I always thought the system of rating wines was odd. When we rate from 0-100, there is a sense that a "90" point wine is an A, whereas an 89 is a "B". |
This seems silly. We are not in grade school. Is there really a qualitative difference between an 89 and a 90? Nobody seems to think that there is a big difference between a wine that scores 86 versus one that scores 87, yet the difference between 89 and 90 in the retail world is huge. 89 point wines sell for marginal discounts, and a 90 point score can generate prices above retail. 90 point wines fly off the shelves, whereas 89 point wines languish on the shelves, unloved. Come on people, we are talking about ONE POINT. It seems the most rational approach is just to say whether you like it or not, describe the taste and bouquet, and leave it at that. Nevertheless, for better or worse, we live in a society where everything must be rated and scored with some type of categorical hierarchy. Americans demand scores, not descriptions. Given this reality, we have adopted a scoring system that we think works well for wines. Instead of making mountains out of molehills, and worrying about one point differences, we break the wines into five categories that we can all relate to. These five categories are designated as "one star" thorugh "five stars". Half stars are given for "in-betweeners". How the stars are determined is based on the following intuitive criteria.
ZERO STARS: I will not drink this wine, even if it is free. (This is bad wine. I make a sour face when I try to drink this wine. It is, in a word, undrinkable. )
ONE STAR: I will drink this wine if it is the only wine available. This wine straddles the fence between barely passing and failing. In school, this would be the equivalent of a D. (This is wine you might find at the company picnic, or at the baseball stadium. It's not very good, but you can drink it without gagging.)
TWO STARS: This wine is mediocre. Not particularly good, but not bad. (This is wine that you might find at a family restaurant where there was only one or two wines to chose from. You generally would not buy it at the store. If you see it at the store at a phenomenal price, you might buy it for mid-week consumption. You won't feel bad if some of the bottle goes to waste.). In school terms, this would be a "C" grade.
THREE STARS: This is good wine. (I will pay my hard earned money for this wine, and will buy more in the future. It is pleasant. I will not rant and rave about this wine the next day, but it will complement a simple meal). In school terms, this wine is a solid "B".
FOUR STARS: This wine is not only good, it is memorable. (I will remember this wine for a long time. I will tell my friends about it the next time we talk about great wines that we have had. This wine will nicely complement a special occasion. Fellow wine lovers will greatly appreciate this wine if you share it with them. I would be willing to drive across town if this wine was being sold at a special price, and would stockpile it if my budget would allow). In school terms, this wine is an "A".
FIVE STARS: The perfect wine. (What more can you say. This is one where you might even want to save the cork or label because it was so special, although you probably refrain from such juvenile activity because your spouse or friends will look at you like you are crazy for wanting to do so. They just don't understand. Tasting a five star wine is an experience, not just a drink.)
So to summarize:
Zero Stars: Undrinkable.
One Star: Only if I have no choice.
Two Stars: Only if it's at a good price (or the only wine available).
Three Stars: "Good wine"
Four Stars: "Memorable wine"
Five Stars: "Perfect wine" |
|
