Our Buying Guide and Blind Tasting Process

All tastings reported in the Buying Guide are performed blind. Typically, products are tasted in peer-group flights of 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 re-tasted.

About the Scores

Ratings reflect what our editors felt about a particular product. Beyond the rating, we encourage you to read the accompanying tasting note to learn about a product’s special characteristics.

Products deemed unacceptable (receiving a rating below 80 points) are not reviewed.

Special Designations

Best Buy—Products that offer a high level of quality in relation to price. Wines meriting this award must score 86 points or higher. Also, they are generally priced at $20 or less and are designated Best Buys after surpassing a specific quality-to-price ratio benchmark.

Hidden Gems—This qualifier signifies a bottle that’s a fun, esoteric pour. They’re not your typical regional finds, but they should not be missed. Wines priced above $20 with a score of 87 points or higher are eligible.

Editors’ Choice—Products that offer excellent quality at a price above our Best Buy range, or a product at any price with unique qualities that merit special attention.

Cellar Selections—Products deemed highly collectible and/or requiring time in a temperature-controlled wine cellar to reach their maximum potential. A Cellar Selection designation does not mean that a product must be stored to be enjoyed, but that cellaring will probably result in a more enjoyable bottle. In general, an optimum time for cellaring will be indicated.

Tasting the World

We taste more than 25,000 wines annually from across the globe, covering classic regions like Bordeaux, Burgundy, Tuscany, Piedmont, Napa and Sonoma. We also understand that the wine world is vast—and that every region is worthy of discovery. To that end, we leave no stone unturned in our pursuit to provide readers with reviews on wines from lesser-known or undersung regions of the world.

Regions our Tasters Cover

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