The world is awash in quality wine often at very reasonable prices. But at Edible Arts we seek wines that have an added dimension, wines that are original, unusual, off the beaten path, or an artistic achievement. (This may not be true of our budget wine reviews which are usually purchased from grocery stores and are intended to provide an evaluation of wines that most people drink)
We think the usual litany of fruit and vegetable flavor notes, scores, and “shelf-talkers” tell us little about what is in the bottle. Structure, evolution, texture, finesse, dimension, personality, definition, and sense of purpose are more important. Such wines are not necessarily expensive. They may sometimes be edgy, reticent, or hard to understand. They may even be rustic and unrefined. Above all, they must be intriguing and provoke curiosity.
Although objectivity is important when evaluating wine, so is engagement which can be inhibited by blind tasting. Thus, most wines are reviewed non-blind throughout the course of an evening with no distractions. I devote several hours trying to understand each one. Often they are paired with food and with music to help grasp the full expression of the wine. Although I very occasionally review industry samples, I pay for the vast majority of wines I review. If I review an industry sample that fact will always be disclosed in the review.
I provide scores because consumers find them useful. However, it must be emphasized that wine changes in the glass and in the bottle and our responses to wine are influenced by many environmental and contextual factors. A wine score can be nothing more than a snapshot, a moment in time and place, and inevitably conditioned by personal preference. A wine score is a personal measure of overall enjoyment, not an objective measure of wine quality.
Industry samples are accepted but with no guarantee they will meet our standards for review. Please email for information dwightfurrow at gmail.com
Exploring the Philosophy of Food and Wine 