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Selecting Wine Reviews That Are Compatible With Your Tastes

Factor in price, availability and palate

by Wine Taster
published: 15 Jul 2009       | Comments

So much fabulous grape juice, yet so little time to drink it. What's a wine lover to do?

Look to wine reviews. A reputable source (say for instance SuppleWine.com) can parse the good from the bad and save you precious time and money. But before you rush out and buy Joe Bob's latest recommendation, do a little research. Get to know the person who's telling you how much to spend and what to consume. (And as always, don't forget that your individual taste preferences are more important than what someone else tells you.)

Here's how:

• Dig up some dirt on the evaluators. Where are they coming from? Are they independent experts who have no vested interest in the wines they judge, or do they work for a specific winery or distributor that depends on them for promotion?


• Understand the criteria involved in each person's wine reviews. Do they prize good value the most? Or do they give high marks for typicity, which indicates how much a wine reflects its origins? Some may base their ratings on how the wines pair with food.


• Spot check prior reviews. See what a particular wine reviewer has said about some of your favorite wines. Do you share similar flavor profiles with the reviewer? If you generally agree with what a reviewer has said in the past, it's a good indicator that this person's future wine reviews will be compatible with your tastes. A little detective work in the beginning can yield a big payoff in the end.


• Get to know what types of wines the reviewer tends to cover. Do they cover cult wines you'll never be able to afford or find? Or do their wine reviews focus on bottles you can pick up at your local supermarket or neighborhood wine shop?


• Think about whose advice you'd trust most, then ask for their favorite picks. It may be the knowledgeable sommelier at a nearby bistro, or the geeky co-worker with a 500-bottle wine cellar. You can also go online for feedback from everyday folks who just enjoy a nice glass of wine - 'cause isn't that the ultimate goal?