"The hardest test of knowledge in the wine world"

Anyone interested in adding "MW" to your moniker? Easy peasy, right? Check out this article in Slate:

http://www.slate.com/id/2296624/


JB

[Robin Garr]

JB, I assumed you meant this one to go in the main wine forum, so I took the liberty of hefting it over. Great article!

'sokay by me, Robin. I wasn't sure where to post it.

Thanks for making the tough decisions

JB

superficial and sniffy

Darn! I was hoping there would be multiple choice questions.

Dismissing the MW as unnecessary or superflouous is, at least in my opinion, somewhat supercillius. Be there no question but that those who have earned the title are extraordinarily knowledgeable about wine. Nor should there be any doubt that possession of the title is an entry gate to many high level positions in the wine industry.

I do not believe, however, that wine critics need or should even want to share membership with those who hold the title. First, very few of the world's most respected critics have sought the title, preferring instead learning in the field. Going a step further, I wonder if critics should "join" any wine-related club because membership eliminates the ability to be critical of that group and/or its activities. One of the few exceptions to this rule is Jancis Robinson who although justifiably proud of her MW has always held a legitimate distance from its internal mechanations.

Also worth keeping in mind that at least a few critics have taken and passed all of the examinations (perhaps though not including the dissertation) and then respecfully bowed out of accepting the title. Those who did that did so both to increase their knowledge and to demonstrate to themselves that they do, in the end, possess that knowledge.

Best
Rogov