Back and Forth with Bob

Here's what the World's Most Famous Wine Critic is doing - and drinking

Robert M. Parker Jr. may have sold The Wine Advocate some 14 years ago but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a busy man. When I contacted Bob a few weeks ago, he was pressed for time. There was a film crew at his Maryland house. What if I sent a few questions via email? Bob agreed. He would send me answers when the crew left sometime in the following week.

I had so many questions about Bob’s post-Advocate life but decided to keep our Q&A brief.

Do you still rate wine- even if it’s only in your head?

I suppose it is impossible not to “rate” anything I drink, but mostly I consume wine for pleasure without assigning numbers. Frequently, friends ask “What would you rate this?”... I politely decline.

Are there any wines in your cellar right now that you regret buying? (And don’t drink?)

Or wines that you regret not buying MORE of?

I bought excessive amounts of Bordeaux. Of course they are fun to drink, but their aging curve is so damn long, and at my age, patience is no longer a virtue. Would have bought more Grüner Veltliners, especially from Pichler, Knoll, and Hirtzberger.

What wines do you drink on a Tuesday night?

Tuesday night wines are the same as every weekday.... Châteauneuf-du-Pape, California Rhône Rangers, mature Bordeaux (1982-1998) for reds. Whites usually are Austrians, Condrieu, Marcassin and Aubert Chardonnays and of course Champagne (Billecart-Salmon and Pol Roger rule this house).

Your take on the 1982 Bordeaux launched you onto the world stage. If someone wanted to be Robert M. Parker Jr today (!) what wines or wine region do you think he or she should focus on and/or discover?

(It’s) impossible to get the public’s attention without focusing on the classic wine regions of Europe and of course California. Newcomers would do well to look more closely at Spain, Portugal, southern Italy, Argentina, Oregon, Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Hungry, Romania, and Georgia).

What wine writers or wine books are you reading?

Wine reading-yes, but not a lot. Tend to follow the wine business news more than ratings, but still am fond of Lisa Perotti-Brown, Jeb Dunnuck, and rarely, the Wine Advocate. I read incessantly, usually two books at a time-one fiction - spy/counterterrorism and one non-fiction (history).

What about having a day a month or year wherein you name a 100-point wine?

Would not care for a 100-point wine day. Much of the criticism of me was because people naturally focused too much on scores. I always hoped, in vain, the tasting note/description was more important. Also, it was so emotional to give a 100 score, and those emotions are personal and impossible to transfer.

Tell me more about the filming in your house! Is there a documentary about you in the works?

The documentary (not yet titled) is due out by year’s end. Lawrence Elman, a London-based documentary filmmaker (he just finished a documentary on Jesse Jackson) is doing it along with a French production team led by Julien Courson.

If Bob is game for a second round, do Wine in Words readers have any questions they would like me to ask?

Bob and his beloved bulldog at home in Monkton, MD some years ago.