Why again do we follow wine ratings?

James Suckling recently wrote a blog about a tasting he attended in March ‘08. The idea behind the tasting was to compare a couple Cult wines from California to the top wines of Bordeaux, all from the 2003 vintage. The lineup of wines was more than amazing and in the end Suckling and most of the group had a tough time distinguishing French from California in the blind format.

The top two wines of the night were from the US: the Colgin 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Herb Lamb Vineyard and a 2003 Harlan Estate Cabernet. Suckling wrote of the 2003 Colgin, “…five tasters gave it 100 points, including Gabriel. It was easily the most popular wine of the tasting.” His unofficial tasting note:

Colgin Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Herb Lamb Vineyard 2003: Very, very complex with dried flowers, truffles, blackberries, and violets on the nose. Full bodied, with ultra-fine tannins and a long, long finish. Milk chocolate, fruit and berries. Almost nutty. Love it. Best after 2014 but who can wait? Seductive. 99 points, unofficially.

The favorite of the group, many of the tasters (of which was a group of expert palates) gave the wine 100 pts. Let’s see what James Laube, reviewer of the wines of California for the Wine Spectator wrote in the October 31, 2006 issue:

Colgin Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Herb Lamb Vineyard 2003: Supple and harmonious, with rich layers of currant, spice, clove, cedar and nutmeg. Balanced, intense and structured. Complex aftertaste. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 210 cases made. Official Rating: 88 pts

88 PTS??? There is a HUGE difference between an 88 pt wine and a 100 point wine (or 99 if we use Suckling’s “unofficial” rating). There are multiple variables that may have contributed to this discrepancy; 1 1/2 years of bottle age made it a near-perfect wine (highly unlikely), both bottle Laube tasted were “off” (unlikely), or Laube just missed this one completely (likely). Seeing as the group rated this wine near-perfect and the best in a tasting of the worlds top wines, I’m guessing Laube just missed it. In all fairness, Suckling doesn’t do official reviews of California wines and the tasting group knew the caliber of wines being poured.  But that aside, the wine was still considered the best among some of the top wines in the world by a wine writer with an amazing palate (Suckling) and a group of wine connoisseurs and professionals.  A common criticism of Laube is that he is very conservative in his scoring and can be inconsistent. I’d be interested to know what Laube would have rated this wine had he been at the blind tasting.

This should serve as a reminder to you the next time you read a wine rating, review or get a recommendation from someone…don’t listen! The Colgin Cabernet is an expensive bottle of wine ($225 at release). I’m wondering how many people didn’t buy a bottle due to the very low score (for this price range) and are perhaps regretting it now/ My advice? You have to keep trying wines for yourself and trusting your own palate. Who knows the next 99 point wine you’ll find in a bargain bin because someone rated it 88 pts?