Looks like Portugal is staring to get some recognition. Although, I kinda wish it would stay in the shadows. Once WA starts putting high scores on dry reds then you know all those trophy hunters will be buying soley based on the score.The third new hire is also a well-known name from the past. Dr. J. Miller, with whom I have tasted on a weekly basis for nearly twenty-five years, will be coming on board full-time. He will be leaving his job as the buyer and manager of Baltimore’s leading boutique wine shop, Bin 604. Dr. J.’s decision to leave the retail business coincided with Pierre Rovani’s desire to go back to the wine trade. I wanted to hire Dr. J. in the past, but since we are such dear friends, I was concerned about a working relationship. Also, he wanted to give retail a try. Dr. J. is in my wine-tasting group, Les Oenarchs, and is regarded as the finest taster in Baltimore. In fact, in my lifetime I have only met one more precise taster ... ironically, a woman dentist from Bordeaux. Dr. J. brings enormous experience, a hard work ethic, and a brilliant palate to The Wine Advocate. Longtime readers may remember that many years ago, he used to substitute for me in the old Prodigy wine blog days, and occasionally wrote articles on Washington State wines for The Wine Advocate. He will be providing extensive, detailed coverage of areas he loves, and already knows exceptionally well, the Pacific Northwest, Spain, Australia, and South America, another region that has not been covered in as much detail as required by the remarkable number of high quality wines emerging from Argentina and Chile. Dr. J. will also be responsible for the fortified wines from Portugal. Given his Rabelaisian appetite, he will also be furnishing enormous contributions to our Hedonist Gazettes.
Dr. J. is a native of Boston (hence is adoration for any sports team from that city), and was educated at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Maryland in College Park, where he received a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.
Lastly, I have always wanted him to do more than monitor and control the enormous volume of traffic on the Bulletin Board, and our fearless host, Mark Squires, has agreed to cover an area that has received little attention, but is beginning to make a lot of noise about quality wine ... the dry wines of Portugal. You will be able to read Mark’s first report before the end of the year. If subscribers don’t beat him up too badly, maybe I can convince Mark to take on a few other assignments.
http://dat.erobertparker.com/bboard/sho ... p?t=103145