Wine Scores

When the American palate began to pay attention to wine en masse in the 1980s there were two primary guiding influences Robert Parker and The Wine Spectator. Parker seemed to be everywhere writing exhaustible tasting notes on every major wine-producing region in the world. He also created the popular 100-point scale. Similarly, Marvin Shanken’s magazine introduced us to the wine lifestyle. The magazine produced features on the people and places that define this world through its breathtaking photography and sterling prose. It also created another list of wine scores. The annual Top 100 list could create overnight sensations that often flew off of shelves and dramatically increased their prices in the years to come.
Today, our wine-drinking world is in a state of fluctuation. Robert Parker is anointing his successors. The influence of The Spectator is at an all time low. More importantly, consumers are beginning to think for themselves. Let’s be clear here, I said, “beginning”. I can hear the cackles from individuals declaring this statement as elitist. It is not. It is a reflection of 20+ years in the industry. There are certainly brilliant consumers as well as a plethora of well-trained professionals. However, there is an embarrassing amount of misinformation being shared daily. Today our wine scene demonstrates that we have experience but not independence. But there is hope.
Scores of people have begun to question the sanctity of the scoring system. The Wall Street Journal published a beautiful article exposing the profound inconsistencies of judges at Wine Fairs http://on.wsj.com/2mpLIn. Forbes magazine pondered how a Wine Spectator score would be received after James Suckling stepped down from his position over the last 29 years http://onforb.es/qtWUT6. In wine stores around the country, we see a new merchant class eager to challenge the sacred status of well-established brands. There is a movement in wine lists around the country to expose the public to new lands, new varietals and new producers. But some fundamentals remain unchanged. The industry is still dominated by coordinated effort between multi national brands and powerful distributors. Through economies of scale, they are able to maximize their market share and profitability while making it more challenging for smaller brands to receive access. However, there is a fight brewing. There are individuals championing the rights of consumers like Tom Wark. Wark works tirelessly through his blog, Fermentation, to provide one with perspective of the fight regarding interstate wine sales and the challenges of the three-tier system. There is a movement to allow all wines to be sold directly to the consumer. This would diminish the profit of the importer and the distributor. Unfortunately, this development may have negative repercussions for the small wine storeowners that are held captive by this system.
The bulk of people are still relying on these scores to determine their acquisitions. Evidence of their popularity can be found everywhere. We see “Shelf talkers”, small promotional papers on the retail shelves that tout the wine’s scores in national publications. We see retail websites that will feature the score for RP- Robert Parker, WS-Wine Spectator, WA-Wine Advocate, D-Decanter, etc. The public relies on these scores for guidance. But how accurate are these scores really? In the best scenarios, the scores can provide attention to brands that might have been overlooked. But more often than not, they are inaccurate. I remember in the mid 1990s when Wine Spectator named 1994 the “Vintage of the Decade” for California wines. I was amazed at their omniscience, their ability to clearly understand how the next 5 vintages would show. Certainly 1994 was a good vintage, but years later, we are able to see how the soft tannins that helped the vintage be so loved in its youth are fading today. Most of us would choose the more complete 1997 vintage or even the hard tannins from 2005 that are now showing tremendous power and complexity. So the scores were wrong. Indeed, the scores are used to help sell magazines and wines, not to provide accurate information about the juice. This dynamic will continue until wine experts, not writers, provide the scores.
The other considerable challenge is that people have different palates. Parker has been so influential because so many Americans have the same palate as his, especially when they first start drinking wine. His advice is beautifully suited for many. However, there are others that are more interested in wines that show more balance and subtlety. Where do these people go for advice?
The group I have in mind for this challenge is sommeliers. They work tirelessly studying, tasting wines until their palates become refined. They are on the floor of various establishments engaging customers nightly. They often work in tandem with the chef to insure that the selections marry successfully with food. Who better then to determine the score of the wine? The sommelier is not challenged to create language that will sell. They are not tied to the advertising departments of various periodicals. They only have their reputations as professionals to consider. This is the group that can help guide acquisitions. Ultimately, however, the influence of scores will remain high until the public is more informed and experienced.