Comments on: Scores on labels: what’s the point? http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/ wine talk that goes down easy Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:43:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Italian wine china http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/#comment-369449 Italian wine china Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:34:16 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=10216#comment-369449 These marketing strategies by spanish vineyards are very successful with the chinese consumer.

]]> By: John Glas http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/#comment-369005 John Glas Fri, 23 Dec 2011 13:51:03 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=10216#comment-369005 This is great finally a good discussion about the positives of points. It is amazing when I teach people how to taste wine and then serve them a Columbia Crest Grand Estates vs. Menage a Trois. Guess which one they will never buy again. The Columbia Crest receives nice scores (high 80s) and they make great wine. This is my number one recommended winery for the beginner and they can now drink something affordable that isn’t Mondavi Private Selection, Two Buck Chuck, Barefoot, etc.

]]> By: jpvazquez http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/#comment-368974 jpvazquez Fri, 23 Dec 2011 04:57:50 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=10216#comment-368974 The only thing dumb is putting points from prior vintages, but RATING ARE USEFUL!

]]> By: Baby Jebus http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/#comment-368966 Baby Jebus Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:02:36 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=10216#comment-368966 Someone had to buy the 2000 vintage from Napa, and as ever, it was Americans, haha.

]]> By: Michael http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/#comment-368965 Michael Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:22:48 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=10216#comment-368965 I totally agree with you David. It is incumbent on the industry to find a way that enables the average consumer and aspiring wine enthusiasts to taste the wine prior to purchasing it. Otherwise, relying on several recognized experts to sort things out for them is the ONLY sensible way to navigate through the thousands of wines available at every price point. I organize several wine groups in NYC where participants in our social tastings have little experience/knowledge and are looking to be exposed to wine. To help them do so, we typically offer 14-20 wines rated 90+ to expose them to wines that knowledgeable experts like.

In fact, this was my post, which happens to have been the first one on this topic and the only one (other then yours, David) – favoring the rating system:

“While many sophisticated wine lovers (such as u), retailers, Distributors, etc abhor ratings (for their “own” obvious “good” reason), the general public needs and will continue to rely on unbiased expert rating to help them select wine before they shell-out their dollars. Until the industry devises a way to allow people to taste their wine before purchasing, I don’t see a more effective way then ratings. And please don’t suggest asking the retailer for suggestions.”
Cheers to everyone :)

]]> By: John Glas http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/#comment-368962 John Glas Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:20:21 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=10216#comment-368962 David,

You are correct on the average consumer not knowing a good vintage from the next. Someone had to buy the 2000 vintage from Napa.

I love how all you anti point people express your anger against points. I educate a few thousand people a year on wine and I have less than 3 that can name a favorite wine with a vintage. The consumer needs all the help they can get and most wine shops do not offer good advice. You should see the bad wine people show me that a retailer recommended. If we can get people from drinking marketed cheap wine (the industry) and get them drinking better wine it is a plus.

I am tired of people who drink wine and do some research on their own thinking only their palate matters. You are in the 1% so points at least get people from drinking Yellow Tail and Two Buck Chuck which will only allow better products on the market across the board.

]]> By: David http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/#comment-368943 David Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:11:10 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=10216#comment-368943 Wine is like a stock portfolio: past performance is no guarantee of future results. Just because the 06 was good doesn’t mean the 09 will be. But I suppose the average consumer may not think that through when they’re at the market.

]]> By: Dave Erickson http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/#comment-368918 Dave Erickson Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:26:24 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=10216#comment-368918 Image is here:

http://www.justagrape.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/3673_072410_1203.jpg

]]> By: Dave Erickson http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/#comment-368917 Dave Erickson Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:26:00 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=10216#comment-368917 Okay, it’s on the neckband, not the label…this is a 2007 Santa Ema Merlot. As it happens, a very nice wine made by very nice people. I was surprised they did this. And now I’m going to enjoy a nice unrated Marcillac…

]]> By: eccoyle http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/#comment-368856 eccoyle Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:35:44 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=10216#comment-368856 ha I think that I saw that exact bottle at the store tonight and thought that it was weird. I don’t pay much mind to the scores but wine shopping is really hard. I have a little bit of knowledge about wine but still feel completely lost when I walk into a store with rows upon rows full of bottles. Tastings or good, helpful descriptions on the shelf talkers would be most helpful.

btw, I did get a recommendation tonight. We shall see how good the wines are but before even opening the bottles, I wasn’t really satisfied with the experience

]]> By: RobinC http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/#comment-368848 RobinC Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:39:40 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=10216#comment-368848 Do I detect the fine hand of Pancho Campo once again lending his expert advise to the wineries of Spain? Just kidding. Torres is big enough to take responsibility for their own PR gimmicks.

]]> By: WineLush http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/#comment-368838 WineLush Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:22:51 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=10216#comment-368838 Tyler,

I don’t disagree they went over the line. I just disagree with giving the whole thing any air. I’m so tired of the ratings debate, the watering down, the laziness of producers and the yahoos who think they can take their childrens trust fund and parlay it into billions if they just get a 90 point rating on a $250 bottle of 16% abv schlock. (trust me as a former head buyer for an importer, I saw plenty of those) and most importantly since the ratings are so skewed now, what used to be an 83 is now a 90, it’s nuts, it’s lying to the public and it makes a complete mockery out of the industry, the repeated scandals, the whole hot mess of it all. So here I stand on my soap box giving it air myself.

Thus, I’m going to toddle off with something nice, low abv, unrated, I know the farmer and I’m going to take a xanax with it and have a nice evening drooling on myself.

Don’t get me wrong, love your blog, I think today was just my limit on lemmings and points.

]]> By: Eder http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/#comment-368824 Eder Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:43:41 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=10216#comment-368824 Spain is destroying its wine industry and all cultural assets, there is no authenticity in its wines, most of them dominated by oak and powerful flavors, it’s a shame that a land with amazing gastronomy continues to deliver these poor wine efforts. The worst is that even top spanish chefs admire this wines, maybe it is nationalism.

]]> By: Andrea http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/#comment-368783 Andrea Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:44:47 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=10216#comment-368783 Scores are not that important to the average consumer. According to a 2008 survey conducted by Sonoma State University, the #1 reason Americans buy wine is because they have tasted it before. #2–recommendation. “Medal” (closest thing to “score” on the survey) was #6.
http://www.winebusiness.com/wbm/?go=getArticle&dataId=56883

]]> By: 1WineDude http://www.drvino.com/2011/12/21/wine-scores-labels-whats-the-point-torres/#comment-368774 1WineDude Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:00:07 +0000 http://www.drvino.com/?p=10216#comment-368774 “I just think that points appear to present a false sense of objectivity and a snapshot for what is subjective and a moving picture.”

EXACTLY!!!!

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