Vinfolio and Roy's Tasting Notes
Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 1:00 am
I've just used the link on the FTLOP left-hand column and after a little messing about managed to find myself a list of all the Vintage Ports that Vinfolio had on offer.
Two things struck me:
(1) Wine Spectator has many more ratings shown that Roy - some serious catching up drinking to do there Roy! (26 ports offered, 23 ratings from WS, 13 ratings from Roy, 12 ratings from Wine Advocate, 5 from Robert Parker and 3 from International Wine Cellar).
(2) Vinfolio have not necessarily represented their wines with the best or the most appropriate tasting note. For example, they offer bottles of Fonseca '66, which can be a magnificent port. This port has three ratings shown against it of 97 points from Wine Spectator, 88 points from Wine Advocate and 83 points from Roy. Now no-one in their right mind would pay $129 + shipping for a wine with a rating of 83 points. When I opened and read Roy's TN it became quickly clear that the note was based on a bottle which Roy identified as flawed.
Now my point is this. If I did not have the in-depth knowledge of this website I would review the Vinfolio details and come to two conclusions.
First, that what Vinfolio were telling me was pointless. That I don't want to know that a bottle someone once tried was flawed - when choosing a wine I want to know how good it will be when appreciated at its best.
Second, that the person allowing Vinfolio to repeat a tasting note on a flawed bottle was not someone whose opinion I would bother to rely on in the future as this is not the point of a collection of tasting notes. Rather, tasting notes are a record of either the greatness of the beauty of a bottle of wine or are otherwise a record of the greatness of an occasion. If the latter, taking the TN out of the context of the occasion is a risk if the bottle did not show well. Such a tasting note might also put me off visiting the FTLOP website (and I note that there is no link to the website on the tasting note).
I don't intend this to be a rant and hope it doesn't come across as such. This should be read more with the mild surprise that I felt when I looked at the scores given to the Fonseca '66 - which is a wine that I know and love. If you get the chance to look at the Vinfolio site, I would be interested to know what other people think.
Thanks,
Alex
Two things struck me:
(1) Wine Spectator has many more ratings shown that Roy - some serious catching up drinking to do there Roy! (26 ports offered, 23 ratings from WS, 13 ratings from Roy, 12 ratings from Wine Advocate, 5 from Robert Parker and 3 from International Wine Cellar).
(2) Vinfolio have not necessarily represented their wines with the best or the most appropriate tasting note. For example, they offer bottles of Fonseca '66, which can be a magnificent port. This port has three ratings shown against it of 97 points from Wine Spectator, 88 points from Wine Advocate and 83 points from Roy. Now no-one in their right mind would pay $129 + shipping for a wine with a rating of 83 points. When I opened and read Roy's TN it became quickly clear that the note was based on a bottle which Roy identified as flawed.
Now my point is this. If I did not have the in-depth knowledge of this website I would review the Vinfolio details and come to two conclusions.
First, that what Vinfolio were telling me was pointless. That I don't want to know that a bottle someone once tried was flawed - when choosing a wine I want to know how good it will be when appreciated at its best.
Second, that the person allowing Vinfolio to repeat a tasting note on a flawed bottle was not someone whose opinion I would bother to rely on in the future as this is not the point of a collection of tasting notes. Rather, tasting notes are a record of either the greatness of the beauty of a bottle of wine or are otherwise a record of the greatness of an occasion. If the latter, taking the TN out of the context of the occasion is a risk if the bottle did not show well. Such a tasting note might also put me off visiting the FTLOP website (and I note that there is no link to the website on the tasting note).
I don't intend this to be a rant and hope it doesn't come across as such. This should be read more with the mild surprise that I felt when I looked at the scores given to the Fonseca '66 - which is a wine that I know and love. If you get the chance to look at the Vinfolio site, I would be interested to know what other people think.
Thanks,
Alex