ARE WINE SCORES STILL USEFUL?
THE ANSWER IS YES, BUT THEY ARE NOT ENOUGH IN AN ERA WHERE CONSUMERS SEEK IN WINE, AS IN EVERYTHING THEY BUY, A REPRESENTATION OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR VALUES.
Kostantin Baum MW wine scores
By Donatella Cinelli Colombini, winedestination, Fattoria del Colle Trequanda, Casato Prime Donne Montalcino
Today, critics are no longer the only ones who pass judgment on wines; there are sommeliers, wine educators, influencers, retailers, algorithms, and ordinary consumers who post their opinions on portals. Furthermore, many consumers, especially young ones, prioritize values such as sustainability, authenticity, and wine’s ability to narrate a story rather than “quality.” This is an abstract concept that perhaps less closely aligns with their need to represent themselves through what they eat, what they wear, or the style of their place of residence.
For this reason, “the authority once placed in a single score appears increasingly unstable,” writes Konstantin Baum, Germany’s youngest Master of Wine. The notes below are largely taken from his WineSearcher article, which I encourage you to read.