Allen Meadows: Portrait of a wine critic specializing in Burgundy
A passion for Burgundy wines
The diversity and richness of the Burgundy That's part of its charm. However, from one vintage to the next, the wines will not be identical. How can you tell if the wine will be good or exceptional?
To achieve this, several critics travel to Burgundy each year and work tirelessly to taste hundreds or even thousands of wines and share their impressions with you.
Famous critic of fine Burgundy wines
Allen Meadows is certainly the most influential critic when it comes to Burgundy wines. He tastes great wines of Burgundy For over 30 years! Echezeaux, Chambertin, Corton Charlemagne, Clos Vougeot and other great wines hold almost no secrets for him.
Passionate about this region, this American critic decided in the 1990s to create Burghounda quarterly newsletter dedicated solely to a region that obsesses him: Burgundy. The first newsletter will be launched in the fall of 2000.
This newsletter is a treasure trove of information. It begins with a comprehensive report on the Pinot Noir (in Burgundy but also in other regions such as Oregon-USA or the Champagne) and approximately 1250 tasting notes per issue!
This renowned critic spends five months of the year in Burgundy visiting estates, conducting research, exploring, and evaluating wines through tasting. His goal is to bring a " quality advice "on the wines of a region he describes as complex. Almost all (98%) of his tastings are carried out at domaine.
His rating system
Of all the tastings carried out by Allen Meadows during his visits to Burgundy, Only one wine received the ultimate score of 100/100: Romanée Conti 1945Robert Parker, for his part, awarded 366 perfect scores of 100/100, 207 of which went to French wines. Allen Meadows seems less generous. For him, the highest scores are given to a wine that combines purity, elegance, balance, and represents the pure expression of the terroir. All this, of course, while also possessing richness, length, and harmony in the glass.
This is how Allen Meadows describes his notes:
85-89: Good to very good quality wines. The wine is typical of the appellation and deserves the reader's attention. Wines offering good value for money are often found in this price range.
90-94: exceptional wines that deserve to be in your cellar and will provide you with a memorable tasting experience.
95-100: incomparable wines that evoke genuine emotion. A wine that sets the standard for its appellation.
Allen Meadows places great emphasis on his independence from producersHe does not accept any funding for his travels, dinners, or any advertising on his website or newsletter. His tasting notes are personal. His many years of tasting experience in Burgundy and his recognition among winemakers open doors to exceptional estates. Moreover, his rating system, while stricter than Robert Parker's, seems fair with scores below 100/100, making him even more exceptional.
We highly recommend that you follow the notes of this great critic American in order to make your purchases great wines of Burgundy, whether it's for your personal consumption or with the aim of better investing in wine.
To stay within the world of great critics, discover the first Robert Parker's Bordeaux Primeurs 2013 ratings, an iconic figure in the world of wine.