Simon Judge

  • La Belle Angèle Pinot Noir

    La Belle Angèle Pinot Noir

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    Simon Judge

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    This 2023 vintage offers an easygoing yet lively expression of southern French winemaking. Named after a celebrated muse of the Belle Époque, known for inspiring French Impressionist painters with her beauty and spirit, the wine carries a sense of charm. With its origins in the Languedoc, drawing fruit from the sun-drenched plains near Béziers and…

  • Insights into the Champagne Market

    Insights into the Champagne Market

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    The American Association of Wine Economists recently shared an enlightening table of the main champagne houses by turnover. The 2024 champagne market was worth roughly €3.92 billion. Moët Hennessy alone commands nearly 46.66% of the market, with the top three producers together holding about 61.59%, and the top five controlling over 72.1%. The median turnover…

  • Definition Mosel Riesling Kabinett

    Definition Mosel Riesling Kabinett

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    Mosel Riesling Kabinett is part of Majestic’s own-label ‘Definition ‘ collection, designed to showcase what they see as the definitive expression of a particular grape, region or style. In this case, the German Kabinett classification represents the lightest, earliest harvested style in the Prädikatswein hierarchy, produced from grapes picked just beyond ripeness. This results in…

  • Castello di Albola Chianti Classico

    Castello di Albola Chianti Classico

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    Simon Judge

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    Castello di Albola Chianti Classico is a red wine from a historic estate perched high in the hills of Radda in Chianti. The grapes are organically grown in the heart of Tuscany, with the estate’s lineage reaching back to the Middle Ages. Since 1979 it has been under the care of the Zonin family, who…

  • Top 30 Value Golds

    Top 30 Value Golds

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    Simon Judge

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    The Decanter World Wine Awards’ Top 30 Value Golds for 2025 celebrates exceptional wines costing under £15, blind-tasted and judged by leading wine experts. These wines are awarded for delivering outstanding quality at their price point, standing out from over a hundred Gold medal Value category winners. Spain leads with eight wines on the list,…

  • Extra Special Marques del Norte Rioja

    Extra Special Marques del Norte Rioja

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    This is one of those wines you almost have to try, simply because it’s been given so may accolades this year. It took Gold at the 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards with an impressive 95 points, picked up Silver at the IWSC with 94 points and another Silver at the IWC scoring 92. Having enjoyed…

  • No.1 Cederberg Syrah

    No.1 Cederberg Syrah

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    Simon Judge

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    I had to include this one in my awards25 series because the 2022 vintage earned both an IWC Silver and an IWSC Silver. From the West Coast of South Africa, this Syrah comes from Cederberg, where the fifth generation of the Nieuwoudt family now oversees the estate. They are widely regarded as one of the…

  • How Wildfire Smoke Affects Wines

    How Wildfire Smoke Affects Wines

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    Simon Judge

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    A new study by resarchers at USA Oregon State University looked at why some red wines, especially Pinot noir, can taste ashy or smoky if the grapes were exposed to wildfire smoke before harvest. When grapes are exposed to smoke, they absorb certain chemicals that later end up in the wine. These chemicals include volatile…

  • Shifting Tastes in a Changing Global Market

    Shifting Tastes in a Changing Global Market

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    Simon Judge

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    The IWSR Global Trends Report 2025 highlights a number of developments that reflect a complex and evolving wine marketplace, shaped by economic, social and technological forces. Premiumisation remains a feature of the wine category, but it is no longer uniform. Economic pressures and changing values mean consumers are increasingly selective, opting for premium wines in…

  • Baronesa de Vilar Rosé Port

    Baronesa de Vilar Rosé Port

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    Made by Alvaro van Zeller, a 15th-generation winemaker from one of the Douro Valley’s most renowned families, whose lineage dates back to 1715 and once included ownership of the iconic Quinta do Noval, this rosé port reflects both heritage and innovation. Rosé port itself is a relatively recent addition to the Douro, only introduced in…

