Fermentation by Tom Wark
In his Substack piece, Tom Wark argues that only a very small number of humans can truly write about wine in a way that captures its depth, nuance, and cultural weight. He contends that, in an age of abundance and AI-assisted content, the craft of meaningful wine writing is shrinking—and the challenge for writers is to retain insight, curiosity and honesty amidst pressures of volume, automation and market noise. From the piece:
I am convinced that people will eventually, and nonchalantly, come to accept that the vast amount of written, spoken, and viewed material is created by machines and not human beings. This acceptance will come without much dissent, primarily because what is consumed through reading, listening, and watching will meet their needs for good information and entertainment.
The Drinks Business
In The Drinks Business, Sophie Arundel reports that the Michelin Guide is expanding its reach once more—this time by creating a global wine-ranking system that chairman Florent Menegaux says will be “more influential than Parker’s.” Building on Michelin’s transformation from a printed restaurant guide into a global lifestyle authority, the new ranking arrives as the company leverages its ownership of The Wine Advocate and its increasingly commercial partnerships across 69 countries. From the Article:
The move marks the latest step in Michelin’s transformation from a printed restaurant guide to a global lifestyle authority. Over the past year, the company has begun rating hotels, introducing a “key” system in place of stars. At a ceremony this week, 1,742 hotels received one key, 572 were awarded two, and 143 achieved the top three-key distinction – including The Connaught and The Savoy in London.
Robert Joseph
In Robert Joseph’s Substack, he argues that wine scores remain a vital currency in the wine world—even in an era of boutique narratives and authenticity marketing. He explains that since the 1980s, scores, medals, and critic recommendations have provided consumers with “confidence to buy and try unfamiliar wines,” serving as a shortcut in large retail environments and helping brands build trust. One of my favorite parts of the article:
And yes, of course, we all know that some critics have become too generous, that there has been general score-inflation, with some critics dishing out high numbers almost like confetti. And yes, there are conflicts of interest between the awarding of points and the organisation by the same individuals of ticketed tastings in which only wines with a score of over 90, or whatever, are allowed to participate. Haven’t any of these experts ever been tempted to add a point or two to a wine whose producer will be sure to pay for a table at one of these events? Of course they have. But how many of the eligible wineries or eager attendees are complaining?
Wine Spectator
In Wine Spectator, the editors unveil the Top 100 Wines of 2025, a prestigious annual list drawn from more than 10,200 new releases—5,500 of which scored 90 points or higher. To make the list, wines are judged on quality, value, availability in the U.S., and an “X-factor” of excitement. According to the 2025 list overview, the average score was 93 points, the average price $58, with 34 wines priced at $30 or less—highlighting both benchmarks and accessible discoveries. The Top 10 Wines are:
- Château Giscours Margaux 2022 – France – $68 – 95 points
- Aubert Chardonnay Sonoma Coast UV-SL Vineyard 2023 – United States – $100 – 96 points
- Ridge Lytton Springs Dry Creek Valley 2023 – United States – $56 – 95 points
- Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Eastside Road Neighbors 2023 – United States – $72 – 96 points
- Château Beau-Séjour Bécot St.-Emilion 2022 – France – $85 – 96 points
- Clos Apalta Apalta 2021 – Chile – $170 – 96 points
- Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco 2021 – Italy – $57 – 94 points
- Wayfarer Pinot Noir Fort Ross-Seaview Wayfarer Vineyard The Estate 2023 – United States – $100 – 95 points
- Castello di Ama Chianti Classico San Lorenzo Gran Selezione 2021 – Italy – $90 – 95 points
- Famille Isabel Ferrando Châteauneuf-du-Pape St.-Préfert 2022 – France – $108 – 94 points
