Simon Judge
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Champagne Bruno Paillard Cuvée 72
Last year I explored the superb Champagne Bruno Paillard Première Cuvée and now we turn to an evolution of that expression from the limited edition Champagne Bruno Paillard Late Disgorgement Collection, released to mark 40 years since the inception of their Perpetual Reserve. Where most Champagne houses store their reserve wines in isolation, at Maison Bruno Paillard they’ve long followed a different path. Each year, the newest vintage is blended into the existing reserves, creating a living and ever-evolving wine. This approach, inspired by the solera system used for wines like Sherry and Madeira, allows the reserve to build complexity…
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20 Gifts for Wine Drinkers
It’s the Christmas season, which means it’s the perfect time to spoil the wine lovers in your life with gifts that perhaps go beyond ‘another bottle’. Here are twenty ideas, from stocking fillers to serious gifts: A set of lovely wine glassesGood stemware instantly makes even supermarket wine feel special. I particularly like Zwiesel. Their lower end ranges are dishwasher proof and don’t go milky. A statement decanterA beautiful decanter is both practical and decorative, helping reds open up and looking gorgeous on the table. Choose a shape that suits their style: sleek and modern for contemporary interiors, or something…
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Understanding Crémant
Crémant stands as a French example of how outstanding sparkling wine can be made outside the Champagne region. The term refers to quality traditional-method sparkling wines that are protected by appellation and produced in specific regions under detailed rules. In France, the Crémant producers’ federation brings together eight AOPs (L’Appellation d’origine protégée): Alsace, Bordeaux, Bourgogne, Die, Jura, Limoux, Loire and Savoie. For Crémant, grapes must be harvested by hand, the amount of juice obtained from pressing must not exceed 100 litres per 150 kilos of grapes, and the wines must undergo at least nine months’ ageing before release, with commercial…
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Reguengos Reserva
Brought back from a recent holiday in Portugal, this red comes from Reguengos, the largest sub-region within Alentejo. It’s a blend of Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez and Trincadeira. Many vineyards in Alentejo rely solely on natural rainfall, which forces the vines to send roots deep into the earth to access water, taking in nutrients and minerals that lie far below the surface. This particular wine has been matured in a mix of vat and French oak for twelve months. It’s produced by CARMIM, a cooperative that began in 1971 with just 60 farmers and now boasts around 700 members. CARMIM has…
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The Chardonnay Masters 2025
The Drinks Business is reporting on The Chardonnay Masters 2025, a major blind tasting held in London. The judges selected standout expressions from established Chardonnay regions such as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and California, while also highlighting strong value options from Spain, Turkey, Chile and Argentina. Styles ranged from lean, mineral expressions to rich, barrel-influenced wines, with several excellent wines under £20 and a few ultra-premium examples at the top end. Here is the full list of gold winning wines. The full list of medallists is also available. De Wetshof Estate Lesca Chardonnay 2024, South Africa, 13.5%, £17St Leger…
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How Fine Wine Tastes Have Changed
A new report looks at 10 years of wine drinking at 67 Pall Mall London using sales data, a member survey and a round table. It finds members moving beyond a Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne core into regions such as South Africa, England, Piedmont, Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal and Greece, mainly in search of value and freshness. Members buy and store less for long-term ageing, prefer wines that are ready to drink and are drinking less Sauvignon Blanc, with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and lighter, “Burgundy-style” reds in the ascendant. Price and climate change dominate concerns. Many feel Bordeaux and Burgundy En…
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New Food & Wine Pairing Tool
Following the work on my Typicity tool, I began exploring whether it could be adapted to handle food and wine pairing in both directions. I have now put together a simple tool that does just that. You simply choose the mode, either wine to food or food to wine and then begin typing to receive tailored suggestions. Try it here
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NA.TI.VO Sangiovese
It’s rare these days to come across a truly enjoyable wine in a modestly priced restaurant, but the NA.TI.VO Sangiovese found at the Franco Manca chain bucks the trend. Behind it is Botter, a producer with a knack for Italian wines that have impressed me more than once. The name NA.TI.VO stands for Natura, Tipicità and Vocazione, Nature, Typicality and Vocation, a declaration of intent that reflects an approach focused on preserving and enriching the natural environment, while respecting the harmony between grape variety, soil and climate. This particular organic Sangiovese comes not from Chianti, but from Puglia in southern…
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Sud de France Label Will be Banned
From the 2025 vintage onwards, the Sud de France label will be permanently banned from wine bottles, after a ruling by the Conseil d’État on 3 December 2025 confirmed that the term does not meet the criteria for a recognised geographical indication under EU rules. The label, launched in 2006 to promote wines from what is now the Occitanie region, including the former Languedoc-Roussillon territories, has long served as a unifying brand for a wide range of wines. According to the Conseil d’État, “Sud de France” fails to correspond to any legally defined locality, administrative area or officially recognised wine…
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Marques de Casa Concha Carménère
