Mind What The Critics Say

Too often we accept values of commodities blindfolded, metaphorically speaking. Knowing nothing of the product personally, nor even bothered to, but simply take for truth whatever critics, presumed experts, advertising, TV commercial sing out to be the top quality of this and that. What if, there were no such influence at all from the above mentioned experts to recommend what we should eat, drink, wear.... what car we should buy, which bank in which to invest our savings, what book to read, what movie to see or the TV program to watch .... which computer is the most up to the minute, where to go for our holidays? Suppose We must find out the value of everything ourselves, make our own judgement on their merits or lack of it, to decide for ourselves what we need or want, not be told we must, or not, do or have. Many of us might even feel quite lost, having been guided in every aspect most part of our lives by simply turning on the television or look around us at the millions of advertisements blatantly posted everywhere the eyes can reach. After being conditioned for so long relying on advice of other sources and guidelines, we tend to make the most common mistake of judging something's value by the price tag. If something is expensive, it must be better than this other one for the same purpose of use, but costing less. If a bottle of Chateau Lafite carries a price tag of 700€, that must be the King of all wines. No. Not always so you know. Robin Goldstein, a famous Texan culinary critic, founder and editor of various gastronomic guides, decided this past May to stage a 'Blind Judging' by 500 professional wine critics-tasters to test 540 different wines. The surprising result was notably against all rules of price = quality proportion. Nevertheless, the consumers judge positively based mainly on the cost. And recommendation by experts. What the critics have selected, that's what they will buy, whether the value is just or not. Many have little or no knowledge of wine in areas of aroma, body and taste. A few even let themselves be influenced by the packaging of the bottle. Goldstein had been awarded by the prestigious Oenology or Enology (never knew which word is more correct, anyway it means the science of wine making) magazine, the 'Wine Spectator', for recommending the wine card of a restaurant in Milan. The most hilarious (and the most embarrassing for the publication was having to later publicly apologize) was that this restaurant didn't exist, and the wines in question had been judged to be the worst of the last 20 years. The incident makes you wonder, doesn't it, why we are sometimes so very gullible, or stupid? Tags:critics,experts,winetasting