JamieGoode: The Privilege of Tasting BDX en Primeur

An interesting article, as linked by WineTerroirist, by JamieGoode:
http://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/uncategorized/privileged-access

on how the privilege of tasting BDX en Primeur may subtly shade how the wines are
being scored by the opinion leaders.

It's a question I've sometimes wondered about. When I have lunch with SteveEdmunds & he shows me
his new HoG, I always wonder if the wine is actually crap and I just like it because I'm in the company
of Steve & his Marketing Director, PamAnderson. Somebody tell me...is EdStJ HoG really crap???
But then I realize that I'm off the hook...I'm not an "opinion leader" and the HoG is actually frightfully
good stuff!!
Tom

Jamie's article nicely points out how human nature bears on wine criticism, perhaps even more than on music, theatre or art criticism. Unless we are born into those circles, most of us enjoy and value opportunities to hobnob with beautiful people in beautiful houses and to indulge our professional interests or private hobbies at the same time. Some degree of subliminal influence is then inevitable.

However, I would expect the subliminal influence on the top "opinion leaders" to be less than on the likes of Jamie Goode. I don't mean this as a criticism of his work, which is excellent, but Wine Anorak only reaches a relatively small number of wine geeks. Critics like Jancis Robinson, Robert Parker in his prime, his WA successors and James Suckling reach much wider audiences and the châteaux need them much more than they need the châteaux. It is hard to imagine their invitations being rescinded and they should be in a better place to resist such subliminal influence in their scoring.