Samples, Tasting Policy and Points System
1. Samples and tasting policy
2. If you would like feedback on the wines
Samples and tasting policy
If you would like to send samples, please email joanne@sommwine.com for a mailing address.
Samples will be tasted blind and every effort will be taken to taste them blind among other offerings. I prefer to do this to ensure that your wine is tasted with the best atmosphere for objectivity. I rate wines on a 100 point scale and you can read more about that scale below.
There is no fee from me to taste and assess your wines. As such, there is no guarantee that I will publish points or information about your wines. With that said, wine makes me happy and if your wines make me happy, there is a good chance I will share that information either on my blog on this website, on instagram (@sommwine.online), twitter (@sommwine) or facebook , or on more than one platform.
As of May 2021, my website receives over 1200 visitors a month. I have over 3600 followers on twitter (@sommwine), and over 300 followers on instagram (@sommwine.online – this low number is because I was hacked, kicked off the platform and have to rebuild with a new handle – darn it!).
If the wine is not to my taste, or it rates under 88 points. I will not publish any results. I will prefer to be silent.
It’s important to note wines that score from 84-87 points are still good wines! Yet, it seems that the general population is only impressed with 88 points and above which is why I’ve made this a policy.
Feedback on your wines...
If you would like feedback on your wines, there will be a charge for this. Charges vary based on the size of your winery or organization. Please email joanne@sommwine.com for the most up-to-date rates.
100 Point Rating System explained
Wines are blind tasted using a score card. They are rated on complexity, concentration, balance, finish, length and typicity. After writing the tasting note, scoring the wine, and drawing conclusions about what it is, where the grapes were grown, and an assessment of the wine’s readiness for drinking, the wine is revealed.
A second assessment is then made. If the wine did indeed display the characterisitics expected of the variety and place of origin, the original score stands.
However, if the wine is revealed and it has not shown the characteristics expected of its type (that means, if I couldn’t guess what the wine is correctly while blind because the structure, flavours and aromas are not indicative of the grape variety(ies) or place where the grapes are grown), then the score will lowered to between 84-87. In this case, the second score will be the one published.
Here are the range of scores and what they mean.
What the points mean...
97-100 Points
Classic
A ‘Classic’ wine which should be entirely free of criticism. It will be perfectly balanced, concentrated and very expressive with high levels of complexity or purity depending on the style. This wine shows regional typicity and could not be grown anywhere else. (Must have great Finish, Balance, Concentration, Complexity, Expressiveness +Typicity.) |
93-96 Points
Outstanding
On the other hand an ‘outstanding’ wine will show some or many elements of concentration, length, complexity or expressiveness that lift it out of being merely ‘good’. Perhaps this wine needs time in the cellar to come together completely or has 1 maybe 2 elements that just aren’t 100%. (Finish, Balance, Concentration, Complexity, Expressiveness and Typicity)
88-92 Points
Very Good
A ‘very good’ wine typically has well balanced fruit, sugar, acid and tannin. It is free of faults, and shows some complexity and concentration, as well as expressing something of its grape variety/(ies) or region of origin.
84-87 Points
Acceptable
If the wine has identifiable structural components that are out-of-balance, dilute in flavour or has a generic character that fails to express any particular grape variety or region, but is otherwise drinkable, then it is ‘acceptable’.
75-83 Points
Poor
If any minor faults or any dominant flavours of components make it unpleasant, then it is ‘poor’.
50-70 Points
Faulty
If any faults make the wine unsuitable to drink, then it is simply ‘faulty’.
Readiness for drinking...
too young
The wine will improve with time in the cellar. |
drink now;
potential for ageing
The wine has a very firm structure of acid or tannin and a high level of flavour concentration, therefore it may benefit from ageing |
drink now;
not suitable for ageing
The wine has already gone through some ageing but does not have the tannin, fruit or acid structure to benefit from any further ageing |
too old
The wine has lost its fruitiness or freshness (such as when a wine has ‘dried out’). Or the flavours that have developed are unpleasant and at a high enough level to spoil the wine. |
Other...
After the wine has been revealed, along with the price of the bottle, some wines may receive an additional mention for being a good value within the price point.
