The average wine score

What does a 93 point wine taste like?  It’s probably pretty good.  Technically it would be “excellent.”  Perhaps it has well integrated tannins, balanced acidity and a nice concentration of fruit.  This is of course based on a 100 point scale where you as a consumer, will rarely see a wine rated below 89.  A quick google search and I was able to find one wine which advertised itself at 86 points.  It is possible that the scores of wine are inflated.  But this could be that wines which score under 89 points just choose not to advertise that fact.  This is because wine scores are primarily used as a marketing tool. 

We don’t have our wines scored.  This isn’t because we don’t agree with the point system.  It’s a tool and serves a purpose.  It’s just not how we choose to market our wines.  Of course we’d love if one of our wines is put on wine spectators top 100 list.  Who wouldn’t?  But we don’t play the point game.  We have looked into competing at some local level wine festivals.  It’s a nice way for smaller brands to build their footprint.  And as a consumer wed recommend trying some wines that have won some tasting medals.  Usually these tasting competitions are tied to helping a charitable organization which is also another great reason to support them.  But the point system can be flawed so it’s important to know what your getting from a wine score. 

Subjecting wines to a point system is not always the best way to define its profile and quality.  This is because taste is subjective.  A good wine sometimes depends on where you are drinking it, who you are drinking it with and what you are eating while you drink it.  It’s hard to always put a number on something you experience.  The beauty of wine is that it incorporates taste and smell, while invoking an emotional response, and with a little alcohol promotes a sensory experience.  How would you rate a trip to a museum, or an evening at a live concert? 

People try to.  There are lots of sites that review restaurants, movies, and businesses. These can be helpful in certain situations.  Which is exactly what a wine point system is.  Helpful in certain situations.  We recommend using the point system but also trying to learn a little about the wine or the winery online.  Another approach would be asking a friend who has tried the wine before or asking a sommelier or wine specialist.  The reason for this is that points will not tell you how the wine tastes but there are a lot of great wines which don’t market their wines based on points. 

There have been some controversial reviews of wines by a reviewer based on how much money they were spending on advertising.  It can be expensive for smaller wines to have their wine reviewed.  Smaller scale operations can’t afford the review process.  Some owners of wineries don’t like having their wines subjected to a point review.  Depending on the critique reviewing the wine they have certain characteristics they like in the wine which might differ from your taste.  And then there are wineries that submit their wine and don’t like the score they receive.  Like many aspects in the wine production process everything has a story.  A winery will tell you they picked their grapes on September 8th because it was the perfect moment of grape ripeness.  Not because of an impeding storm front or labor shortage the following day.  The story is what sells.  Some wineries will boldly advertise their 93 point score while some will shun the entire process as a meaningless number.  Like most things in life the truth is somewhere in the middle.  Use the score to help you find a nice wine you like.  Look for a critique who has a similar taste profile that you like and use their scoring system.  There’s an infamous contrast of reviews by Jancis Robinson and Robert Parker of a bottle of 2003 Chateau Pavie.  While Parker gave the wine a high score and praised it as “explosive, and super ripe,” Robinson stated that the wine “lacked grace, with “completely unappetizing overripe aromas.”   It’s a situation where you have to try the wine for yourself and make your own conclusion.