Ep 052: Critiquing the Critics

Ever wonder what those little tags with numbers on them in the wine shop actually mean? Who determines the difference between an 89 and a 90? What’s the scale like? How do they conduct these tastings? In this episode we critique the critics, talking about the various scoring systems — what they mean, what to look for, and why, ultimately, they are kind of like noise to your decision-making process. After shout-outs and a listener question on punts (in which M.C. Ice gives a crazy explanation that you can’t miss), the indentation at the bottom of a wine bottle, we get to the main topic: We cover the various systems of Robert Parker/the Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, Jancis Robinson, and the New York Times and San Francisco Chronicle. We quote from their websites about their scoring methodologies and then give our impressions of them. We talk about alternate methods of evaluating a wine and a way to revolt against the system…although w [...]