Vintage Sufferage

There is an AP story in today's papers by someone named Michelle Locke on this subject about an upcoming all women wine judging in Santa Rosa. In her first paragraph Ms Locke states, "Women buy a lot of the wine purchashed in the United States, and they make quite a bit of it too. But it's mostly male critics who proclaim what's prime and what's plonk."

I guess she has never heard of Jancis Robinson, Andrea Immer (Robinson), Natalie MacLean, or at least another dozen I could take off the top of my head; to say nothing of the wonderful ladies on this forum.

Wonder what hole she lives in?

There is an AP story in today's papers by someone named Michelle Locke on this subject about an upcoming all women wine judging in Santa Rosa. In her first paragraph Ms Locke states, "Women buy a lot of the wine purchashed in the United States, and they make quite a bit of it too. But it's mostly male critics who proclaim what's prime and what's plonk."

I guess she has never heard of Jancis Robinson, Andrea Immer (Robinson), Natalie MacLean, or at least another dozen I could take off the top of my head; to say nothing of the wonderful ladies on this forum.

Wonder what hole she lives in?

Good point.

It's what happens when an agenda meets an ill-informed journalist...

"But it's mostly male critics who proclaim what's prime and what's plonk." Emphasis supplied.

Sounds accurate to me, Carl.

Wine Advocate -- four male reviewers.
Wine Spectator -- five male reviewers.
Wine Enthusiast -- three male reviewers.
International Wine Cellar -- two male reviewers.
Burghound -- one male reviewer.
New York Times -- male wine critic; tasting panel varies from 2-2 to 3-1 male-female.
etc.
New York Sun -- one male wine critic.
etc.

The Wall Street Journal is one exception with a 50/50 ratio.

A cursory review of the tasting notes posted here, on eBob, and elsewhere show that the great majority are written by males.

The majority of wine judges are still men, although this trend is changing; Michelle Locke is reporting on the first wine competition to be judged solely by women.

This competition is an attempt to even out the balance.

Michelle Locke is an excellent reporter, and has written a number of very good articles for AP on wine and wine personalities.

And two of your examples -- Jancis Robinson and Natalie MacLean -- write about wine in England and Canada, respectively, not the US. Even Andrea Robsinson is known much more as a wine teacher than a wine critic.

Regards, Bob

This is kind of unrelated and I'm sure there have been many studies conducted, but I haven't read them. Does anyone know the breakdown of winedrinkers male and female? How does that number change as the bottle price goes up?

Good points Bob, but Jancis Robinson has written for WS. Guess she feels the same way about them as I do. Wine & Spirits has Tara Q. Thomas for a managing editor. And then there's Dorothy J. Gaiter, Mary Ewing-Mulligan, Serena Sutcliffe, Liz Berry, Rosemary George, Maureen Ashley, Fiona Morrison, Chandra Kurt, Caroline Gilby, Erica Platter, Sandra Silfven, Beverley Blanning. These may be mostly international too, but then again so is wine. Tom Stevernson utilizes most of these MWs in his annual Wine Report, the most comprehensive annual available; and they write very well.

Cheers, Carl

Good points Bob, but Jancis Robinson has written for WS. Guess she feels the same way about them as I do. Wine & Spirits has Tara Q. Thomas for a managing editor. And then there's Dorothy J. Gaiter, Mary Ewing-Mulligan, Serena Sutcliffe, Liz Berry, Rosemary George, Maureen Ashley, Fiona Morrison, Chandra Kurt, Caroline Gilby, Erica Platter, Sandra Silfven, Beverley Blanning. These may be mostly international too, but then again so is wine. Tom Stevernson utilizes most of these MWs in his annual Wine Report, the most comprehensive annual available; and they write very well.

Cheers, Carl

And there once was Barbara Ensrud and Pam Eunice (the latter is still making her mark).

This is kind of unrelated and I'm sure there have been many studies conducted, but I haven't read them. Does anyone know the breakdown of winedrinkers male and female? How does that number change as the bottle price goes up?

According to the NY Times, women buy 77% of wine (makes sense since we're often the household purchasers) and drink 60% of it (also makes sense since we need to get through the arsenic hours of 5-7 pm... I call my glass of wine at that time "Mommy's little helper") I compare male and female wine shopping habits in my book. Hope that helps.

Thank you Natalie,
I might just buy that book.

Thank you Natalie,
I might just buy that book.

Thanks Bill! There's more info about it if you're interested: http://www.nataliemaclean.com/book ... Caveat lector

I'm with Bob- no reason to call this journalist ill-informed. Most of the women cited are not critics per se, though they are respected professionals.

Offhand, other than a couple of "best buys" from the couple at WSJ and maybe one or two from Jancis, I can't recall EVER seeing a shelf-talker from a woman critic. Tons from the all-male crews at WA and WS, some from IWC and Burghound, a few Burg/German ones from John Gilman and Claude Kolm. The fact that we can name exceptions doesn't change the reality of the majority of those that proclaim plonk or not are male.

I'm with Bob- no reason to call this journalist ill-informed. Most of the women cited are not critics per se, though they are respected professionals.

Offhand, other than a couple of "best buys" from the couple at WSJ and maybe one or two from Jancis, I can't recall EVER seeing a shelf-talker from a woman critic. Tons from the all-male crews at WA and WS, some from IWC and Burghound, a few Burg/German ones from John Gilman and Claude Kolm. The fact that we can name exceptions doesn't change the reality of the majority of those that proclaim plonk or not are male.

Or maybe more accurately, the majority of those who pay for vinuous proclamations seem to hire mostly male proclaimers...you know, the one out of two sexes that hates to ask for directions for fear of having been proved wrong

Thank you Natalie,
I might just buy that book.

Thanks Bill! There's more info about it if you're interested: http://www.nataliemaclean.com/book ... Caveat lector

NM, just found your book in the library!!

Thank you Natalie,
I might just buy that book.

Thanks Bill! There's more info about it if you're interested: http://www.nataliemaclean.com/book ... Caveat lector

NM, just found your book in the library!!

Hey, that's not how writers earn a living

I can't recall EVER seeing a shelf-talker from a woman critic.

In that case, I guess we can forward to the shelf-talkers from these judges.

Cheers, Carl

I can't recall EVER seeing a shelf-talker from a woman critic.

In that case, I guess we can forward to the shelf-talkers from these judges.

Cheers, Carl

If I were a woman (no James, I am not) I would consider it an insult to be connected with a shelf-talker. Come to think of it, as a man I consider it an insult...

I write shelf-talkers all the time, and I'm regularly astounded at people's willingness to take what I write over what I say.

I write shelf-talkers all the time, and I'm regularly astounded at people's willingness to take what I write over what I say.

That was always a mystery to me when I was in retail. But when you consider that a major wine critic or two got there initially by claiming the retail trade can't be trusted; well then, what can you expect, especially from those who believe critics?