It seems you see the superlative "best" being overused in a variety of situations these days in print, on television, radio, and online. When considering its use with wine, "best" has clearly reached a point of becoming gratuitous. "Best wines" are no longer reserved for end of year features, for this adjective has become ubiquitous in magazines, tv shows, blogs and podcasts. As a result, it no longer seems to hold much value.

Consider the ad above for a moment, which positions the Waterbrook 2005 Mélange as the "best American red wine". Is that what the folks at Waterbrook want us to believe? This ad suggests that you look no further, for the best American red wine can be found in Walla Walla, Washington. In fact, it might propose that you just forget about all of the other red wine in our country, for this is the best one around. As such, the quest for the best wine is finally over. Really?

Now, I can appreciate the pride Waterbrook must take in receiving an accolade bestowed on them by a Canadian wine magazine. I've seen this same pride on display in many an Oregon and Washington winery, where medals from state and county fairs adorn bottles that garnered "best in show" awards. And I've read the many articles and columns framed on winery walls and published on web sites calling out specific wines for being the "best".

Whether in the winery or in an ad, the increasing emphasis on being "best", raises concerns. It suggests that the only thing a winery has to show for itself is winning some random wine competition or garnering some favorable review. In addition, it incorrectly assumes that all consumers are image seekers, buying wine solely on the basis of it being the "best". It's this latter concern that bothers me the most, for Waterbrook is not alone in leveraging the term "best" to the point of being gratuitous.

The overuse of "best" is pervasive in the media surrounding wine, especially during end of year (e.g., best wines of 2007) or with a new season (e.g., best wines for summer). For some reason, the wine press has fooled itself into thinking that all consumers need these features to guide their purchase decisions.

Even on local wine blogs, there is a rampant overuse of "best" by some reviewing local tasting events. Do these folks realize how subjective their assessments are? Have they fooled themselves into thinking their pronouncements of what is "best" are based on some sort of qualification? What motivates writers to talk about the "best" rather than just stating what their "favorites" are?

I hope those marketing or writing about wine start to realize how the overuse of "best" has marginalized this word. Being the "best" might continue to appeal to image seekers whose purchase and consumption behaviors are based solely on a wine carrying this designation. But for those consumers who prefer to explore the large world of wine according to their own terms, "best" no longer matters.