2011 Vintners Hall of Fame ballot, and the next big wine controversy

The 2011 Vintners Hall of Fame ballot has been released, and it is certain to make a lot of people unhappy. And that's not because there are no women among the 22 nominees, or that one of the nominees is controversial farm labor leader Cesar Chavez.

It's because two of the nominees are Two Buck Chuck inventor Fred Franzia, the man Napa loves to hate, and wine writer Robert Parker, the most important person in the wine industry. And the Wine Curmudgeon will predict now that Franzia -- despite how much he is disliked -- will get in and Parker won't. And how much of a stink will that be? More, after the jump:

Parker was nominated last year, but didn't get in. I get to vote, and I didn't vote for Parker -- not because I don't think he deserves it, because he does, but because I am so opposed to scores. And Parker is the man who invented the 100-point scoring system. Still, I figured he would get in easily, and I that was making another in a long line of ineffectual protest votes.

So I was stunned when Parker didn't get in. Apparently, there were a lot of voters (who include wine industry professionals like winemakers, writers, and marketing types) who don't like him. A friend of mine, who also gets to vote and is much more connected to the California industry than I am, said he would make the same bet: that Franzia gets in in 2011 and Parker doesn't.

This is amazing. The vitriol directed Franzia's way is hard to believe, while Parker is deified -- in public anyway. On the one hand, Halls of Fame for everything except baseball are kind of silly -- Madonna in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? But it is a measure of talent and influence, no matter how inexact, and that Parker isn't in says a lot about his reputation among the those wine industry professionals who vote.

One other interesting note: Twice in the last three years, a single vote made the difference between who got in, and who didn't. Last year, the margin was twice as big -- two votes. I wonder how much of that was about Parker.

Fred Franzia, Robert Parker, Vintners Hall of Fame

Comments

[Jim]

Madonna is an icon who changed pop culture - shame on you.

[Jeff Siegel]

No argument with that, but she ain't rock and roll. If changing pop culture was the only requirement, they should let Andy Warhol in.

[W. Blake Gray]

Hi Jeff, I just want to point out to readers that the Vintners Hall of Fame Electoral College -- the voters -- are only media and living members of the Hall. No industry professionals, winemakers or marketers, unless they're also media or a living Hall member.

Thanks for voting!

W. Blake Gray
Chairman, Vintners Hall of Fame Electoral College

[Alfosno Cevola]

Hey Blake:

I didnt get my invite....

[Jeff Siegel]

Thanks for clarifying that, Blake. It does help explain why Parker didn't make it, and why Franzia will. Writers can be a particularly catty bunch.

[Rob Garretson]

My thanks too, Blake, for the clarification. I was going to ask the Curmudgeon for more details on the process, like how many votes are cast, what's the criteria for getting in (75% of the vote, top 10, etc.). The interesting note about the close margin left me wanting more.