Methodology
The Funky Score.
The Funky Score is a 0–100 confidence rating of how genuinely natural a wine venue is. It's computed from real signals — wine lists matched against known natural producers, natural-wine language in reviews, and venue self-verification — with the same inputs always producing the same score. Nobody can buy a higher one.
Why a score at all
Natural wine has no legal definition and no official regulatory body. "Natural wine bar" on a map can mean anything from a zero-zero cave to a cocktail bar with one orange wine. The Funky Score exists to close that gap: a consistent, transparent standard for what counts as genuinely natural — published openly so anyone can argue with it.
What the score measures
| Signal | What it checks | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Wine-list producer matches | Known natural producers found on the venue's actual list | Strongest — the list is ground truth |
| Natural-wine language | Pét-nat, skin contact, low intervention, glou-glou in real descriptions and reviews | Strong — identity must be present |
| Operator verification | The venue confirms its own listing via its business domain | Strong — self-attested and accountable |
| Rating & review volume | Public ratings and how many people back them | Supporting — quality can't fake natural-ness |
The natural-wine identity has to be there for a high score — a five-star cocktail bar with no natural signal stays low, no matter how good its ratings are. Quality supports the score; it can't substitute for the wine.
How to read it
Confirmed natural — badge shown
Strong natural signal, pending confirmation
Some signal — on the map, clearly unverified
No meaningful natural signal found
The commitments
- No pay-to-play — a venue cannot buy a better score or ranking, ever.
- Deterministic — the same inputs always produce the same score.
- Falsifiable — the methodology is public; if we're wrong about a venue, tell us and we'll re-check it.
- Honest tiers — venues we haven't confirmed are labeled as candidates, not dressed up as verified.
The scoring system is rolling out across the full map now — venues are being re-scored against these signals, and the Verified badge appears as each one clears the bar.