Amuse Bouche Blog

There are a variety of scoring systems which can be used for rating wines. These scores are often a cause for controversy because the point systems vary as much as who does the ranking and which system they use.
One of the most well known systems is the 100-point scale created by Robert Parker. This renowned wine critic is also the publisher of The Wine Advocate. Parker’s entire year is spent traveling to various vineyards, tasting, and writing. According to his system each wine starts with a base of 50 points. Up to 5 additional points are given for the wine’s general color and appearance, another 15 points for aroma and bouquet, flavor and finish can add another 20 points and, finally, the overall quality level or potential for further evolution and improvement-aging merits another 10 points.
The Wine Advocate's 100-Point Scale and what it indicates:
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 -- Unacceptable, not recommended
Organizations like The Wine Spectator, The Wine Enthusiast, American Wine Competition, and Wine & Spirits use similar 100-point systems. Each publication has a number of different editors. These editors travel to various parts of the world and taste tens of thousands of different wines each year. The same types of wines are tasted against each other and the wineries names are not supposed to be revealed. This way, neither price nor the wineries’ reputation have an influence.
As of March 2008, The Wine Spectator switched to rolling four-point spreads for unfinished wines. For example, one wine may be scored 85-88, another 87-90, another 89-92. They believe this is a better reflection of the subtle differences between wines.
Wine Spectator's 100-Point Scale and what it indicates:
95-100 -- Classic; a great wine
90-94 -- Outstanding; a wine of superior character and style
85-89 -- Very Good; a wine with special qualities
80-84 -- Good; a solid, well-made wine
75-79 -- Mediocre; a drinkable wine that may have minor flaws
50-74 -- Not recommended
Another equally famous numerical scoring system is the 20-point University of California-Davis system devised by the famous Professor Amerine in 1959. This scorecard provides an analytical method for giving a wine a numerical rating relative to its quality. Points are given for the following categories:
Appearance (2) : Cloudy (0), Clear (1), Brilliant (2)
Color (2) : Way Off (0), Off (1), Correct (2)
Aroma & Bouquet (4) : Vinous (0), Not Varietal (1), Varietal (2)
Volatile Acidity (2) : Strong (0), Slight (1), None (2)
Total Acidity (2) : Extreme (0), Slight (1), Normal (2)
Sweetness (1) : Too High or Low (0), Normal (1)
Body (1) : Too High or Low (0), Normal (1)
Flavor (2) : Way Off (0), Off (1), Normal (2)
Bitter/Astringent (2) : Very High (0), High (1), Normal (2)
General Quality (2) : Low (0), Medium (1), High (2)
Total Ranking (20)
In the UC Davis system scores have the following meanings:
17 - 20 Wines of outstanding characteristics, no defects
13 - 16 Standard wines with neither outstanding character or defect
9 - 12 Wines of commercial acceptability but with noticeable defect
5 - 8 Wines below commercial acceptability
1 - 4 Complete spoiled wines
A significant problem with rating systems based on the UC Davis Scorecard is that a wine can be undrinkable and still get a passing overall grade.
Now that you are armed with this knowledge, why don’t you go ahead and create your own tasting criteria score card? Invite some friends over and hold a blind-tasting with wines of your choice. Don’t forget to reread the April 2008 Newsletter because it has good tips for using your senses when you wine taste.