Evaluations of Italian wines by major American critics diverge strikingly. It comes to mind that this is a kind of score marketing, that is, they take into account principles governing competition and editorial positioning.
American wine critics who cover Italy are certainly knowledgeable and experienced people. I name five in particular: James Suckling, Monica Larner, Antonio Galloni, Alison Napjus and Kerin O’Keefe.
The first comes from the school of Wine Spectator, who left several years ago after being the youngest member of the founding team. He lives between the Far East, the U.S. and Italy. The second is the one who took over the work of Robert Parker after collaborating for years with Wine Enthusiast and lives between Rome and California, with some appearances in France as well. Galloni worked extensively with Parker, who later left to found Vinous. Napjus is “Senior Editor and Tasting Director” of Wine Spectator, with responsibility for Italy and lives in the US. O’Keefe has long been in charge of Wine Enthusiast, a magazine he recently left to set up his own business. All very experienced, excellent tasters and certainly formidable professionals.
Occasionally, however, their assessments diverge in surprising ways. They almost never agree on the scores of the major wines, so it happens that if one of them rates that Brunello or that Barolo or that Amarone very highly, for the others there are always some better ones. As if to say. I am different and my way of tasting is unique and unrepeatable.
Of course, this also happens with other publications, those from Italy or France, for example. But with one key difference. While they mostly work alone or with very few collaborators, Italian and even French publications are almost always the result of teamwork. They are “men alone in charge.” in short, and our leaders of guides and whatnot, at best team captains.
Then I wonder if they are really the result of different opinions based on tastings their divergent views. Or whether it is not a kind of professional competition, a kind of “evaluation marketing, said with all due respect, of course. It would be like saying that, for example, this or that wine critic should not get along more because of competition and editorial positioning issues than anything else. Nothing wrong with that. If so, it would be enough to know, though.
