No to Scores

As a Level III Advanced WSET certified wine guy, I am often frustrated by the scores that Parker, Wine Spectator, the Advocate, etc. provide for all the wines they review. In my opinion the 100 point scale both misdirects the consumer, and more troublesome, directs the activities of many producers in ways which I think are harmful for the wine industry.

Let me explain. There is no doubt about the commercial effect of getting Robert Parker or the Wine Spectator to dole out a 90 plus score on any given bottle of wine. Wine makers are covetous of those high scores, because they know that the vastly uneducated consuming public will purchase solely on the basis of that score. In short, a high score virtually guarantees brisk sales. Obviously this score based marketing tool is effective, but in my opinion, I feel it is also very short sighted. We have witnessed in the last decade many wine makers adjust the style of their wines to both accommodate a certain preference that the reviewers might have, and increase the odds that their wines will achieve that coveted 90 plus rating. This is a sad truth, and I think hurts the wine industry in the long run, as the consumer eventually will have less choice and opportunity to experience unique terroir and honest representations of the fruit harvested.

I think that the same problems will occur in the world of specialty coffee, if they aren’t already rampant. I know friends in the industry who use the existing review services very effectively, but when pressed will also admit that they “play” the game in order to insure high scores. When I have asked why they do it, simply put, they say having a 90 plus score on their sales sheet insures better results. And while I don’t question the effectiveness of this review system, I do question the end result in terms of educating consumers around the area of specialty coffee. As prices continue to rise, the consumer will become less inclined to spend their dollars on more expensive coffee simply based on a number on the bag, unless that number has a direct and perceptible correlation to the quality found in the cup.

Another real issue for me has to do with the complete lack of context that a numerical score on a bag of coffee offers. Consumers for the most part have limited understanding of the unique differences that coffee producing countries offer up. A 90 point coffee from Brazil will not be the same as a 90 point coffee from Costa Rica. The unique qualities that make an exceptional coffee from Costa Rica would be more about pronounced and yet balanced acidity and distinct flavours of fruit in the cup. While an exceptional coffee from Brazil will likely not demonstrate the characteristics of the Costa, when judged next to other Brazilian coffees, it stands out above the rest. The consumer is not provided any context for this difference when looking at a number on a bag.

In short, I wonder how a score on a bag helps the consumer understand the effect of elevation, geography, environmental conditions, harvest conditions, the care and attention provided when picking the coffee, or processing the coffee. How does a score on a bag help the consumer understand the effects of the roast profile, or the impact that the brewing technique has on the quality of the cup. I don’t think a score on a bag does any of these things. In fact, I think a score on a bag works against educating the customer, and lets them off the hook. Much like only looking at certifications, the consumer is now presented with a high number and on that basis is led to presume that they are buying high quality coffee without understanding any of the factors that go into the process of deriving that number.

While I know that many who read this will disagree with me, I would hope at a minimum that it fuels a productive debate around the area of consumer education. If the specialty market wants to continue to carve out more market share, it will need to be done through earnest education, the focus on discernible quality, and great customer service. My simple question is how do numerical scores address any of these pressing concerns?