Fault tolerance: a threshold, not a property
The standard
A declared fault threshold states from which degree a deviation counts as a fault and where that threshold comes from. Without it, the verdict shifts with the taster.
Criteria
- The threshold is named in advance, not adjusted to the wine afterwards
- It distinguishes unintended deviation from stylistic intent
- It states the reference against which it is measured
- It applies equally to all wines assessed
Distinction
Fault tolerance ≠ Fault vs. style: one is the boundary, the other the assignment at that boundary. Fault tolerance ≠ matter of taste: a declared fault threshold stays justifiable, whereas preference is merely asserted.