The Emperor of Wine: The Rise of Robert M. Parker, Jr., and the Reign of American Taste

I loved this book. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. If you are into wine and subscribe to Parker's website or newsletter this is a must read. A fasinating perspective on the world's most influencial wine critic.

Elin McCoy's 'Emperor of Wine' is an absorbing account of the rise of wine critic Robert Parker and his influence on the international wine industry. McCoy's biography works on a number of levels: --as a Horatio Alger saga of a rise to fortune and prominence through passion and hard work; --as a business biography about the creation of influence and wealth by filling an emerging niche; --as an examination of the cultural and economic forces that have shaped wine consumption over the past 30 years. I enjoy wine, but am hardly an expert on the subject. I had a vague awareness of Robert Parker, but had no idea of the extent to which he has shaped consumer wine options in the past two decades. But even on the basis of my casual consumption of wine, it is clear that Parker's preference for big, fruity reds and oaky whites have consistently pushed certain wine-making styles to the head of the class in the American liquor store and on the American restaurant menu. Has Parker's influence been helpful or harmful? Probably both, in Elin McCoy's assessment. On the one hand, Parker has made wine more accessible to consumers, held producers accountable for their product, and conducted himself ethically in an industry often characterized by shadowy alliances and influence peddling. At the same time, Parker's ability to move markets in accordance with his palate has led to considerable reduction of local diversity in wine production, as producers in the U.S., France and Italy flock to develop wines that reflect his preferences. Any deficiencies in 'Emperor of Wine'? McCoy seems to take an uncommon interest in Parker's weight gain over a 30-year career. Granted, weight gain is probably an occupational hazard for someone who tastes thousands of wines annually, but McCoy's continuing preoccupation with the topic is eventually jarring, and makes one wonder if she is taking a covert jab at her subject. Overall, however, I found Elin McCoy's portrayal of Robert Parker and the international wine industry absorbing and even-handed. Despite his occasional arrogance (at least as depicted by McCoy), there is much to like about Parker, including his level-headedness, his generosity, his integrity, and his devotion to his wife and daughter. As well, this story of Coke-drinking lad from small-town Maryland making it big in the world of international wine is heartening to those of us who enjoy a story about a little guy who persists and wins. Whether you are an occasional wine drinker or serious oenophile, the 'Emperor of Wine' should make an absorbing read. Highly recommended.

Robert M. Parker Jr. may indeed be "The Emperor of Wine," but I, Brian Moore - after some negotiations with the Busch and Guinness duchies performed at or about princely urinals - have been declared "Laird of Beer." You may rise.

This book explains how Robert Parker has materially changed demand, tastes and marketing of wines worldwide. One can agree or disagree with Parker's particular tastes but as Elin MCoy well explains his influence has been dramatic. Many traditionalist violently disagree with Parker (see New York Times Book review) but they are limited to ad hominem attacks when they try to belittle his effect on the trade. A most important book.

I will say right up front: I am not a lover of most of the "big" wine style profiles that Robert Parker seemingly favors with his 90+ scores. That being said, Elin McCoy's book clearly revealed that Parker indeed spoke passionately from his heart about the wines he profiled. Numerous "insider" nuggets throughout made this page-turner almost impossible for me to put down. "Parker referred to smells and aromas more frequently than tastes, while (two Wine Spectator reviewers)....were far less likely to mention aromas at all." (As a lover of wine whose sinuses are in a state of ruin, I side with the latter two reviewers.) I read - wide eyed - of Steven Spurrier's "body-type theory" of wine preferences: "Slim ectomorphs liked delicate wines like blanc de blancs Champagne; big, burly mesomorphs (like Parker) gravitated toward big, brawny wines that matched their physique." an interesting take (one of many) of the "yin/yang" controversy of "delicate vs. big" wine that came up again and again in this real life saga. On the very next page, Gerald Asher "pointed out to me.....who could be surprised that subtlety and finesse seemed to be losing favor in wine when they weren't much in evidence elsewhere in culture?" And a number of times McCoy writes of Parker's love of Neil Young's music (who likewise sings passionately from his own heart!). Chapter Two of this book alone is worth the price of admission for any oenophile! It outlines the early 1960s-mid '70s beginnings of the rise of wine with the American consumer (and Parker is not emphasized in this chapter). The famous/infamous 1976 Paris tasting is meticulously detailed in FIVE (!) pages, beginning on page 47; any other wine book would devote at most a paragraph to that significant event. ("The whites were poured first, then the reds.....'it has no nose', exclaimed (one judge) about a wine that turned out to be a 1973 Batard-Montrachet from Burgundy. 'Ah, back to France,' sighed (another judge), after a sip of a Napa Valley Chardonnay.") This book is an incredibly interesting read, no matter which side of the "big/delicate" fence you prefer. No interested observer or lover of wine will be without this fascinating book in his or her library.