Purpose I know it can be hard to figure out where you are and where you are going at a large web site, so here's a birdseye view. The goal of this site, unlike most others on the WEB, is to provide a focused approach to wine appreciation and reviews. More wide-ranging discussion takes place on the Bulletin Board .The Bulletin Board has moved to fora.erobertparker.com and grown amazingly fast.  Still, we have a community of fine people, and members remain because they like the "community feel" as much as they like the rather considerable wine information imparted.  Many current members of my BB began posting with me on other forums as early as 1987.   

This is not my full time job.  I have no desire to create some massive, umbrella site that is home to every disparate wine faction in the universe. My site reflects my point of view only. This site started by collecting my own reviews, articles, photos and notes, many of which were professionally published, originally, in print magazines. It was never intended to be all things to all people, but was rather a personal, and focused site. Some places on the internet have become cafeterias, and their owners have become editors, by pulling into their orbit virtually every wine faction imaginable.  It's a way to operate, but not what I want to do. I don't want to have the most partners, or the largest site. I want to have a point of view.  Although the site expanded dramatically in 1998 by including the Bulletin Board,  I still have no interest in being all things to all people, and in effect merely becoming a supervisor or editor rather than content creator.  I'm also not concerned with "organizing" the WEB through copious links, nor is this a commercial operation seeking to sell wine.  

Here are the major sections of this site:

• MAIN ARTICLES

  
  This, together with the Tasting Notes, is the heart of the magazine portion of the site. Articles can be merely compilations of related tasting notes, that is, wines all grouped together at some special event. However, many of the articles are more traditional "magazine" pieces, too. For example, How To Visit Bordeaux, or the charming My Dinner With Mario.  Some of these articles were professionally published in other places.
  

• TASTING NOTES

  
  Select this feature from the link of that name. You will be taken to the monthly summary page which merely lists the wines tasted that month for which detailed reviews are available. The Summary Page is a "birdseye view" of notes available for wines not included in main articles. If you are interested in detailed notes, an additional link will then take you to those notes.
  

• COUPS DE COEUR

  
  This page under the title "Coups de Coeur" contains abbreviated notes on recently tasted wines that really got my attention--just to let you know what really made me gasp. This section never runs more than a dozen wines or so. As it gets longer, I change the wines. Depending on when and where they were drunk, you will then find them in either the Articles or the Tasting Notes sections. 

• BEST BUYS

  
  Here's a list of some bargain wines. These differ from Coups de Coeur in that (a) they're exclusively inexpensive wines; (b) they may not be good enough to have been a coups de coeur (and then again, they may have....) This is not an exhaustive list; just some recommendations that provide a lot of pleasure without breaking the bank. 
  

• WINE BOOK LIST

  
  Some great wine books, reviewers. From basic texts to idiosyncratic charmers.   Included under the WINE button.
  
  

• MISCELLANEOUS WINE STUFF
  
  There are sections on national and international wine EVENTS and wine QUOTES.
  
  
• LOCAL WINE SCENE: PHILADELPHIA

  
  Added in July, 1998, this section is intended to fill a gap in the E-zine. Other than a few tips, this mostly consists of my BYOB list.

   

  
  

• MY BIO / ABOUT ME...

  Included under the INTRO button.  Why?  Who?  For what?   Questions answered.
  

• INTRODUCTION / ORIENTATION
  
  Well, here you are.