Good Wine Websites

newsletter or online service. Celebrity winemakers get invited to be queried. Most of the posters are admirers of Mr. Parker aka The Wine Pope and are vociferous in offense if someone questions his palette or integrity. Occasionally Mr. Parker answers question or reports in general terms about his latest tasting. Most of wine subforum posts are erudite with a tendency to play "can you top this" The Offline Forum lists many events put on by participants at restaurants which prepare multi-course meal. There is almost always a theme and only the top tier of wines blessed by Pope with 95 points or more. Were talking easily over $200 for the event plus maybe a one night stay. There are other forums like the Social Hall on the site; this forum has participants opinions on the arts and sports. Political discussion is not allowed. You can learn what the international wine elite feels about any wine topic. Questions are answered without pretension so if you are new to wine basic questions are tolerated.

Robin a wine writer and educators. Some regular participants have columns and there are wonderful short articles, in fact I learned about his site from Mr. Parker. This group has offline but they look for value more than the Parker board. They have chats too. For the most part newcomers are welcome and you can ask just about anything & get a decent answer. Members of this board are less stuffy & kid each other more and decidedly less anal about wine. There are a few members here who've been banned by the Parker Boards moderator for bad behavior. Consequently you will see some Parker bashing. Probably the best balanced Board.

On the other side of the coin there are 2 sites I don't like, the Wine Spectator Board. Besides hyping the magazine, books, to-shirts a good percentage of the participants are younger than the two above and not as knowledgeable as the Parker or Garr Board. They are quite vigorous in criticizing other posters. More then the editors of The Spectator they dislike Parker and his influence. Any poster that uses a Parker score will be verbally buttaulted.

A profound dislike of Mr. Parker is the theme of the enemy vbuttal board. Most of their participants are knowledgeable and clever. There is a lot kidding of each other but most of it is understood and written for the wine hip members. The name Parker is not allowed on the board,any one who mentions or defends Mr. Parker is confronted. Like a schoolyard bully if you reply in kind you are banished from posting, a fate that I endured without too much travail.

This groups seems most like the Parker Board but is focused on Bordeaux. They are partying group who seem to have disposable income. They allow posts on almost all wine topics and are entertaining in their comments. Most all of the regulars don't think in terms of Parker & his rating, they can't wait for the next event. It so a much smaller board then the others mentioned meaning there is less traffic.

There are many other boards general & special interests and they are discussed by Robin & his posse on this site.

The group you've posted on AFW is not moderated although a few of us geezers and baby boomers do a little moderating. It has been in existence almost as long as the Prodigy board which evolved into E.Parker. Being self moderated we have our share people trying to sell us Viagra or trolling--trying to annoy the regulars. There are few offlines because we have a much smaller base but we have knowledgeable posters who occasionally have flame wars. Only enemy vessel is so intense as AFW.

What ever you do..... enjoy.