I am always bemused when someone tells me that they buy a wine based on a score on a hundred -point scale or the number of medals the wine has been awarded. I guess this dates back to when our children were growing up and presented in science fairs. In most of those fairs, everyone that entered had a ribbon. It didn’t matter if faulty statistics were used or if incorrect conclusions were drawn from the given data. So when it comes to wine, medals and scores do not impress me.

I believe that I am on a journey of discovery. I’m impressed by a new variety that I like, or a blend that is particularly good. I enjoy the taste of the area, regardless of what the opponents of terroir believe. I believe that evaluating a wine is personal. I like to look at its color, smell the wine and pay attention to the tastes and finish. To me, my discovery is what is important, not someone else telling me what I am supposed to like.

I do realize the importance to a winery to have a wine score in the ninety’s or be awarded medals. This almost ensures that they will sell out of the wine even if they decide to raise its price. I applaud those wineries who keep their price fixed no matter how many medals they win or scores they receive. I visited a winery that was proud of the gold medal they received for their Norton. They then placed a $50 price tag on the wine. Although I can drink a wine made of the Norton grape, it is one of my least favorite varieties and would never pay $50 for a bottle of it.