I just finished looking through the the thread WA #198. I’m astonished at the angst displayed by many posters about assigning scores to wine notes.
Here’s the reality. If The Wine Advocate (or publications like it) eliminated scores, it would be out of business quickly. For a variety of reasons, subscribers want scores. The scores are not going away.
For those who dislike scores and the publications which use them, ignore them. Instead of wasting energy complaining about them, let’s talk about wine. I’d love to join those discussions.
Well put. Some people just aren’t happy unless they are complaining and beating someone/something up while online. I think of it as the Facebook/Yelp/Twitter Generation. A world of people who think everyone else cares what they think.
For those who dislike threads about scores and the publications which use them, ignore them. Instead of wasting energy complaining about them, let’s talk about wine. I’d love to join those discussions.
Thanks Jay. This was a real ship adrift before these comments. There are only 46 active wine discussion threads on the first page of this forum. As Keith said, please join in any of them and start discussing wine.
I don’t think most of the people in that and related threads were arguing that scores should go away; mostly people were making the point that some people were focusing ONLY on the scores, and their resultant scores-focused tizzy was both unwise (on their part as overly dependent consumers) and unnecessary.
Your point about scores is an economic reality and I appreciate your candor.
I would love to see your participation here now that there is no conflict with your former employer. It may be a bit of a frying pan for you but it would be nice to hear the other side of many of the controversial issues in an open format. Hopefully any discussions that ensue can be done in a professional manner.
Jay–First, welcome to WB. Congrats for stepping into the virtual hornet’s nest.
I don’t know if there’s any way to put the genie back into the bottle with scores. I first got into wine long before there were all these publications giving scores to wines on a 100-point scale. Maybe it’s nostalgia, but I wouldn’t mind if we could magically eliminate the 100-point scale. There are many problems with it, not the least of which is that even a one or two-point difference in a score can mean the difference between a wine flying off the shelf and a wine sitting there collecting dust. There’s also little doubt in my mind that the severe price inflation we’ve seen in certain wine segments (e.g., Bordeaux) would not have been possible without the 100-point scale.
While reviews and scores have introduced me to some wines I might have overlooked, I can see definitely drawbacks to the consumer of the 100-point scale.
You are to. Be commended for being willing to stick your head in the lion’s mouth. That said, the way you have (mis)used scores has contributed so much to the negative perception/backlash, that it is a subject you are better off leaving alone.
Under thought and over simplified, as always. Wine drinkers want guidance (the wines to try, the wines to avoid) It doesn’t have to be scores, it could be stars, or bells, or flowers. It’s guidance not numbers.
the 100 point scale means zero if 60% of the wines are in the top 90th percentile.
Nice to see you.
Were you thrown off of Squire’s board or did your membership in eBob lapse?
Welcome. I am a fan! Interested by your thoughts! People are so judgmental on such a personal basis over the things we do in our profession/work. Agree with me or not… ignore me if you like… but who has the right to vilify over the expression of thoughts and opinions… about wine!!! I am generally what Gary V. refers to as a lurker… I don’t generally say much… and only on a positive note, or in defense of those I respect! My approach to scores and wine critic reviews generally from my first introduction to them has always been… might be worth a try if someone has expressed a positive opinion about a particular bottle, winery, region… etc. I don’t dwell on the squabbles and disagreements. I resent the attacks, of critics… or by critics of wineries or winemakers that reflect an agenda! I care about what people like. I reject the rest as bad kharma, or bad manners! It is the wineries, the trades, the consumers and the readers generally that assign relevance and monetary value to what critics have written. There are a number of really good wines that never seem to garner great scores or press, or aren’t even reviewed. I like what I like and I appreciate anyone who gives me cause to try something new. I love wine, and the good company it brings! Haters hate… I have never been one!
Welcome Jay! I hope you will become a regular presence here.
We live in an age where just about everything is assigned a numerical value. Want a washer and dryer? Take a look at Consumer Reports. Looking for a home loan? What’s your FICO score? Interesting in going to college? What did you get on your SAT? Hungry? How many points or stars did Zagat or Yelp give the place? None of these scores are truly objective, nor do they take into consideration relative value of any one criteria (I might care more about one criteria than another, for example), so readers always need to take into consideration the tastes, judgement, tendencies and perspective of the reviewer. To just accept points blindly is more the fault of the reader than the reviewer.