Different Tongues - Power of Suggestion

[IVYCHEF]

Getting into this conversation a bit late but here is my point OH 2 on the subject.

I rarely pay attention to numerical ratings for myself. I am more interested in the printed descriptors. It takes some time to determine which publication(s) match your palate. But if the WS, WA, WE, etc. rate a wine 100 and it costs $1, its no "great find" to me if the descriptor reads heavily oaked, brett, tar, (and a few others)as those are characteristics I don't particularly enjoy in wine.

And this is why I quit with numbers. Back in '93(?), a friend of mine was raving about 1989 Preston Syrah-Sirah. I tried it and while not as wild about it as she, it was pretty tasty. Went through the first case fairly quick, the second almost as fast. I'm wondering why the dist. has so much of this. He can't move it...the WS gave it a 78!!! About a year later a ton of this is sitting at a local retailer for $9.99 a pop in the clearance section. Needless to say, I still have 2 bottles left and the last time I tried it, it was still darn tasty. 78?? not a chance. 88 more like it.

I'm leary of all the 90+ wines there are of late. Are wine makers and vintages that good or is something else going on??? Inquiring wino wants to know [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

Kevin