Wine Glossary 0-9
100 points
A still-controversial scale for wine judging brought to prominence by influential American critic Robert Parker, where wines are rated from 50-100. Scores of 90-95 points ('Outstanding') and particularly 96-100 ('Extraordinary') can transform the commercial success of the wine. Parker has awarded a perfect score to around 200 individual wines since devising his system.
An historic ranking of the most important wines of the day in Bordeaux, conducted by merchants for the 1855 Paris Exhibition. The classification, based on prevailing market prices, had five grades covering 61 red wines and 20 white. Of the whites all were sweet, either from Sauternes or Barsac; all but one of the red wines was from the Médoc, the sole exception being Ch Haut-Brion in the Graves. No Saint-Emilion or Pomerol were included. The 1855 Classification has become the established benchmark and is still referred to today despite having no official status. Only one modification has been tolerated, the promotion of Ch Mouton-Rothschild to First growth in 1973, an action which required a Government Decree. For further detail, please see our comprehensive guide to Bordeaux classification.
|