Founder of The Wine Advocate, his sway over the fine wines market cannot be underestimated. According to TIME magazine: 'The man with the paragon palate... for countless wine lovers, Robert Parker's tastes are infallible.' After tasting the Bordeaux vintage of 1982, Parker realised its greatness while others were dismissing it. Once vindicated, his stature as the world authority on wine was assured - and his track record has since been impeccable.

The Parker rating system employs a 50-100 point quality scale. A wine with a rating of above 90 points is generally agreed to be a sound investment.