Comments on: The truth behind Wine Spectator’s “significant efforts to verify the facts” http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/ A critical review of food, drinks, culture, and cognition Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:30:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Anthony Taylor http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-250302 Anthony Taylor Sat, 21 Jan 2012 07:48:52 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-250302 Robin just discovering "The Wine Trials" (2008 edition). Very interesting. Page 17 you discuss the blind tasting issue. Parker comes here to Gigondas every year (end August) for his annual tasting and has been doing so for as far back as I can remember. Up until a few years ago (3 I think) he would always taste blind, i.e. the bottles all had elastic "socks" covering them. He now tastes all the wines non-blind. This really shocks me. Despite 35 years of immersion in wine I totally agree with your conclusion that it is IMPOSSIBLE to judge the quality of a wine 100% objectively if you know beforehand what the wine is. For Parker, who claims to respect the highest moral standards of impartiality, I was really shocked to witness his abandoning one the most elementary rules of impartiality : not knowing a wine's identity before tasting. Robin
just discovering “The Wine Trials” (2008 edition). Very interesting.
Page 17 you discuss the blind tasting issue. Parker comes here to Gigondas every year (end August) for his annual tasting and has been doing so for as far back as I can remember. Up until a few years ago (3 I think) he would always taste blind, i.e. the bottles all had elastic “socks” covering them. He now tastes all the wines non-blind. This really shocks me. Despite 35 years of immersion in wine I totally agree with your conclusion that it is IMPOSSIBLE to judge the quality of a wine 100% objectively if you know beforehand what the wine is.
For Parker, who claims to respect the highest moral standards of impartiality, I was really shocked to witness his abandoning one the most elementary rules of impartiality : not knowing a wine’s identity before tasting.

]]> By: Blind Taste / Robin Goldstein» Blog Archive » Recent Advances in Bullshit Reduction” at the International Food Blogger Conference http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-38758 Blind Taste / Robin Goldstein» Blog Archive » Recent Advances in Bullshit Reduction” at the International Food Blogger Conference Sun, 29 Aug 2010 17:38:59 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-38758 [...] here. If you’re interested, you can also check out the original Osteria L’Intrepido post, my followup to Wine Spectator’s response, and a few other related entries on my [...] [...] here. If you’re interested, you can also check out the original Osteria L’Intrepido post, my followup to Wine Spectator’s response, and a few other related entries on my [...]

]]> By: Steve Kiges http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-37231 Steve Kiges Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:41:56 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-37231 I get your point, if they cannot do things the correct way then why bother. It just makes the entire process senseless. I get your point, if they cannot do things the correct way then why bother. It just makes the entire process senseless.

]]> By: Two O.C. restaurants win top wine award, but is contest legit? - Fast Food Maven : The Orange County Register http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-34974 Two O.C. restaurants win top wine award, but is contest legit? - Fast Food Maven : The Orange County Register Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:32:23 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-34974 [...] editor, defended its contest and condemned Goldstein’s actions in this article. Goldstein responded to the response, alleging that the magazine used the award as an enticement to buy expensive advertising. I Googled [...] [...] editor, defended its contest and condemned Goldstein’s actions in this article. Goldstein responded to the response, alleging that the magazine used the award as an enticement to buy expensive advertising. I Googled [...]

]]> By: Flashmob http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-4905 Flashmob Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:17:48 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-4905 Thanks a lot man Thanks a lot man

]]> By: Screwdriver http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-1597 Screwdriver Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:50:16 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-1597 I must have somehow missed it! Guess I should do some other research before coming to a conclusion. I must have somehow missed it! Guess I should do some other research before coming to a conclusion.

]]> By: geoff daum http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-269 geoff daum Sun, 17 May 2009 14:01:03 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-269 Yep - I would agree with that.. Thanks for the line. Yep – I would agree with that.. Thanks for the line.

]]> By: Larry http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-252 Larry Sat, 16 May 2009 00:18:56 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-252 Keep doing what you're doing! Keep doing what you’re doing!

]]> By: Cordless telephones with answering machines http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-235 Cordless telephones with answering machines Wed, 13 May 2009 21:53:11 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-235 Interesting information which I can use for my current research on phone history. Adam Interesting information which I can use for my current research on phone history. Adam

]]> By: wine blog http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-216 wine blog Sat, 21 Feb 2009 17:02:04 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-216 Parantar ha detto, 14 Ottobre 2008 a 1:20 am i don’t like the taste of wine. i really love to be addict with it but i can’t. hehe YOU MUST LOVE WINE. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY :) Parantar ha detto,
14 Ottobre 2008 a 1:20 am

i don’t like the taste of wine. i really love to be addict with it but i can’t. hehe

YOU MUST LOVE WINE. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY :)

]]> By: anonymous http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-215 anonymous Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:48:58 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-215 dude. you're my hero. dude. you’re my hero.

