How we rate the wines...

We thought it might be useful to set out below a brief explanation of the rating system we use to assess the wines we taste. We don’t use a numerical system, simply because we think that these systems are misleading, and a bit of a wank. Instead we believe that a simple, clear statement about the wine is best.

The ratings - Quality

Outstanding - An outstanding example of a wine. Shows to the best affect the characteristics of the grape variety, terrior and region where the grapes were grown. A fantastic wine made from exceptional grapes. Extraordinarily well balanced, complex, full of character and length. It doesn't get any better than this. Keep for special moments (i.e. when you're alone and can drink the whole bottle yourself) or use as your main quaffing wine if you are an investment banker or own your own country. Generally priced to reflect the level of quality. Order this wine when you are sure that someone else is paying.

Highly Recommended - A superior wine that is extremely well made and highlights to good affect the grape variety, terrior and region where the grapes were grown. A balanced, complex and charismatic wine with considerable length. Generally priced at the higher end of the market, but some rare value can be found here too. To be drunk in only slightly less quantities that your main quaffing wine.

Recommended – These wines are well put together and exhibit distinctive varietal and terrior characteristics. These wines are generally well balanced, show some complexity and have notable length. We are happy to recommend these wines to you, and tend to drink these wines as our main quaffing wines ourselves. You can generally get excellent value for money in this category.

Average - An OK wine. Soundly made, generally doesn’t exhibit any faults, and probably won't kill you if you drink it, but you could definitely do better. Will generally be out of balance (lack of, or too much, acid are common problems), have little or no complexity, character or length. Take this one to dinner parties of people that you don't like.

Rubbish - Do not waste your money. Shows none of the characteristics of the grape, terrior, or region where the wine was made and is probably faulty. Out of balance, no complexity, no length. In general, a nasty piece of work. Don't even buy it as a present for people you hate, shooting them would be more humane. Use it for cooking if you haven’t already poured it down the sink in disgust.

The ratings - Value

We'd all love to drink super-premium wines every day, if we were millionaires. But, everyone (or almost everyone) has a budget and a typical price range for buying their wine. After all, if a bottle of wine scores an Outstanding rating but costs $1000,  how many people (Bill Gates aside) will really think seriously about that wine as a purchase?

Roughly speaking,  this relates the quality to the price. So, our value rating basically tells you whether this wine is good value for money. A  really cheap bottle that is OK but not great, might score an Average quality rating but a Recommended value rating.  It is not the world's most amazing wine but it is good value to drink during the week.

On the other hand, a bottle of some super premium wine that is Recommended in quality but costs $400 will score a Rubbish value rating.

It's up to you. Personally, here at The Guzzle, we are not millionaires so we set our price range and then look for the best value for money we can find.