A Simple Rating System looks in detail at a few items. Below is a Simplified Scale capable of letting everyone understand the enthusiasm of the wine taster. The wines can be viewed many different ways. The three most common areas are:
Nose or aroma, the scent emulating from the glass (red wines mainly, some whites have a scent of oak or fruit)
Palate or initial flavor detected once your mouth and tongue engages the wine
Finish or how well the wine lingers (should be pleasant and make you want to taste the wine again)

Other exciting topics discussed about wine and can be evaluated are:

Initial view or initial color and clarity, how well it sits in the glass, Legs or flow of wine from the inside of the glass as you stop swirling it (long evenly spaced legs across the glass are ideal), Excitement of the wine or how quickly the bottle is emptied. The following is a simple Rating Scale from 1-10:

1 TO BE AVOIDED – Air Born Virus

2 UNACCEPTABLE – Rags Soaked In Motor Oil

3 USELESS – A boat sitting in the middle of the desert

4 NOT INTERESTED - Bad Dream

5 MEDIOCRE – Could Be Tolerated on a Good Day

6 GOOD – Worth Looking Into

7 GREAT – Highly Recommended

8 FANTASTIC – Looking Forward to This All Day

9 EXCELLENT– Want This Over and Over Again

10 MOST EXCEPTIONAL – Succulent, Bursting with Flavor, Very high WOW factor.

A small write up on the above areas will also help convey the taster’s thoughts. What appealed to you or was unique about the wine. Most of all, be positive! After all, tasting a mediocre wine is better than mowing the lawn. Enjoy.

To View examples of rated wines, click here...