Two reviewers, same score, whom to trust?

Read these opinions on Sandrone´s newly released 2012 Cannubi Boschis: "Galloni: The 2012 Barolo Cannubi Boschis opens with beguiling aromatics redolent of crushed rose petal, spices, mint and new leather. Wonderfully layered and nuanced, especially for the year, the 2012 offers good freshness to match its inviting, supple fruit. I would prefer to drink it sooner rather than later, while its alluring, open-knit personality is on full display. In 2012, the fruit tends towards the redder end of spectrum, unusual for Cannubi Boschis, which usually tends towards darker shades of expression. The 2012 is perfumed, lithe and super-classy from start to finish. 94/100 -- Parker: The 2012 Barolo Cannubi Boschis is a solid and tighter wine compared to the 2012 Le Vigne. Having said that, it veers close to being too austere and hard-bodied, especially at this young stage of its life. Of Sandrone's two new Barolo releases, this wine definitely needs more time to evolve and soften with extra years of bottle aging. The tannins are more evident and the wine's firm backbone acts to support dark fruit flavors with distant accents of spice, licorice and tobacco. 94/100" (The bolding is of course mine.)

Who is the WA reviewer and have they tasted the same wine?

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

[Robin Garr]

Parker or Galloni? Whom to trust? I'm thinking ... neither?

The only critics I trust to some extent are those who, from experience, appear to have palates which converge with mine. At random I can think of Jancis R, Wine Doctor, Jim's Loire, Burghound, Claude Kolm, our own Robin, perhaps Gary V (in spite of his irritating style), some of the RVF writers, Bernard Burtschy of le Figaro and Mosel Fine Wines. Scores alone are useless and Fredrik's post here shakes confidence in TNs and illustrates that they have to be taken with a large pinch of salt. Posters here and on other wine sites are a more reliable guide when one gets to know their tastes.

This is important to me for buying non-French wine on the web where I am short of critical references of the sort which I have for French wine. The web sellers sometimes quote scores only and, worse, WA's or WS's. The best are German sites, who often quote from TNs, but I am insufficiently proficient in the language to benefit properly from them.

I think the current WA Piedmont reviewer is Monica Larner. I don't subscribe so don't have idea of what she likes. But Parker I think was a long time Sandrone pusher, and always felt they would age. I think new reviewers don't want to change direction too quickly. I am also not a Vinuous subscriber. Galloni is a nice guy, and apparently a pretty knowledgeable taster. But to me he tries too hard to like everything (and scores high).

Right or wrong? Young wines can taste different on different days, from different samples,. etc. Personally I think Barolo can be especially hard to get a grip on. And tannin perception can very a lot based on how many young wines you've tasted in a row, food, etc. My personal Sandrone experiences were more late 80s/mid90s, and I think overall one might be better off with drinkiing young (assuming methods haven't changed).

I don't dismiss professional reviewers out of hand. But do take all TNs (professional or amateur) with a grain of salt (or perhaps a shaker of salt). It's information, but just a datapoint. If you have a chance to taste the Sandrone it would be a good opportunity to start getting an idea whether you give any credence to Galloni or Larner.

[David M. Bueker]

There have been wildly different opinions on the age ability of the 2012s elsewhere. I think it's a bit of a conundrum of a vintage. I would not go deep on wines to age.