Tasting Ratings

                                                   Explained

Provided by the Country Vintner of West Virginia

It is probably safe to say that a person prefers to choose wines that have the characteristics they enjoy the most. This is especially true today when consumers seem to value new discoveries. As new selections continue to grow world-wide, it is often helpful to examine tasting ratings made by professional organizations who want to win your confidence by putting their reputation on the line. To obtain a balance of information, the ratings systems from three such organizations- Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, and Wine Advocate are highlighted in this article. While professional ratings may influence your decision, the ultimate judgment is still your own. Some sites, such as Wine Access, even let you offer your own ratings and comments. To get the most comprehensive access to historical information published on-line, most sponsors require membership registration with a modest fee.  For the true wine aficionado, reference guides available from their favorite reviewers are most essential to the expansion of their knowledge about wines. 

The  Wine Spectator  Rating System

The beauty of their system is that each wine region is the sole jurisdiction of one editor who has, after much time and grueling research, developed an expertise in that region's offerings. During a tasting, other editors are on hand and can certainly offer opinions, but the final say is had by that main editor. All tastings are conducted "blind." Tasters are told only the general type of wine (varietal or region) and the vintage. If a wine tastes corky or flawed in a major way, or if it scores below 70, a new bottle of the same wine is tasted again. By the same token, wines that score very highly are re-tasted to confirm such favorable first impressions. European wines are tasted in the districts that yield them, where fresher, perfectly stored examples will be readily available. Ratings are based on how good a wine will be when it reaches its peak, regardless of how soon that will be. If barrel samples are being rated rather than finished wines, that is revealed, since a world of difference can exist between these two stages of a wine's life. The following is Wine Spectator's 100-Point Scale and what it indicates:

   95-100 -- Classic; a great wine.
   90-94  -- Outstanding; superior character and style.
   80-89  -- Good to very good; wine with special qualities.        
   70-79  -- Average; drinkable wine that may have minor flaws.
   60-69  -- Below average; drinkable but not recommended.
   50-59  -- Poor; undrinkable, not recommended.

The  Wine Advocate  Rating System

Robert Parker is a renowned wine critic and publisher of Wine Advocate. He was made a Chevalier (one of France's two presidential honors) in 1993 to honor his work. Wine Advocate is a well-established source for wine consumers worldwide. To generate ratings, Parker spends three months each year tasting in vineyards. He devotes the other nine months of the year solely to tasting and writing. The ratings, which are based on a 50-100 point quality scale, reflect his independent, very critical look at wine. Tastings are conducted in peer group, single-blind conditions , which means the same types of wines are tasted against each other and the wineries' names are not revealed. Therefore, neither price nor the reputation of the winery influences the rating in any way. As many of the wines rated have been tasted several times, the scores represent a cumulative average of the wine's performance in tastings to date. Overall, the score assigned to a specific wine reflects the quality of the wine at its best. With the Wine Advocate scoring system, each wine starts with a base of 50 points. The wine's general color and appearance merit up to 5 points. Because most wines are well made due to steady advancements in modern technology, they generally receive from 4 to 5 points. The aroma and bouquet merit up to 15 points, which is based on the intensity level and dimension of the aroma and bouquet as well as the cleanliness of the wine. Flavor and finish merit up to 20 points and, again, intensity of flavor, balance, cleanliness, depth and length on the palate are all important considerations when awarding points. Finally, the overall quality level or potential for further evolution and improvement-aging merits up to 10 points. Following is Wine Advocate's 100-Point Scale and what it indicates:

   96-100 -- Extraordinary; a classic wine of its variety.
   90-95  -- Outstanding with exceptional complexity and character.
   80-89  -- Barely above average to very good wine with various degrees of flavor.
   70-79  -- Average with little distinction beyond being soundly made.
   60-69  -- Below average but drinkable while containing noticeable deficiencies.
   50-59  -- Poor and unacceptable, not recommended.

The  Wine Enthusiast  Rating System

Wine Enthusiast ratings are based on tastings by the magazine's editors and other qualified tasting panelists, either individually or in a group setting. Tastings are conducted blind or in accordance with accepted industry practices. Price is not a factor in assigning scores to wines. Only wines scoring 80 points or higher are rated. When possible, wines considered flawed or uncustomary are re-tasted to confirm initial impressions. Wine Enthusiast Scores or Ratings reflect editors' conclusions regarding a particular wine.

   95-100 -- Superb. One of the greats.
   90-94  -- Excellent. Extremely well made and highly recommended.
   85-89  -- Very good. May offer outstanding value if the price is right.
   80-84  -- Good. Solid wine, suitable for everyday consumption.