The Wine Advocate

The Wine Advocate ( abgek. TWA or WA) is a magazine that is initiated by the wine critic Robert Parker in 1978 and is still published. The first " The Baltimore - Washington Wine Advocate " titled, ad-free journal is available from the beginning only by subscription. By advertising freedom Parker guarantees its independence. About 7500 different wines are tasted each year. The paid circulation in 1998 was 45,000. TWA is one of several wine publications such as the Robert Parker Wine Buyer 's Guide.

Robert Parker and his team taste wine after he developed system of Parker points (50-100 points), with the highest rating was assigned as good as ever and wines are already below the 60 -point mark as inedible. The produced since 1992 even wines his winery are, according to self-reported never the object of his tests. Wine reviews of Parker have a tremendous effect on the wine market and affect the price of extremely ausgelobten drops. His British, eight years older colleague Hugh Johnson criticized the points system created by him.

Meanwhile, a 85 -point limit has developed, under which the wine is no more special attention. Most international tastings take place after the 100-point system, where the wines under 80 ( online editions ) or 85 ( print magazines ) points usually are not mentioned.

Background

The Monkton living in Maryland Wine autodidact studied in the 1970s jurisprudence in France, where his passion for wine came up. Influenced by consumer advocate Ralph Nader, he also criticized soon the dependence of the wine consumers of the wine trade and advertising. He wanted an independent body that would be as objective as possible to make wine reviews. He initially rated only wines from Bordeaux, whose future development, he could estimate due to barrel tastings ( young wine ). In response, the prices of the wines tasted skyrocketed.

The published first as a free supplement booklet developed after a few issues as the journal of sophisticated wine consumers. With a staff of employees, he now rated wines from Bordeaux, the Rhône, Provence, Alsace, Beaujolais, Burgundy, Champagne, Languedoc -Roussillon, and the Loire, from New Zealand, Australia and South America, Portugal and Israel, Italy, Spain and Port wine, Austria and Germany, Oregon, Washington and California: Neal Martin, Mark Squires, Antonio Galloni, Dr. Jay Miller and David Schildknecht.