Making the Grade

We've all been to the wine store looking for a new wine to try so we look for wines that have high ratings and feel confident that if it has a high score it should be great even if it is a little pricey.  But what do those numbers really mean?

When you first think of scoring you go back to the old high school days:
            A (90-100)= Excellent
            B (80-89) =Above average
            C (70-79) =Average
            D (60-69) =Below average
            F (59 and under)= Failing

However, in the world of wine, there are several wine rating systems in use today and many wine sellers and auctions use a combination.

A wine with a higher rating is normally more expensive than average wines, although this is not always true.  Rating scales are useful if you'd like to try a new wine and don't want an unpleasant surprise.

However, there could be a major drawback to wine ratings. The score given to wine depends on the person doing the rating.

So how did the rating system begin?  While tasting notes and other wine literature have been around for about as long as wine itself, the numerical system is relatively new.  During the mid 20th century, American interest in wine was growing and consumers found themselves being introduced to a vast assortment of wines from all over the world. This abundance of options created a niche market for critics who could provide a service in reviewing wines and making recommendations that could make the buying process easier for consumers.  We are all familiar with Consumer Reports, so why not rate wines like other products?

The popularization of numerical scoring is widely credited to the American wine critic Robert Parker who patterned his system of numerical ratings on the American standardized grading system in the 1970's.  Parker is arguably the world's most influential wine critic.  His by-monthly newsletter "The Wine Advocate" has a profound effect on both prices and market demand for fine wines around the world.  Parker is not the only critic at the Wine Advocate and many wines are tasted by colleagues at the publication.  Note that and RP next to  a wine means that it is rated by Robert Parker's  Wine Advocate , not necessarily Robert Parker himself.  Below is Parker's wine-scoring scale:

96-100:  An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes   expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are worth a special effort to find, purchase, and consume.

90 - 95:  An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. In short, these are terrific wines.

80 - 89:  A barely above average to very good wine displaying various degrees of finesse and flavor as well as character with no noticeable flaws.

70 - 79:  An average wine with little distinction except that it is a soundly made. In essence, a straightforward, innocuous wine.

60 - 69:  A below average wine containing noticeable deficiencies, such as excessive acidity and/or tannin, an absence of flavor, or possibly dirty aromas or flavors.

50 - 59:  A wine deemed to be unacceptable. Another rating system is from Wine Spectator(WS).  Each wine region is the sole jurisdiction of one editor who has developed an expertise in that region's offerings.  Other editors can offer opinions, but the final say comes from the region's primary editor.  It is also a 100-Point Scale:     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 Wine Enthusiast (WE) wine ratings are based on tastings by the magazine's editors and other qualified tasting panelists, either individually or in a group setting.      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. Wine and Spirits Magazine (W&S) tastings are a two-step process.  First, all wines submitted to us  or purchased are tasted  by screening  panels composed of retailers, sommeliers, winemakers an other wine professionals whom they are invited to taste with them.  The wines recommended by the screening panels are then presented  at a later date  to their critic, who scores  each wine  and writes the reviews.  Their score scale is below:      80 to 85-- good examples of their variety or region      86 to 89-- highly recommended      90 to 94-- exceptional examples of their type      95 to 100-- superlative, rare finds Other publications using a 100-point system include Stephen Tanzer of International Wine Cellar; James Laube, author of California Wine; James Halliday, author of many books and reviews on Australian wines; and Allen Meadows of Burghound. There is yet another rating system on the 5 Star Scale.  This one is similar to the hotel star ratings. Some examples include The Wall Street Journal, Michael Broadbent, and Decanter, a British wine magazine.  The New York Times uses a 4 Star Scale and a couple users of a 3 Star Scale are Wine X Magazine and Gambero Rosso, a major Italian wine publisher. As you can see there is a plethora of critics who can help and guide you in making decisions as to what wine you may enjoy.  Yes, wine ratings may influence your decision, but the ultimate judgement is yours.  Everyone has a different palate and different preferences, so basing purchases on wine rating may not garner the perfect wine match for your tastes.  Always read the tasting note to find out more.  And when you do purchase based on ratings, you will soon learn which publications or tasters posses your style of palate. Cheers! Lisa

WINE WORD OF THE WEEK

LEES:  The sediment (consisting mainly of grape particles and dead yeast) that accumulates in the bottom of a wine container during fermentation.  Some wines are aged "on their lees" (sur lie) to add complexity, body, and flavor.  (Taste Buds and Molecules, Chartier, Francois).