Wine Ratings: Friend or Foe?

If you’ve spent enough time around a wine store, picked up a wine magazine or looked at anything wine related, you’ve likely seen some type of score.  Ever since grade school we’ve learned about the 100 point scoring system.  Granted I’m old enough to remember when we were graded, scolded, told we were wrong (not just ”creative”) and when there was a winning team and a losing team… so perhaps I’m ignorant… do they still grade on the 100 point scale?  I digress…

What does the 100 point scale mean?

This is how Wine Spectator breaks it down:

• 95-100 Classic: a great wine
• 90-94 Outstanding: a wine of superior character and style
• 85-89 Very good: a wine with special qualities
• 80-84 Good: a solid, well-made wine
• 75-79 Mediocre: a drinkable wine that may have minor flaws
• 50-74 Not recommended
• A score given as a range ( 90-94 ) indicates a preliminary score, usually based on a barrel tasting.

According to Robert Parker:

• 96-100:  An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are worth a special effort to find, purchase, and consume.

• 90 – 95:  An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. In short, these are terrific wines.

•  80 – 89:  A barely above average to very good wine displaying various degrees of finesse and flavor as well as character with no noticeable flaws.

•  70 – 79:  An average wine with little distinction except that it is a soundly made. In essence, a straightforward, innocuous wine.

•  60 – 69:  A below average wine containing noticeable deficiencies, such as excessive acidity and/or tannin, an absence of flavor, or possibly dirty aromas or flavors.

•  50 – 59:  A wine deemed to be unacceptable.

Further, it should be understood that the ratings are (in theory, and accoring to Robert Parker) based on blind tastings of same-type wines, and that neither price nor producer are considered.  To break down the scoring process a little more, Robert Parker provides us further explanation:

 

In terms of awarding points, my scoring system gives every wine a base of 50 points. The wine’s general color and appearance merit up to 5 points. Since most wines today are well made, thanks to modern technology and the increased use of professional oenologists, they tend to receive at least 4, often 5 points. The aroma and bouquet merit up to 15 points, depending on the intensity level and dimension of the aroma and bouquet as well as the cleanliness of the wine. The flavor and finish merit up to 20 points, and again, intensity of flavor, balance, cleanliness, and depth and length on the palate are all important considerations when giving out points. Finally, the overall quality level or potential for further evolution and improvement—aging—merits up to 10 points

And lastly Robert Parker compares the numerical score to the grading system we’re famliar with:

90-100 is equivalent to an A and is given only for an outstanding or special effort. Wines in this category are the very best produced of their type. There is a big difference between a 90 and 99, but both are top marks. As you will note through the text, there are few wines that actually make it into this top category because there are not many great wines.

80-89 is equivalent to a B in school and such a wine, particularly in the 85-89 range, is very, very good; many of the wines that fall into this range often are great values as well. I have many of these wines in my personal collection.

70-79 represents a C, or average mark, but obviously 79 is a much more desirable score than 70. Wines that receive scores between 75 and 79 are generally pleasant, straightforward wines that lack complexity, character, or depth. If inexpensive, they may be ideal for uncritical quaffing.

Below 70 is a D or F, depending on where you went to school. For wine, it is a sign of an imbalanced, flawed, or terribly dull or diluted product that will be of little interest to the discriminating consumer.

But seriously… when it comes right down to it the most important thing to remember is that it’s an opinion… granted, it’s typically the opinion of a professional who tastes wine for a living and who probably tastes more wine in a year than any of us will taste in a lifetime, and who tastes wine systematically, in a controlled environment and for the purpose of evaluation… so, with that in mind here’s what I (and many of these professionals) suggest:

• Find a “professional” with whom you tend to jibe… palate-wise

• Read more than the score to get a feel for the character of the wine

• Use the score as a guide… not THE GUIDE!

• Taste… taste…taste – drink wine… and not just your “norm”, remember, think & drink outside your bottle!

• Trust your palate… drink what you like and like what you drink, just don’t get stuck in a rut!

• Remember that critically tasting is education to your palate:  drink, think, learn.

I hope this helps clarify and give perspective… use what you can, leave what you can’t!

 

Regards,

 

Ron

   

Deadly Zins, Heavenly Chards, Windmills and Eathquakes…?

