The Guide Hachette des Vins is a French wine buying guide published by Hachette Livre (Hachette Pratique). Its first edition was released in 1985.[1] It is France's best-selling wine guide and one of France's oldest.[2] The Guide Hachette des Vins is considered to be France' most authoritative guide and commonly referred to as the bible of the French wine industry.[3][4][5][6][7][8]
Blind tasting panels
The Guide Hachette uses blind tasting panels to evaluate wines by appellation.[1] Each year 40,000 wines are tasted blind and rated by experts.[1][7]
No fee is required to submit samples.[9] Only the most recently bottled vintage is allowed to be submitted for blind tasting.[1]
Wine tastings are organized locally in each region between January and May.[1] Blind tasting sessions composed of a panel wine professionals (enologists, wine merchants, wine brokers, sommeliers) are organized with the Syndicat Viticole or Winegrower's Syndicate of each appellation present in the guide.[1]
Rating system
Each wine is rated on a scale of 0 to 5.[7][9]
| Taster's grade |
Wine Quality |
Final Wine Rating
|
| 0 |
Faulty wine |
Eliminated
|
| 1 |
Poor or mediocre |
Eliminated
|
| 2 |
Good |
Commended (no stars)
|
| 3 |
Excellent |
*
|
| 4 |
Remarkable |
**
|
| 5 |
Exceptional |
***
|
The top rated wines are subject to a second round of blind tasting.[7] After the second tasting, the panel votes on one or two wines to receive Coup de Coeur [Judges' Favorite].[7] The Coup de Coeur is considered to be the highest recommendation.[6][10][11][12][13]
Regions covered
The 2016 edition covers:
References
