other
major flaws or that score
below 70 points are blind tasted again
from new bottles. Numerous
wines that score highly are retasted
blind to confirm the
results. Reported tastings that are not
blind are noted as such.
When wines are rated from barrel
samples, that fact is also
disclosed.
Comment
According to Wine Spectator, "Ratings are based on
potential quality on how
good the wines will be when they are at
their peaks. For ageable
wines, we suggest a year or range of
years to start drinking
the wine." Tasters for Wine Spectator in New York are Jim
Gordon, Thomas Matthews
and Kim Marcus; the San Francisco panel consists
of Harvey Steiman,
Jim Laube and Jeff Morgan. James Suckling and
Per-Henrik Mansson conduct
blind tastings on location in Europe.
Rating system
Points (100-point scale), explained as follows: 95-100
denotes classic (a great wine); 90-94 is outstanding
(a wine of superior
character and style); 80-89 means good to very
good (a wine with special
qualities); 70-79 is average (a
drinkable wine that may
have minor flaws); 60-69 is below average
(drinkable, but not
recommended); 50-59 denotes poor (undrinkable
and not recommended).
Contents of wine
description Combination of commentary and rating
points, as follows: Rating score; name of producer;
varietal or type of wine; appellation
(and vineyard, where applicable); vintage;
suggested retail
price; succinct description of nose and palate;
additional comment
(sometimes); year or range of years to start drinking
the wine (for
ageable wines); case production (sometimes).
Readability of
text Good to very good; often excellent.
Other text
Editor's note introducing the major topics of the
issue; "Upfront"
department presenting short articles concerning
developments in wine,
food, restaurants and chefs, new products,
etc., including
"Grapevine," which presents short items on these
categories submitted by
staff writers and freelancers;
"Collecting" department
covering auction developments and
personalities; Auction
Calendar; Letters to the Editor; What's
New on Wine Spectator
On-Line; Last Call (one-page-long
vignettes); column pieces
by senior editors Jim Laube, James
Suckling, Per-Henrik
Mansson and Thomas Matthews, and columnist
Matt Kramer; departments
(through Letters; see above); cover
story and feature articles
on wine, vines and grapes, wine-growing
regions, personalities and lifestyles, travel,
cooking and
restaurants/dining, entertaining, etc.; "Tasting
Report" feature which
focuses on the wines of a particular
growing area viewed from
an annual basis; classified advertising;
What's New on Wine
Spectator On-Line department; Last Call.
Structure of
issue The magazine is laid out with its regular
departments and features
presented first (see Other text, above), followed by
the "Buying Guide"
with ratings of new releases and, finally, the
What's New on Wine
Spectator On-Line and Last Call departments.
Each segment is noted in a
table of contents, with its starting
page.
Notable features
The "Tasting Report" feature, which focuses on the wines
of a particular
growing area viewed from an annual basis, provides
an in-depth look at
the region and its wines from a particular
vintage. Includes wine
rating set-outs in which the wines are
listed alphabetically, to
be repeated in the "Buying Guide,"
where the wines are listed
by rating score (highest to lowest),
along with their
descriptions. Additional set-outs sometimes
appear focusing on the
top-scoring wines and best values. A
vintage rating chart for
the growing area is also featured, in
which the current and
previous vintages are given rating scores,
along with a succinct
description of the particular vintage and
the consensus on that
vintage's current drinkability (not yet
ready, hold, drink, drink
or hold). Thirty or more of these
annual reports will appear
over a year's time. A detachable "Wine Spectator Shopping
List" on cardstock is a convenient
tool when seeking out recommended wines. On one
side are listed the
best wines reviewed in the particular issue. On
the other side are listed
the "Best in Market" wines, selected
from among the best wines
of their type reviewed in previous
issues.
Index system
None in the magazine itself. A separate annual
publication entitled
"The Wine Spectator's Ultimate Guide to Buying Wine"
is a compendium of
all wines reviewed by Wine Spectator over the
past decade, arranged both
by country, type and producer and by
producer. Some
descriptions are included, but in every case
reference is made to the
date of the issue in which the review
first appeared.
Advertising Yes.
Punched for 3-hole
binder No.
Impact of
publication Overwhelming use of ratings by retailers
in point-of-sale shelf displays
and in newsletters, and by wineries in press
releases and
promotional literature (newsletters, tasting room
displays, etc.).
Certainly the world's most widely read wine
magazine. Extremely
influential.
© by
Steve
Pitcher
[Editor's Note: Steve
Pitcher is a free-lance wine writer. His work can often
be found in The Wine News and various places online,
including This article, written in 1999, first appeared
on the Sally's Place web site with links from PfW. The
author has given us permission to post it
here.]
