Wine reviews and ratings first became popular after the traditional wine criticism, which was practiced centuries ago by the merchants, connoisseurs, and writers who kept records of their impressions of wines for trade and education. Initially, in the past, one of the philosophers like Pliny the Elder wrote about different types of wines and their characteristics, while the European nobles would always have their advisors that helped them choose the best ones. The current form of wine reviews came out in the 20th century.
The phenomenon of wine reviews rose in the mid-1900s when people like André Simon and Michael Broadbent were the key figures for the public’s perspective. The magazines corresponding to the genre like *Wine Spectator* or *Decanter* started offering a format to the reviews, while Robert Parker introduced a 100-point rating system which was the first of its kind in the 1980s. The impact of Parker, especially in Bordeaux and Napa Valley, was the principal cause of the change towards the fruit-forward, high-alcohol wines that critics preferred all around the world.
Wine ratings are still of great popularity among the people, but the consumer preferences are not so one-dimensional anymore. Useful websites for consumers like Vivino, CellarTracker, along with social media influencers have provided wine criticism with a new democratic platform, where amateurs can express their views next to professionals. Although the scores from critics still have a lot of power over the pricing and prestige of a certain company, the people that love listening to winos have gained more than one source able to help them with their purchases. The path of the wine reviews continues, which is the balance between the expertise and the easy access to it in the quickly transforming field.
Rosé It’s about time America fell in love with rosé wines. We’ve been extolling the virtues of rosé since the 2006 vintage. Historically, one of the great spots for wine has been the Coteaux …
Sometimes you find a great bottle using a wine heuristic. Sometimes is simply picking up a bottle from a beloved-but-obscure wine region. The Apremont region in the Savoie department in France …
The Wine Critic’s DilemmaSometimes a wine review doesn’t start with the wine but how the writer discovered it. Finding great wines at any price point would be impossible if I were …
Maison BrotteIf you happen to be in the village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, you’ll probably end up at the Musée du Vin. It’s attached to Maison Brotte, one of the oldest wineries in …
Located in Upper Wairau Valley, a remote corner in one of the most remote wine regions in the world, Hillersden is an interesting winery that is as much about Kiwi ingenuity …
Mazzei Belguardo Serrata ToscanaBelguardo’s vineyards are on the Tuscan coast, much warmer than the more traditional vineyards in the central hills. This makes for some very modern, ultra-ripe versions of Sangiovese, along …
This is the last vintage of this wine, so I’d recommend picking up a few bottles. A rock-solid cabernet that has the big oak and extraction one would expect for a …
Like much of Australian lingo, Chook has forboding silliness to it. WTF is a Chook? Is it an insult? A term of affection? I went looking for clues. In Shakespeare’s England, it …
A Historic Napa Wine This is a landmark bottle of Napa wines. One of those historic wines that fly under the radar these days. Let’s let the old guard take up …
A barrel-fermented, barrel-aged, full buttery bomb MLF of a Chardonnay. This bottle is largely sourced from the Goldfields Vineyard in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley; this bottle offers exactly what you’d expect …
Hecht & Bannier are a négociant winery based in the southern French town of Aix-en-Provence. Since 2002, they’ve released several excellent red wines. However, it’s their rosé program that is getting noticed, …
Tenuta di Burchino is located in northern Tuscany, in the hills outside Pisa. I’ve some great wines from this producer, particularly their Genius Loic IGT from their “Le Corti” vineyard. They’ve …
Mont-Redon is one of those Chateauneuf du Pape wineries that totally messes with my life. They bottle wines like Zeus throws lightning bolts. Bolts. A place that throws out muscle-bound luxury …
In most classes at the wine school, I behave myself. I don’t let my deep love of Cali Chardonnay get in the way of a great wine class. Back when I …
On occasion, I sit next to a normal at a wine conference. After a few minutes of awkward conversation, they invariably ask me one question:“What is your favorite wine?”I don’t have an answer to that question. …
When I was the national wine buyer for Bacchus Wines, one of my first additions to the portfolio was Villa Cafaggio. They’ve been producing excellent Chianti Classico since the 1960s. For a …