]]> By: eastcoast http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-214 eastcoast Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:23:46 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-214 Hi. graet article. Cheers, Peter Hi. graet article.
Cheers, Peter

]]> By: Parantar http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-213 Parantar Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:20:24 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-213 i don't like the taste of wine. i really love to be addict with it but i can't. hehe i don’t like the taste of wine. i really love to be addict with it but i can’t. hehe

]]> By: Arthur http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-210 Arthur Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:26:05 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-210 H CHOU: Goldstein also fails to mention that not every participant tasted the same wines. Ooops.... H CHOU:

Goldstein also fails to mention that not every participant tasted the same wines.

Ooops….

]]> By: h chou http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-209 h chou Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:16:38 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-209 I read the book. First of all, it uses statistical tricks to get their p value to an acceptable level. Notice how they kept saying that there was a difference between the most expensive and least expensive wines, but that it was in the middle range prices that one can see the most difference. This is playing with the statistics in order to get a result that they like. Also, Goldstein never gave the full results of his study in his book. He did not tell us which expensive wine the cheap ones were rated against. That is pretty useless then if he picked the worst tasting expensive wine (there is such a thing) just to show that some cheaper wines can beat ONE expensive wine. When you write a book supposedly based on how corrupt everyone else is, you better include all the information. While Wine Spectator may be beholden to advertising dollars, Goldstein is also playing with the truth to make his own money. I read the book. First of all, it uses statistical tricks to get their p value to an acceptable level. Notice how they kept saying that there was a difference between the most expensive and least expensive wines, but that it was in the middle range prices that one can see the most difference. This is playing with the statistics in order to get a result that they like.

Also, Goldstein never gave the full results of his study in his book. He did not tell us which expensive wine the cheap ones were rated against. That is pretty useless then if he picked the worst tasting expensive wine (there is such a thing) just to show that some cheaper wines can beat ONE expensive wine. When you write a book supposedly based on how corrupt everyone else is, you better include all the information. While Wine Spectator may be beholden to advertising dollars, Goldstein is also playing with the truth to make his own money.

]]> By: Magazine gives excellence award to hoaxer’s fictional restaurant | The Wire | Press Gazette http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-208 Magazine gives excellence award to hoaxer’s fictional restaurant | The Wire | Press Gazette Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:05:58 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-208 [...] Goldstein writes, the magazine still claims to have checked its facts sufficiently. Reporters called the Milan phone number Goldstein had left but every time got his answer phone [...] [...] Goldstein writes, the magazine still claims to have checked its facts sufficiently. Reporters called the Milan phone number Goldstein had left but every time got his answer phone [...]

]]> By: lintrepido http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-207 lintrepido Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:32:04 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-207 The Wine Trials is a guide to inexpensive wines. That is why it rates inexpensive wines. The Wine Trials is a guide to inexpensive wines. That is why it rates inexpensive wines.

]]> By: h chou http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-206 h chou Mon, 01 Sep 2008 04:41:40 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-206 May I add that your book is also false advertising. Instead of truly comparing expensive wines to inexpensive wines, you basically rate a bunch of relatively inexpensive wines. I don't understand how that is different from what wine spectator did. May I add that your book is also false advertising. Instead of truly comparing expensive wines to inexpensive wines, you basically rate a bunch of relatively inexpensive wines. I don’t understand how that is different from what wine spectator did.

]]> By: James Koch http://blindtaste.com/2008/08/31/the-truth-behind-wine-spectators-significant-efforts-to-verify-the-facts/#comment-205 James Koch Mon, 01 Sep 2008 03:21:58 +0000 http://osterialintrepido.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-205 May I add to your very interesting post that went to a 'famous' US restaurants a few years ago that had received and continues to receive the 'WS Restaurant Wine Award' but didn't actually have any of the 'great' wines in stock. It went like this: "Sir, we are out of this and this one. Oh, I'm so sorry, we are out of this one too. Sir, let me see, if we have this one in stock. Sorry, may I suggest another wine." Only 2 (!) wines from the entire first page of their 'famous' wine list were available. My reponse was: "I'm terribly sorry, but I'm out out of here too." I paid for my mineral water and left. I can't comment on their food as I have yet to return. May I add to your very interesting post that went to a ‘famous’ US restaurants a few years ago that had received and continues to receive the ‘WS Restaurant Wine Award’ but didn’t actually have any of the ‘great’ wines in stock.

It went like this: “Sir, we are out of this and this one. Oh, I’m so sorry, we are out of this one too. Sir, let me see, if we have this one in stock. Sorry, may I suggest another wine.”

Only 2 (!) wines from the entire first page of their ‘famous’ wine list were available.

My reponse was: “I’m terribly sorry, but I’m out out of here too.”

I paid for my mineral water and left. I can’t comment on their food as I have yet to return.

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