Wine tasting is an art that brings together the senses, intellect, and emotions. It’s more than just sipping, swallowing, or spitting out wine. This art form is the process of tasting, assessing, and rating wines, which anyone interested in wine can learn to do. At the heart of this process is the substance that has captivated humans for centuries: the cabernet sauvignon wine, a true testament to the rich tapestry of wine varieties. This article will guide you through the fascinating world of rating wines, an activity that has been professionalized but is still accessible to enthusiasts.
Understanding How Are Wines Rated
Before you start rating wines yourself, it’s essential to understand how professionals do it. Wine critics and experts typically rate wines on a 100-point scale developed by Robert Parker in the 1970s. This scale remains influential in the industry today.
The 100-point system breaks down like this:
- 96-100: A remarkable wine of deep and intricate personality, showcasing all the characteristics anticipated from a quintessential example of its type.
- 90-95: An impressive wine of extraordinary intricacy and distinctiveness.
- 80-89: A wine ranging from just beyond ordinary to quite delectable, exhibiting an array of finesse and flavor nuances.
- 70-79: A run-of-the-mill wine with minimal uniqueness but nonetheless competently crafted.
- Below 70: A wine with noticeable flaws.
This point system considers factors like the wine’s color, aroma, body, taste, and finish. Now, let’s delve deeper into these attributes.
Wine Tasting Basics: Look, Smell, Taste
Look
The first step in rating wines is to observe the wine’s appearance. Pour a small amount into a clear glass, hold it against a white background, and examine the color and clarity. The color of the wine can tell you a lot about its age and grape variety. Older white wines tend to be darker, while red wines get lighter as they age.
Smell
The wine’s aroma or “nose” is a significant indicator of its quality. Swirl the wine in your glass to release its natural aromas. You might smell a wide range of aromas like fruits, flowers, herbs, spices, earthiness, or wood, all of which contribute to the wine’s complexity.
Taste
Taste is a critical factor in rating wines. When you take a sip, try to identify the wine’s primary flavors. Is it fruity, earthy, or spicy? Consider the wine’s sweetness, acidity, tannin levels, and alcohol content. All these elements should be balanced. No one element should overpower the others.
Finish
The finish is the aftertaste that lingers after you’ve swallowed the wine. A high-quality wine should have a long, complex finish.
The Role of Wine Rating Sites
As you embark on your journey to rate wines, it’s useful to reference wine rating sites. These platforms can provide a wealth of information and expert reviews. Websites such as Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, and Vivino host a range of reviews from both wine professionals and everyday wine lovers. These platforms often include a rating, tasting notes, and food pairing suggestions, all valuable resources for aspiring wine raters.
The Pros and Cons of Wine Rating: Explained
A wine rating is a widespread practice employed by experts, critics, and enthusiasts alike. This system of evaluation serves several essential purposes but also has a few downsides worth considering.
Pros of Wine Rating
Educational: Wine ratings are educational tools that can guide consumers through the often complex world of wines. They provide insight into a wine’s quality, character, and potential longevity, helping individuals make informed choices.
Standardized Comparison: Wine ratings offer a standardized comparison between different wines, vintages, or regions. Consumers can use ratings as a shorthand to understand where a particular wine stands among others in terms of quality.
Quality Assurance: With a high rating from a reputed critic or publication, consumers can be assured that they are purchasing a quality wine. This can be particularly beneficial when investing in expensive bottles.
Encourages Improvement: The wine rating system encourages winemakers to strive for quality. Wineries often use high ratings in their marketing, providing motivation to continually refine their craft and produce excellent wines.
Cons of Wine Rating
Subjectivity: The most significant downside to wine ratings is their inherent subjectivity. Taste is highly personal; a wine one person rates highly may not appeal to another.
Influence of Critics: A handful of influential critics and publications often dominate the wine rating scene. This can lead to a narrow view of what constitutes a ‘good’ wine, potentially stifling diversity and innovation in winemaking.
Focus on Perfection: The 100-point rating scale tends to emphasize ‘perfect’ wines, which may not always equate to the most enjoyable or interesting. This can also lead to a perceived devaluation of wines that score less than 90 points, even though they might still be high quality.
Overemphasis on Rating: Consumers may focus too heavily on the rating and overlook other essential factors like personal preference, pairing options, and occasion suitability.
Therefore, while wine ratings can be a helpful guide, they should not be the sole factor in selecting a wine. The best way to navigate the world of wines is to use ratings as a starting point, learn from tasting experiences, and trust personal preferences.
Learning to Rate Wines Yourself
Learning to rate wines takes time, practice, and a lot of tasting. Start by tasting various wines and taking notes of your impressions. Describe the wine’s appearance, aroma, taste, and finish. Assign a score if you’d like. Compare your ratings with those on wine rating sites. Over time, you’ll develop a palate that can discern and appreciate various wine styles.
Remember, the aim of rating wines is not just to assign a score but to understand and appreciate the complexity and beauty of wine. Each wine uniquely expresses the place and time the grapes were grown. So, keep an open mind, trust your senses, and enjoy the journey!
By learning to rate wines, you will not only expand your knowledge and palate but also find greater enjoyment in every bottle, be it a rare Cabernet Sauvignon or everyday table wine. A wine rating is not only an art but also a gateway to the splendid world of wines.