November has been an unbelievable month for Wine Tastings at Cafe le Grand… even if I say so myself.  We’ve had three of them… all featuring fantastic wines… and two of them being events not to be missed.  It’s really too bad we can only seat about 24 people at our wine tastings.  Of course you’ve read about Corey and Chad from Dusted Valley Vintners… well, last night we did pretty much the entire Michael & David Vineyards portfolio with special guests Mike Kasper and Melissa Lewis of Michael & David Vineyards!

 Mike works out of Chicago, touring the country promoting the Michael & David Family of Wines ( http://www.lodivineyards.com/ ), while Melissa is from Wisconsin and does similar promotion around the State.  Many of you may be familiar with Michael & David wines – including 7 Heavenly Chards Chardonnay, 7 Deadly Zins Zinfandel and others.  If you’re a fan, you seriously missed out on a great tasting… the lineup went like this:

7 Heavenly Chards, Incognito Viogner, Windmill Estates Cabernet, Windmill Estates Zinfandel, 7 Deadly Zins, 6th Sense Syrah, Incognito Rouge, Petite Petit, Earthquake Cabernet, Earthquake Zinfandel, Earthquake Petite Sirah.

Realizing Loreen and I taste about 90% of everything we carry (tough job… but somebody has to do it!), it had been some time since we’ve done such a concentrated tasting of one producer’s products - and once again all of our memories were affirmed.  These wines represent a quality line from a consistent producer!

Although you missed the Michael & David Portfolio Tasting, we encourage you to stop by and pick up a few bottles to see what all the buzz is about, and enjoy these gems from Lodi.

Regards….

Ron

2001 Parker Coonawarra Estate

I’m not going to go too crazy, but I’m sippin’ a wine that’s been opening (improving and changing) for about 3 1/2 hours and I’ve got to tell somebody about it… the 2001 Parker Coonawarra Estate Terra Rossa First Growth.

Loreen and I had not been able to taste this wine - having brought it in on a suggestion and following a bit of reading – so tonight, being a Holiday week and all, we decided to open a nice bottle and see about this Australian First Growth.  I have to say, I think it’s a bit pretentious to name your wine First Growth – that’s a designation given to some of the (generally speaking) historically best, most expensive, longest lived, highest rated and most sought after wine in the world.  So going in I was a bit suspicious, which is my nature.

As I said above… it’s been open for 3 1/2 hours… and although I can’t say it’s a “First Growth” in the normal use of the terminology, it’s damn good!  I am really impressed… it is one of the best wines I’ve had in recent months.  If you are into luscious, layered, tannic, complex California Cabernet and have found yourself disappointed time again with Australian Cabs… you have got to check this one out.

The Parker Coonawarra Estate First Growth is a Cabernet/ Merlot blend, made only in the best years – when the grapes deserve to be in a bottle that declares itself a First Growth. According to their website (  http://www.parkercoonawarraestate.com.au/cpa/htm/htm_home.asp?page_id=35 ) -

“Each vintage small quantities of the best fruit is selected for the Terra Rossa First Growth. If in any one year the grapes do not reach the high standard set, then no Terra Rossa First Growth is made, as was the case in 1992, 1995, 1997, 2002 & 2003 . In those years the wine released was under the Terra Rossa Cabernet Sauvignon label.”

And according to the critics:

Wine Spectator: 90 pts. A distinctive red, firm, even a bit chewy, but generous with its spicy black cherry, leather and caramel flavors, finishing dry and lively. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2005 through 2010. 2,600 cases made. –HS

Robert Parker 92 pts.  Potentially better than the 2000, but also more structured and tannic, is the formidably endowed, immensely promising 2001 First Growth Terra Rossa. A Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated offering with a touch of Merlot in the blend, it needs 2-3 years of cellaring, and should keep for 15+. Its opaque purple color is followed by gorgeous aromas of scorched earth, creme de cassis, blackberries, cedar, caramel, and licorice. Full-bodied, with an opulent attack followed by a structured, tannic finish, this pure, dense, promising 2001 will be at its finest between 2006-2018.

Bottom line… if you’re so inclined… come in a get a bottle… drink it or lay it down.  Either way, it’s well worth the $65.00

UPDATE:  The Parker Coonawarra Estate First Growth is specially priced for Wine Club members @ $55.00!!

Is It Corked…?

