Wine Ratings - What do they mean

For many people when they buy wine that distinguishing factor is the wine's rating. The 90+ point wine is seen as having a greater value to all others. But how do you know that particular wine was made in a style you will enjoy? The 100 point scale was made famous by what I will call the Big 2, The Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator. Mid major players such as IWC, John Newman and James Suckling also use the 100 point scale. To make matters even more confusing Decanter uses a 20 point scale and many wine blogs/websites use a variety of other scoring methods. I will focus on the 100 point scoring from The Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator as they are primarily used by wine shops (as opposed the online sellers who will use any 90+ point score to sell a wine). I am not against the 100 point scoring system nor the publications that use this method. Wine Critics such as Robert Parker, James Laube, Harvey Steinman taste 1000's of wine's a year in a controlled environment and have enough experience that their score has a true value. These scores can help us in regions which we are not familiar or how best to spend your money. What consumers need to realize is not all rating are equal. Robert Parker used to cover many different regions while Wine Spectator has different critics in charge on each major region. It is said that Parker ushered in the era of high alcohol (over 14%) as those were the wines that were rated the highest. Consumers who favored lower alcohol wines from Napa would be less likely to find these wines with the bigger scores. With such diversity in tasters/critics and publications it means that WA90 is not the same as WS90. The best way to use the scoring system is to become familiar with the different critics and see which scores best sync with your palate. If you have a favorite region and you have had more successes than not with the critics recommendation than trying new wines with 90+ scores can reveal some very special surprises. The major publications offer us insight into wine regions and 1000's of wine reviews to empower the consumer. We should use this information as a starting point but also be cognizant that 90+ points does not guarantee you will enjoy that style of wine nor does it means wines without a 90+ score are not worth your taste.

What I drank - November 16th 2012

Some of the more esteemed wineries in Napa Valley have some much demand that they need to implement a mailing list and then further a wait list. It can take years to receive allocation from many of these wineries. One of the cult producers of Cabernet is Dalla Valle. The Maya is highly rated by all the major critics and the second label is the Casa Dalle Valle, which happens to be the initial wine open to mailing list members. The 2004 Casa Dalla Valle still has the firm tannin you would expect from a young Oakville Cabernet. After 5 hours of decanting the dark fruits expressed themselves. What made this wine extraordinary was the complete mouth feel. The evolution from initial taste to mid palate to the finish is an incredible journey. The wine has a finish that seems to last for minutes. This wine could benefit from another 3-5 years in the cellar.

Introduction to Wine - How do I know what I like?

A common statement that I hear when sharing wine among a group is that people do not "know" what they like to drink. Developing a palate or taste can be daunting as a beginner. Going to your local wine shop and discussing with the local merchant is an option but in Pennsylvania the state wine shop does not always have a knowledgeable person on staff. A shopper can use wine ratings but as we will discuss in a future post this has disadvantages based on the critic and their taste. Also without guidance investing in more than one bottle may not be cost effective. Wine is made in all 50 states which means for the majority of the population a local winery is within an hour's drive. From a time/cost/knowledge perspective having a wine flight while discussing each wine with a knowledgeable employee is the best education. The winery should be able to help you understand why you liked a wine and what to look for or avoid on a label. You may find you like a drier style or certain whites which then could lead to more confidence when purchasing a bottle of wine from the local wine shop. From that single winery visit you can continue to visit other wineries in the region or expand your horizons to other regions. Do not be afraid on smaller wineries in your area (if in PA I recommend to visit Va La). How have you expanded your wine education?