The Emperor of Wine : The Rise of Robert M. Parker, Jr. and the Reign of American Taste
by Elin McCoy
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Book Summary Information
Author: Elin McCoyEdition: Hardcover
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2005-06-28
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 352
Book Reviews of The Emperor of Wine : The Rise of Robert M. Parker, Jr. and the Reign of American Taste
Book Review: Like him or not, wine enthusiasts will benefit from reading this bio
Summary: 5 Stars
I am no fan of Robert Parker, but am better off as a wine enthusiast for having read Elin McCoy's biography.
As the title suggests, McCoy's book is divided into two parts: the incredible rise of Parker as a wine reviewer and then his role leading the American influence over the global wine industry. In addition to educating me about the man, I also learned a ton about the wine industry in general, especially the history and culture of the Bordeaux and Burgundy regions in France.
I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about wine and the impact America has had on the global industry.
McCoy provides an incredible amount of context and detail to Parker's story, at times making the narrative too extracted, like many of the wines Parker recommends. But she is to be excused, for this usually offers needed support for telling the Parker story in the context of American taste.
In fact, the second half of the book becomes less about Parker and more about "the reign of American taste" over the global wine industry. This influence, which Parker clearly served as the catalyst for, has had a profound impact on the types and styles of wine being made around the world. McCoy does an excellent job detailing the downside of this trend, in terms of the homogenization of wine as a result of American preference for fruitier, sweeter, fuller wines.
In reading this book, I appreciate even more the difference between tasting vs. drinking wine. I share in McCoy's concern that Parker's palate maintains a strong influence over which wines thrive, if not survive, in the marketplace. Whenever one person dictates not only what should be drunk, but also how wine should be made, all wine consumers will suffer.
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