Rating Wines The Way Wine Lovers Do
There are different factors affecting wine such as the ingredients used. Wine making process per se can be affected by numerous external factors. Wines have ratings that wine lovers assign per type in order to categorize which ones are excellent down to the below-standard ones, so to speak.
In assessing wine, one's senses have to be sharp and keen to differentiate one type from another. Four criteria have been identified to be the area of judgment. First is appearance (if it is clear or cloudy). Second is smell or aroma. Third is taste. And fourth is the aftertaste. Here are the ratings wine lovers adhere to:
1. 6 stars. This is the highest rating of wines. They consider this rating as the perfect wine-that is, no more room for improvement-making them collectors' items. Trivia is that less that one percent of the world's supply of wine belongs to this rating.
2. 5 stars. These are the almost-perfect wines. These have exquisite organoleptic characteristics-that is, the taste, color, odor are well balanced creating a texture and appeal that is sought after by wine lovers.
3. 4 stars. These comprise the 5% of the total world's production of wine. These bottles are usually collected and allowed to age. Their qualities are extraordinary and their flaws are not obvious.
4. 3 stars. These are the mid-rated ones-that is, they are considered average. Their ingredients are not that high quality as those of the higher-starred wines but the wine making process is still in check. Their flaws are not obvious and the quality is still up to par with most wine lovers.
5. 2 stars. These are the below-average wines. The flaws of these wines are obvious such that in some you can see particles; in some the aroma is not that appealing as compared to the higher-starred ones. These flaws are attributable to extra tannin or acid. But these sub-par bottles can still be enjoyed if you are going to go beyond the appreciation for depth and character of a good wine.
6. 0-1 star. These are the homemade ones made from substandard ingredients with very noticeable flaws in terms of its texture, appearance, smell, and even taste. These bottles do not reach the commercial market.
There are various wine-tasting conventions held around the world, much to the excitement of wine lovers. What they do here is assess different bottles of unlabelled wine (to discourage bias) based on the criteria mentioned above. The ratings are collated and analyzed to come up with a unified rating per wine. But the best part is amidst the ratings one still has the liberty to choose which one goes well with his palate.
