Definition: 100 per cent Parker

How have prices changed for wines rated 100/100 by Parker? Since 1978, 452 wines have received Robert Parker's coveted 100/100 rating. As Parker retires, what conclusions can we draw about his role and the influence of his famous 100/100 ratings, particularly in terms of prices?

In an article published in the November 2015 issue of Revue du Vin de France (RVF) (No. 596), to which iDealwine contributed its expertise on market trends and wine ratings, journalist Jérôme Baudouin looks back at "the fabulous destiny of Parker's 100/100 wines". RVF journalists have compiled a list of all the wines that have received Parker's maximum score since the creation of Wine Advocate in 1978, and the conclusions are sometimes surprising.

Where do the wines rated 100/100 by Parker come from?

RVF has counted a total of 452 wines awarded the highest rating by the American critic. France is well ahead with 238 award-winning vintages, followed by the United States with 141. Australia occupies third place on the podium, but lags far behind the United States with only 29 wines receiving 100/100. Next come Spain, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Hungary and Austria. And that's it. No wines from Latin America, South Africa or New Zealand. On a regional scale, Bordeaux ranks only third among "Bob's" favourite regions. In fact, the region with the most 100/100 wines is California, ahead of the Rhône Valley and Bordeaux, followed by the other countries mentioned above. However, France regains first place when it comes to estates that have received the most 100/100 ratings, thanks to Chapoutier and Guigal. Next come two Californian estates, followed by Petrus. The top Bordeaux estate therefore only comes in fifth place.

Inflation of 100/100 scores

It is no longer a secret that, as time goes by, critic Robert Parker is increasingly generous with his famous 100/100 scores. In fact, in the 1990s, there were an average of 6.6 wines rated 100/100 per vintage (in reality, it was even less than that, as some scores were awarded at that time to vintages prior to the 1990s). By the following decade (the 2000s), this average had doubled to 13.2 wines per vintage. But it was really from 2012 onwards, following the takeover of Wine Advocate by Singaporean investors, that the scale changed dramatically, with an average of 56 wines per year achieving a 100/100 rating.

What impact does a 100/100 rating have on wine prices?

It is well known and there is no doubt that, for a winemaker, achieving a 100/100 rating from Parker is a guarantee of very good sales, even today when the famous critic has more or less retired. Achieving a 100/100 rating generally changes a winemaker's life and permanently transforms the image and positioning of their estate. Conversely, an estate that is downgraded (i.e. not awarded the maximum score for the following vintage) will see a significant decline in demand for its wines, as was the case for Dominus between 2010 and 2011. At iDealwine, we have chosen to focus on the price evolution of a few iconic wines from the Rhône Valley and Bordeaux by studying their iDealwine rating. We have selected a few wines whose scores have been upgraded by Parker in order to track their performance before and after achieving 100/100.

Châteauneuf du Pape Beaucastel Hommage à Jacques Perrin 1998

This cuvée scored 100 points in 2010. After the rating was published, there was an immediate and significant increase in price, from €256 in 2011 to €405 in 2015.

Château Clinet 1989

This Pomerol scored 100/100 in 2003 and, following this accolade, its price rose year on year, from €200 in 2004 to €363 in 2015.

Château Margaux 2000

Released as a primeur at €210, its price rose rapidly before receiving a score of 100/100 in 2010, which ultimately had little effect on its price trend. The price is strongly correlated with the general economic situation and global demand (particularly in Asia) for fine wines. The price of Château Margaux 2000 underwent a significant change in 2009 (the crisis at the end of 2008 had a brutal impact on the prices of fine wines). The price rose again, very sharply when it was awarded the famous maximum rating, and continued to do so until the end of 2011, before falling again to a low that lasted until the beginning of 2015.

2015.

Hermitage Le Pavillon Chapoutier 2003

This wine, from an estate dear to Robert Parker, scored 100 points in 2006 and its rating has risen steadily ever since, except for a slight dip since the beginning of 2015.

Château l'Église Clinet 2005

Released as a primeur at an average price of €186, this Pomerol scored 100 points in 2008 and saw its price rise by nearly €200 between 2009 and 2015.

Hermitage Cuvée Cathelin Jean-Louis Chave 2003

The exceptional cuvée from the Chave estate, named after his friend, the painter Bernard Cathelin, has undergone significant price fluctuations in recent years. After a sharp decline in 2010 – the wine fell from €1,093 in 2009 to €810 in 2010 – it scored 100 points in 2009. Rare at auction, its price has risen steadily since then, by nearly €200.

Hermitage Jean-Louis Chave 2003

The wine scored the maximum 100/100 in 2006 and has risen steadily since then. It therefore appears that Parker's rating has a significant impact on the price of wines that are well-known but not exceptional, whereas for the world's most famous wines, the "first growths", this rating has almost no impact in most cases.

This is what Gérard Perse, the owner of Château Pavie, says: "Of course, it has changed my life and helped to establish my properties over time. It makes marketing easier, but it doesn't necessarily mean that I can sell at a higher price. " Indeed, the 2009 Pavie, which was released as a primeur at £260, is now priced at £290, despite receiving a 100/100 rating in 2012. List of wines that received 100 points from Wine Advocate between January 1990 and June 2015:

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