Superplonk: The Top 1, 000

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Malcolm Gluck

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Pages: 416 (Paperback)

ISBN: 0007160410

Pub: Collins

Pub date: 2005

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 316806

Editorial Review:

Malcolm Gluck's latest report on the wine shelves of the nation's supermarket chains is the summer edition, produced as a result of demand from his readership due to the incursion of many new wines into the supermarkets during the early and middle parts of the year. It is essentially a supplement to the main winter edition. Even so, it indicates Gluck's phenomenal energy. Whatever else he may be, he is primarily a machine for turning wine into tasting notes. And what notes--characteristically energetic and eccentric, fizzing exuberantly like champagne bubbles. Under the electron microscope of his palate, familiar wine tastes are magnified into startlingly vivid forms, a number (it must be said) being impressionistic to the point of surrealism. "A great big soppy broth of a wine." "A decent, but delayed, finish of warm coal." "Like tasting a dead librarian." Well, we get the picture, sort of. But the chief value of the book lies in Gluck's ingenious (but obvious, really) system of points. He grades from 1 to 20, a 1 being a wine the producer of which "should be slung in prison", a 20 a "toweringly brilliant world-class wine of self-evident style and individuality." There are no 1s or 20s here: a few lucky 17s or 18s and the odd mean-spirited 10 or shameful 8. The ratings reflect not only quality but also value for money. As always, Superplonk is an invaluable guide for the supermarket wine shopper. --Robin Davidson

Reader Reviews:

Vino (0/0 people found this helpful)

What do I want from a guide?
Easy to use (this is not)
Value for money choices (too many choices 1000+)
I like the wine recommended (lottery choice)
I am more informed after using guide (no real guidance given, does he really review them).

This was a top guide in 2003 but has been changed to its detriment.

Oz Clarke or Matthew Jukes hits the spot Top 250 Wines.

Less exciting than a telephone directory (2/3 people found this helpful)

I bought this book recently in error: I was trying to buy the 2006 edition, having read favourable reviews. Having thumbed this edition however, I shall not bother with the 2006 edition. I'm not a wine buff and had been told that this guide was "accessible" and "easy-to-use", and therefore thought that it would be a good buy. However, this book is simply a list of retailers and their given wines graded out of 20 - the wines are listed in grade order, not grape, colour or price, so it is impossible to find a particular type of wine quickly. The descriptions tend to be limited to the word "Screwcap" for most wines scoring 15 out of 20, and pretty much stop entirely for any wine awarded 14 points.

If you don't know the difference between a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Riesling, and which one might go well with fish, this is NOT the book for you.

And the seventeen page introduction about his book tour? Why? What's this doing in a "wine guide"?

Lastly, Malcolm Gluck claims to be the only wine writer who rates wine on a value-for-money basis (see page xxviii). He's not. A hugely disappointing purchase: I expected more from this author.

A Change for the Worse (4/6 people found this helpful)

Disappointing. Have bought Superplonk for many years and it's been our bible in the supermarket. Changes in format in the 2004 edition make it almost impossible to search through. The wines in a particular group don't seem to be in any particular order - not alphabetical or by grape etc. Take a look at the format before you buy. Our copy of the 2004 edition is still in pristine condition - unlike the well thumbed earlier editions.

Superplonk Top 1000 Review (10/14 people found this helpful)

I bought this as a xmas gift for a friend. Luckily i browsed its contents before sending it on to my friend it saved a lot of embarressment. Superplonk is simply a list of Wine's available for purchase in every supermarket, the book does not rate the wine as i thought, it simply copies the description from the wine bottle label and passes it off as a review!! Useless, Not a suitable Gift for wine lovers, unless of course you cant get to the supermarkets personally to read the wine labels.

If you want a wine guide, better get a Gluck! (17/20 people found this helpful)

Malcolm's Gluck annual wine guide is back for the 2002 edition. Packed as usual with all the best value wines available in the places where most of us buy them - supermarkets and high street retailers. Mr Gluck's no nonsense prose cuts through any wine snobbery and its layout makes it easy to find what you want. Every wine is rated on a scale of 1-20 depending on its value for money (by the way dont bother with anything under 10 points unless you want to shake it on your chips!).

The book is produced for the first time in conjunction with his new website so it should be even more comprehensive than before.

I also enjoyed his introductions to each of the retailers featured.

I look forward to the book every year and it's an annual staple on my Christmas list for several friends and relatives who enjoy a tipple.