Brix very similarly to sucrose with respect to specific gravity as a function of concentration, or compounds which are present in small amounts (minerals, hop acids in wort, tannins, acids in must). In any case, even if °Bx are not representative of the exact amount of sugar in a must or fruit juice they can be used for comparison of relative sugar content. As specific gravity was the basis for the Balling, Brix and Plato tables, dissolved sugar content was originally estimated by measurement of specific gravity using a hydrometer or pycnometer. In modern times, hydrometers are still widely used, but
The Wine Advocate Thomases, Jay Miller and Antonio Galloni. While not the first American wine publication, nor the first to use a numerical wine ratings scale, "The Wine Advocate" was the first to widely adopt the 50-100 point scale and use it as parallel to the American educational grading system. This system was familiar to Robert Parker's original target audience—the average American consumer—and provided a guideline for quantifying a wine's quality in a standardize format. Retailers have used "The Wine Advocate's" "Parker scores" to aggressively market wines with high scores. The scores have also become focal points for collectors and wine investors who