About
About us
Welcome to AnthonyMueller.com, where passion meets inclusivity. As an Advanced Sommelier, I have created this space to provide honest, insightful reviews that are meant as an aid to assist collectors, consumers, and the next generation of wine lovers. Our mission is to promote diversity and inclusion in the world of wine, steering clear of elitism and snobbery, while delivering honest and trustworthy reviews.
Join us in celebrating the rich tapestry of wine and food, where every bottle has a story, and every palate is welcome.
Cheers to discovering wines that resonate with all of us!
About our
Our Wine Scoring System
It is important to emphasize that there is no substitute for an individual’s personal taste and palate. The rating system I use is meant to assist consumers in making informed purchasing decisions. Our scoring system is based on the 100-point scale but has been modified to provide meaningful and insightful scores for an already overcrowded and continually growing wine industry. Throughout my professional wine critic experience, I’ve noticed many wine reviewers giving low scores in the 70s, 60s, and 50s. Often, I found these scores harsh and overly critical, serving more as a punch to the stomach of the producer, highlighting the power of the wine critic. There are two specific areas of our wine scoring system that I want to highlight that separates us from the rest.
Firstly, there is a trend of point inflation in wine ratings. The general perception has shifted towards thinking that a wine scoring in the high 80s is not good when, in fact, these wines are “Very Good” and worthy of a B+ level rating. I don’t understand how an 88- or 89-point score became undesirable. Consumers and the industry need to rethink this category of wine scores. I refuse to be swayed by point inflation and will remain true to my evaluations, preserving our integrity, trustworthiness and accountability.
Secondly, wines scoring 74 points and below will receive an “NR” rating for “Not Recommended.” While almost all other wine-reviewing publications go down to a score of 50, I will stop at 75. Wines below this score are not commercially viable and are typically overlooked in favor of wines that offer better quality. Given the competitiveness of the global wine market and the use of modern technologies, there is little room for wines of this low caliber to stay relevant. Hence, they will receive an “NR” score.
The Apex
96 - 100
Wines in this category possess profound complexity that shines with a sense of singularity. They display varietal purity that commands attention and are worthy of the time, effort and money to collect and drink them. Often, these wines evoke an emotional response when experienced.
Excellent
90 - 95
The wines in this category are fantastic examples of their style, showcasing exceptional complexity and varietal character. Breaking through the 90–point barrier indicates a wine of high quality that delivers precision, sincerity and complexity. These are wonderful wines that are definitely worth seeking out.
Very Good
87 - 89
Wines in this category offer very good varietal character that is great for everyday enjoyment, while some may even be age-worthy. Typically, two styles can be found in this category: value-driven/cost-friendly wines and quality wines that just miss the mark, lacking slightly in complexity, structure, or balance. To clarify, these are very good wines that deserve their B+ rating.
Decent - Good
80 - 86
Wines in this category typically lack the full expression of varietal character. Although they may not have the complexity for further development in the bottle, they can still provide some pleasure.
Mediocre
75 - 79
These wines are unexciting, lack typicity, freshness or vibrancy and are often in need of precision and/or balance. In short, these wines should be avoided.
Not Recommended "NR"
74 & below
Let’s be honest, I don’t want to drink these wines… You don’t want to drink these wines… Nobody wants to drink these wines or is actively seeking them out. Therefore, they are not recommended and will receive an “NR” rating.
Supplemental symbols
( XX – XZ ) : A score range split by a dash indicates the wine was tasted as a barrel sample and is not officially a complete wine, as it still needs to complete its aging process and/or be blended, and/or be bottled as a complete wine. The score range for all barrel samples will mostly be within a 3-point score range, meaning that when the wine is finally bottled, it should receive a score within that 3-point score range. We reserve the right to expand beyond this range, as sometimes a wine can surprise you. Also, when reviewing barrel samples, we will refrain from adding a proper age range and wait until we have had a chance to re-taste the wine closer to its release date.
+ : A score ending with a “+” indicates that the wine will most likely improve with additional time in the bottle and that same bottle is likely to score higher at a later date, earning its plus sign.
? : A score ending with a “?” denotes that the wine is in an awkward spot and is acting erratically. Another look at the wine in another year or two will be needed to pinpoint where the wine is headed precisely. Since wine is alive and has distinct stages throughout its life, in rare instances, it would be difficult to call a wine where it needs more time to settle or fill its shoes. Just as it would be difficult and unfair to judge a teenager as a fully grown adult, these wines will receive a question mark and need to be tasted at a later date.
About:
Anthony Mueller
Advanced Sommelier, Founder, Proprietor, Head Taster and Editor-in-Chief
Anthony Mueller is a highly accomplished sommelier, wine presenter and educator who has judged major wine competitions in California, Washington, Nevada, Arizona and abroad in Australia & South Africa. He also has lectured at wine events and hosted masterclasses across the USA, Asia and Europe. With over 20 years of experience in the food and wine industry, his career has led him to work in some of the most prestigious restaurants in the US, including the three-Michelin star The French Laundry in Yountville, California, Tribute in Michigan and Tarbell’s in Arizona. He holds several esteemed wine certifications, including the Advanced Sommelier certificate from the Court of Master Sommeliers, the Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 3 Award in Wines, the Certified Specialist of Wine certificate from the Society of Wine Educators, and holds the titles of Certified Sherry Wine Specialist and Certified Sake Advisor. Mueller began the Master of Wine study program in 2020 and will sit the Master Sommelier Theory Exam next year.
Originally from Scottsdale, Arizona, Mueller has a technical background in math & science. Compounded by his love of wine, he naturally found a position as a member of the Wine Archivist team for Delectable.com before relocating to the Napa Valley to join the service team at The French Laundry in 2014. By 2016, he was recognized as the ‘Sommelier of the Month’ by Food & Beverage magazine. He joined Robert Parker Wine Advocate in 2018, where he reviewed the wines of Washington State and South Africa for more than half a decade before launching his own brand, AnthonyMueller.com, in 2025.
He is excited to share his passion for wines and present them to a wide array of consumers while promoting diversity and inclusion, without snobbery or elitism. When not drinking Sherry, Mueller enjoys riding his motorcycle and exploring the beauty of Napa Valley. Like Anthony Bourdain, Mueller is an avid traveler, who has no trouble making new friends in new places and loves to follow his nose to discover new restaurants in new cities. Although he has never attended culinary school, Mueller enjoys cooking elaborate meals in his small kitchen at home, preparing dishes made with ingredients grown from his home garden.