On 26 Sep 2006 16:44:55 -0700
"DaleW" > wrote:

[]
> Emery, I have found some reputable '95s too ripe for my tastes, and
> often one-dimensional. No real big boys- things like Chapoutier Le
> Bernardine. I'm not totally down on the vintage. But John Gilman had an
> interesting article in a "View From the Cellar" about Southern Rhones,
> where he kind of pegged '95 as the year he felt things went the wrong
> way ("Parkerization", though he didn't use the term) in the Southern
> Rhone . Lots of makers going for riper picking and concentrating a bit
> much on the luxury cuvees. I'm a bit more tolerant than John of
> modernistic tendencies, but I do take seriously his doubts re many post
> 1990-CdPs having the longevity of earlier wines from the appellation.
> There's nobody who I know who writes with more knowledge than Gilman
> (disclaimer, I have dinner/wines with John once a month or so).
>

Parkerization has been a powerful temptation indeed in CdP. One has
only to look at the prices now commanded by the Parker favorites to
understand the lure. There have been several reactions to this: some
that have nothing to lose I think have gone down that path; some
have released a cuvée, like Beaurenard, which is specifically tailored
to the Parker model; others like Roger Perrin won't change their style
for anyone.

CdP had the advantage of being a fairly expensive -- if not by current
standards -- wine on average, perhaps 60 - 100 FF/bt. So it was
a sizable risk for the successful producers to switch everything
over to the Parker model, because they already had the success
of a client base (not US) and high profits by domestic French
standards. So, I certainly don't disagree with John generally but
do think that many have avoided the problem in CdP. Still as
I said the 95s never shut down much for me, so...

In the Southern Rhone in general, though, Parker was making a
huge amount of noise in the early 90s, and many of the good
villages vin de garde were still selling in the 20-30 FF range.
For these guys, looking at the US and even UK market, the
temptation for many was too strong not to gamble.

I feel strongly that by any measure he has had a very negative
impact on the larger industry in the southern Rhone. French
wines can't compete with the new world on a one to one basis --
costs are too high -- so without retaining typicity there aren't
many advantages.

-E
--
Emery Davis
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