I first discovered this wine at the Tesco Autumn Winter Press tasting and felt compelled to revisit it. Made by Viña Concha y Toro, one of Chile’s most storied and influential wineries, it carries a long heritage dating back to 1883 when Don Melchor de Concha y Toro and his wife Emiliana Subercaseaux established the estate. The ‘Casa Concha’ label was introduced in 1976 to showcase the winery’s premium offerings. The grapes, 90% Carmenère, 5% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, are grown in the Cachapoal Valley, with fruit sourced specifically from the vineyards of Peumo. The wine spends around…
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Marcillac ‘Lo Sang del Pais’
This red comes from Marcillac‑Vallon in Aveyron, South-West France, an area known for its deep red soils rich in iron that lend a distinct identity to the wines grown there. Domaine du Cros brings us this bottle with a name that translates loosely as “the blood of the land,” a reflection of the bond between vine, soil and region. Made entirely from Fer Servadou, a grape known locally as Mansois, this unoaked 2023 vintage comes in at 13% ABV and offers a refreshingly individual character. As is typical with many French reds, it’s best to let it sit a while…
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Irish Wine Warnings Spill Over to the UK
On a recent trip to Aldi I picked up a bottle of wine and did a double-take. The back label carried a stark message that drinking causes liver disease, that there is a direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers. These are the new Irish-style warnings in a UK supermarket, even though this kind of labelling is not mandatory here and in fact is not even fully compulsory in Ireland yet. Ireland’s labelling rules under the Public Health (Alcohol) (Labelling) Regulations 2023, were signed in May 2023 and were originally due to come into force on 22 May 2026, with…
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Waitrose Insights into How Wine is Evolving
The latest Waitrose Food & Drink Report paints a vivid picture of how wine drinking in the UK is evolving, revealing a shift in taste, attitude and even climate that is reshaping the nation’s habits. Waitrose surveyed a panel of 4,393 customers, in September 2025, for the insights in this year’s report. It is a story of lighter styles triumphing over heavier bottles. We’re seeing a clear move toward longer, lighter serves that offer the feel of a proper drink without the higher alcohol levels, a shift driven by what many are calling the summer of the spritz, with the…
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Vergelegen Millrace Red
Vergelegen Millrace Red is a blend from one of South Africa’s most historic estates, in the Western Cape’s renowned Stellenbosch region. The estate dates back to 1700, founded by the Dutch governor at the Cape and has become known for producing wines in the Bordeaux style with a South African twist. The name ‘Mill Race’ comes from the Dutch-engineered channel diverting water from the Lourens River to power the estate’s old mill wheel. The wine brings together 41% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, 12% Cabernet Franc and a touch of Petit Verdot at 1%. It has been matured for…
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Mar de Frades Albariño Brut Nature NV
Mar de Frades Albariño Brut Nature NV is a very different wine from the Rías Baixas DO. It is produced by the highly regarded Mar de Frades, established in 1987. Winemaker Paula Fandiño leads the way with this distinctive bottle-fermented sparkling wine, the first of its kind in the region using the traditional method. Made entirely from Albariño grapes, the fruit is picked early, ensuring lower sugar levels and preserving a delicate balance without tipping into excessive richness or sweetness. The wine is blended across two to three vintages to maintain a consistent character. No sugar is added during the…
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Specially Selected Chianti Riserva
I first came across this wine during the Aldi Autumn/Winter 2025 press tasting and was immediately taken with it, enough so to purchase a bottle for a closer look. This is a 2022 vintage with an alcohol content of 13%, made primarily from Sangiovese (70%), with the remaining percentage made up of other varieties allowed under the DOCG classification. There’s a slight brownish tint to the colour. The taste brings out wood and cherry, with tannins that sit comfortably between medium and low, ending with a great savoury quality that lingers. My wife and I enjoyed this over several evenings…
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Passionada Alvarinho
Passionada is the work of Anselmo Mendes, widely regarded as one of Portugal’s most accomplished winemakers. Mendes is known especially for his expressions of Alvarinho from the Vinho Verde region, just over the border from Spain’s Rías Baixas where Albariño thrives. Alvarinho it is genetically the same variety as Spain’s Albariño. The 2024 vintage of Passionada is made from 100% Alvarinho and has spent a few months on its lees. It sits at 12.5% ABV and has earned an impressive 4.1 rating on Vivino. In the glass, it has a pale green straw colour. My first observation is that this…
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Abbotts & Delaunay Languedoc Blanc
This 2024 vintage is a new wine from Jeanne Delaunay, a talented young winemaker who brings together the elegance of her Burgundian roots with the expressive wines of the Languedoc. This white blend features 60% Grenache Blanc and 40% Vermentino, aged for a modest five months on fine lees. Orange blossom and citrus grapefruit come through on the aroma, leading into flavours of apricot and more citrus on the tongue. The texture is soft and rounded, enriched by the lees ageing, with a long mineral finish that carries a subtle edge of salinity. Impressively, it remains enjoyable and evolves even…
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25% Off Wine at Waitrose
Waitrose has 25% off 6 bottles or more of wine and Champagne priced between £6 and £100 from 26 November 2025 to 2 December 2025 inclusive. See the recent press tasting for tips on what to buy.Update: This has been extended until 21 December.
