No other figure has so thoroughly shaped the modern wine landscape as Robert Parker did with his release of The Wine Advocate, a consumer advice publication providing independent opinions on wine, free from sponsorship. At its inception in 1978, Parker unveiled a 100-point system for grading wines and grew his readership organically, but it was his exuberant review of the spectacular 1982 Bordeaux vintage that led to his meteoric rise in the wine world, securing an authoritative stance with his scoring system as a helpful means of consumer guidance.
The intuitive nature of the 100-point scale created a clear delineation and made wine immediately comprehensible to the public. Over time, the system became de rigueur amongst critics and today there are many talented voices in the industry, each with a different approach and background. Wine critics tend to be fully immersed in the wine industry, surrounded by wine and constantly tasting. Often, tastings are done in verticals (a single style from multiple vintages) or horizontals (a single vintage from multiple regions or sites), shaking loose the granular differences between wines of very similar character. If tasting wine is a sport, these are Olympic athletes, and highly-rated wines give consumers a chance to peer into the world of a well-honed taster to drink at an elevated level.
The scoring system offers a simplified way of narrowing the scope, offering a guiding light in an enormous sea of wine. Any wines ranking in the upper echelons, 95 and higher, will reflect wine of superior quality resulting from premium site selection and dedicated winemaking. How a wine integrates over time, especially with regard to vintage, can create differences enough to inspire a higher score. In glass, these qualities together express themselves with immense complexity (how expressive and engaging are the aromatics) and finish (how long the experience of a single sip lasts on the palate), creating the foundation for a potential “ah-hah” moment.
The apex is represented by the rare 100-point score, which is awarded only to a few select gems each year. These wines represent elusive experiences and the pinnacles of luxury, in part due to their rarity, but also for their price points. To many, 100-pointers represent perfection, making them highly collectable and exciting to pursue.
Just below the lofty 100-point threshold is a wine connoisseurs’ playground as 97-99 point wines offer a perfect intersection of value and quality. Aspects of wine review are subjective, making single-point differences between fine wines a matter of infinitesimal differences. For this reason, these wines are overlooked treasures without the premium that comes with a 100-point score. While 100-point wines are lavish indulgences that can elevate any experience, 97-99 point wines are just as capable of creating a lasting impression and worthy of exploration.
