Simon Judge
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De Bortoli Botrytis Semillon
De Bortoli’s Botrytis Semillon Family Reserve is a great example of Australia’s ‘stickies’, a colloquial term for their sweet, dessert-style wines. Made exclusively from 100% Sémillon grapes, the wine is made under the influence of the Botrytis Cinerea fungus, also known as ‘noble rot’. This beneficial fungus, thriving under the right climatic conditions, concentrates the…
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A New Type of International Wine
Wine sold in the UK no longer needs to originate from one country because of Brexit, which freed the UK from EU regulations, including those governing wine production and labelling. Under EU law, wines that combine EU and non-EU fruit are prohibited, reflecting a strict adherence to the concept of terroir. Terroir emphasises the unique…
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Beaujolais for Winter
Hannah Crosbie of the The Guardian newspaper explains how Beaujolais is an excellent choice for winter drinking, offering variety and versatility. Although often associated with the annual Beaujolais Nouveau celebration in November, its appeal extends well into the colder months. These wines, particularly enjoyable when slightly chilled, provide a vibrant contrast to heavier reds and…
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Chosen by Majestic Pinotage
Pinotage is a grape variety that often flies under the radar and often offers hidden, affordable treasures at least for me. Originally cultivated in 1925 by Abraham Izak Perold, the first Professor of Viticulture at Stellenbosch University, Pinotage is a crossbreed of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. Renowned for its rich colour and bold flavours, this…
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Doctor Wine’s 2025 Essential Guide to Italian Wine
In January 2025, I attended an insightful Italian wine masterclass and an exceptional wine tasting experience. Daniele Cernilli, known as Doctor Wine, is a leading Italian wine expert, award-winning journalist, author and educator. He co-founded Gambero Rosso and edited its annual wine guide for 24 years. In 2011, he launched the Doctor Wine web magazine,…
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Wine, Flavonoids and Health
With much debate surrounding wine’s impact on health, here’s some balancing news. New research (pdf) offers an in-depth look at flavonoids, compounds found in wine that might tip the scales in favour of moderate consumption. In red wine, flavonoids make up as much as 90% of its phenolic content. These phenols, largely derived from the…
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Insights from the ProWein Business Report 2025
The new ProWein Business Report 2025, based on a survey of over 1,300 wine industry experts from more than 30 countries, highlights the challenges and trends shaping the global wine market. The report explains the importance of adapting to economic pressures, changing consumer preferences and evolving industry demands. Economic challenges and shifting consumer behaviour remain…
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The Affects of the New UK Duty Rates
From 1 February 2025, the UK implements new alcohol duty rates, ushering in changes that will significantly impact both importers and consumers. With 30 different duty rates to navigate, the complexity of this system is daunting, particularly for importers. For consumers, the effects will be felt primarily in pricing and in some cases a change…
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Fairtrade Organic Malbec
I first encountered the Fairtrade Organic Malbec during a wine tasting I hosted, but with the 2022 vintage. Its atypical profile made a strong impression on me and it became one of my picks for its nuanced character, which stood out against the typical Malbecs. The 2023 vintage, now at 12.5% ABV compared to the…
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VIN 2025: a French Wine Tasting
VIN in London marked my first tasting for 2025, an event organised by Business France, the trade section of the French Embassy in the UK, in collaboration with various French partners. This event brought together four UK importers and 34 producers, showing an impressive selection of over 500 wines from multiple French regions. The wines…
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The Effects of Climate Change on Winemaking
Researchers from Italy have put together a useful paper (pdf) on the effects of climate change on wine composition and winemaking processes, focusing on the challenges posed and strategies to address them. This research is relevant because climate change will increasingly alter the flavour profiles, quality and availability of wines. It highlights how increasing temperatures,…
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Baron Amarillo Gran Reserva
I recently came across and purchased a newly listed wine at Aldi, the Baron Amarillo Gran Reserva (2014 vintage), with a brown label and gold mesh. This wine is produced by Pagos del Rey, part of the Felix Solís group, one of the largest family-owned wineries globally. It different to the Criadores de Rioja produced…
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The Traitor Red Blend
As I write this, a new season of the hugely popular show The Traitors is captivating audiences on UK TV. Possibly by coincidence, Majestic has introduced a new Chilean own-label wine range intriguingly titled The Traitor, complete with its own fascinating backstory: The legend of the Añañuca flower tells of a young indigenous woman from…
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Cono Sur 20 Barrels Pinot Noir
Coming from the coastal San Antonio region in Chile, Cono Sur 20 Barrels Pinot Noir is made using traditional Burgundy vinification methods. This wine is aged in a mix of foudres and partially new oak barrels, adding depth and complexity to its character. This 2021 vintage has earned considerable acclaim, receiving 93 points from Tim…
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Insights from Vivino vs Expert Bordeaux Reviews
A new paper from Cambridge University Press examines the validity of crowdsourced wine ratings, focusing on the Vivino platform, by comparing them with professional critics’ assessments and exploring their sensitivity to weather variations that impact wine quality. Using a dataset of Bordeaux red wines, the study finds substantial correlation between Vivino ratings and professional evaluations,…
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Exploring Regional Differences in Wine Tasting
The new study (pdf) explores whether distinct groups of wine experts differ in their sensory and quality assessments of the same wines. Blind tastings were conducted with panels from two Canadian regions, the Okanagan Valley and Montreal, which have different socio-cultural and training backgrounds. The Okanagan panel included winemakers and winery employees with training in…
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Bruce Jack Pinotage Malbec
This South African red wine from the Breedekloof Valley in the Western Cape is a more unusual blend of 70% Pinotage and 30% Malbec. Pinotage is a grape that tends to produce wines that polarise opinion, but I find this wine to be a standout example. It opens with a lovely smoky aroma, complemented by…
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Sparkling Wine, Champagne and Premium Own-Label Fuelled Christmas Growth in UK
Kantar data shows that sparkling wine and Champagne were standout performers in the UK festive retail market, with sales growing by 4.4% to reach a total of £187 million across December 2024. This increase reflects a strong consumer appetite for celebratory drinks during the holiday season, despite rising grocery price inflation. Fortified wines also saw…
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The Battle Between Science and Prohibitionists
David Morrison argues on his blog that current medical evidence does not support the claim that moderate wine consumption is harmful, though public health messaging has increasingly taken a prohibitionist stance. He critiques official health organisations, such as the WHO and the UK Chief Medical Officers, for their stringent guidelines on alcohol, pointing out a…
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Waitrose No.1 La Val Albariño
I very briefly mentioned this wine in the Waitrose Autumn Press Tasting and it warranted closer exploration. Produced by the Spanish winery Bodegas La Val, this 2023 vintage Albariño is made without oak, offering a clean and expressive character. The most intriguing aspect of this wine is how its profile transforms so dramatically as it…
Recent
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De Bortoli Botrytis Semillon
-
A New Type of International Wine
-
Beaujolais for Winter
-
Chosen by Majestic Pinotage
-
Doctor Wine’s 2025 Essential Guide to Italian Wine
-
Wine, Flavonoids and Health
-
Insights from the ProWein Business Report 2025
-
The Affects of the New UK Duty Rates
-
Fairtrade Organic Malbec
-
VIN 2025: a French Wine Tasting
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