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Comparative Review of English Sparkling
This review began when Nyetimber kindly offered to send me some bottles for tasting, which led me to wonder whether I could broaden the scope to include a wider range of English Sparkling Wines. I was keen to explore the differences between Charmat and Traditional Method wines, and to compare various styles – rosé, vintage and non-vintage, as well as wines with some age behind them. With the festive season fast approaching, it felt like the perfect moment to take on the task. I reached out to a handful of PR agencies, vineyards and retailers to request additional samples and…
Pick Lists
Majestic | The Wine Society | Tesco | Waitrose | Sainsbury’s | Morrisons | Co-op | Asda | Aldi | Lidl | £7 and Under | Over £20
Did You Know?
Rías Baixas wines reached more than 107 countries in 2025 and exports represented 31 per cent of the denomination’s total sales. More
Light Strike Can Cause Wine Degradation in Just One Day. More
People actively adjust their wine choices depending on who might see them. More
In the UK, 73% of Alcohol is Bought From Retail Rather Than Hospitality. More
UK wine production reached 124,377 hectolitres that year, meaning the UK accounted for roughly 0.05 per cent of world output. More
For Crémant, grapes must be harvested by hand and the wines must undergo at least nine months’ ageing before release. More
In 2024, the UK was the second-largest export market for Champagne globally, after the United States. More
Local UK bottling of wine represents about 40% of imported wine. More
Around 1% of people, typically severe asthmatics, have a sulphite sensitivity. More
A large 80% of Australian wine arrives in the UK in bulk. More
Only about 0.02% of Australia’s landmass is dedicated to vineyards. More
In 2024, New Zealand produced only 1% of the World’s wine. More
In 2024, the US imported 37% of World production of Pinot Grigio and the UK was is in second place at 27%. More
In 2024, the UK was South Africa’s largest export market, with 40% of total exports. More
In 2024, the United Kingdom imported 22.3 million bottles of Champagne, a decline of 12.7% compared to the previous year. More
Larger Champagne producers source grapes from as many as 80 different vineyards throughout Champagne. More
Champagne houses and growers collectively produce around 300 million bottles annually. More
In 2025, the Champagne region was home to about 2,124 Champagne houses and approximately 19,000 growers. More
Provence is one of the leaders in the conversion to organic viticulture, with 61% of vineyards certified. More
8% of the South Africa’s grape production is Fairtrade-certified. More
Up to 80% of wine aroma compounds come from grape skins. More
Glycerol is the third-largest component of most dry wines after water and alcohol which is why they so often feel ‘smooth’ or ‘silky’ in the mouth. More
Humans are more than 400 times more sensitive to bitter than sweet. More
Humans can detect the earthy molecule geosmin at about 100 parts per trillion and camels are so sensitive to it they can locate damp ground from roughly 50 miles away. More
During the phylloxera crisis of the nineteenth century, 90% of Europe’s vineyards were destroyed. More
In 2025, for La Vieille Ferme, also known as “The Chicken Wine”, sales surged by 49.4% to £110.8 million. More
In 2025, in the UK, Yellow Tail held the top position with sales, marking a 9.8% increase over the previous year. More
In 2024, the UK was the second-largest wine importer in volume and value. More
In 2024, the UK was the fifth-largest wine-consuming country globally. More
In 2025, global wine consumption continued its downward trend, estimated at 214.2 million hectolitres, the lowest since 1961. More
In 2025, online alcohol sales had a 20% increase in value over five years. More
In 2025, the number of UK vineyards rose to 1,104 and wineries to 238, with land under vine expanding to 4,841 hectares, a 510% increase since 2005. More
Moët Hennessy alone commands nearly 46.66% of the Champagne market, with the top three producers together holding about 61%, and the top five controlling over 72%. More
In 2024, the Champagne market was worth roughly €3.92 billion. More
In the marketing year 2023/24, white wine accounted for roughly 55% of Spain’s output, whereas red and rosé together made up about 45%. More
In the UK, 92% of wine is consumed within 48hrs of purchase. More
The majority of wines, 95%, use commercial rather than wild yeast. More
Between 0.5 and 10 litres of water, per litre of wine, are needed for cleaning during winemaking. More
Machine harvesting can achieve up to 100 tons of fruit per day vs 1 ton for a human. More
In Germany, 2025 was the smallest wine vintage since 2010. More
The majority of vineyards, 90% in 2019, are farmed with heavy chemical interventions. Only 6% are organic. More
90% of low and coastal areas in south Europe and California will no longer be able to produce good wine by the end of the century. More
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