The Top 100, Award of Excellence, Best New Winery, 89, 92, 100, the list of lists, awards and scores bestowed upon wines and wineries is virtually endless. Seems that those of us in the wine press can't help but try to rate in an objective manner what is purely a subjective evaluation. Just like wine consumers, it comes down to what we like versus what we don't. While we do try to apply some criteria that apply to all wines, the human senses of smell and taste are subjective. What tastes good to me might not taste so good to you. So, what to do with all of the accolades published on wine wineries and winemakers?

The answer has two parts. First, the best bet is to find a wine evaluator or publication that you feel has a similar palate to your own. The two will likely not always agree, but if the majority of time you agree with the person rating the wine - and perhaps more importantly, agree with what they identify in the tasting notes as the profiles of the wine - it is one you can trust. our own palate and experience with each wine will still be the most important, but at least you will have a foundation of wines to seek out and try.

The second part of the answer is to have a bit of wine industry "intel" on what ratings are the most meaningful, and what goes into them. The Wine Spectator Top 100 is one of the most eagerly anticipated each year. Wines that make it into the top 20 frequently sell out as soon as the list is released - or leaked, in some cases - with wine being allocated to the best customers before the rest of the wine-consuming world can get their hands on it.

Here is a tip for you, though. Some of your best bets in the top 100 are spots 21 to 90. The top spot - and many times the top 10 or 20 - is really more like the "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the Oscars: the wines are fabulous, but at least as much of the praise is for longevity and staying power. Couple this fact with the difficulty in attaining them, and you might better spend your time finding varietals and producers you are fond of in the middle of the list.

The Award of Excellence from the Wine Spectator is another sought-after "medal" for restaurants. It is, in fact, a pretty darn good guidepost when seeking out a good restaurant wine list when you are traveling and may not be familiar with their list. The award is based on breadth of the list; entries from all the major appellations and producers are important. Depth is also part of receiving the award, too. Having multiple bottles of each offering is vital; the Spectator frowns on those who frequently run out of the best bottles they have on their list. For consumers, though, the quality of the list will depend on whether you like similar things as the wine buyer who assembled the collection.

When it comes to individual wines, the most important criteria for consumers is the aforementioned similarity between one's palate and that of the person doing the rating. Find the evaluator you agree most with and stick with them. Another approach is to identify wines that are receiving big numbers from many different publications or individuals. Chances are if Food and Wine, the Wine Spectator, Stephen Tanzer and Robert Parker all agree, something good is going on! Take notice of those.

Number scores are very helpful in one particular rating: vintage. Most all publications will rate vintages for appellations on a number or grade scale. When shopping for wine or perusing a wine list, this may help you zero in on a great bottle to purchase.

The world of wine is always changing; there are innovations and improvements that emerge daily. This is one of the best things about wine: there are always new things to try. So, one of the awards that is meaningful to me as a consumer is when a winemaker or winery receives the "Best New" award. If one of these awards is coupled with big scores, it may be something you wish to seek out and try.

We have only covered a small portion of the ratings in the wine world. Consult your favorite wine professional or stop by the shop if you have other questions on ratings and awards you read about. Working in the wine industry we read, hear of, and learn about most of the same praise, and can help identify the most reliable for you.

If there is a topic you would like to read about or if you have questions on wine, you can email [email protected], or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d'Alene Press.

George Balling is co-owner with his wife Mary Lancaster of the dinner party, a wine and table top decor shop in Coeur d'Alene by Costco. George is also the managing judge of The North Idaho Wine Rodeo and is the wine editor for Coeur d'Alene Magazine (www.cdamagazine.com). You can learn more about the dinner party at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com. You can get all of these articles, as well as other great wine tips, by friending us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop.