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Rating Systems
For those of you who are interested in knowing more
about how wines are rated,
this information is for you!
Wine
Spectator: 100 point scale
All tastings are
conducted "blind." Tasters are told the type of wine
(varietal or region) and vintage. Flawed wines or
wines that score very highly are re-tasted. European
wines are sometimes tasted in the districts that
yield them, where fresher, perfectly stored examples
will be readily available. Wine 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.
-
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
100 Point Scale:
Robert Parker is a
renowned wine critic and publisher of The Wine
Advocate. Over the past few years, Parker has
brought on other reviewers to join the publication.
Note that an RP next to a wine means that it was
rated by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, not
necessarily Robert Parker himself.
-
96-100
-- Extraordinary; a classic wine of its variety
-
90-95
-- Outstanding; exceptional complexity and
character
-
80-89
-- Barely above average to very good; wine with
various degrees of flavor
-
70-79
-- Average; little distinction beyond being
soundly made
-
60-69
-- Below average; drinkable, but containing
noticeable deficiencies
-
50-59
-- Poor; unacceptable, not recommended
Wine Enthusiast
Wine Enthusiast
wine 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 published. When possible, wines
considered flawed or uncustomary are re-tasted.
-
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 &
Spirits Magazine
All wine evaluations
for tastings section are conducted under controlled,
blind conditions, no exceptions. Wine & Spirits
tastings are a two-step process. First, all wines
submitted to us or purchased are tasted by screening
panels composed of retailers, sommeliers, winemakers
and other wine professionals whom we invite to taste
with us. The wines recommended by our screening
panels are then presented at a later date to our
critic, who scores each wine and writes the reviews.
The critic's ratings are based on how well a wine
performs within its category as labeled (varietally
or regionally). Our goal with these ratings is for
each critic to provide a consistent point of view
against which you may measure your own taste over
time.
-
95+-- superlative,
rare finds
-
90-94-- exceptional
examples of their type
-
86-89-- highly
recommended
-
80-85-- good
examples of their variety or region
Stephen Tanzer's
International Wine Cellar
Wines are scored
relative to their peer group based on their expected
quality during their period of peak drinkability. A
"+" after a score denotes a wine that is likely to
merit a higher rating in the future. All wines rated
90 or better are highly recommended additions to
your cellar (or, where indicated, for drinking over
the near term); wines rated at least 85 are
recommended bottles that should provide pleasurable
drinking. Precise scores are provided only for wines
in bottle; ranges are offered for unfinished wines.
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