While a well written note shouldn’t need a score, its inclusion makes it easier on the note taker by providing a clear delineation of preferences and allowing a more concise note. In short, a score provides a clear context for the note and allows the writer to focus on the individual aspects of a wine as opposed to always having to explain why a very good 88 point wine isn’t as good as an outstanding 96 point wine.

The scoring system I use is loosely based on the Parker 100 point scale with wines starting at 50 points and then a linear progression ending at 100 points. My scale can be broken up as follows:

50 to 70 - Undrinkable to poor. For all practical purposes, these wines are flawed and I wouldn’t drink them.

71 to 79 - Poor to barely good. Certainly these are drinkable wines that are best suited for uncritical quaffing and parties.

80 to 89 - barely good to very good. I believe that if someone was to randomly select a bottle from a decent wine store, the bottle would likely fall into this category. These wines offer real character and can be age worthy.

90 to 95 - Outstanding wines. These wines are outstanding for their type and are worth seeking out.

96 to 100 - As good as it gets. These wines reach the peak of my personal scale of quality.

Evaluations based off peer groups consisting of wines from the same region are not used. Instead, a wine is evaluated based on how well it carries the style in which it is made. After being at blind tasting after blind tasting and seeing expert tasters fail to correctly identify not only the region, but also the variety, I've come to believe that grouping and ranking based on this criteria is useless and misleading.

Wines are scored on how they’re drinking at the moment. The note should indicate my best guess at when the wine will be at maturity but drinking young, structured wines can provide just as much pleasure as drinking fully mature, completely integrated bottles. If you prefer that latter and don’t like young, tannic wines, don’t open a 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape and expect the same level of enjoyment that I get from it.

Scoring is a completely subjective portion of wine evaluation and as such, is simply my personal preference for the wine. Nothing more, nothing less. Any score or note in isolation is close to worthless and it’s only after reading multiple notes and tasting multiple bottles that a reader can start to understand where the note taker is coming from.

- Jeb Dunnuck