Wine Ratings, Quick Tutorial

Fortunately learning about wine and wine ratings isn't as stressful as this picture denotes! As you grow older learning becomes more of a fun adventure, and there's no better ride than learning about wine...

If you shop for wine with any frequency you've probably noticed a burst or advertisement under certain bottles with a score, usually in the 80's or 90's. These are wine ratings by industry experts, to 1) sell more wine for the vineyard and 2) further promote themselves in the industry as experts in the field and 3) to make some money! If a wine doesn't have a rating should you buy it? Absolutely. Just because Robert Parker or Wine Spectator rates a wine doesn't necessarily make non-rated wines undrinkable. I'm not absolutely sure of the economics behind which wines are rated and which are not, but I would imagine some money changes hands somewhere along the line. A rated wine will often outsell it's un-rated counterpart by a factor of 2 to 1 and as the rating gets higher, so does the price of the wine.

Personally I love the rating system, it gives a little guidance to the wine shopper when you're staring down the isle of 1000 wines. So what should you look for? There are three common ratings you'll encounter in the US, usually denoted by two alpha characters and a two digit number, e.g. WA 92

RP or WA is Robert Parker aka The Wine Advocate. Mr. Parker rates a lot of new world wines from the Southern Hemisphere and uncovers some amazing values. I tend to share his love of fruit forward wines. He also uncovers some beauty's from Spain & Australia at very affordable prices.

WS is Wine Spectator magazine, the most circulated wine magazine in the Country. Every year Wine Spectator puts out a top 100 wine list and those selected are undoubtedly grinning ear to ear.

ST or IWC is Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar. I don't see many Tanzer rated wine's. Hey Stephen, dust off that passport and start drinking!

So what are these organizations looking for when rating a wine? Appearance, aroma, taste, structure and overall perception to name a few. The following excerpt taken from the Wine Society of Texas website, along with a judging sheet if you want to rate your own wines. Simply take the final score and multiple by five for a 100 point scale. Remember, you are the expert of your own palate, don't let anyone tell you what you like and don't like. Cheers!

P.s. More affordable wine finds coming soon...

Wine Rating Sheet

What is Appearance?
It is the visual perception that the wine provides before tasting. It is further categorized in terms of Color (coloration and intensity appropriate for the varietal) and clarity (clear vs. cloudy). The latter category is usually used to detect differences in winemaking techniques, or defects in the wine caused by bacteria and bad practices.

What is Aroma?
It is what we perceive by smell prior to tasting. Each wine variety has particular aromas that are normally associated with it. The aroma may also vary in intensity depending on many factors such as the type and source of grapes, blending methods and other winemaking techniques. Complex and pleasant aromas are qualities of better wines.

What is Taste?
Tasting is more complicated than was we normally think. It involves a complex interaction of tactile (mouth) feel, taste (sweet, sour and acid), and aroma (smells that actually travel up the back of the throat to the nose. Like aroma, the taste should be appropriate for the grape varietal (Chardonnay, Muscat or Cabernet) and style of wine (e.g. sweet or dry). Taste also has a start, middle and finish. Complex tastes and those that linger tend to be associated with better wines.

What is Overall Perception?
This is most subjective part of wine judging. It is hard to be impartial when in comes to this category. We all have inherent likes and dislikes. But, overall perception is normally used to indicate the overall balance of the wine. Wines that have a balance of flavors, other qualities, (e.g. acid, fruit, body, tannin, sweetness or lack of sweetness) and alcohol are typically highly rated.