If you just want the scoring method I will put it here at the beginning. If you want a bit more background keep reading.
Here is the key to our method:
+ = one
+ (+) = one and one-half
and so forth up to
+++ = three
Here is the thought behind the score.
+ A solid and enjoyable effort that warrants purchase. If a wine scores below this, we will not place it on the site.
+ (+) Enjoyable and very well made wine worth having, repeatedly.
++ A boon to wine drinkers everywhere, run, buy.
++(+) A brilliant and superb wine to be treasured and not missed for any reason.
+++ Truly exceptional wine, a paragon of the craft.
When the whole rating is in brackets e.g. (+++) this indicates projected rating based on proper time to age.
I believe that pleasure and enjoyment can be derived anywhere in this scale and that tasting more teaches more. Some times sacrifices have to be made.
In everything humans do, there exists further, higher, and better. By classifying things we attempt to place logic and order over them. In the world of wine however, as with art, you are not dealing with something that can be rigidly defined. Experts who taste thousands of wines a year can use their vast experience to pinpoint the standouts but this is not the final defining word on a wine. What I want to talk about here is, what is a score and what does it really mean? I wanted to present a few things to consider and cover my scoring philosophy going forward.
The dominate wine scoring method for Americans is the 100 point system. Any system has strengths and weaknesses. Many people say that the 100 point wine system is really a twenty point system (widely used by many European writers and publications). Some go further and claim that the 100 point system has become a ten point system. When considering wines for purchase people only look at wines that are between ninety and 100, ten points that matter.
As with any rating system attempting to bring order to complex ideas, subjectivity comes into play. What is a 90 point wine compared to? The worst wine you have ever tasted, dirt, water? It can be confusing without a framework to understand what the score actually represents. What do you score ninety-five points? Big powerful wines, a fruit punch to the face? Do you prefer earthy wines, with a bit less fruit? Can you compare Sicilian Frappato to Napa Cabernet and translate that to a perfect understanding of the two wines? Professionals do posses some ability to do this but not entirely. The overall quality of any wine becomes apparent with greater context.
Other considerations that get overlooked by many people who enjoy wine, include the fact that wine is a living thing, an agricultural product. If you purchase several plums and go home to enjoy one, will they taste same in a week, or two weeks? Wine changes and evolves over time. Wine is not Coke Cola (although some producers try to make it the same way). Everybody has different preferences, genetic and environmental biases, and these can add up quickly. Think about great wine experiences you have enjoyed. Was the 100 point wine you tasted more enjoyable than the random little wine you enjoyed at a small bistro in Paris? Mood and environment have great influence on taste. Perfume and cologne will destroy the ability to taste wines with any objectivity. Music will change your mood and therefore the taste of wines. Professionals reduce outside factors to the greatest degree possible to get only what is in the glass, but nothing is perfect.
On the plus side for Americans at least, the 100 points system is easy to understand. We have been trained by years of school, taking test and writing papers. The system has its’ usefulness. Scores give you an idea of how much you may enjoy a wine based on comparison to the score of your recent favorite. This assumes that the same person did the scoring on both wines, and knowing who rated the wine is important. It is safe to use these scores as a tool as long as you know what the tool actually does. Tasting eighty wines every week year after year will gives a framework to understand wines, but would be impossible for the average wine drinker, scores fill in the gaps. When considering the collection of wine, scores have financial repercussions for everybody involved and are relied on heavily. Ratings do have their place.
I have found a few things that have been helpful in reducing confusion around wine scores. First, know your reviewer. A wine reviewed by Robert Parker and scored ninety-four points is not the same wine Steven Tanzer or or Antonio Galloni scores ninety-four. Get to know the wine reviewers palate and how it may compare to your own. Scores are most useful in this controlled application. Second, the best thing a wine lover can do is build a relationship with a knowledgeable wine professional. Each time you tell them what you have enjoyed previously they can more accurately select like bottles, flavors and styles. The more time you spend going back to the shop, the better they will know you, and the happier you will be with the selections. In the top shops the owner/steward can also explain what you are experiencing as you taste, and tasting with somebody more experienced is a good way to fast track your wine education. One last thought regarding shop relationships. In the better shops the operators will have tasted the wine somewhat recently. Scores in magazines may have been assigned a year before you see the bottle, and wine changes. Something so so a year ago may be amazing now.
The scoring system I will use gets to the point, sorry I could not help that.
Here is the key to our method:
+ = one
+ (+) = one and one-half
and so forth up to
+++ = three
Here is the thought behind the score.
+ A solid and enjoyable effort that warrants purchase. If a wine scores below this, we will not place it on the site.
+ (+) Enjoyable and very well made wine worth having, repeatedly.
++ A boon to wine drinkers everywhere, run, buy.
++(+) A brilliant and superb wine to be treasured and not missed for any reason.
+++ Truly exceptional wine, a paragon of the craft.
When the whole rating is in brackets e.g. (+++) this indicates projected rating based on proper time to age.
I believe that pleasure and enjoyment can be derived anywhere in this scale and that tasting more teaches more.