Started by Brittany and Max Sheets, originally Wineot Travel but now The Varietal is a wine organization that specializes in rating wines, wine travel, and wine events to help those who want to take a deeper look into the wine world. Established in 2017 The Varietal contributors have been to over 32 different wine regions, 270+ wineries and tasted thousands of wines.
Max and Brittany have been involved in the wine industry for over 14 years and have been able to collect multiple certifications over that time. Max recently received his Wine Spirits and Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 Certification in Wine, and Brittany completed her Intro to the Court of Master Sommeliers.
Reviews Explained
Wine Reviews
Wine rating scales are tools used by wine critics, sommeliers, and enthusiasts to evaluate and communicate the quality and characteristics of wines. These scales aim to provide a standardized method for assessing wines, allowing consumers to make informed decisions and compare different bottles based on the ratings assigned to them.
One of the most well-known and widely used wine rating scales is the 100-point scale. This scale assigns a numerical score to a wine, typically ranging from 50 to 100, with higher scores indicating better quality. Wines scoring 90 points or above are generally considered outstanding, while those scoring below 80 points may be perceived as lacking in quality or having notable flaws. The 100-point scale offers a detailed assessment of a wine’s various attributes, such as aroma, flavor, structure, complexity, and overall balance.
Another commonly used rating scale is the 20-point scale, which provides a more nuanced evaluation of wines. In this system, wines are scored on a scale of 0 to 20, with increments of 0.5 or 0.25. Wines receiving scores between 17.5 and 20 are considered exceptional, while those falling below 12 are often considered subpar. The 20-point scale allows for more precise distinctions and finer gradations in evaluating wines.
In addition to numerical ratings, wine rating scales often include written descriptions or tasting notes that provide further details about a wine’s characteristics. These descriptions can offer insights into the wine’s aroma, flavor profile, body, acidity, tannins, and finish. Tasting notes can be valuable in helping consumers understand the style and potential enjoyment of a particular wine.
Here at Wineot Travel we chose to use the 100-point scale as we feel it is the easiest to understand and comprehend for both avid and casual wine drinkers alike. We accompany our ratings with reviews that identify key features of the wine to help look past what might be our preference and provide insight for making more personalized choices for the reader. Our rating scale can be found below:
While wine rating scales can be informative tools, personal taste should ultimately guide one’s wine preferences. Exploring different wines and developing one’s own palate is an enjoyable way to discover new favorites and appreciate the diversity of wines available.
Winery Reviews
As previously mentioned, we find the 100-point scale to be the easiest to understand for the entire wine community, so we have brought that to our winery reviews as well. Where this differs slightly is the breakdown. We have broken down the 100 points into five different categories; tasting, vineyard/winery, hospitality, extras and cost each being worth 20 points. A description of what goes into each category can be found below:
The breakdown of our rating scale can be found below: