Wine Rating System

Wine ratings. A very subjective system to be sure. Well trained Sommeliers with years of experience and those in the business, once again highly trained in understanding wines, are utilized to give wines a ranking out of 100 (this method seems to be the most popular and easiest to understand). The following will explain the numerical values associated with a wine and what you can expect when you see a wine's ranking.

96 - 100:

An extraordinary wine. One with a profound and complex character with all the attributes expected of a classic wine (of the same variety). Wines of this calibre are worth searching for and purchasing to hold on for those special occasions. Very much in the upper scale of pricing and once rated, soon to be gone from shelves.

90 - 95:

An outstanding wine with an exceptional complexity and character. These are the wines which, although also pricey, can be more affordable and are sought after by those who appreciate wines. These wines are also gone fast once rated and word gets out.

80 - 89:

An above average to very good wine. A wine in this rating has good flavour and holds up well with a certain character about it. Most of the wines we all buy fall in to this range, but don't be worried as there are many gems to be found. personally, any wine 84+ will always be a draw for me to purchase.

I won't bother with any rating under 80 as I personally have never seen any rated this low.

How are wines given these ratings? The following indicates how the rankings are assembled.


Each wine starts at 50 points.

Colour - up to 5 points
Aroma/Bouquet - up to 15 points
Flavour - Up to 20 points
Further improvement (will cellaring improve this wine?) - up to 10 points

Finally :

Remember, the most important score is the one YOU apply to a bottle. No one should tell you anything other than what they felt this wine was to their preferences. I have tried numerous 90+ bottles, all in the name of education of course, and found some not to my liking, while others rated mid 80's were like a "party in my mouth". Initially use the ratings as a starting point and work on your own from there. What I've tried to do is find a published source (whether LCBO, websites, newsletters, etc) that have rated a wine. I then try the wine and see where I would place it on my own scale. In this way you start to see who you match in ratings and appreciation and in this way future recommendations from that reference can safely guide your purchases .

References :

E. Robert Parker

The Wine Enthusiast Ranking System

The Liquor Board of Ontario

Vintages