121:, the widespread use of numerical rating systems is a relatively recent phenomenon. During the mid 20th century, as American interest in wine was developing, consumers found themselves being introduced to a wide assortment of wines from across the globe. This surplus of available options created a niche market for critics who could provide a service in reviewing wines and making recommendations that could make the buying process easier for consumers. Following a pattern similar to the product reviews of such consumer magazines like
175:
51:. A wine rating is therefore a subjective quality score, typically of a numerical nature, given to a specific bottle of wine. In most cases, wine ratings are set by a single wine critic, but in some cases a rating is derived by input from several critics tasting the same wine at the same time. A number of different scales for wine ratings are in use. Also, the practices used to arrive at the rating can vary. Over the last couple of decades, the 50–100 scale introduced by
501:
153:, could quickly at glance see a review of several dozen or even hundreds of available wines broken down into numerical evaluations. These consumers could isolate a range of scores to concentrate their buying purchase on without ever having to try a wine beforehand. Similarly, wine retailers and merchants found themselves with a ready made marketing tool that didn't even require them to research or sample the wine before they put it on sale.
28:
102:
156:
The popularity of numerical wine ratings became a boon for the wine retailing industry. Wines that received scores classified as "outstanding" (usually 90 points or above) were essentially guaranteed favorable sales in the market. Wines that received "extraordinary" or "classic" ratings of 95–100
133:, American critics began writing more condensed wine reviews that consumers could scan through briefly to identify wines of interest. The popularization of numerical scoring is widely credited to the American wine critic Robert Parker who patterned his system of numerical ratings on the
165:
emerged that aimed to capitalize on the speculation and eventual price increase surrounding highly scoring wines. The influence of wine ratings was particularly keen in the developing wine markets of Asia, Russia and South
America at the turn of the 21st century.
92:
notes, which are brief descriptions of the wine critic's overall impression of the wine, including its flavor qualities. However, often the emphasis (in particular in marketing) is on the score applied by a critic rather than on the total wine tasting note.
140:
Under Parker's system, wines were evaluated on a 50–100 scale that roughly correlated to an A–F "grade" on the wine. A wine was considered "above average" or "good" if it got a score of at least 85 points. Readers of wine rating magazines such as Parker's
214:
tend to stand out from the assortment more than wines with more subtle characteristics. These wines tend to receive more favorable wine ratings which have led to an increase in the proliferation of these styles of wines on the market.
197:
style that is perceived as appealing to the critics. These critics point to what they contend is an inherent flaw in sampling a wide assortment of wines at once. When compared together, wines (particular red) that have deep
192:
and individuality in wine making. Critics of the wine rating system contend that the economic and marketing power of receiving favorable scores by influential critics has steered global winemaking towards producing a
178:
Critics of numerical wine ratings have contended that the popularity and marketing power of these ratings have contributed to a homogenization of wine styles being offered on the market.
357:
308:
88:, using input from non-professional wine tasters who taste under differing conditions. In addition to a simple numerical score, most wine ratings are meant to supplement the
446:
84:
In recent years, with the advent of aggregated user-generated ratings, there has also proliferated group rating systems, such as the one employed by
374:
345:
295:
254:
526:
408:
81:, may use a 0–20 scale, or a 0–5 scale (often in terms of numbers of stars) either with or without half-star steps.
491:
194:
425:
479:
182:
The numerical wine rating system has been heavily criticized. It has been considered a driving force in the
183:
174:
52:
40:
468:
31:
Retailers will often use signage advertising wines that have received a favorable rating from critics.
134:
114:
110:
105:
American wine critic Robert Parker is credited with popularizing the use of numerical wine ratings.
274:
313:
457:
391:
341:
291:
78:
55:
has become commonly used. This or numerically similar scales are used by publications such as
123:
258:
162:
161:
that, coupled with the limited production, helped to skyrocket their prices. A segment of
118:
101:
74:
57:
27:
207:
63:
521:
515:
85:
69:
505:
199:
89:
44:
251:
203:
309:"How Fine Is This Wine? Virtual Cellar Could Answer That Question With Ease"
211:
158:
17:
188:
129:
173:
100:
26:
235:
48:
375:
Wine-Rating
Publications: Their Benefits and Pitfalls, Part I
469:
Sniff, sip, consult: Ratings game rules in premium market
340:
Third
Edition pp. 616–617 Oxford University Press 2006
489:
358:
Wine ratings: Are they help or hindrance to shoppers?
275:
Wine
Spectator Tasting Procedures and Taster Profiles
332:
330:
328:
326:
324:
290:Third Edition pp. 19, 283–286 Abbeville Press 2003
47:as a summary of that critic's evaluation of that
392:Wine rating system doesn't point to perfection
8:
409:Wine-rating system is not improving with age
186:and the down playing of the influence of
73:. Other publications or critics, such as
496:
224:
447:Wine ratings just part of the equation
236:About Wine Enthusiast's Rating System
7:
135:American standardized grading system
39:is a score assigned by one or more
25:
252:The Wine Advocate's Rating System
145:, or its later imitators such as
499:
338:"The Oxford Companion to Wine"
1:
288:Jancis Robinson's Wine Course
480:The Chemistry of a 90+ Wine
307:Bob Tedeschi (2005-02-03).
