Port reviews by the Wine Enthusiast magazine

[Roy Hersh]

I'd love to hear opinions from anyone who pays attention to this magazine and their critic's Port reviews and ratings.

[Jeff G.]

Only because I was jaded with their 2011 Quevedo rating

but garbage

who in the world thinks that a 2011 Port is "light and fruity"

[Andy Velebil]

Only because I was jaded with their 2011 Quevedo rating

but garbage

who in the world thinks that a 2011 Port is "light and fruity"

Well, nothing like a little label bias maybe

[Jeff G.]

Ha, I had to check again to make sure I had the disclosure

in all seriousness

I would imagine there are only 2 major publications for general scores that people really care about

Advocate and Spectator

Then there are specific mags focused on specific regions.

FTLOP
IWC
and 2 /3 more that slip my mind.

Then amongst the others
Wine and Spirits
and Wine Enthusiast

which i feel aren't taken as seriously

[Andy Velebil]

Ha, I had to check again to make sure I had the disclosure

I wasn't referring to any you may have as a distributor........

[Roy Hersh]

One thing I've noticed over the years, is that compared to most other critics or media outlets, the Wine Enthusiast seems to give Port the highest scores of all. Not always, but consistently over the years this has been my impression.

I have long wondered if this is an issue of "relevancy" ... in other words, by handing out big scores all the time, the retailers and websites like the Symington's Vintage Port Site, will tend to feature the WE scores. It begs the question: are the high scores given out with intent, so that their name gets used/spread widely? Not accusing ... just mentioning out loud, what I have heard discussed elsewhere over the years. Your thoughts?

Hey, maybe just in time for my 2011 Vintage Port Report, I can go back and add two or three points to all of my ratings and have some folks take notice of FTLOP. Whaddaya think?

[Jeff G.]

One thing I've noticed over the years, is that compared to most other critics or media outlets, the Wine Enthusiast seems to give Port the highest scores of all. Not always, but consistently over the years this has been my impression.

I have long wondered if this is an issue of "relevancy" ... in other words, by handing out big scores all the time, the retailers and websites like the Symington's Vintage Port Site, will tend to feature the WE scores. It begs the question: are the high scores given out with intent, so that their name gets used/spread widely? Not accusing ... just mentioning out loud, what I have heard discussed elsewhere over the years. Your thoughts?

Hey, maybe just in time for my 2011 Vintage Port Report, I can go back and add two or three points to all of my ratings and have some folks take notice of FTLOP. Whaddaya think?

i won't accuse either, except to say that a few publications have on their wine submittal forms a section for payment of advertisement.

but if you're curious about the scoring, you can certainly see how Suckling's doing with his new publication Roy

[Roy Hersh]

OK, I had NOT actually looked at the Wine Enthusiast scoring myself until the flight from home to Michigan yesterday. I had been told the scores were high by a friend in the UK that I trust for Port wine and fairness. Now that I've seen them, all I can say is that I am even more shocked than I had ever expected. I have yet to look at all the scores, but without counting and I need to go back and have another look ... about 2 dozen or so are over 95 points. The actual number could be higher. Not sure how many were tasted and this is not personal against the individual who did the rating. But that sounds like an extraordinarily high number of 2011 Vintage Ports rated between 95-100 points. The quantity between 95 and 97 has to be close to 20.

I don't know what more to say. I need to drink some Port now.