Wine Critic Robert Parker Publishes Milestone 200th Issue of The Wine Advocate

MONKTON, MD--(Marketwire - Apr 27, 2012) - Legendary critic Robert Parker, the most influential and authoritative voice in wine reviews, published the 200^th issue of The Wine Advocate today. The industry's most trusted, independent wine publication made the 100-point rating scale famous resonating with both casual wine lovers and industry insiders as the measure for recognizing great quality. Professional, meticulous tasting notes and thorough regional analysis have allowed The Wine Advocate critics to exert the most significant influence on consumer's buying habits and wine trends in the United States, as well as in 40 countries around the world.

The 200^th anniversary issue is full of more in-depth reviews and articles focusing on 2011 Bordeaux with Robert Parker following his historic review of the 2009 vintage; Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino with Italian wine expert Antonio Galloni; Piorat, Cava and Catalonia, Spain, as well as Sauternes and Barsacs with Latin-American wine expert Neil Martin; New South Wales with Lisa Perotti-Brown -- one of only a handful of female Masters of Wine worldwide; Portugal and Greece with the talented Mark Squires; and Savoie, France with European expert David Schildknecht. The team of highly acclaimed wine reviewers covers the world's top-producing regions with independent reviews, which truly sets The Wine Advocate apart from its competitors.

Since its first publication -- initially titled The Independent Consumer's Bimonthly Guide to Fine Wine -- the highly esteemed journal has not relied on any form of advertising or sponsorship. Its sole focus is to provide non-biased reviews readers have come to trust as the industry benchmark. Today, it is the most-anticipated wine guide published on the wine market.

In fact, one observer noted that "when Robert Parker spits, the world listens." Insiders have long maintained that Bordeaux producers and industry marketers have been known to wait up for The Wine Advocate ratings to be released before setting wine prices. Whether you believe winemakers produce wine for Parker's palate or just appreciate what he and his team have to say, there's no doubt the last 34 years have markedly impacted the world of wine.

"I'm proud of the work, care and dedication our team puts into each issue giving our readers the best analysis and reviews in the business," said founder and wine critic, Robert Parker. "It's amazing to think about the last 200 issues without extraordinary gratitude to our loyal subscribers for their continued interest, lively discussions and passion for what we simply love doing."

About The Wine Advocate
First published in 1978, The Wine Advocate is the most thorough and trusted guide to fine wine created by the world-famous, authoritative voice in wine criticism, Robert M. Parker, Jr. Published bimonthly, Parker set out to create a guide for the wine consumer utilizing the 100-point rating scale along with meticulous professional tasting notes for true lovers of wine. Virtually every knowledgeable observer agrees that Parker's ratings exert the most significant influence on the serious wine consumer's buying habits and trends in the United States and at least 40 countries around the globe. For more information, visit www.erobertparker.com.

@robertmparkerjr
(Covers Bourdeaux, California)

@antoniogalloni
(Covers California, Italy, Champagne, Chablis, Burgandy)

@nealmartin
(Covers Latin America, S. Africa)

@lisapbmw
(Covers New Zealand, Australia, China)

@marksquiresw
(Covers Israel, Portugal, Greece)