We judge wine on how drinkable and how memorable it is – just the way you probably do at home. To simplify things, we rate them using a maximum of five stars.
This is how we see it:
1 star: Extremely poor, and could be considered rat poison. (But you’ll never find one in Essentials.)
2 stars: Unpleasant, not worth trying (or mentioning).
3 stars: Decent basic wine, good for a simple midweek dinner.
3.5 stars: Things are looking up. A decent drop we’d share with friends over a casual meal.
4 stars: Nice stuff with class. We’d happily buy a case of this.
4.5 stars: Now you’re talking. This is a damn good wine with that extra bit of character that makes you stop and think ‘Wow!’
5 stars: Wonderful! This is as good as it gets. A special bottle for special occasions, gifts, or laying down for your child’s graduation.