Wine Scores: What About Those Below 80 Points?

I was recently asked by a reader to address wine scores. The reader asked “…where do you buy a wine that is rated 50-74? I have never seen a wine rated at that level. Do they exist?” Great question!

There are several major wine scoring systems in use including those from Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, and Robert Parker. These systems rely on individual wine tasters who are involved in tasting thousands of wines each year. Not every wine produced - just the ones from wine producers that are seeking a high score from one of these ratings organizations.

While the rating systems vary, the one at Wine Spectator uses the following criteria to score a wine:

• 95-100 Classic: a great wine

• 90-94 Outstanding: a wine of superior character and style

• 85-89 Very good: a wine with special qualities

• 80-84 Good: a solid, well-made wine

• 75-79 Mediocre: a drinkable wine that may have minor flaws

• 50-74 Not recommended

So, you clearly see that wines rated 80 points and above are at least “a solid, well-made wine.” But, below 80 points they are “Mediocre” and at 75 points or below they are “Not recommended.” So, if a winery submits a wine for a rating score and receives a score below 80 points, you are probably never going to hear about it. Those wines still get offered for sale, but the producer simply chooses not to identify their score (why would they!).

So the answer to the question is that there are plenty of wines with scores in the 50 to 75 point range. The bottles are likely on store shelves and probably located down around ground level (the best wines always get put on the top shelves) and priced low.

But realize, these scores are very subjective and being assigned by wine experts that get the opportunity to taste a lot of exceptional wines. The ones they consider “Mediocre” or are “Not recommended” are wines that you and I just might enjoy! So, don’t let wine scores, or the lack of a wine score, keep you from enjoying wines from across the spectrum. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Le Petit Verre Wines

Le Petit Verre Wines

From the Tupungato Valley of Argentina’s Uco Valley comes Le Petit Verre Wines. And, they are imported by Origins Organic which is run by Anne Bousquet of the Domaine Bousquet family winery in Argentina.

Roughly translated as “The Small Glass,” Le Petit Verre wines come in convenient 250 ml cans (1/3 of a bottle) for easy storage and carrying where ever you chose to go.

The grapes for both of these wines are 100% certified organic from Tupungato Valley, a high-altitude sub-zone of Mendoza’s Uco Valley that you may already know for producing great wines, especially Malbec.

Le Petit Verre Bubbly Rosé ($13 for a 4-pack)

This wonderful bubbly is produced from 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Syrah and 10% Viognier. It has a beautiful salmon color, is lightly bubbly with delicious vibrant fruit flavors, good acidity and a refreshing finish.

Le Petit Verre Malbec ($13 for a 4-pack)

Argentina’s Uco valley is famous for its Malbec and this one is produced from 100% Malbec. It’s medium-purple in color, has nice black fruit aromas that follow right into the flavors of this wine with moderate tannin, and a classic tart cherry flavor finish.

Don’t let the can fool you, both the Bubbly Rosé and Malbec are serious wines that can be enjoyed anytime. These wines, made from organic grapes, are a great value and are widely available which makes them a great fit as the Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Look for these and enjoy! Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Origins Organic Imports (via Creative Palate Communications)

Natural Wine Corks Help a Wine to Age but Can Also Lead to Oxidation

Over the years, I’ve had my share of wines go bad even with proper storage in a wine refrigerator that’s in a dark location. These were medium-bodied California red wines that were 7-10 years old and I had expected them to hold up well. But, upon pulling the cork and pouring a glass, it was immediately obvious by the brown-orange hue and the nutty smell and taste that they were oxidized.

It’s always greatly disappointing to have a bottle go bad and have to dump it. But why?

During some recent reading, I was again reminded that natural corks in wine bottles allow a tiny fraction of oxygen through them - this actually helps a wine age. But, what I hadn’t appreciated was that a natural wine cork can actually allow enough oxygen through it in two to three years to breakdown the sulfites that are added to wines to prevent a wine from oxidizing!

It’s often said, and I’ll repeat it again, most wines are not meant for aging. And, I’ve proved that to myself several times. So, when you purchase nice bottle of red wine, my recommendation is to enjoy it within a year or two if properly stored in a wine refrigerator that’s in a dark location. Beyond that you can run into trouble. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ -- Sandy Giovese Vino Rosso

Sandy Giovese Vino Rosso ($32)

Amy Ezrin, the founder of Sandy Giovese wines, was training to be an opera singer and lived in Italy for eight years. During this time, she found that she was an OK singer but was really good at speaking Italian and tasting wine. So, she got into the wine business.

She jokes that her alter ego was Sandy Giovese, which is a play on the name of one of Italy’s greatest red grapes, Sangiovese.

This Sandy Giovese Vino Rosso might seem to just be a fun and whimsical box of wine. But, it’s actually a seriously good wine that also happens to be a tremendous value.

Sandy Giovese Vino Rosso is organically farmed and produced from 85% Sangiovese (the grape that is famous for Chianti wine) and 15% Trebbiano.

Vino Rosso is medium ruby in color with jammy aromas of red fruit and herbal notes. On the palate it has the classic Sangiovese flavor of red cherries. It’s medium bodied with medium acidity and finishes light and refreshing.

If you are still on the fence with respect to box wine, here’s your reason to hop off and pick one up! This one is 3 liters of really nice wine for the price of a couple of bottles. And, it’ll last for weeks (if you have enough restraint!). All this make the Sandy Giovese Vino Rosso a great fit as the Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week.

And, look for Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato (Rosé) also in the 3 liter box! Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Sandy Giovese Wines (via Savona Communications)

Ever Wonder? Is Box Wine Any Good?

In recent years, box wine has become quite popular. But, a lot of wine drinkers are still on the sidelines wondering if box wine is any good. So, let’s take a look.

It turns out that that box wine was actually developed and patented in the 1960s. Box wine in the 70s, 80s and 90s tended to be inexpensive (‘cheap’) wine. Then, in the early 2000s ‘premium wines’ in a box began appearing that were very well received and really started knocking down the stigma of boxed wine.

Today there a lot of really good wines available in boxes. And, they’re great values.

Sure, you can’t ‘lay down’ a box wine in the cellar and expect it to age like a bottle of wine, but there are several advantages to boxed wine over bottled wine. An open box of wine will last up to six weeks compared to three to four days for an open bottle of wine. It’s also easy to store, keep in the refrigerator or take it to an outdoor outing. And, it can be a great value. A typical box of wine is three liters (3000 ml) which is the same as four 750 ml bottles of wine. You’ll pay a lot less for most box wines than for four bottles.

So, everyone’s taste in wine is different, and I’m certainly not going to tell you that all box wine is going to please your palate. But, the quality of box wine has definitely improved to the point where you should give it a try. It just might become one of your ‘regular’ wines that you keep around for everyday enjoyment. Cheers!