There are basically 4 areas where wines are rated. These are appearance, smell or aroma, taste, and aftertaste. Below is some information on how wines get their scores:
1.6 star wines are exceptional vintage, so perfect that nothing more can be removed or added to improve it. Only less than 1% of the total worlds production of wine belongs to this category. They possess all the complex characteristics of a classic wine. They aren't usually sold online or elsewhere and tagged as collectors items.
2.5 star wines are almost perfect because they have extraordinary organoleptic characteristics. These wines have balanced richness, color, and overall harmony so that they produce extraordinary texture, smell, and taste.
3.4 star wines are 5% of the worlds production and they don't have noticeable flaws and they display high character, finesse, and flavor. These are the types of wine commonly collected today. They are expected to get a higher rating as they age.
4.3 star wines are what they usually call average wines. They are made from ordinary ingredients but are soundly made. They are the same as 4 star wines in that they don't have noticeable flaws and they have excellent texture and taste.
5.2 star wines on the other hand are below average. They contain noticeable flaws (ex. Floating particles, unpleasant odor, watery substance, etc) due to extra tannin or acid. However, they can be generally pleasant but lack complexity, depth, or character.
6.0-1 star wines are usually homemade wines that don't make it to the wine market. These are commonly made from poor quality ingredients and they are noticeably dull. They are flawed, terribly diluted, and imbalanced.
Wine tasting and ratings are usually done within large groups. This group of people rate unlabelled wines without considering the brand and cost. Their ratings are compiled to be used in comprehensive analysis to determine the ratings and classes of wines. These are designed to help buyers in choosing the best wine on the market today. Though these ratings can be used by buyers when buying wine, they aren't guidelines that are strictly to be followed. It will still be the buyers call on what to put in their cart when they are shopping.
Many people use wine ratings to help them choose wines. These rating systems can be confusing because there is no standard for how they rate wine or even what factors they use to rate the wine. Since there is no main standard recognized by the industry, you have to take it upon yourself to review the rating system you are using.
There are several wine rating systems in use that are quite popular. Below is a brief explanation of two popular systems: The Wine Advocate Rating System and The Connoisseurs Guide to California Wine. As you can see by the names of these rating systems that some systems rate only specific types of wine.
Basics to Know
The main thing you have to recognize about rating systems is that they are very biased. One person usually writes the ratings, and they are solely based upon his or her specific tastes. So, the only way to get real use out of a rating system is to find one that suits your tastes.
You need to start by reading wine ratings and then tasting the wine yourself. Then you can see if you agree or disagree with the rating. Do this for a variety of ratings and try out a few different wines that each system rates. Eventually you should find a rating system that matches with your tastes. You can then use that system to help you choose new wines.
The Wine Advocate Rating System
The Wine Advocate Rating System is written by Robert Parker and runs from 50 to 100. The ratings are based upon the color, appearance, aroma, bouquet, flavor and overall quality of the wine. Anything over 80 is considered very good and anything over 90 is considered excellent. You know better the cost of a bottle of wine and the wine's ratings.
Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine
The Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine is a magazine that rates wine from 90 to 100. It uses a star system to rate wine.
? A rating of 80 to 86 is good but there is a note that it varies.
? A rating of 87 to 90 gets one star.
? A rating of 91 to 94 gets 2 stars and
? A rating of 95 to 98 gets 3 stars.
Each star is representative of how good the wine is, but the ratings number system is still used to distinguish between those on the low end of the spectrum. For example, a two star wine with a rating of 94 will be better than a two star wine with a rating of 91.
As you can see, rating systems vary greatly in many aspects. You alone can decide what makes a good rating system. Everyone is different. Even once you find a good rating system you may disagree from time to time with the ratings. Only you can really rate wine and how it tastes to you, but rating systems can be a handy guide when you are looking to try something new or choose a good wine for a special occasion.
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