Corked… faulty… dull… subdued… off…

If you drink enough wine, regardless of how you describe it, you’ll eventually have one that just ain’t right.  The catch is, will you be able to recognize the fact that something is amiss when put to the test (e.g. drinking it) or will you simply write it off as a wine you don’t like… wrongly condemning what could possibly be a perfectly good, perhaps great, bottle of wine?  There are several estimates of the number of corked bottles, of course, depending on who is doing the estimating.  Generally speaking I fall back on between 1 in 15 or 1 in 20 bottles being corked – this puts it in the 5% to 7% range.  The causes of faulty wines are typically contamination in some way or another from the various stages of wine-making (unripe grapes, improper fermentation, too much sulphur dioxide, oxidation, or the presence of a contaminant), and can exhibit themselves in the appearance, smell and/or taste of the wine.  Although it’s worth discussing in detail, I will save the causes and symptoms for another time… and instead tell you a story about a recent experience.

Last night Loreen and I decided to treat ourselves to an intimate dinner at The Wright Place and one of Chef Travis Teska’s uniquely prepared and succulent meals.  As usual, we got two wine lists so we could engage in our typical review and discussion of the various wines on the list.  After our typical “how about… what about… we could have…” we decided on a bottle of 2005 Artemis from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.  Having visited SLWC while in the Napa Valley we were excited as Jeremy (our waiter) removed the cork and poured the first taste for Loreen.  We find that the initial smell & taste can set the stage for the bottle and dinner… except of course, when there is something amiss.  Loreen’s smile faded into a wry, suspect grin and her eyes showed disappointment.  She offered me the glass… I inhaled deeply and contemplated.  Many times a faulty wine will simply blow up in your face, but not tonight.  We hemmed and hawed and thought perhaps it would open up and become (as the Army suggests) all it could be.  But after about 10 minutes and much swirling we were convinced that it was at least slightly corked.  The nose was a bit musty, with no bright aromas and the taste was dull, with a predominant negative earth/wood characteristic.

When the opportunity arose we hailed The Wright Place owner Patty Kay and told her of our wine concern.  She diligently requested a taste for Chef to mull over and was off like a flash.  Chef Travis joined us at the table and talked through the wine with us… ultimately giving us the option of exchanging the bottle – which we decided upon – but keeping a glass of the first bottle for comparison sake.

Jeremy once again stood at our table, opening and pouring the 2005 Artemis into clean glasses… Loreen sipped… and smiled, quickly handing me the glass.  The wine was completely different!  We had confirmed our suspicions and once again found renewed love for SLWC… well, maybe not quite that dramatic, but we knew we could sit back and enjoy this glorious wine.  It had a much brighter nose of fruit and true Oak… the tannins were smooth, round and evident with a lingering finish.  Of course we wanted to take the opportunity to prove our assessment and asked Chef Teska to partake  – and were pleased when his reaction mirrored ours.  We spent the remainder of our meal smelling and sipping and sipping and smelling – enjoying the wine, the meal, the atmosphere and the company!

What’s to be learned from this little experience?  If you think something is wrong with the wine (not that you simply don’t like it), let someone know – in a restaurant it should be the wait staff, wine steward, bartender or whomever else.  If you buy a bottle from a retail store and open it at home – simply cork it (don’t dump it) and return it to the store (where you purchased it) where they should take the bottle, provide you with a replacement or refund your money.  At Cafe le Grand we gladly accept suspected faulty bottles and do what every other establishment is able to do… we return it to our distributor for a full refund.  If a restaurant or wine store won’t accept the return on a suspect bottle of wine, then the wine is not the only faulty element of the equation!

I hope this gives you the confidence to question a wine and take steps to assure your eventual enjoyment!  Thanks for your time and say hello to Patty, Chef Travis and Jeremy the next time you’re at The Wright Place on 6th!  And if you’re so inclined, try the Artemis from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars from their list or drop into Cafe le Grand and pick up a bottle of it for home!

Laurel Glen Vineyard – 2005 Reds

 This past Monday night Loreen was out of town and I didn’t feel much like cooking, so I stopped in at my favorite little eatery and wine boutique (CLG of course!).  I decided on the grilled beef & provolone panini for dinner… as well as the 2005 Laurel Glen Reds.  I’ve had several recent conversations with people in regards to excellent valued wines to complement food.  This is one I recalled as being just that – but it had been a while and I wanted to confirm what I’d been telling people!

Patrick & Faith Campbell began farming the property that would become Laurel Glen Vineyard in 1977 and founded the winery in 1981.  They initially produced Cabernet Sauvignon , however, have since expanded their offerings to include two estate Cabernets from Sonoma County, CA, several Malbec’s from Argentina and two selections within their California Heartland Reds – the ZaZin Old Vine Zinfandel and the Reds.

