Augustine Grille Wine Cellar Talk

In my blogs going forward, I will go over some of the finest wines from around the world, we are having in our cellar at the Augustine Grille.

 

 

But first, lets go over wine ratings, and the reasons for rating wine,

 

 

Professional critics and bloggers often score or rate wines.  In Europe, it is common to use the 20 Pt scale. In America, which is where I live, using the 100 Pt system, which is similar to how grades are awarded in schools is my preferred method. 

 

Why rate wines? Scoring a wine is the choice of the writer, regardless of if the note was written by a professional or amateur. I score wines to allow readers to know which wine I liked more or less, vis a vis other wines in its peer group.  This is not a claim of scientific accuracy. It is simply an easy to say that I liked one wine more, or less than another wine.

 

There are thousands of tasting notes everywhere. That volume of notes allows you to obtain a good idea on the wines and styles of wine reviewer prefer.  

 

Even though I am an amateur, it is important to read the descriptions of the wines and not just the score. Everyone who loves wine can taste. Trust your palate. If you like a wine, it’s a good wine. for you  If you do not enjoy a wine, regardless of how high a wine was rated by anyone, the wine is not good in your eyes and that’s all that matters.

 

Wines are rated in peer groups. A high or low score for a Bordeaux wine is not the same as a high or low score for a Rhone Valley wine.  The same thing holds true when comparing du Chateaunef du Pape with Cote Rotie.That being said, high scores denote the tasteres view of quality, regardless of the peer group and lower scores are reserved for wines that did not offer the same level of tasting experience.

 

Lastly, it is imperative to remember, with mature wines, (Bottles that are older than 20 years) the description and score are for that specific bottle, and not the wine.  The old saying is 100% true. After more than 20 years, there is no such thing as a great wine, only great bottles.  Each bottle ages different and was stored differently as well. My experience might not be your experience, due to the condition of the particular bottle.  From wines produced 1988 forward, the majority of those wines will be from a cold, damp cellar. They should be as good an experience as possible.

 

Explanation of 100 Pt wine rating scale and how scores are are broken out:  

96-100 Pts – Wines at this level are amongst the finest wines possible in the peer group. They have everything a wine lover could ask for in a wine.  They should display the best attributes wines offer in abundance.  100 Pt wines are not perfect.  That is not the point, But wines scoring 100 Pts should be so good, that they offer an unparalleled tasting experience from start to finish, in the fragrance, mouth feel and finish.
90 – 95 Pts  - This is an outstanding score that can provide a compelling tasting experience.  These are usually the best wines to buy as they combine high quality, without the enormous premium associated with wines being awarded higher scores.

85 – 89 Pts – This denotes an above average score that is for very good wines. But for one reason or another, they fall short of earning the equivalent of an A score.
80 – 84 Pts – Wines earning these scores can provide good drinking, but they will have some moderate to noticeable flaws. For example, the wine could be an older vintage that has started to fade, the finish could be short, no mid palate or a lack of concentration and or complexity.
70 – 79 Pts – This denotes a below average wine which could range from a simple wine without character at the top end of the ratings scale to a wine with discernable flaws at the bottom end of the range. :
50 – 69 Pts Wines at this level are flawed and should be avoided. It’s important to remember that wines earn 50 Pts simply by being wet.