Wineries and winemakers know that wine is complex and that rating a wine for its excellence is difficult. After all reaching master sommelier can take years, and much of it is actually subjective. Some people like a very dry wine, some a bit of sugars helps their palate and so on. Some people like green pepper flavors in their Cabernet, and others even think this is a flaw. So the whole rating world is very complex, but over the years it has gotten a bit more standardized and mature. To make it simpler the wine industry has come up with this scoring system, 100 points is perfection, 95-99 is classic/rare/collectible, 90-94 is outstanding, and 80-89 is good wine.
Just because a wine is 88 points, doesn’t mean you won’t love it, that is a key takeaway from this article.
80-89 is a good and drinkable wine with some flaws, it is nothing bad, just not something that is worth paying more than standard prices for. Most of the world’s wine should be sold for between $10-50 as most people can’t afford $30-50+ a bottle on an “everyday” basis. Good wines in Europe for example still often sell for under 15 Euros. Wines that sell for $100-500+, well that is for people that can spend (too much) money. I know my mom still buys wine on price (oh mom!), when she doesn’t need to. But she really has never developed a palate so it doesn’t mean anything to her. If it is $8 and its one of her favorite varietals, she grabs it. I guess much of the wine drinking world falls in this category.
After all these rantings, you might be wondering, is it even worth it, these “complex” points. Probably not, most established wine makers are happy when their wine is a 90 point or better wine. These are exceptional wines, and have all the facets that make them great. Anything truly above 90 points is worth some of your treasure, if you really appreciate excellent wine.
A great wine has a pronounced nose (or bouquet) to it, it is delicious on the palate, and finally delivers a finish (or after taste) that is making you want that next sip.
These are the 3 critical components, nose, palate, and finish. And the hardest part is the finish which often create complexity and nuances to the wines many flavors. Finding a wine with an exceptional and long finish is very difficult. It is always something I evaluate very very carefully and great finishes can be rare! People often talk about the finishes, but in general amazing ones are as rare as 95+ point wine.
Also winemakers and wineries do play games with these point ratings. I saw a winery claim they had some 99 point Cabernet Sauvignon, but they did not show who gave those points in their posting online. Points should come from a reputable rating service. Reputable wine rating services are the following, and in no particular order:
Wine Enthusiast – very diverse set of raters, that work globally, mostly free.
Wine Spectator – especially for Bordeaux blends, this team is exceptional.
Jeb Dunnuck – started with Rhone wines, and expanded globally.
Decanter – based in the UK, doing fine work in Europe and globally.
Wine Advocate (Robert Parker) – a vast wine rating service.
James Suckling – loves to do top 100 lists that helps collectors grab the top shelf
I would not trust rating numbers except from this list (*maybe Vinous too, but their data is very effectively locked down). And no, I pay no attention to this County Fair, or that State Fair. Those ratings mean little, as the fairs rarely have a well chosen list of well trained sommeliers doing the work.
If you see a 90+ rating from any of these above noted expert organizations, then for sure this winery has some “exceptional” stuff and is worth a tasting. And wine itself has a lifespan, most wine does not improve with age, but rather lives on a curve. Some wines do improve, but that is complex. It is still your palate though, so drink up and be critical about what you like. Elegant, light, varied or big and bold. Fruit forward or oak me up to the moon. Tannic bomb, or spice box; figuring out all these notes, helps you find better wine. And trust me, supermarket wine is not where to spend most of your wine money. The best wine is direct to consumer and often within restaurants or fine wine stores that hire experts to bring in their wine. The sommeliers maintain it, and most of all know when wine is drinking at its best.