Robert Parker (wine critic)

Robert Parker tastes drinks made from grapes.

He gives them a score.

He uses a scale of 100 points. This helps people know what to buy. His scores can change how much a drink costs.

He writes a paper called The Wine Advocate. Many people read it in many lands. He was a lawyer before he wrote about wine.

He tastes many drinks each year. He can remember how they taste. Some people call his skill a million dollar nose.

His work changed how people make drinks. He likes drinks that are ripe and sweet. He is now retired.

Robert Parker is a famous wine critic.

He is known for his work in the world of wine. He was born in Maryland. Before he wrote about wine, he was a lawyer. He started a newsletter called The Wine Advocate. Today, many people read it in over 37 countries.

Parker uses a special way to rate wine. He uses a 100-point scale. He looks at the color and the smell. He also tastes the flavor and the finish. This scale helps people decide which wines to buy. His scores can even change the price of a wine. This is very important for wines from Bordeaux, a place in France.

Some people call his skill a "million dollar nose." This is because he has a very strong sense of taste. He says he tastes 10,000 wines every year. He also says he remembers how they taste. His ideas have changed how people make wine. Some people call this "Parkerization." They say it happens because winemakers try to make wines that he might like. Parker retired in 2019 at the age of 71.

Robert Parker is a very famous wine critic from America.

He is known for helping people decide which wines to buy. His opinions are so important that they can change the price of wines. This is especially true for wines from Bordeaux, a famous region in France. Many people call him the most influential wine critic in the world. His work helped change how people think about wine tasting. He even has a nose and palate that are insured for $1 million!

Parker uses a special way to give wines a score. He uses a 100-point scale to rank them. To do this, he looks at the color and the smell. He also tastes the flavor and how the wine feels in the mouth. He might only keep a wine in his mouth for four or five seconds to start. If it seems good, he will taste it two or three more times. This helps him decide if a wine is worth a high score. He wants his scores to show how much pleasure a wine gives him.

Parker's journey into wine began while he was a student. He was studying in a place called Alsace when he discovered wine. Before he wrote about wine, he was a lawyer in Maryland. He graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1973. He worked as a lawyer for over ten years. In 1984, he decided to leave his law job to focus on wine. He started a newsletter in 1978 called The Wine Advocate.

His newsletter became a huge success very quickly. In the beginning, he sent the first issue out for free. By the end of that same year, 600 people paid to get the second issue. Now, more than 50,000 people subscribe to his newsletter. Most of these readers are in the United States. However, people in over 37 other countries read his work too. He even became the first non-Frenchman to be a critic for a French magazine.

Some people say Parker's ideas changed how wine is actually made. They call this "Parkerization" or "The International Style." Some critics believe winemakers try to make riper wines to get high scores. They think this makes wines from different places taste too much alike. Parker says he does not want wines to be the same. He thinks his work helps people find good wine at a fair price. He officially retired from his work in 2019 when he was 71 years old.

Robert McDowell Parker Jr. is a retired American wine critic who changed how the world views wine.

He is widely considered the most influential wine critic in the world. His work focuses on helping consumers make informed buying decisions. Through his newsletter, *The Wine Advocate*, he provides expert opinions on various wines. These ratings are so powerful that they often set the prices for newly released Bordeaux wines in France. His influence extends across the global wine industry, affecting both buyers and producers.

Parker developed a specific method for evaluating the quality of wine. He uses a 100-point scale to rank different bottles. This scale allows for 51 possible ratings, ranging from 50 to 100 points. To determine a score, he examines several specific characteristics. He looks at the color and appearance of the liquid. He then evaluates the aroma and bouquet, which refers to the wine's smell. Next, he tastes the flavor and the finish, or how the taste lingers. Finally, he considers the overall quality level and the wine's potential to age well.

The actual process of tasting can be very fast and intense. Parker is known as an unusually rapid taster. During an initial assessment, he may keep a wine in his mouth for only four or five seconds. This quick taste helps him decide if a wine might score above 80 points. If a wine shows potential, he will taste it two or three more times in a row. This repetition helps him reach a final, more accurate score. While the system seems mathematical, Parker admits that emotions play a role in the highest scores. He suggests the difference between a 98 and a 100-point wine is often the emotion of the moment.

Parker's professional journey began with a background in law. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1947. He graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1973 with a Juris Doctor degree. For over ten years, he worked as an assistant general counsel for the Farm Credit Banks of Baltimore. He discovered his passion for wine while studying in Alsace. In 1978, he launched a direct-mail newsletter called *The Baltimore-Washington Wine Advocate*. This later became *The Wine Advocate*. By the end of its first year, the publication had 600 paying subscribers.

His influence grew significantly following a major prediction regarding the 1982 Bordeaux vintage. While many other critics thought the 1982 wines were too ripe or low in acid, Parker called them superb. This bold opinion helped drive the prices of 1982 Bordeaux higher than many other years. Today, *The Wine Advocate* has more than 50,000 subscribers. Most readers are in the United States, but the newsletter reaches over 37 other countries. Parker's success even led to his nose and palate being insured for $1 million.

Parker's scoring system has also changed how winemakers actually produce their wine. Some critics use the term "Parkerization" or "The International Style" to describe this shift. They suggest that winemakers try to create riper wines with more alcohol and oak to earn high scores. This can lead to wines from different parts of the world tasting very similar. To achieve these styles, some producers use techniques like green harvesting to reduce yields. They may also harvest grapes as late as possible to ensure maximum ripeness.

Despite these debates, Parker views his role as a consumer advocate. He believes his system helps fix injustices in the traditional wine classification systems. For example, the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 was based on historical prices and reputations. Parker argues these old systems can cause mediocre wines to be sold at too high a price. His goal is to provide a professional judgment that helps people find value. He retired from his role as editor in chief in 2019 at the age of 71. His legacy remains a major topic in books, films, and even comic books about the wine industry.