Is the influence of the wine critic waning?[/caption]
Perhaps the rumors of his decline have been greatly exaggerated. Though he's showing signs of yearning for retirement (ex. he's relinquished reviews of all CA wines to Antonio Galloni), he's still reviewing the wines of Bordeaux - his first love, and the wines that pushed him to prominence.
But is one point from Parker really worth over a grand a case? This article sites one such example. For example, it cites the difference between a 100-point wine and a 99-point wine - same producer, same wine, different vintage. I have no doubt that the relationship would not hold up when comparing a 90 point wine and a 91 point wine. Though hardly scientific or truly reliable, it's worth a glance.