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Simon Judge

  • NA.TI.VO Sangiovese

    NA.TI.VO Sangiovese

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    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…

  • Sud de France Label Will be Banned

    Sud de France Label Will be Banned

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    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…

  • Marques de Casa Concha Carménère

    Marques de Casa Concha Carménère

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    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…

  • Marcillac ‘Lo Sang del Pais’

    Marcillac ‘Lo Sang del Pais’

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    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…

  • Irish Wine Warnings Spill Over to the UK

    Irish Wine Warnings Spill Over to the UK

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    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…

  • Waitrose Insights into How Wine is Evolving

    Waitrose Insights into How Wine is Evolving

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    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…

  • Vergelegen Millrace Red

    Vergelegen Millrace Red

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    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…

  • Mar de Frades Albariño Brut Nature NV

    Mar de Frades Albariño Brut Nature NV

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    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…

  • Specially Selected Chianti Riserva

    Specially Selected Chianti Riserva

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    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…

  • Passionada Alvarinho

    Passionada Alvarinho

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    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…

  • Abbotts & Delaunay Languedoc Blanc

    Abbotts & Delaunay Languedoc Blanc

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    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…

  • 25% Off Wine at Waitrose

    25% Off Wine at Waitrose

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    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.

  • Comparative Review of English Sparkling

    Comparative Review of English Sparkling

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    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…

  • WineAlive London Big Christmas Wine Festival

    WineAlive London Big Christmas Wine Festival

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    In November 2025, I went to the WineAlive London Big Christmas Wine Festival. This event marked the rebranded and expanded version of the well-known Three Wine Men consumer wine tastings, now operating under the WineAlive name. The new format retains the core elements of large walk-around tastings, themed masterclasses and online interactive sessions where attendees can taste along with the hosts. WineAlive is fronted by familiar names Oz Clarke, Olly Smith and Tim Atkin MW, joined by new hosts Susy Atkins, Tom Surgey and Luma Monteiro. Susy is a respected drinks writer with many years of experience as a columnist…

  • Wilson Gunn Bellum Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz

    Wilson Gunn Bellum Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz

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    Wilson Gunn is a label under the RedHeads Wine umbrella, part of a wider Laithwaites family venture. RedHeads itself began life in the 1990s in McLaren Vale, launched by a band of winemakers with a rebellious streak and a mission to produce honest, small-batch wines outside the commercial mould. Henry Laithwaite, the eldest son of Tony and Barbara Laithwaite, began his winemaking journey in McLaren Vale. Around 2005, he found himself at RedHeads, working on this blend in its earlier form, building his experience with this bold style. The name Bellum draws from the Latin phrase “Aut pax aut bellum”…

  • Have We Gone Past Peak Wine Choice?

    Have We Gone Past Peak Wine Choice?

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    When I go to tastings and scan wine ranges for offers across supermarkets, I am starting to notice the same thing: the lists are slowly shrinking. People might be noticing price increases, but the real story is the gradual narrowing of what’s actually available. It prompts an uncomfortable question: have we gone past peak wine choice? Inside the trade, the mood points in that direction. The industry seems to be focussing on managing contraction rather than chasing expansion. Consolidation dominates the conversation. Large players such as Vinarchy are severely cutting down on their brands. Big distributors are turning away hundreds…

  • Best Supermarket Red Wines

    Best Supermarket Red Wines

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    Which? asked a panel of experts to blind-taste supermarket red wines from major UK grocers, priced roughly £8–£17. They cover classic regions such as Bordeaux, Rioja, Barolo, Chianti and Barossa, plus Malbecs from Argentina and lighter styles like Gamay. The selections are all supermarket own-label or exclusives:

  • Les Crus Bourgeois

    Les Crus Bourgeois

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    In November 2025 I was invited to Les Crus Bourgeois 2023 tasting in London, an event that brought together wines from the Médoc. Les Crus Bourgeois is a long-standing quality classification for estates not included in the famous Bordeaux 1855 ranking. First established in 1932, it highlights producers whose wines meet demanding standards, with blind tastings and estate inspections ensuring both quality and consistency. I have written a separate article that explores the system in greater depth, including the tiers and the châteaux involved. This tasting was the first UK trade showing of the 2025 Classification, unveiled the previous February.…

  • Moulin Rose de Malescasse

    Moulin Rose de Malescasse

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    Moulin Rose de Malescasse was one of the highlights for me at the Majestic press tasting, so I was keen to revisit it in more detail. It comes from the Haut-Médoc area of Bordeaux and is produced by Château Malescasse. The estate holds an impressive status as one of only 14 Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel properties in the region, the highest level in the Cru Bourgeois classification system. For those curious, I’ve previously written more on the tiers and their significance in my article on Understanding Cru Bourgeois du Médoc. Moulin Rose is the estate’s second wine. A château’s second wine…

  • Understanding Cru Bourgeois du Médoc

    Understanding Cru Bourgeois du Médoc

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    Building upon the my previous article on Understanding Bordeaux Wines, this piece looks into the world of Cru Bourgeois du Médoc, a classification that offers high-quality yet accessible wines from Bordeaux’s Left Bank. The term Cru Bourgeois has historical roots that trace back to the Middle Ages. During this period, the term “bourgeois” referred to the citizens, or bourgeoisie, who lived in the “burgh” (bourg) of Bordeaux. These citizens, often wealthy and influential, began acquiring some of the region’s most esteemed lands for viticulture. Over time, the designation of Cru Bourgeois became associated with these holdings as these landowners cultivated…

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Did You Know?

Nearly a third (32%) of UK consumers say they have already used AI for alcoholic drinks advice. More

Among socially active wine buyers, 37% have bought a wine recommended online. More

In 2026, 72% of consumers now think wine knowledge is essential to appreciation, up 20 percentage points on 2025. More

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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