Wine Spectator against disgusting earth…

And to imply Laube has juvenille tastes is...well...juvenille. You may not like the same wines he does (for the record: I don't most of the time), but he has his job for a reason.

Diana Bianchi had a good job for a reason, too. But you are probably right. The magazine shouldn't airbrush out all the thought lines in Laube's forehead, though, if they want to project a respect-worthy image for him. At his age, total lack of "worry" lines make him look like he just hatched from an egg.

[David M. Bueker]

At his age, total lack of "worry" lines make him look like he just hatched from an egg.

He didnt???

Well it sounds like most of us agree that there is not a demonstrable connection between advertising space and reviews.

As for why the magazine doesn't 'check' the comments of the writers, I suspect they stand on the journalistic freedom soapbox.

Ruth

[David M. Bueker]

As for why the magazine doesn't 'check' the comments of the writers, I suspect they stand on the journalistic freedom soapbox.

Ruth

But once again you are assuming his use of the term "earthy" is wrong. In the context of young cal cab his useage is quite possibly totally correct.

And to imply Laube has juvenille tastes is...well...juvenille. You may not like the same wines he does (for the record: I don't most of the time), but he has his job for a reason.

Diana Bianchi had a good job for a reason, too. But you are probably right. The magazine shouldn't airbrush out all the thought lines in Laube's forehead, though, if they want to project a respect-worthy image for him. At his age, total lack of "worry" lines make him look like he just hatched from an egg.

Woops, I am trying to do too many jobs at once. I didn't mean to imply that Paul's implication was juvenile, just that Mr. Laube probably deserves his job. I think Paul was making the general point that kids would probably prefer Cal cabs over wines with more tertiary flavors. I'm sure he would agree that there are exceptions in that men, too, can like fruit-forward drinks. (Notice I refrained from using the term "fruity" even on a New Moon.)

I think Paul was making the general point that kids would probably prefer Cal cabs over wines with more tertiary flavors. I'm sure he would agree that there are exceptions in that men, too, can like fruit-forward drinks.

That is exactly it, Covert. It seems that the overall trend in some circles to peg earthy wines in a pejorative sense as dirty or flawed, is like clinging to flavours that are always cheery/happy and never challenging. That is where my allusion to juvenile tastes was coming from.

[David M. Bueker]

Just remember 7 words: wine is primarily a beverage of pleasure.

The folks on sites like this are in the total minority. Most people do not want and will never want to be challenged by their wine.

I'm no fan of WS. I don't like panel tastings (no one to "calibrate" to)

I don't want to appear to be defending the Speck either, but they haven't done panel tastings in several years. All the reviews have the initials of the reviewer after the note.

[James Roscoe]

I also am guilty of reading the Spek. I like Kramer. I like the pictures. Sue me. It seems that the way Laube is using the word earthy here is not in the loamy, peaty, mushroomy, forest floor sense, but in the gritty, dusty, swampy sense. I may be reading way more into it or maybe there's not much to read into the line and he's just casually tossing in a word he doesn't mean to. Of course I have no long history of reading Laube's work and he has been writing for a while. It could be that he's getting careless and lazy. Just my nickel's worth.