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A wine rating is a system adopted by wine critics to rate the quality of a drink. The very definition of the term implies that such assessments are always more or less subjective, since in most cases the decision is made by one person, and not by a panel of tasters. There are many ratings considering a variety of parameters, but none of them use laboratory equipment, the basis of the assessment is only blind tasting.
World famous wine ratings
Since the late 1990s, the Robert Parker scale has been the most popular, on which such magazines as Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate are based. Other recognized ratings are the Jancis Robinson system, the Michael Broadbent and Denis Rudenko scale (for Russian-made wines).
With the development of the Internet, amateur ratings began to appear based on the judgments of direct wine consumers – for example, the CellarTracker website or the Vivino app.
Any assessment – both professional and amateur – includes not only the points scored by the wine, but also a description of the aromatic bouquet, an analysis of the nuances of taste and the overall impression that the drink made on the taster.
The history of the appearance of estimates
In one form or another, ratings of good wine have always existed, but the modern form, with points and points, was adopted not so long ago. In the middle of the XNUMXth century, a unique situation developed: the market was literally overflowing with wine from all over the world, consumers were lost in this diversity and did not know what to choose. Thus, a niche was formed for wine critics who could evaluate drinks at the level of experts and tell the public which ones are better to buy.
Reviews were published in magazines, but readers did not have time to study long and detailed descriptions, consumers wanted to quickly understand the main characteristics of the wine and decide whether to buy it or not. As a result, a system of points appeared and successfully took root, which simplifies the choice of wine.
Convenient scoring ratings played a significant role in the development of the wine market in Asia, Russia and South America at the beginning of the XNUMXst century, as marketers could predict in advance which wine would be successful without conducting large-scale and expensive research.
However, one must understand that the assessment itself provides little information, no less important is the comment of the taster-critic – the argument why the wine deserves the points given.
Parker rating
Appeared in the 1970s. Wine is graded on a scale of 50 to 100, which is roughly equivalent to the school grading system in America. Any drink initially receives a base 50 points, further points are awarded for:
- Colour;
- aroma;
- taste and aftertaste;
- general level and development potential.
To be considered “good”, a wine needs to score 85 points. Drinks from 90 points are already included in the category of “excellent”, and varieties that score 100 points are called “extraordinary”.
Jancis Robinson scale
Uses a 20-point system invented in 1959 by Maynard Emeiron. Points are summed up by 10 parameters:
- appearance;
- Colour;
- aroma;
- lack of acetic notes;
- acidity;
- the ratio of acidity to sugar;
- texture;
- taste;
- tannin content;
- style.
Good wines start from 17 points, acceptable “for every day” – from 13.
A similar system is used by Denis Rudenko to rank Russian wines. This critic mainly works with brands from the post-Soviet space. He and other Russian tasters often limit themselves to only four parameters: color, aroma, taste and style.
Criticism of wine ratings
Critics of this approach point out that global wine ratings contribute to globalization and neutralize the importance of terroir (the unique climatic conditions of the region), without taking into account the characteristics of the wine variety. Rating scales have a huge impact on the economy, and manufacturers are trying to tailor their products to the tastes of consumers, losing the unique properties of drinks that are highly valued by connoisseurs.
Ratings and marketing
If we take the most popular 100-point system as a starting point, then brands with a rating of less than 80 are considered almost a disgrace to the manufacturer. These wines never win awards at competitions, they are not bought by restaurants and magazines do not publish them in their catalogs.
To get into the wine list of a good restaurant, the brand must score at least 85 points, and preferably 86-89. 90-point wines are the prerogative of alcoholic boutiques, and only a few dozen brands a year receive the highest score – 100.
In Russia, this practice is less common, in stores you can rarely find shelf talkers (special labels) with the categorization of the assortment by rating.
Where are ratings published?
Parker’s rating covers more than 225 brands. Jancis has described just under 100 wines. The ratings are published not only in the printed press, but also on the websites of the appraisers.
By and large, these are the most famous and reliable sources. If you see a phrase like “5 points in a blind tasting” or “the best wine in the region according to ***” on a wine label, this is just an advertisement that says nothing about the quality of the wine.
If the brand of interest is not in the database, there are two options:
- The wine scored less than 80 points;
- The brand has not yet passed the tasting.
PS Even high-rated wine can deteriorate if stored improperly, so no one will give a XNUMX% guarantee of excellent taste anyway.