The effect of ratings

[SushiNorth]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 124050.htm

An interesting article (though rather obvious to any of us) -- people who are told about a wine rating (in advance) perceive the wine better or worse (appropriately) than people who are not informed until after. How much does our adoration of ports, years, houses etc influence our impressions and (more optimistically) enjoyment of a glass?

[Zelandakh]

I liked Derek's observation elsewhere on this erstwhile site. "It tastes like port".

With few exceptions, that works for me! When I partake, I am enjoying the portiness and am now wondering whether 10 bottles of 85 beats a single bottle of 63.

Poker with a purple tinge.

[Glenn E.]

Yup. I've read about several studies like this one or studying the "reputation of the producer" corollary, and they all come to the same basic conclusion.

This is why I firmly believe that ratings should always be done blind, especially professional ratings. No matter how objective you think you are, or how long you have been doing it, prior knowledge of the wine will affect your rating. I'm convinced that the 2007 Taylor is only being rated as high as it is by certain experts because they didn't taste it blind. People who taste it blind tend to rate it lower. (It's exceptional either way - we're talking about the difference between 96-ish and 92-ish.)

Some people are more susceptible to the effect than others. I know that I am extremely influenced by prior knowledge, no matter how hard I try, so if I'm going to be doing serious ratings I have to do them blind or the ratings are basically worthless. Tasting blind, though, I have discovered - much to my glee - that I am really pretty consistent. I can't re-identify the same wine any more regularly than anyone else (which is to say, not often), but my rating of it will be about the same.

[RonnieRoots]

I think I am sensitive to ratings, just like most people. But after comparing my scores of a couple of large blind tastings of vintage port, I also noticed that my scores didn't differ that much from Suckling's Funny stuff.

[SushiNorth]

My scores are all over the place, but i find i'm certainly predisposed to think better of a wine labeled T or F, or from some exceptional year (esp with a bit of age). However, this also gets me thinking about the articles other point -- praise the wine. "This is a beautiful glass of Royal 80 -- 30 years old -- I'm really looking forward to it." Maybe our Praise the Port! attitude on the forum is bolstering our enjoyment of port in general (in a scientific way, it literally tastes better).

[g-man]

well, I m sure we also look for particular traits. It might happen that two tasters agree that a particular trait may merit more points. If they happen to come more often from T or F (noticeably F =)) then so be it.