| As with any rating system, there is no such thing | | | | It's important for an impartial wine rating system |
| as a universal wine rating system. Wines are | | | | that wines are stored properly before they're |
| rated by different wine clubs, groups, restaurants, | | | | tasted. They are kept at room temperature |
| food critics, magazines, and wine aficionados. | | | | of 70-72 degrees Fahrenheit. Most wines are |
| Just like movies may get good or bad ratings | | | | sampled as soon as the bottle is poured, and then |
| depending on the critic, the same wine may get a | | | | decanted and allowed to be set aside. They |
| higher or lower rating depending on who is doing | | | | may be re-tasted in 20 minute intervals, to |
| the actual rating. Most wine rating systems | | | | evaluate any changes in the character and taste. |
| work the same as any other rating system, | | | | You may have seen a wine taster take a sip of |
| awarding a number of points to a particular wine | | | | wine or water and spit it out afterwards. To |
| in a variety of categories. Wine Spectator, a | | | | be sure that there is no mixture of tastes and |
| leading magazine about wine, uses a 100-point | | | | adulteration of the wine rating system, the taster |
| system when rating wines. One you | | | | may rinse his or her mouth with water and then |
| understand the different categories of how a | | | | spit that out. They may also spit out the wine |
| wine is critiqued, you may be better able to | | | | simply because ingesting it may affect the taste |
| understand the wine rating system you're | | | | of the next sip of wine. |
| perusing. | | | | Can You Trust a Wine Rating System? |
| What is Usually Evaluated | | | | One wine expert stated on his website that |
| Most who review wines evaluate it by more than | | | | evaluating a wine is much like relating what you |
| just its flavor. Texture and aroma are also | | | | see shaped by clouds. Everyone is different |
| important. This is because these things are | | | | and it's all very subjective and open to |
| typically affected by the quality of the fruit that is | | | | interpretation. Think of a movie you saw that |
| used, the fermentation process, and the | | | | got great reviews, and you thought was a |
| procedure used to make the wine. A poor | | | | complete waste of time - or vice versa. Wine |
| quality aroma or lack of texture can affect | | | | rating systems are just like that; if you have the |
| anyone's wine rating system, and quite a bit at | | | | same taste and preferences as the evaluator, |
| that. To better illustrate, imagine have a cup | | | | then you're likely to agree with his or her |
| of coffee that tastes good but smells like | | | | opinions. If your tastes are different, your |
| dishwater, or that is as thick as mud. | | | | opinions will be different as well. The best thing |
| Obviously the smell and texture of any beverage | | | | to do is experiment a bit with wine sample from |
| or food is important to the enjoyment of it, just | | | | a local winery and see which types appeal to your |
| as much as the actual taste. | | | | palate. |
| How Evaluations Are Done | | | | |