Robert Parker is one of the most famous wine critics of all times and recently retired at the
age of 71. But who was Robert Parker?
Robert Parker is the inventor of the 100 points ranking system that is now used worldwide
to rate wines and these points are of course called “Parker Points”. Parker brought to the
industry tasting guidelines to rate wines.
Among them we can find:
The independence between wine producers, wine tasters and the press
All wines must be tasted blind
All wines must be compared within their category
All wines will use the 100 points scale no matter the style or where they are from
Parkers had many detractors who blamed him for contributing to the the global wine
standardization: the wine “parkerisation”. Like every wine lover he has tastes and likes and
he imposed quality criteria such as the use of new barrels to enhance vanilla taste.
Robert Parker ‘s tastes and power in the industry are obvious and he has and will continue
to have a high influence in the wine industry. He is listened by hundreds of thousands of
people all around the world and you can be sure that a good Parker note will sell all your
bottles at a higher price.
Whatever you can think about the him, you can’t disagree that his main strengths will
always remain his impartiality and his righteousness for each and every wine he has tasted.
