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We’ve provided ratings and tasting notes not only from the world’s most respected and influential wine experts but also from those who are renowned within their own country, be it Australia, South Africa or New Zealand.
Over the next few months we will be adding ratings from Decanter Magazine, the authoritative Italian Wine Guide Gambero Rosso, as well as from other leading experts in the UK, Australasia and the Americas.
But first let us introduce the experts we feature now:
 Robert Parker – The American, Robert Parker, is undoubtedly the world’s most influential wine critic. His newsletter, The Wine Advocate, first published in 1978, soon exerted such a strong influence on the wine buying habits of serious American consumers that by the 1990s his ratings influenced, and continue to influence, the prices of fine wines around the world. An accomplished author we feature two of his best books on Bordeaux and The World’s Great Wine Estates for sale on our books page. You can subscribe to the Wine Advocate and get access to tasting notes on over 20,000 wines at www.erobertparker.com for $99 per year.
 Jancis Robinson MW, OBE – Like Robert Parker, has won far too many awards to mention for her wine related activities. Of definite “doyenne” status among British wine writers, she is a prolific author, broadcaster and wine authority whose work ranges from the encyclopaedic Oxford Companion to Wine to the introductory Jancis Robinson’s Wine Course. Her pithy wine tasting notes are frequently sceptical and damning but wines that attain the “humdinger” status of 18 points are not to be missed ( see our Ratings Guide). Refreshingly self deprecating her website www.jancisrobinson.com is informative and good fun with lots of freely viewable material and a charge of £69 per year for access to the tasting note database + numerous other members features.
 Wine Spectator is America’s leading wine magazine, a gloriously presented and accessible publication, it is a delight to read. Wine Spectator has a large globe trotting wine tasting team who sample over 13,000 new wines every year and the world’s largest online database of wine ratings (167,000 at last count). It is available to purchase from winedirect (we also provide complimentary copies to our wine club customers). As part of our Christmas Giveaways, winedirect will present you with Wine Spectator’s fabulous Christmas issue, featuring their annual Top 100 Wines, with every purchase over £200. There’s plenty to browse on their website at www.winespectator.com
 Stephen Tanzer is the editor and publisher of International Wine Cellar, a bi-monthly American wine journal published in both print and on-line versions. Formerly senior editor at the US Food and Wine Magazine and wine columnist for Forbes, Mr Tanzer samples over 10,000 wines personally a year, travelling constantly around the world to do so. His journal is commended by both Robert Parker and Jancis Robinson. Discover his journal at www.wineaccess.com/expert/tanzer . Susbscriptions cost £80 per year.
Matthew Jukes, wine buyer at Bibendum restaurant in London , is an acclaimed popular wine writer – author of the wine column in the Daily Mail and writer of the annual best selling Wine List , showcasing his top 250 wine picks of each year. His writing style is deliberately entertaining, accessible and jargon free. You can purchase the The WineList 2007 in our books section. Alternatively, take a look at his website at www.matthewjukes.com ( £30 per annum to subscribe).
 Decanter Magazine is the UK’s leading wine publication. We will be adding Decanter ratings during the coming months. We do however highlight wines which win awards at the annual Decanter World Wine Awards, one of the world’s most respected and influential wine competitions with a rigorous judging process. Available to purchase from winedirect we also provide complimentary copies to our wine club customers. And as part of our Christmas Giveaways, we’ll present you with Decanter’s bumper Christmas issue featuring their top Wines of the Year for 2006 with every purchase over £200. You can search their wine ratings + check winners of the Decanter World Wine Awards at a website packed with information on www.decanter.com.
Finally , we’ve quoted reviews or review excerpts from a number of other highly regarded critics on the site including:
- James Halliday – An award winning Australian wine writer and senior competition judge. Author of the Australian Wine Companion, an annual guide to the best Australian wines.
- Huon Hooke – also one of Australia’s top wine writers and judges. Author of the Penguin Guide Good Australian Wine Guide.
- Tyson Stelzer – another , not yet so famous, Australian wine writer. We at winedirect liked his review writing style. A fierce defender of cork closures.
- Michael Cooper – New Zealand’s premier wine expert and author of the annual Buyer’s Guide to New Zealand Wines.
- John Platter – leading wine critic in South Africa and author of the annual John Platter South African Wine Guide
- Wine Enthusiast magazine – a rival to Wine Spectator in the American market. And you can access their reviews without a subscription at www.winemag.com
- Tim Atkin MW – wine columnist for the Observer
- Jane MacQuitty – wine columnist for the Times
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