117:has existed throughout the
543:
206:, stronger, concentrated
109:While the composition of
277:" Accessed: Jan 16, 2010
261:" Accessed: Jan 16, 2010
238:" Accessed: Nov 18, 2013
232:Wine Enthusiast Magazine
430:San Francisco Chronicle
426:Are ratings pointless?
379:The Record Searchlight
179:
106:
32:
458:Blind-Tasting Follies
451:Eugene Register Guard
184:globalization of wine
177:
104:
53:Robert M. Parker, Jr.
30:
467:H. Hubbard-Preston "
453:, September 15, 2003
527:Wine classification
475:, December 13, 2003
381:, December 24, 2008
362:Schenectady Gazette
151:The Wine Enthusiast
113:and other forms of
484:The New York Times
473:The New York Times
413:The New York Times
396:Pittsburgh Tribune
314:The New York Times
257:2010-01-07 at the
180:
107:
33:
415:, August 14, 2006
336:J. Robinson (ed)
248:The Wine Advocate
157:began to develop
143:The Wine Advocate
79:Michael Broadbent
16:(Redirected from
534:
504:
503:
502:
495:
486:, August 7, 2005
464:, March 30, 2005
462:The New York Sun
433:
422:
416:
405:
399:
398:, April 13, 2005
388:
382:
371:
365:
354:
348:
334:
319:
318:
304:
298:
284:
278:
268:
262:
245:
239:
229:
124:Consumer Reports
21:
542:
541:
537:
536:
535:
533:
532:
531:
512:
511:
510:
500:
498:
490:
478:D. Darlington "
442:
437:
436:
432:, June 14, 2007
424:W. Blake-Gray "
423:
419:
406:
402:
389:
385:
373:Staff Reports "
372:
368:
364:, April 1, 1988
355:
351:
335:
322:
306:
305:
301:
285:
281:
269:
265:
259:Wayback Machine
246:
242:
230:
226:
221:
172:
163:investment wine
159:cult followings
119:history of wine
115:wine literature
99:
75:Jancis Robinson
58:Wine Enthusiast
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
540:
538:
530:
529:
524:
514:
513:
509:
508:
488:
487:
476:
465:
454:
441:
440:External links
438:
435:
434:
417:
400:
383:
366:
349:
320:
299:
279:
271:Wine Spectator
263:
240:
223:
222:
220:
217:
171:
168:
147:Wine Spectator
137:in the 1970s.
98:
95:
64:Wine Spectator
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
539:
528:
525:
523:
520:
519:
517:
507:
497:
493:
485:
481:
477:
474:
470:
466:
463:
459:
455:
452:
448:
444:
443:
439:
431:
427:
421:
418:
414:
410:
404:
401:
397:
393:
390:D. DeSimone "
387:
384:
380:
376:
370:
367:
363:
359:
353:
350:
347:
346:0-19-860990-6
343:
339:
333:
331:
329:
327:
325:
321:
316:
315:
310:
303:
300:
297:
296:0-7892-0883-0
293:
289:
283:
280:
276:
272:
267:
264:
260:
256:
253:
249:
244:
241:
237:
233:
228:
225:
218:
216:
213:
209:
205:
201:
196:
191:
190:
185:
176:
169:
167:
164:
160:
154:
152:
148:
144:
138:
136:
132:
131:
126:
125:
120:
116:
112:
111:tasting notes
103:
96:
94:
91:
87:
86:CellarTracker
82:
80:
76:
72:
71:
70:Wine Advocate
66:
65:
60:
59:
54:
50:
46:
42:
38:
29:
19:
483:
472:
461:
456:P. Hellman "
450:
429:
420:
412:
403:
395:
386:
378:
369:
361:
352:
337:
312:
302:
287:
286:J. Robinson
282:
270:
266:
247:
243:
231:
227:
187:
181:
155:
150:
146:
142:
139:
128:
122:
108:
90:wine tasting
83:
68:
62:
56:
41:wine critics
36:
34:
18:Wine ratings
407:G. Rivlin "
356:R. Nalley "
210:and smooth
204:full bodied
195:homogeneous
45:wine tasted
37:wine rating
516:Categories
445:R. Rutan "
219:References
212:mouthfeel
170:Criticism
255:Archived
208:flavors
189:terroir
97:History
492:Portal
344:
294:
200:colors
130:Which?
67:, and
506:Drink
43:to a
522:Wine
342:ISBN
292:ISBN
149:and
127:and
77:and
49:wine
518::
482:"
471:"
460:"
449:"
428:"
411:"
394:"
377:"
360:"
323:^
311:.
202:,
61:,
35:A
494::
317:.
273:"
250:"
234:"
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
