Wine ratings by the Owl
People can get more than a bit precious when they try and evaluate wines. Is this a 92 or a 94 and if so what's the reason for the difference? Ask the same questions the next week and that 92 is just as likely elevated to a 95 with the 94 sacked to a mere 89. It's all a bit of a nonsense really as countless academic studies of wine ratings in shows around the world have proved.
The Owl gave up trying to make fine distinctions years ago. Mine is a much more broad brush approach to assessments that starts with the recognition that wine is just a drink. And a drink that people really consume for no reason other than its alcohol however lyrical they might wax about this or that taste on the back palate.
Hence the Owl's belief there is a time, place and circumstance which can make almost all wine acceptable if there is no alternative. A hot day and plenty of ice and the humblest cask becomes an acceptable refreshment; better the crisp beauty of a Clare riesling but beggars sometimes cannot be choosers
THE OWL’S SIMPLIFIED RATINGS SCALE - REMEMBER WINE IS JUST A DRINK
<0 - It might be alcoholic but not even good for cooking
0 - It is wine, it is alcoholic, and there will be times ...
1 - Nothing fancy but pleasantly drinkable without major faults
2 - Most well made commercial quality wines fit in here and more than a few expensive small producer efforts too
3 - Moving up the quality scale and the price one too probably. Wines that will pass what I call “the bottle test” where I can be tempted to open another one.
4 - Wines of real quality with characteristics of distinction. Not many reach this level.
5 - Rare finds where you cannot think how they could be any better.
A ROUGH AND READY VALUE INDICATOR*
Take the dollar price per bottle and divide by the Owl’s rating. The lower the number the better the value.
Examples:
A $12 priced wine rated 2 gives a value rating of 6
A $15 priced wine rated 3 gives a value rating of 5
In this example the Owl would reckon the dearest wine is actually the best value but it is a rough and ready measure. I guess the more money you have the less you care!
*Not really a help for low-priced wines at the bottom end of the ratings scale.
The Owl gave up trying to make fine distinctions years ago. Mine is a much more broad brush approach to assessments that starts with the recognition that wine is just a drink. And a drink that people really consume for no reason other than its alcohol however lyrical they might wax about this or that taste on the back palate.
Hence the Owl's belief there is a time, place and circumstance which can make almost all wine acceptable if there is no alternative. A hot day and plenty of ice and the humblest cask becomes an acceptable refreshment; better the crisp beauty of a Clare riesling but beggars sometimes cannot be choosers
THE OWL’S SIMPLIFIED RATINGS SCALE - REMEMBER WINE IS JUST A DRINK
<0 - It might be alcoholic but not even good for cooking
0 - It is wine, it is alcoholic, and there will be times ...
1 - Nothing fancy but pleasantly drinkable without major faults
2 - Most well made commercial quality wines fit in here and more than a few expensive small producer efforts too
3 - Moving up the quality scale and the price one too probably. Wines that will pass what I call “the bottle test” where I can be tempted to open another one.
4 - Wines of real quality with characteristics of distinction. Not many reach this level.
5 - Rare finds where you cannot think how they could be any better.
On this little blog I expect most of the wines mentioned will be in the twos category with a smattering of ones and threes. That's where the wines the Owl can afford happen to fit. Hopefully every now and again a fluke four will be uncovered and some days a kind person might offer him a glass of a five.
The Owl's assessments will not go in for that half point nonsense because if it did there might just as well have been a 10 point scale in the first place. To add a value component the Owl will give a Dan Murphy or other major retailer's price where appropriate.
A ROUGH AND READY VALUE INDICATOR*
Take the dollar price per bottle and divide by the Owl’s rating. The lower the number the better the value.
Examples:
A $12 priced wine rated 2 gives a value rating of 6
A $15 priced wine rated 3 gives a value rating of 5
In this example the Owl would reckon the dearest wine is actually the best value but it is a rough and ready measure. I guess the more money you have the less you care!
*Not really a help for low-priced wines at the bottom end of the ratings scale.
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