All tastings reported in the Buying Guide are performed blind. Typically, products are tasted in peer-group flights of from 5-8 samples. Reviewers may know general information about a flight to provide context—vintage, variety or appellation—but never the producer or retail price of any given selection. When possible, products considered flawed or uncustomary are retasted.
*Products deemed unacceptable (receving a rating below 80 points) are not reviewed.
98-100
Classic
The Pinnacle of quality
94-97
Superb
A great achievement
90-93
Excellent
Highly recommended
87-89
Very Good
Often good value; well recommended
83-86
Good
Suitable for everyday consumption, often good value
80-82
Acceptable
Can be employed
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Discover New Regions for Muscat
Located in North West Italy, the Piedmont Wine Region has the largest area in terms of DOC and DOCG wines. Meaning “foot of the mountain,” due to its proximity to the Alps, Piedmont wines including Barolo, Barberesco, Gattinara, Ghemme and Gavi all benefit from the slopes and terrain characteristic of the region. Nebbiolo, the dominant grape variety for reds, produces wines with tannic and acidic qualities that can also have fairly high alcohol content. This combination makes the distinguished and cellar-worthy wines of Barolo and Barberesco some of the most sought-after, according to our Piedmont Wine Guide. In terms of value, the Langhe, Ghemme and Gattinara areas also produce wine with the Nebbiolo grape, but sell at a fraction of the price. Barbera and Dolcetto offer buoyant red wines that are best enjoyed in their youth. The crisp and fresh…
The Alsace wine region is virtually unique in France in that producers are allowed to put the grape variety on the label of their appellation contrôlée wines. It is also unique in that the grapes are both German and French: Riesling and Gewürztraminer, Muscat and Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Sylvaner. These are not light wines, but they have a combination of fruitiness and richness quite different from the German models just across the Rhine. Although primarily dry, some are sweet, so consult individual Alsace wine reviews to see in which style each wine is made. Our Alsace wine guide contains hundreds of Alsace wine ratings.
