Since most people drink wine, not ratings, it is easy to overstate their importance. Look around the wine section of your local wine and spirits retailer, and you will see reviews and ratings everywhere. A reviewer you trust can be a gold-mine of information about new wines, or new vintages of old favorites. On the other hand, it could be argued that we pay too much attention to the ratings, and not enough to our own experience.
To top it off, ratings can be downright confusing. For example, it can be deceiving when two wine critics give the same wine two completely different ratings, or change the rating on a vintage between barrel and bottle. Often by paying attention only to ratings, we miss out on the hundreds of great wines that never get scored; they really can taste only so much wine. At Applejack Wine & Spirits our wine buyers and wine staff taste hundreds of wines before we bring them into the store. Ask us to help you select something new and special that you would enjoy.
Wherever you shop, don’t hesitate to ask the wine consultant or manager about particular wines. Remember, the ratings are great, and written reviews can tell you a lot, especially when choosing a wine to go with a specific dinner, but a lot of wonderful wines simply never get rated, nor do they necessarily cost a lot. Wines like Tilia Malbec sell for about $8 a bottle, and fly off the shelf. Read reviews, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to try something new.
Jean L’Hereault is a certified Sommelier and a wine consultant for Applejack Wine & Spirits. Questions for Jean can be e-mailed to jl’hereault@applejack.com.
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