Neal Martin, Robert Parker's prodigy student?

Replacing Robert Parker at the Bordeaux Primeurs 2014 tastings, Neal Martin is one of the Wine Advocate's favorite critics.

How did this Briton end up on the most powerful team of wine critics in the world?

One might think he grew up in an environment where good wine flowed freely. Quite the opposite.
He writes:

« Until I was 25, wine was completely foreign to me.The only alcohol I drank was cheap cider, Liebfraumilch in a box or from Mateus (sparkling rosé wine from Portugal) on special occasions (a tradition that, despite my efforts, persists in the family).

After a brief career as an English teacher and insurance agent, he was hired by a company that exported wine to Japan. This led him to take a closer interest in wine. He recounts that his passion was ignited after drinking a glass of Château Montrose 1982 "My eyes and sense of smell were opened, and I fell in love with this fermented grape juice."

He was fascinated by the world of the internet, which is why he decided in 2003 to set up the website www.wine-journal.comon which he will post his notes from numerous tastings.

“Bored one Monday afternoon in June 2003, I started writing about wine. Three years later, after acquiring over 100,000 readersMy pen was requested by the world's most influential wine critic, Robert Parker.

This is how Neal Martin, an amateur wine taster, came to be recruited by the legend of wine critics.

Neal Martin – critic at Wine Advocate

Until now, within the Wine Advocate team, Martin was in charge of Burgundy wines (Côte d'Or, Macon and Beaujolais), Sauternes, South Africa, Madeira and Banyuls.

His presence during the 2014 Bordeaux Primeurs is not a first, it will be the This will be his 19th time participating.Parker stated that he had complete confidence in Martin and was certain he would successfully complete this important task. Neal Martin said impatient to take up the challenge and promises more "funky" notations than those we are used to.

Back in 2014, Neal Martin was already assigning his ratings Bordeaux Primeurs 2013 via the Wine Advocate.

This edition will undoubtedly be historic and memorable, see you at Bordeaux Primeurs 2014 !