I just finished reading this book, The Battle for Wine and Love: Or How I Saved the World from Parkerization
Alice Feiring is a wine writer and blogger. Based on her website, it appears as though she is also available as a consultant – or as she puts it, “wine girl for hire”. The book is about her search for wines that truly reflect their place and are a true representation of the terroir, land and, to a slight extent, their wine makers. She searches for unmodified and undoctored wines. No added tannins, false yeasts or magical powders.
The “Parkerization” that she refers to is the influence of Robert Parker Jr. who is generally considered to have the most influential palate in the wine industry. Robert Parker is the individual who determined the 100 point ranking system of wines that allowed critics to grade wines as if they were a school project. He has published the Wine Advocate since 1978… for an example of the scope of his magazine, Robert Parker is said to taste up to 10,000 wines per year!
Critics of Robert Parker and the Wine Advocate often say that he prefers highly alcoholic, fruit laden wines. This includes big California and Australian wines – “fruit bombs” as others have disparagingly referred to them. There have also been accusations circulating through the wine world that many winemakers will doctor their wines in order to appeal specifically to his palate. A high Parker score is a guarantee that the wine will sell. I’m completely intrigued by the idea that one person can have so much influence over wine, which is a subjective matter, and will probably talk more about Robert Parker later!
The book, meanwhile, simply details Alice Feiring’s journey throughout the wine world. She goes to underground, “rogue” wine fairs in Europe, visiting with winemakers who prefer to stick to traditional, historical vineyard practices. She discusses biodynamics and organic winemaking and the dangers of them becoming nothing more than a marketing tool. I was completely interested in her visit to UC Davis and their winemaking institute as she discussed her winemaking theories with professors from what is, arguably, one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the wine world. Finally, Alice Feiring had a few run-ins with Robert Parker that are carefully detailed within the pages of her book.
I really enjoyed this book and found that I learned a lot. The only thing that I didn’t love, however, was how adamant she was sometimes. I actually found myself feeling slightly sympathetic towards some of her interview subjects as she went into her interviews with her mind completely made up. Readers should take note that this is an extremely passionate book, which is why it reads so fantastically, but it’s definitely not an unbiased opinion with regards to winemaking methods.
Unfortunately it has made me want to search out some of the wines she has described! We’ll have to see how that goes.
