As a frenchman I always tend to be carefull with wine critics starting from letter P. and dealing overseas !
And whereas Robert Parker is yet not coming in South Africa, you have already a quite overwhelming "spiritual guide" : the 2009 purple covered Platter's !
Of course there is always a need for guides that are helping the customer in its choice but when winemakers start to tailor made wines to be five stars Platters something sounds wrong.
Ask the bordelais how they did change their style in the 1990's according to RP's palate. Unfortunetly for them, even today they canno't avoid his ratings ; the 2009 en primeurs campaign is a sign, they released their prices before RP tasted the wines but then, Chateau like Lafite are bending their knees and increase their prices once he scored them !!!!
What a shame and the sign of a fashionnable industry.
So far in South Africa winemakers, at least whom I met, still possess a critical sense and are not followers.
Then of course, Platter's is probably the msot influencal around, followed by the like of Wine Spectator and Decanter.
South Africa's wine industry needs to follow its own path.
Platter's guide itself, is boring, only good marks, ie Four or Five stars, what a rating if all wine are good !
On the other side its good to have it in is pocket to find wineries, restaurants and wine makers names, and taht's it really.
*****
Cheers
Benjamin
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Platter's guide itself, is boring, only good marks, ie Four or Five stars, what a rating if all wine are good !
RépondreSupprimerYou must have a different Platter Guide to the rest of us. 4 & 5 star wines are in the minority. Out of 6000 wines in the current 2009 guide there are just 32 with 5 stars.