Wine Rating System
Methodology: With the continued expansion in the number of wineries in California and in other regions from Chile, Spain and even China, I have felt it necessary to augment the conventional 70-100 point rating system with additional tools that will allow both the everyday wine drinker and wine collector to better judge the wines they are buying. While this has usually been accomplished via price, with collectible wine commanding much higher price points, this system can often be inaccurate. In some cases this system has contributed to overpricing of wine intended to be consumed within the year. Therefore, I have developed a two-tiered rating system that clearly identifies what category a particular wine will fall into in addition to providing guidance as to the wine's quality. These tiers are categorized as "drink now" or DN and "collectible wine" or CW.
Collectible Wine (CW): Within this category of wine are those wines that are intended to be consumed after several years of aging in the bottle. These wines will typically show well if opened immediately after they are released and will in some rare cases improve in quality for 10-20 years. The rating system for CW wine is based on an evaluation of the following five principal elements:
The CW rating system uses a 70 - 100 point rating system, with the following definitions:
95-100 - Exceptional: These wines display a very rich and/or dark appearance, which is augmented by a rich nose that presents intense and complex aromas. The wine presents an appropriate level of intensity for its flavor and is also well balanced so that no one flavor element such as fruit, oak, earthiness, spices, flowers or herbs dominates. The depth and length of flavor of this wine is also very long, which said in another way, indicates that the wine's flavor starts out strong on the front palate, gets bigger on the middle palate and ends with a strong finish on the back palate. Regarding structure, this wine is expected to have a complex structure that serves to enhance the balance of the wine ant its longevity in the bottle.
90-95 - Above Average: Wine in this category typically has at least three of its principal elements that stand out as exceptional, with none being of poor quality.
85-90 - Average: These wines have no one principal element that stand out relative to one another, although none can be judged to be poor or below average.
80-85 - Below Average: While these wines also have a generally poor appearance, they do possess some bouquets, but these can frequently be over powering. The flavor is usually dominated by stylistic elements of the wine (oak, fruit or earthly tones) but can also be almost absent of any significant qualities. There is typically at least one wine element present in some small way, like nose or bouquet, but most are missing or are of poor quality.
70-80 - Poor in Quality: These wines have a poor appearance, which typically is devoid of any significant color or hue and do not present any significant bouquets. Any flavor that might be present is very simplistic in nature and often overpowered by the alcohol content in the wine. Absent any significant flavors, the wine will have a very fast finish and be very front palate loaded. This wine also has no significant structure of any kind and is often not balanced well.
As with the DN rating system, the CW scale will also use "+" and "-" designations to further measure quality.
- Appearance and General Color
- Aroma/Bouquet
- Flavor and Finish
- Balance & Structure
- Alcohol level
The CW rating system uses a 70 - 100 point rating system, with the following definitions:
95-100 - Exceptional: These wines display a very rich and/or dark appearance, which is augmented by a rich nose that presents intense and complex aromas. The wine presents an appropriate level of intensity for its flavor and is also well balanced so that no one flavor element such as fruit, oak, earthiness, spices, flowers or herbs dominates. The depth and length of flavor of this wine is also very long, which said in another way, indicates that the wine's flavor starts out strong on the front palate, gets bigger on the middle palate and ends with a strong finish on the back palate. Regarding structure, this wine is expected to have a complex structure that serves to enhance the balance of the wine ant its longevity in the bottle.
90-95 - Above Average: Wine in this category typically has at least three of its principal elements that stand out as exceptional, with none being of poor quality.
85-90 - Average: These wines have no one principal element that stand out relative to one another, although none can be judged to be poor or below average.
80-85 - Below Average: While these wines also have a generally poor appearance, they do possess some bouquets, but these can frequently be over powering. The flavor is usually dominated by stylistic elements of the wine (oak, fruit or earthly tones) but can also be almost absent of any significant qualities. There is typically at least one wine element present in some small way, like nose or bouquet, but most are missing or are of poor quality.
