Robert Parker Jnr

Robert McDowell Parker Jr. is the world’s most influential wine critic. Born in Baltimore, Maryland (USA) on July 23rd, 1947, he continues to guide the fine wine industry with the tip of his nose, still going strong at the age of 64.

Robert Parker graduated from the University of Maryland with a major in history, and spent the first decade of his professional career as an Attorney for Farm Credit Banks of Baltimore. Already having an interest in wine since the early stages of his professional life, he released several publications about fine wine in the late 70’s. His renowned wine guide, titled ‘The Wine Advocate’ started in 1978 initially went out for free, with 600 subscribers opting for the second edition. Over two decades later, The Wine Advocate now draws over 50,000 subscribers in over 27 countries.

In addition to writing and tasting for The Wine Advocate, Robert Parker is a contributing editor for Business Week and the Food and Wine Magazine. He frequently writes for other global magazines like The Field and L’Express, as well as having featured in other leading publications like Newsweek, Time, The Financial Times, The Economist and many more. The writing style of Robert M. Parker Jr. has remained simple; his aim being to provide meaningful, comprehensive, independent, accurate, critical commentaries and opinions on fine wines and fine wine values.

In 1999, President Jacques Chirac bestowed France's highest honour of Chevalier dans l'Ordre de la Legion d'Honneur upon Robert Parker and commented that Robert Parker 'is the most followed and intellectual critic for French Wine in the entire world'.

Robert Parkers Scoring System

Since 1984, Robert Parker has scored all of the major wines at three points during the wine's maturing process. Each point scoring also features the Robert Parker tasting notes. There have been many instances of wines with a relatively low value 'going through the roof' after a strong Robert Parker scoring.

The Robert Parker scoring system grades each wine from 50-100 points, with every wine being given a base of 50 points. The wine's general colour and appearance then merits up to 5 points. The aroma and bouquet merits up to 15 points. The flavour and finish merit up to 20 points and the overall quality level or potential for further evolution and improvement-aging-merits up to 10 points.

The top two scores of 90-95 points and 96-100 points are most recommended for investment purposes: 90-95: An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. In short, these are terrific wines 96-100: An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this calibre are worth a special effort to find, purchase, and consume.

Impact on prices

There is evidence that Parker's rating scale has a dual effect on prices and sales, with claims from the wine industry that a Parker top score is valued at potentially £5 million.

• When Parker declined to review the 2002 Bordeaux vintage "in barrel," the vintners were forced to drop their prices.
• According to one Bordeaux shipper cited by McCoy, "the difference between a score of 85 and 95 [for one wine] was 6 to 7 million Euro", and a "bottle rated 100 can multiply its price fourfold.”
• Château Quinault, which used to have hard time selling its wine at 100 Francs a bottle, saw its 1998 vintage rise in price in half a day to 125 francs after Parker gave it a 92 rating.
• According to a 2005 economic analysis, Parker's scores would inflate the prices of already highly rated wines but, for the less good ones, it would not decrease their sales nor even increase their prices.

Robert McDowell Parker Jr. remains an influential player in the fine wine market. Global demand and price-setting and fluctuations of newly released Bordeaux wines greatly depend on the verdict of Robert Parker. As this, along with other factors, plays a significant role in terms of investment wines and their future potential, Robert Parker is definitely a voice to remember for the foreseeable future. www.eRobertParker.com

“Robert Parker is easily the single most influential person in the world” Paul Levy, The Observer.

“Key to this process is Robert Parker, the American critic labelled the ‘Emperor of Wine’, whose scores have the power to set prices – none of the major chateaus release their price before his scores are released at the end of April each year” FT Report, Wine Investment.