I am asked about how I rate wine and my rating system. It is easy for me given my experience and tasting of thousands of wines. I first started to taste in the mid 1970’s when I bicycled through Gevry Chambertin, a small wine village in Burgundy. But before I explain it, I am not a wine professional and I rate wines only as a reference for myself, a reminder when I pick up a wine list.

I held numerous important tastings and participated in many over my wine carrer spanning 30 years. I remember in the 1980’s I was invited for a vintage tasting of Burgundy wines in an apartment overlooking the waterfront in Hong Kong. It was a table set up nearby the window, it was hot and I thought to myself how odd is it to be seated so close to the beaming sun rays.

I sat down and they poured some oldies, burgundy wines from the 50′ 60,s and 70’s. I sipped them and I thought what crap! It wasn’t the style of wines I was drinking at the time, they seemed sour, light, thin and undrinkable.

I never forgot that afternoon tasting and when I look back, I realized that those wines were out of my wine context at the time. I had been drinking some more stylish wines from DRC. In comparison they were kilometers away from what I liked at the time. These days I am curious about all wines and vintages to understand the wine makers ability or luck of the draw. That’s not to say that I sit around and drink negociant wines for the fun of it – unless they are very good which can happen.

When it comes to drinking wine it is all based on comparatives and preferences. There is a level of sophistication involved, the ability to see the greater picture of the “wine universe” which helps you fit the wine into the right place. This takes time to develop and requires focus, perseverance, tasting, sharing and travel.

Until I traveled in Burgundy, I really had no idea about the difference between Chassagne and Puligny. When I visited the region I was surprised to find a vineyard partially located in Chassange and in Puligny. The idea of geography is very important in understanding terroir. In France terroir (the ground) can have a dramatic impact on the wine itself. In America wines are more fruit driven and complexity is something else. That’s not to say that only French wines are complex.

Perspective in wine is about being open-minded and understanding the wine makers work, vineyard, style, technique, vinification, grape varieties and geography. If you always drink the same style wine, or if you narrow your taste to one variety of grape, you will not develop and grow. Not all wines will please you all the time.

I have one friend who sticks out in my mind, he only drinks his style and if it doesn’t fit, he slams the door on the wine. I think that’s just too harsh, and if any drinker is keen to grow their knowledge and pleasure, you must travel, taste, see and enjoy the nature surrounding the vines.

When you score a wine, think about the wine as a wine, and then how you enjoyed it, find some context in order to be fair and don’t be fooled by labels. Lastly, try to stay away from being influenced by Parker scores as they are often misleading – even if they are tempting because you will be blinded by his ratings, easily influenced by his high scores and learn little about wine.