Thanks for the great comments.

The beer world is similarly obsessed. The unfortunate reality is that newcomers to wine or craft beer have so many choices, and absent massive effort to educate themselves (which can take years), scores provide them the data points they need to make decisions. Especially in a world of grocery store wine purchases, or mega retailers with poorly educated floor staff, the reliance on scores is the sole comfort zone for those beginning to spend more than $6 on a bottle or six pack.

But danger lurks in relying on central location testing of a few sips by a “master palate” as the determinant of how you will enjoy an entire bottle of wine or beer. They taste too many wines, too fast, without the requisite accompaniment o good food and good friends. The scores lack any context whatsoever. Find a wine seller you trust, lose the fear of blowing a few bucks on a bottle, and trust your own palate. The only rating that matters is your own.