Page 20 - Wine Spectator (January 2020)

T H E Y E A R I N W I N E

Quality Climb: 2019 in Perspective

BY MITCH FRANK Washington (53%) earned 90 points or
HOW MUCH DOES 90 COST? higher, with an average price of $54, un-
hat do the best wines changed from 2018. In Oregon, 57% of the
$120 The average price for a wine
in the world offer? to which Wine Spectator 598 wines reviewed earned 90 points or
Quality, value, com- awarded 90 points or higher higher, at an average price of $55.
Wplexity, singularity 100 in 2019, in leading regions. The average scores of French wines were
and, most of all, diversity. Ameri- down slightly from 2018, but an impressive

can consumers drank more than 80 55% still scored 90 points or higher, at an
330 million cases of wine last year, average price of $109 per bottle. But the re-
and though growth in consump- sults vary dramatically by region. In Bor-
tion has slowed, people are trying 60 deaux, the 2016 vintage shone on the Left
an increasing variety of wines and Bank, producing our Wine of the Year, the

spending more per bottle, looking 40 Château Léoville Barton St.-Julien 2016.
for discoveries that will offer some- Roughly 35% of all Bordeaux earned out-
thing special. standing scores, and 6% earned classic
20
But in this incredibly heteroge- scores. The average price for a 90-plus-point

neous wine world, how does one bottle rose from $105 in 2018 to $116.
go about finding the standouts? Burgundy notched a strong year, with 72%
Wine Spectator is here to help. Our FRANCE CALIFORNIA ITALY WASHINGTON NEW of wines earning 90 points or higher. After
editors reviewed more than 15,000 ZEALAND a dip in 2018, prices for 90-plus-point wines
new releases in independent blind jumped again, to $163 per bottle. The

tastings in 2019, as well as hun- The Year’s Highlights Rhône Valley delivered quality yet again
dreds more wines as barrel sam- • Wine Spectator editors reviewed 15,111 newly released wines in with the successful 2016 vintage; 56%
plings and in retrospective flights 2019; 7,415 earned scores of 90 points or higher. earned outstanding scores and 11% earned
of older vintages. classic scores.
• The average price of a wine earning 90-plus points was $84, up
Due to a spate of strong vintages Italy also performed well. Our tasters re-
from $78 in 2018, as the U.S. market continues to focus on
in multiple regions, quality contin- viewed nearly 2,500 wines, and 49% earned
“premiumization.”
ues to tick upward. Of the new scores of 90 points or higher. Piedmont was
releases we reviewed in 2019, ap- • But the price of a 90-plus-point wine varies dramatically across a leader; 61% of its wines earned outstand-
proximately 46% earned outstand- categories. California Cabernet Sauvignon averaged $161 a bottle, ing or classic ratings, at an average price of
ing scores of 90 to 94 points. That’s while California Pinot Noir was $63. $91 per bottle. Southern Italy continues to

an increase from 2018, when 43% • A 90-plus-point wine from France’s Loire Valley averaged $38 produce better wine each year, often at value
earned outstanding scores. An- a bottle, and a New Zealand wine averaged $37. price points: Nearly 35% of the 407 wines
other 3% of new releases earned from the area earned 90 points or higher, at
classic scores of 95 points or higher, an average of $50 a bottle.

matching 2018. About 44% earned very good scores of 85 to 89 points; Though benchmark regions and producers held steady in 2019, out-
these wines often offer excellent value. (For complete breakdowns by standing quality and value can be found around the world. Germany
category, see the accompanying charts.) maintains its reputation for overdelivering, with 58% of the 619 wines
The wine market has been focused on premiumization; many con- reviewed earning 90 points or higher, at an average price of $57. We
sumers may not be buying more, but they’re paying more, focusing on tasted more than 400 Portuguese wines, and 44% earned classic or out-

drinking top-tier wines. Wineries have noticed and are offering higher standing scores, at an average price of $98. New Zealand was our top
quality, with increased prices to match. The average price for a wine value region again, with 26% of its wines earning 90-plus points, at an
earning 90-plus points in 2019 was $84, up 8% from $78 in 2017. But average price of $37, lower than in 2018.
that price-to-quality ratio varied significantly by region and producer. These figures are averages. If you flip through any issue from 2019,

California enjoyed a banner year in 2019 overall, with 54% of all re- you can find top-quality bottlings at impressive prices from nearly every
viewed wines earning 90 points or higher, up from 42% in 2018. Almost corner of the wine world. The challenge is to hunt down the styles that
every major category did well, including Cabernet Sauvignon (with entice you. That search can be the most rewarding part of loving wine.
71% earning outstanding or classic scores), Syrah (also 71%) and Pinot How does Wine Spectator seek out quality? Wines are reviewed in our
Noir (57%). Consumers could find value too: Though the average price New York and Napa offices or on location in winegrowing regions. The

of a 90-plus-point Cabernet was a steep $161 per bottle, that’s down wines are tasted blind. Editors do not officially review wines at trade
from $172 in 2018. Producers weren’t dropping prices, but the quality events, at wineries or in other situations that might influence impres-
of lower-priced options was up. sions of the wines.
Elsewhere in the U.S., more than half of the 571 wines reviewed from Due to space limitations, not every review appears in the magazine.

Reviews for thousands of additional wines are published each year on
LATEST WINE INDUSTRY NEWS WineSpectator.com, where members now have access to some 400,000
Keep up with the stories wine lovers are talking about reviews in our comprehensive database, and Wine Ratings+, our app
WineSpectator.com/News
for iPhone and Android.

18 WINE SPECTATOR • JAN. 31 – FEB. 29, 2020