Unauthorized

We are very excited to inform our readers that Michelin, the globally renowned tire company and name behind the world’s leading guide to quality restaurants, MICHELIN guide, announces today its acquisition of a 40% stake in Robert Parker Wine Advocate and RobertParker.com, the world’s most widely read independent consumers’ guide to fine wine.

Our RobertParker.com website includes online archives of every Issue of The Wine Advocate dating back to 1992, consisting of more than 300,000 original tasting notes. And we have recently developed a special events platform that enables the public to experience fine wine together with gourmet dining. Since 2016, we have joined forces with Michelin in Singapore and Hong Kong-Macau to offer unique dining experiences based on pairing fine cuisine and wine. The highly successful events offer consumers the chance to experience a selection of dishes prepared by the MICHELIN guide’s “starred" chefs and compatible wines recommended by Robert Parker Wine Advocate's experts.

Working with the MICHELIN guide on events in Singapore and Hong Kong-Macau demonstrated to both of our companies how much richer and more impactful the experiences we create for our loyal readers can be when we come together. The similarities between our core values, integrity and rigor as critics within the worlds of wine and food are striking. While collaborating with MICHELIN guide, it very soon became apparent that merging to create a sum that is even better than individual our parts would be an incredible means of offering even more for fine food and wine lovers around the world.

Our founder and President, Robert Parker, has been thrilled over the union of the two most independent sources for fine cuisine and wine, and the infinite possibilities it creates: “For far too long, critics have divided wine and food into two separate areas of expertise, but now the most realistic blend of impartial, independent, unbiased, intelligent food and wine opinion and wisdom have been married for the benefit of both wine and food consumers.”

With this equity investment, Michelin is strengthening and broadening its experience in the area of gourmet dining.

“Around the world, the credibility of Michelin and Robert Parker Wine Advocate is based on unique selection systems, organized around a proven methodology and undeniable independence,” says Alexandre Taisne, the CEO of Michelin’s Food and Travel Business. “The partnership between Michelin, the global reference in gourmet dining with the MICHELIN guide, and Robert Parker Wine Advocate, the world leader in wine tasting and rating, will enable our customers who enjoy upscale restaurants and fine vintage wines to experience unique moments. Initially we are focusing on markets in Asia and North America before pursuing our deployment in Europe and others regions of the world. We look forward to leveraging our strong relationship to develop even broader offerings for our customers.”

We hope our readers will join us in celebrating this auspicious merging of the world’s greatest fine food and wine publications.

Cheers & Santé!

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW, Editor-in-Chief