We currently live under the dominance of numerical ratings in wine criticism, which has largely replaced qualitative descriptions with an obsession for scoring. This shift to a numerical rating system—most notably the 100-point scale—has permeated wine evaluation since its inception in the 19th century. The push for numbers over words reflects a growing belief that scores are more objective and precise.
This phenomenon began in France during the 1960s, with La Revue du Vin de France occasionally scoring wines as a supplement to tasting notes. However, British wine merchants were quicker to adopt numerical scores, leveraging this approach to align emotional reactions with marketable qualities. In the USA, the rise of consumerism in the 1980s further solidified the numerical rating’s popularity, bolstered by influential critics presenting scores as definitive appraisals of wine quality.
Today, Bordeaux producers anxiously await evaluations from international experts on their unfinished wines. Yet, the reliance on scores leaves consumers with scant information beyond a number, stripping away the rich narratives once encapsulated in detailed tasting notes. The focus has turned almost entirely to the score and price, where subjective qualities of a wine are often overshadowed by numerical ratings.
Furthermore, there is a concerning trend within the wine community to treat numerical data as irrefutable facts, thus sidelining personal taste and the intricate nature of winemaking. The numerous metrics that now dictate wine quality—yields, temperature, acidity levels, and even polyphenol content—have led to a rigid approach that overlooks unique expressions of terroir. Wines that do not conform to expected numerical standards often struggle for recognition.
However, a rebellion is brewing against this numbers-based approach, driven by consumers seeking more diverse and genuine wine experiences. This new generation values the pleasure of sharing wine over rigid adherence to score-based judgments, reflecting a shift back toward enjoyment, spontaneity, and individual taste in the wine drinking experience.