  • Thoughts on Vivino

    Thoughts on Vivino

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    Simon Judge

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    If you haven’t yet discovered Vivino, it’s well worth a look. Vivino is an app and web site that allows users to rate and describe wines on a scale from 1 to 5, and then aggregates these individual reviews to provide an average rating for each wine. I’ve personally found the average ratings on Vivino…

  • Nero Oro Riserva

    Nero Oro Riserva

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    This Sicilian red might catch your eye if you’re drawn to Nero d’Avola, but it’s very different from the usual expressions of that grape. It’s a blend of Nero d’Avola and Syrah from the 2021 vintage, with 14% ABV and a long 18 months spent in oak barrels. The result is a distinctive, deeply flavoured…

  • Villa Maria Marlborough Wairau Valley Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

    Villa Maria Marlborough Wairau Valley Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

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    I tried this one as part of my awards25 series after the 2024 vintage achieved an IWC Gold with 95 points. Made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, the 2024 growing season saw low rainfall and cooler weather which led to a reduced crop yield and consequently more concentrated flavours balanced by fresh acidity. Specific yeast strains…

  • Extra Special Dão

    Extra Special Dão

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    Reviewed here as part of my awards25 series, this 2021 vintage picked up a Silver medal at the IWSC with 92 points. Produced and bottled by Falua Sociedade de Vinhos, it comes from Dão in northern Portugal and is made from 60% Mencía and 40% Touriga Nacional. At 13.5% ABV, it opens with a delicate…

  • Extra Special Albariño Rias Baixas

    Extra Special Albariño Rias Baixas

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    This 2024 vintage of Extra Special Albariño from Rías Baixas, produced by Bodegas Pazo Cilleiro in Galicia, stands out not just for its gleaming trio of 2025 medals, bronze from IWC, silver from IWSC, and bronze from Decanter, but for offering a genuine taste of its Atlantic homeland. Made entirely from Albariño and bottled at…

  • US 15% Tariff Looms Over EU Wine and Spirits

    US 15% Tariff Looms Over EU Wine and Spirits

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    The Financial Times is reporting (paywall) that the United States is set to impose a 15% tariff on European Union wine and spirits from Friday 1st August 2025, despite lobbying by France and Italy to exempt these products. The European Commission confirmed that while some goods, like aircraft and cork, have secured exemptions, wine and…

  • Heaphy Hill Riesling

    Heaphy Hill Riesling

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    This is a distinctive white from Nelson, in the north-west of New Zealand’s South Island, a region known as Nelson Tasman. Made from 100% Riesling, this wine comes from one of New Zealand’s oldest vineyards, which is unirrigated and small in scale. The wine spent eight months resting on fine lees before bottling, adding depth…

  • Tuk-tuk Wine Theft Using Wheelie Bin

    Tuk-tuk Wine Theft Using Wheelie Bin

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    TheDrinksBusiness is reporting, a 61-year-old pedicab driver, from Islington, has admitted to stealing fine wine worth £24,000 from a restaurant in London’s financial district. The theft occurred on 6 May 2025, when thief broke into a restaurant on Threadneedle Street, stole 73 bottles of wine, and transported them away using a wheelie bin attached to…

  • Shifting Alcohol Habits in the UK and Beyond

    Shifting Alcohol Habits in the UK and Beyond

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    Simon Judge

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    Moderation in alcohol consumption, driven by both health and economic concerns, continues to shape global drinking habits, though patterns vary by region and age group. Research from IWSR reveals that consumer spending on alcohol is declining across most of the top 15 global markets. A key indicator is a 20% drop in per capita pure…

  • Finest Sancerre Rosé

    Finest Sancerre Rosé

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    Simon Judge

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    I wanted to try this as it recently won a Gold medal at the International Wine Challenge (IWC), which caught my attention since golds account for less than 1% of all medals awarded. It’s made from Pinot Noir grapes grown in Sancerre and bottled at the source in the Loire by Fournier Père et Fils,…

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