Comments on: The value of a tasting note

By: Louis

Louis — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:45:32 +0000

uhm…I wrote the above on my iphone, which doesn't seem to like winecoversation.com – but with what Chris said below Isarck seems to be an unbelievably good self-promoter….but 50K, c'mon!

By: Louis

Louis — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:45:32 +0000

uhm…I wrote the above on my iphone, which doesn't seem to like winecoversation.com – but with what Chris said below Isarck seems to be an unbelievably good self-promoter….but 50K, c'mon!

By: Grape

Grape — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:52:51 +0000

Participating in a wine tasting has always been one of my deepest pleasures. There, you can interact with people with the same passion as you also have: Wine industry.

By: Peter Wood

Peter Wood — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:20:57 +0000

I agree with everything you say on this, and, as you are aware, I put every note I write online and offer them out for free, as long as whoever uses them, credits my blog (not that anyone ever uses them!!!). However, using a (respected) critic's note in a shop promotes that person's work, and hopefully will draw the wine buyer to reading more of that wine writer's work, be it in newspapers or on their website.

I can understand a freelance critic wanting to make a bit of cash from retailers using their notes, but the figures that Martin Isark demands are absurd! If all critics charged what Isark does, and a retailer with a 700 product wine list would have to pay over ten million quid BEFORE the 2% of sales to get their wines reviewed! I'm pretty certain that Majestic could hire someone well known and respected, like Jancis, for that sort of money, get every wine they sell reviewed by her. It would do them a damn site more good than paying Isark!

By: jimbudd

jimbudd — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:38:08 +0000

As Wink says Martin has successfully sued twice already – firstly Concha y Toro and then Direct Wines. In both instances the total settlement I believe ran to six figures or close to it. Of course a substantial chunk of this would have been legal fees.

Firstly I would have expected better from Majestic to use a tasting note on a 2000 wine and then apply it without permission to 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Whether people have heard of Martin Isark is rather beside the point – if the quote had no effect on sales then presumably Majestic would have used another quote from a different writer. Incidentally I understand that his www.supermarketownbrandguide.co.uk garners a very considerable number of visitors.

Robert raises a very interesting point – the value of a tasting note. Commercially it would be fascinating to see what difference, if any, quotes made to sales of wine across of supermarket chain. Do they increase sales and, if so, by how much? Sadly these sorts of figures would be very hard to come by, I fancy.

I'm intrigued that Martin's action tends to provoke horror and derision and, yes, it does raise ethical issues. However, is this use of a tasting note very different from an endorsement on a famous sports star's shirt or using a celebrity chef like Jamie Oliver to promote your food? I suspect that Jamie charges a tad more than £15,000.

Furthermore having already won twice does suggest that Martin is in step with the law.

By: chriscmitchell

chriscmitchell — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:31:49 +0000

Martin Isark is first and foremost a very good self-publicist! Not so long ago he got considerable publicity for questioning the motives of wine competitions such as the IWC, IWSC and DWWA in the national press – his comments weren't particularly popular and risked alienating him from the rest of the trade, at the very time his book was coming out. Pretty punchy opinions, this man has…

By: thirstforwine

thirstforwine — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:42:23 +0000

Ah, now untasted wines is a whole other story which is coming soon

By: rwhbray

rwhbray — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:13:22 +0000

The better and more widely read the writer, the more valuable the note. The top tier would be Parker, Tanzer, Robinson, Vaynerchuk, Johnson etc...

(note the lack of Isarck on that list)

Of course, once you start putting monetary value on tasting notes, wouldn't you find journalistic integrity jeopardised?

By: Wink Lorch

Wink Lorch — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:55:34 +0000

Some thoughts:
Martin Isark is a long-standing journalist and has sued others before this on exactly the same point, I believe at least once successfully (Jim Budd would know, I'm sure!). I think, because of this, the Circle of Wine Writers now include a question for our member directory entry as to whether we accept others quoting us without permission. I always answer 'no'. I dont' want people quoting me without permission as I want to check where it's going and how it's being used – these days usually I would ask for a website link.

I'm no lawyer either but £50k seems to be standard damages to ask for any breach … the same figure was quoted to me recently by a travel blogger who was sued by a travel company for libel over a comment someone made on his blog.

As to what a tasting note is worth, well as usual it depends who's written it and who's publishing it and is all tied up with the whole issue of money being earned or not earned by wine writers these days. I guess in view of the recent Matt Skinner issue, it also depends if you've actually tasted the wine .

By: robertgiorgione

robertgiorgione — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:58:38 +0000

Rob, you communicate this interesting topic very articulately and candidly. I agree, how does Mr Isarck come up with that figure?