Simon Judge

  • Pinot Noir Retrospection

    Pinot Noir Retrospection

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    Simon Judge

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    By accident rather than design, I found myself tasting and reviewing several Pinot Noirs over a short period. It started innocently enough, with a few bottles obtained after they had caught my attention at spring press tastings. Then I went looking for wines that had won awards in 2025 and it turned out many of…

  • Edna Valley Pinot Noir

    Edna Valley Pinot Noir

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    Simon Judge

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    Edna Valley Pinot Noir 2022 comes from California’s Central Coast, where the cooling influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean allows for a long, gentle ripening season. This slower process brings depth and elegance to the wine. At 14% ABV, it has a touch more weight than many other Pinots. This is a medium-bodied red with…

  • Duplico Rosso Puglia

    Duplico Rosso Puglia

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    The Lidl July Wine Tour is now underway, though I unfortunately missed the press tasting last time around due to being on holiday, ironically, within reach of Puglia, where this particular wine originates. Still, Lidl kindly sent me a few bottles from the range to try for myself. These Wine Tours tend to run for…

  • Laurent Delaunay Les Grappillages Fleurie

    Laurent Delaunay Les Grappillages Fleurie

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    I’ve had the chance to be one of the first to try a brand-new wine from acclaimed Burgundian winemaker Laurent Delaunay. Known for multi-award-winning expertise and as a fifth-generation winemaker, Delaunay has just released a Beaujolais under the new Les Grappillages range. It’s a wine that brings together traditional regional winemaking with a distinctly modern…

  • Alain Grignon ‘Grande Réserve Vieilles Vignes’ Carignan

    Alain Grignon ‘Grande Réserve Vieilles Vignes’ Carignan

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    This is a striking new arrival at Majestic that’s already turning heads. At a recent store managers’ tasting, it reportedly stole the show, and it’s not hard to see why. This impressive red comes from Château Grand Moulin in the town of Lézignan-Corbières, in the heart of Occitanie. It’s made from old-vine Carignan, with some…

  • Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon

    Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon

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    I first came across and liked this wine at the Asda Spring Summer Wine Showcase and just to be sure, I tried it again more recently. It’s an Australian red made by Complexity, a producer sourcing grapes from family-owned vineyards spread across South Australia’s premium wine regions. While Australia is far better known for Shiraz,…

  • Spritzi Yuzu & Pink Pepper Aperitivo

    Spritzi Yuzu & Pink Pepper Aperitivo

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    Simon Judge

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    I first came across this drink at a recent Tesco press tasting. Usually, I’m guilty of ignoring anything that doesn’t fall neatly into my admittedly narrow definition of wine. But I was glad I made an exception here. Among the Spritzi flavours on offer at the tasting, Elderflower, Blood Orange and Yuzu & Pink Pepper,…

  • Marsolay Pinot Noir

    Marsolay Pinot Noir

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    This Pinot Noir is from the Languedoc region in southern France, IGP Pays d’Oc, and made by Producteurs Réunis. It’s from an area known for its long, hot growing season, which tends to encourage a riper expression of Pinot Noir. I tried it as part of my awards25 tasting series, as it was a finalist…

  • Tesco Finest Chablis Premier Cru

    Tesco Finest Chablis Premier Cru

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    This is one I’d been meaning to try after it picked up a Gold at the recent International Wine Challenge. It’s part of my ongoing awards25 series and is made by the highly respected La Chablisienne Cooperative. The wine comes from Premier Cru vineyards in northern Burgundy and is made entirely from Chardonnay grapes, with…

  • Clocktower Pinot Noir

    Clocktower Pinot Noir

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    This 2023 vintage comes from the Taylor River area of the Wairau Valley in Marlborough, New Zealand. It’s a single vineyard wine, who M&S say is made by local winemaker Matthew Large, which suggests a Wither Hills connection. However, the Clocktower reference is a mystery. The wine has been matured in French oak, bringing added…

