Scoring

Scoring wines is such a contentious notion, and I can respect that the argument strikes at the heart of what is the point of wine reviewing.

I can understand the negatives – how can an ever-evolving, multi-faceted wine be summed up with a single number. Personally, I prefer to score, as it serves as a personal reference point – something quantifiable about a certain wine, at a certain time, that helps give me something to hold on to.

My advice when approaching my reviews is to read the notes first, treating the score as an addendum. I use the Australian Wine Show Scoring System, mainly as this is the format that I have been trained to use. Unlike when judging in shows, however, I have the luxury of tasting with the label in front of me, often over a several day period – giving the benefit of context, particularly for young wines, which might need more time.

This scale appeared in its original form in ‘The World of Fine Wine’ Magazine (Issue 18, 2007), which was then modified by Steve Webber (De Bortoli). I’ve then adapted it to my scoring bands (I’m actually the most generous of the lot).

Australian Wine Review Scoring System

So the first score is out of 20, then converted to a score out of 100, with an equivalent wine show medal. I judge according to benchmarks for style, and value doesn’t affect the scores (but if does affect whether I’d buy it).

Below 14/20, below 80/100. Faulty wines or just terrible. Don’t bother.
14-14.9/20, 80/100-83/100. Be very wary of wines with this score. Poor quality, faults and just badness.
15-15.4/20, 84/100. An important marker too. 15 and above usually means sound wines, if nothing remarkable about them. Lots of ok commercial wines in this category.
15.5-16/20, 85-86/100. Bronze medal winner. This is when we at least start hitting more drinkable wines. Sound, drinkable, if not outstanding wines. Plenty of inexpensive releases end up in this category. Be wary of expensive releases that get this sort of score, however – it often means a disappointment.
16-16.9/20, 87-89/100: Bronze medal winner. Typically good wines, sometimes with outstanding features. Lots of affable simple drinks here too. At the upper end, you’ll find genuine quality wines, if simple, or with some blemishes.
17.0-17.9/20, 90-92/100. Silver medal winner. Very good wine, plenty of interest here. 17 is the pass mark for me. At the upper end you hit a seam of drinks I’d happily recommend.
18-18.4/20, 93/100. Top Silver medal winner. Anything 18 and above is a terrific wine. Something with quality, detail, length and texture. The whole shebang.
18.5/20, 94/100. Gold medal winner. These are special wines. Gold medal is an important distinction. Anything this score and above I personally want to drink, want to talk about and recommend.
18.6-18.9/20, 95/100. Top gold medal winner. A rare beast. Wines like this are what I personally buy. Typical outstanding wines of rare beauty, or incredible intensity with balance, articulacy and length.
19-19.9/20, 96-99/100, Top gold medal winner. These wines come about so infrequently. The best of the best, the unicorns, the best in breed. I’ll be lucky to see a handful of wines like this a year (maybe).
20/20, 100/100. A myth. Perfection doesn’t exist in wine, so I will never give this score out, and distrust the judgement of anyone who does (it’s grandstanding).

Australian Wine Review Scoring System

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