http://dat.erobertparker.com/bboard/ Mostly subscribers to Mr. Parkers
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.

http://www.wineloverspage.com/ An extensive site on wine & food hosted by
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 assaulted.

A profound dislike of Mr. Parker is the theme of the enemy vassal 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.


http://groups.msn.com/BordeauxWineEnthusiasts
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.

http://www.wineloverspage.com/cgi-bi...gi?lt=2&cat=24
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.
"ht" > wrote in message
...
> Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,
>
> I'm wondering if there are any good web sites out there where actual
> people (the more the better) are posting honest and commercially
> unbiased opinions on wines. I've been traveling quite a bit lately, and
> thus can't rely on my usual wine merchants' opinions.
>
> I'm especially hoping for reviews of small regional wineries' products,
> preferably w/o the mass-produced, micro-oxygenated, tastes like a tree,
> Robert-Parker-rules-the-industry approach (I like "big" reds too, but
> variety is the spice...)
>
> Many thanks for any assistance you can offer.
>
> Cheers,
> A. Winefellow
> (don't bother trying to email, just post any reply -- thanks)