Reds, from the Lodi appellation, is a blend consiting of 40% Zinfandel (60 year old vines), 25% Carignane (117 year old vines) and 35% Syrah & Petite Sirah.  It is matured in French and American oak barrels for nine months.  Total production of the 2005 Reds is 13,000 cases.  Billed as a wine for the people, Reds is described as displaying “a deep ruby core. Fresh, bright scents of blackberry, cassis, cherry and violet. It’s very pure and graceful, with mineral-driven dark berry and bitter cherry flavors and an elegant, velvety texture. Finishes fresh and long, with an echoing note of cherry.”

I found Reds to be a fantastic valued food wine – priced at $11.00 it was a great choice with my beef & provolone panini!  The wine initially displayed fruit characteristics but with a bit of palate cleansing crispness in the mid-palate (I take this is as a medium acid level which is great for food pairing).  The wine further struck me as spicy with a creamy dark/dried cherry finish.  I could easily see this as a Monday through Wednesday wine for casual meals such as pizza, lighter grilled meat or even medium Italian dishes.  It’s not a Serious Steak or Roast Beast wine, but it hit the spot Monday!

For information about Laurel Glenn and their wines: www.laurelglen.com

Dusted Valley Vintners

So here’s the deal… about a year ago a woman attending one of our wine tastings told me about Dusted Valley Vintners from Walla Walla Washington.  I don’t recall what she told me, but I jumped on the web, found them and dropped an e-mail.  I don’t recall hearing anything – until this past week!  So Corey Braunell and Chad Johnson are the owners/winemakers at DVV… and they happen to be from Wisconsin!  Corey is from Marathon and Chad is From Chippewa Falls.  Corey tells me they just locked a distribution deal for Wisconsin – to start in February 2008.  This is very cool.  What’s cooler?  They decided to drop in at CLG, bring some wine and sit in on our Saturday, 11/10, wine tasting!  We cracked a couple of their fabulous bottles – sampled them out (all were big hits) and let Corey and Chad tell their story.

Needless to say we are very grateful to Corey and Chad’s willingness to hang out and share their wine and experience with us – a dear thank you to both of them.  Now we just have to be patient… come February you can be assured we’ll be representing DVV with all the wines we can get our hands on… can’t wait to give the wines a place in their home state!  In the meantime you can check out DVV on-line: http://www.dustedvalley.com/default.asp

Ron’s Wine Picks

In thinking about things to drone on about here it’s pretty apparent we’ve got to talk about wine… which is great.  I like wine… I like wine a lot… no, seriously, I really enjoy wine.  I think it goes without saying I enjoy drinking it, however, I also really like learning about it… “it” being wine, grape varieties, grape growing, wine making, wine regions, wineries, wine history, people involved in wine making, wine chemistry, wine consumption, the wine industry in general, wine tasting, wine smelling, wine evaluating and nearly all that is wine.  Get the point?

So, given my affinity to wine, I decided to include a couple categories for my postings: Wine Stuff, which will cover general items about AOTA and this little category Ron’s Wine Picks.  I’m not qualified to taste, evaluate and rate a wine like those in the big wine publications or found elsewhere on the WWW, however, I’m damn qualified to tell you what I like!  That’s the great thing about wine – it’s very personal and we don’t all have to like what everyone (or anyone) else does.  And we don’t have to be an ”expert” or “professional” to know what we like!  If you can’t identify all the aromas and/or tastes found in the tasting notes (I know I can’t!), who cares?  The most important thing is to be adventurous and willing to step out of your little bottle – trust and entice your palate, drink what you enjoy and enjoy what you drink!  Along the way you’re bound to learn a thing or three… about wine, friends and life - and that my friends, is really the point.

So, check back now and again and see what’s in my glass…

Regards.

Hello world!

Greetings!  Welcome to the brand-spankin’ new Cafe le Grand blog.  Loreen and I decided to create this little (cyber)space to chat about wine, coffee and all things CLG.  I hope you find something useful, share something interesting and generally enjoy dropping by once in a while to see what all the chit chat is about.  Thanks for visiting and please join wordpress.com and drop us a note to let us know you’ve stopped by to visit!

 Thanks for your time and attention!

Regards,

Ron & Loreen