  • Gen Z Drinking More Alcohol

    Gen Z Drinking More Alcohol

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    Simon Judge

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    Despite widespread cost-of-living pressures and a global trend towards alcohol moderation, younger legal-drinking-age consumers, particularly Gen Z, are increasingly re-engaging with alcohol, according to IWSR’s Bevtrac consumer sentiment tracker. Although overall spending on alcohol has declined across leading global markets, Gen Z’s participation has notably risen, challenging the belief that this generation is turning away…

  • 25% Off Wine at Sainsbury’s

    25% Off Wine at Sainsbury’s

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    Sainsbury’s has 25% off wine for Nectar loyalty card holders, sparkling and Champagne, 6 bottles or more, £6 or more (£7 in Wales), from 25 June 2025 to 29 June 2025. See the recent Sainsbury’s press tasting for tips on what to buy.

  • Co-op Irresistible 30° Casablanca Valley Pinot Noir

    Co-op Irresistible 30° Casablanca Valley Pinot Noir

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    I tasted this Pinot Noir as part of my awards25 series and it’s already made a strong impression, with a Gold at the IWC and a Bronze at the IWSC. It also previously won a Silver in the Pinot Noir Masters. The name 30° refers to its Chilean roots, highlighting the 30 degrees south latitude…

  • Taste the Difference Bio Bio Chilean Pinot Noir

    Taste the Difference Bio Bio Chilean Pinot Noir

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    This was a real star from Sainsbury’s Spring Summer 2025 press tasting and I knew I had to revisit it properly on its own. Sourced from the Bio Bio Valley in Chile, this wine is made by Diego Covarrubias of Viña Indómita, a respected name in Chilean winemaking and a producer often praised by critic…

  • UK Tariffs Impact Spanish Wines

    UK Tariffs Impact Spanish Wines

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    Reuters is reporting that Spanish red wine exports to the UK have dropped by 7.5% in value during the first four months of 2025, largely due to new British tariffs based on alcohol content. These changes, introduced in February, have hit Spanish wines hardest, especially reds, which typically contain more than 12.5% alcohol due to…

  • Tensions Between Wine Growers and Supermarkets

    Tensions Between Wine Growers and Supermarkets

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    International Supermarket News reports on rising tensions between growers and supermarkets. It also highlights increasing cost of wine and shows how much more expensive it is in the UK compared to France. Aldi France has come under fire after its national wine buyer claimed wines priced as low as €1.99 are still profitable for growers….

  • North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2023

    North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2023

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    I first discovered this wine last year and it quickly became one of my top picks. It stood out not just in character, but as one of my outstanding wines by value. I had the chance to try the new 2023 vintage at the Asda Summer 2025 showcase, and while it still shone, I wanted…

  • WineGB Awards 2025

    WineGB Awards 2025

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    The ninth edition of the WineGB Awards marked a significant milestone, with still wines surpassing sparkling wines in both entries and total medals awarded for the first time. Still wines made up 54% of the entries and won 161 medals, compared to 151 for sparkling wines. However, sparkling wines continued to dominate in terms of…

  • Trade Associations Raise Urgent Concerns Over EPR Base Fees for Glass Packaging

    Trade Associations Raise Urgent Concerns Over EPR Base Fees for Glass Packaging

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    Drinks Retailing is reporting that ahead of the announcement of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) base fees this week, a coalition of trade associations has written to Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, outlining significant concerns, particularly regarding the impact on glass packaging. The group, which includes the Scotch…

  • Quinta de Foz Arouce White

    Quinta de Foz Arouce White

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    Simon Judge

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    This is the companion wine to the previously reviewed red from the same estate. It originates from Portugal’s Beira Atlântico region and is produced by João Portugal Ramos, often referred to in the wine world as JPR. The vineyards are owned by the Count of Foz, who happens to be Ramos’s father-in-law. This white is…

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