Understanding Wine Ratings – Wine Enthusiast & Wine Spectator Magazine

Several glasses of wine

I would hazard a guess that the vast majority of the average wine-consuming public have major problems understanding wine ratings. It’s perfectly understandable. The reason is simple: believe it or not, there is no standardized rating system for wines. There are rules, and even national laws, about how wine can be made, named, and classified. However, no international rating system has ever been created in the thousands of years since people first learned how to manipulate grape juice.

While the practice of wine-tasting and keeping notes has existed as long as wine itself, the numerical systems of rating wines are a relatively recent development. Modern, rapid bulk transport of perishable items—namely wine—has made many wines from all over the world available to consumers. By the mid-20th century, the U.S. demand for foreign wines had grown significantly. Wine critics, seeing an opportunity, decided they could be of use to consumers trying to find the right wine. In the 1970s, world-renowned wine expert Robert Parker devised a rating system based on the American Standard Grading System of 0-100 points. The system became very popular, and other systems soon followed. This was a boon for the wine industry, as highly rated wines could be sold for more money. A relationship developed between wine producers and wine critics. The system helped wine-buyers select wines without having to try them first and allowed wine retailers to use ratings as a marketing tool—without having to sample the wine.

Retailers could select their stock based on ratings, concentrating on the higher-scoring wines. Restaurants also benefited greatly from this system, with some even forgoing the use of a sommelier and relying on ratings instead.

Different Wine Rating Systems

The most significant rating systems in the U.S. are the ones used by The Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator Magazine, and The Wine Advocate. Most wines will only differ slightly in their ratings across these systems, so the relative numbers remain valid. However, each system may use different guidelines, and the ratings ultimately come down to the personal tastes of the wine-taster. Criteria such as taste, aroma, body, and character are common across the systems. These are the ratings you’ll most often encounter in magazines, articles, and even on wine lists in upscale restaurants.

The Wine Advocate’s (www.erobertparker.com) System

This system is based on the personal rating style of legendary wine expert Robert Parker and ranges from 50 (mouthwash) to 100 (extraordinary).

  • 96-100: Extraordinary—free of any flaws.
  • 90-95: Outstanding—robust and complex.
  • 80-89: Good—not great, but good.
  • 70-79: Average—OK if you’re on a budget. Well-made, but nothing to brag about.
  • 60-69: Below Average—lacking in both flavor and character, but better than nothing.
  • 50-59: Unacceptable—only suitable for mouthwash and embalming fluid.

The Wine Spectator’s (www.winespectator.com) System

Wine Spectator is one of the most respected rating systems internationally.

  • 95-100: Classic—no flaws of any kind. Absolutely perfect.
  • 90-94: Outstanding—miniscule flaws that only a skilled wine expert would notice.
  • 85-89: Very Good—few flaws that an average wine drinker would not notice.
  • 80-84: Good—solid, well-made wines.
  • 70-79: Average—drinkable, but lacking in some areas.
  • 60-69: Below Average—drinkable, but not recommended.
  • 50-59: Poor—not exactly toxic, but best avoided.

Wine Enthusiast’s (wineenthusiast.com) System

  • 98-100: Classic—perfect in every aspect.
  • 94-97: Superb—perfect in almost every way. Very minor glitches.
  • 90-93: Excellent—highly recommended.
  • 87-89: Very Good—very few flaws.
  • 83-86: Good—acceptable everyday wines. Most good table wines fall into this category.
  • 80-82: Drinkable but not great—OK for serving to people you don’t want to stay very long.

You need to remember that these ratings are all subjective. Everyone has different likes and dislikes, and many will not agree with these ratings. That’s the key to understanding wine ratings.

Wine tasting is a highly arbitrary undertaking. Wine experts often cannot agree on standardized criteria, and in many cases, their ratings for the same wine will change depending on their mood. Needless to say, the rating systems have their share of critics. Like umpires and referees, wine experts face criticism from “armchair” wine-tasters worldwide. There are frequent accusations of politics and favoritism. The professional wine community is very tight-knit, so it is not unreasonable to speculate that politics may play a small part in some ratings—especially when the industry depends on goodwill. Personally, I believe it’s more a matter of personal preferences that can vary from one day to another. Wine experts are just as human as everyone else, regardless of popular opinion.

Another major criticism of these rating systems is that they influence the globalization of wine and downplay the importance of terroir and regional character. Critics claim that the systems push winemakers to produce wines that are more homogenous and appealing to international critics. There’s a fear that these ratings drive the market toward wines that score highly, at the expense of more modest, but perfectly good wines.

If movie ratings in the U.S. are any comparison, I think these fears are overblown. Despite the ratings, most of Hollywood’s offerings in the past few decades (and many TV networks) have been, in my opinion, sensationalistic garbage. But that’s just me. There will always be a market for inexpensive, less-than-perfect wines. Low ratings certainly haven’t hurt the sales of Mad Dog 20/20, Boone’s Farm, or Thunderbird wines. Look in any convenience store where wine and beer are sold.

In the end, wine ratings are a good guideline—one tool among many—for selecting a wine. But remember, these ratings are not written in stone. They’re not law. You should always trust your own palate. With a little research, it’s not that hard to understand wine ratings.

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