Points - how big a review factor?

Eric_Anderson · February 9, 2009, 11:54pm

So, imagine WA, WS, IWC, Burghound, etc, stop publishing scores (yeah, I know - never happen). The reviews are there, but no scores accompany them. Would you read the reviews closer, stop taking the publications, …or??

ToddFrench · February 9, 2009, 11:56pm

I don’t subscribe to any of the publications. I go more on TN’s from others, personal recommendations, my own tasting experience, and longstanding reputations of the wineries.

So for me, it would be utterly devastating.

Eric_Anderson · February 10, 2009, 12:07am

I knew I’d have to tailor this for you.

So, imagine Wineberserkers stops publishing TNs (yeah, I know - never happen). The hints of cassis are there, but no scores or reviews accompany them. Would you read the hints closer, stop watching Wineberserkers, …or

Cris_Whetstone · February 10, 2009, 12:09am

Thats a tough call. It can be a handy reference to look over all of the scores from one region to see what fell where. As they stand now though a lot of the notes may not be as useful. I’m currently not a subscriber anywhere but if I were to go back that with no points I would hope there would be more emphasis placed on summarizing the wine to the reviewers taste. Did they like it and how much? How does it stand up to similar wines and is it a value? Plus I always want more about the structure and aging potential.

ToddFrench · February 10, 2009, 12:33am

I go more by the notes than the scores anyway, even on individual ‘regular person’ TN’s. I learn more from that than a score.

Glenn_L_e_v_i_n_e · February 10, 2009, 12:46am

word

CFu · February 10, 2009, 1:28am

pretty big i think. Hard to organize notes/ look through notes without some way of organizing them. Also when you’re looking at just notes you have to understand the writer’s palate, what he likes dislikes, and then summarize if he thought positively or negative about it. It’s far easier for them to sum it up in points.

LMD_Ermitano · February 10, 2009, 2:32am

I don’t really pay any attention to scores. I may be aware of them because some around me like throwing that information around, but it means nothing to me when I am drinking the wine. Sometimes, I look them up after the fact just to see how this reviewer or another found them, but that’s it.

I don’t subscribe to any of the publications mentioned and I very much doubt I ever will.

mike_pobega · February 10, 2009, 2:39am

Points in my own notes for me: 98 points.
Points in major pubications notes: 51

Mary_Baker · February 10, 2009, 3:10am

Second generation devastation! Todd, there won’t be anyone left to provide TNs and personal recommendations! There will only be burned villages and sooty refugees hiding in their cellars, confused and leaderless.

Frank_Murray_III · February 10, 2009, 3:34am

E2A, I really spend less time with points, to the extent that the narrative is my primary focus now. I think the points provide a basic reference but for me, I really don’t care about or think too much of the # anymore. Honest truth.

LMD_Ermitano · February 10, 2009, 3:40am

Great way of putting it.

I blieve we drink what’s in our own glasses, not anyone else’s.

Eric_Anderson · February 10, 2009, 5:18pm

Like many others, I don’t subscribe to any of these pubs. But I do have to admit that when I did, I used the scores like asterisks to determine which reviews I’d read first.

I might seek out some $12 Cab (like the L. Martini) after hearing it got a 90. But, I’m just as likely to try some unrated/unreviewed wine and wonder how the critics didn’t find it, and then thank God they didn’t.

Scott_Butler · February 10, 2009, 8:18pm

I’d start drinking something else. Do they assign points to liquor and beer somewhere?

Eric_Anderson · February 10, 2009, 8:35pm

Hey, there are tags galore from the Beer Advocate hanging all over Belgian beer selections at Total Wine.

Scott_Butler · February 10, 2009, 9:01pm

OK then, from now on - wine is dead to me. [suicide.gif]

Eric_Anderson · February 10, 2009, 9:09pm

Going to head for beerberserkers.com?

Scott_Butler · February 11, 2009, 8:34pm

I’ll be a founding member!

Scott_Butler · February 12, 2009, 3:15pm

Ok, so now that I am done screwing around, I’ll answer the question. Here is my approach. I know what I like, and I don’t care at all how many points my favorite producers get – I am still buying. Naturally for them, I hope they do well, but the points assigned to Loring, Carlisle, Outpost, etc… are meaningless to me. I am all in.

However, when I am venturing outside my sweet spot, I need to depend on reviews – likely from WS or WA (I’ll ignore the great notes on these forums for this discussion). If I am still within the context of Cali Pinot Noir, Syrah, or Zin – I don’t really need scores in the reviews – because I will read the reviews in depth and should have a good understanding of what I am reading, and can make good decisions.

However, if I am going far outside of my comfort zone, say Spain for example, I need scores. The reason is because I don’t know the producers, the varieties (in depth), and I may not have a good understanding of the descriptors nor the climate/terrior of the region. Yet, I still have a strong desire to learn about and try new regions and styles of wine. So reading through the Spain section of the WA, I’d likely miss a lot of indicators – unless the review says “incredible” or ”amazing”. When trying new regions, I tend to say to myself “good score, good price – I’d like to try that”. If there were no scores, I may not stray as far from what I know.

Eric_Anderson · February 12, 2009, 4:17pm

Suppose you try a wine before the review comes out. You like this wine - a lot - figure it’s got to be a 92+ pointer. Reviews come out from WS/WA and they give it an 87-88. What’s your reaction?