help with wine ratings

[dananne]

Answering for myself, ratings are only as valuable as the person providing them, and the palate I trust most is my own. That having been said, at times you may, through tasting, trial, and error, find a reviewer whose palate and tastes more closely resemble your own. As an example, if you find that you agree more often with Tanzer than with Parker on Rhones, then go with the former's rating if there is a difference when making a purchase decision.

Frankly, there are some folks on this site whose reviews of wines I'll trust over something like the "Speculator" any day [img]http://38.118.142.245/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

If you'll let us know the Rioja in question, perhaps I (or someone else) could let you know if we've had any experience with it and/or any opinions on aging it. IMHO, old-style Riojas (from good vintages) can go 10 years easy, while the verdict is likely out on newer, "international style" Riojas being made by some producers.

Oh, and welcome to the board! [img]http://38.118.142.245/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]