70-80 - Poor in Quality: These wines have a poor appearance, which typically is devoid of any significant color or hue and do not present any significant bouquets. Any flavor that might be present is very simplistic in nature and often overpowered by the alcohol content in the wine. Absent any significant flavors, the wine will have a very fast finish and be very front palate loaded. This wine also has no significant structure of any kind and is often not balanced well.
As with the DN rating system, the CW scale will also use "+" and "-" designations to further measure quality.
Drinknow Wine (DN): Within this category of wine I am including wine that is intended to be consumed within four years and will in all likelihood diminish in quality beyond the first year or two in the bottle. The rating system for this type of wine is based on an evaluation of the same principal elements as we outlined in the CW rating system:
Each wine is evaluated based on these characteristics and grades on the following five tiered numerical scale:
5 - Excellent: These wines will typically have a rich nose combined with an intensity of flavor that is also reasonably balanced. The wine has some depth and length of finish, with no one element seen as overpowering. There is some structure presented, but it is clear the producer is relying more on the wine to express itself rather than selectively enhancing certain qualities of the wine to reach a certain outcome and presentation. The wine may have some longevity in the bottle, but this will typically not surpass one or two years.
4 - Above Average: Wine in this category can best be judged to be less expressive in regard to its five principal elements, with none being of poor quality. Typically this is a byproduct of a poor vintage rather improper intervention on the part of the winemaker. In some cases, where a vintage has been exceptionally good, the wine may actually greatly improve in quality in one or two years.
3 - Average: These wines have at least one principal element that is recognizable, although none can be judged to be poor or below average. Typically this type of wine might have a good appearance and flavorful nose, but might be very high in alcohol.
2 - Below Average: While these wines also have a generally poor appearance and have few if any notable elements.
1 - Poor in Quality: All of the wine's principal elements are damaged in some way, with some actually turning into major liabilities. The wine will typically have a poor appearance, a simplistic flavor that also might have been enhanced in some artificial way by the winemaker. In addition, the alcohol content of this type of wine is typically high, often overpowering. The wine is not balanced well and has no significant structure.
In addition, designations of "+" or "-" can be used to indicate a particular wine may see its rating increase or decrease over the coming year.
- Appearance and General Color
- Aroma/Bouquet
- Flavor and Finish
- Balance & Structure
- Alcohol level
Each wine is evaluated based on these characteristics and grades on the following five tiered numerical scale:
5 - Excellent: These wines will typically have a rich nose combined with an intensity of flavor that is also reasonably balanced. The wine has some depth and length of finish, with no one element seen as overpowering. There is some structure presented, but it is clear the producer is relying more on the wine to express itself rather than selectively enhancing certain qualities of the wine to reach a certain outcome and presentation. The wine may have some longevity in the bottle, but this will typically not surpass one or two years.
4 - Above Average: Wine in this category can best be judged to be less expressive in regard to its five principal elements, with none being of poor quality. Typically this is a byproduct of a poor vintage rather improper intervention on the part of the winemaker. In some cases, where a vintage has been exceptionally good, the wine may actually greatly improve in quality in one or two years.
3 - Average: These wines have at least one principal element that is recognizable, although none can be judged to be poor or below average. Typically this type of wine might have a good appearance and flavorful nose, but might be very high in alcohol.
2 - Below Average: While these wines also have a generally poor appearance and have few if any notable elements.
1 - Poor in Quality: All of the wine's principal elements are damaged in some way, with some actually turning into major liabilities. The wine will typically have a poor appearance, a simplistic flavor that also might have been enhanced in some artificial way by the winemaker. In addition, the alcohol content of this type of wine is typically high, often overpowering. The wine is not balanced well and has no significant structure.
In addition, designations of "+" or "-" can be used to indicate a particular wine may see its rating increase or decrease over the coming year.