Simon Judge
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Moillard Thomas Santenay Rouge
Moillard Thomas Santenay Rouge 2022 is a 100% Pinot Noir from Burgundy, aged for 12 months in oak barrels. It’s a wine that impresses straight from the bottle, needing no time to open up. For it’s vintage, the light colour shows a very slight touch of browning, correctly suggesting it leans towards a savoury style….
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Catnip Wine for Cats
A New Zealand start-up, Muttley’s Estate, is aiming to turn the country into a commercial catnip producer with the development of a shelf-stable pet wine made from the herb. Catnip, which has been in New Zealand since 1870, is known to improve the mood of most cats and help ease anxiety in dogs. With rising…
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La Belle Angèle Rosé
La Belle Angèle Rosé takes its name from a figure of the early 20th century, a muse of the French Impressionists whose charm and elegance inspired many. Produced by La Belle Angèle Wines in Nuits-Saint-Georges, France, the bottle itself reflects a refined aesthetic and the producer’s website is very well presented – a rare case…
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Wildstone Roussanne
From the Chilean producer Luis Felipe Edwards, Wildstone is a wine that pays tribute to the rugged stone that emerges untamed from the landscape, carving its own way through plains and forests of Chile itself. The grapes for this white come from the Colchagua Coast, an area increasingly recognised for producing distinctive wines. I first…
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Risks Undermining EPR Goals
At the London Wine Fair on 21 May 2025, Harshal Gore from PackUK, an arm of Defra, provided an update on the ongoing developments around Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). While acknowledging EPR as strategically sound, Gore admitted the scheme has suffered repeated setbacks. He pointed out that 2025 has marked significant progress, with the establishment…
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Taste the Difference Crémant d’Alsace
Taste the Difference Crémant d’Alsace is made from 75% Pinot Blanc and 25% Pinot Gris from Alsace in France. This non-vintage wine sits at 12% ABV and undergoes its second fermentation in bottle, in the same way as Champagne, and is aged for 18 months on its lees. I first discovered it at the Sainsbury’s…
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My Top Wines at Any Price
This article is a companion piece to my earlier post on the top wines by value. While much of my website focuses on affordable wines and highlighting the best value options, this post takes a different approach. I regularly attend tastings focused on specific countries or appellations, not only to discover under-valued gems but also…
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Definition Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon
I first came across this wine last year when it was announced as a new wine at a Majestic press tasting. Since then, I’ve purchased it twice and had the chance to spend a bit more time with it, getting to understand it better on each occasion. The wine is made by Kanonkop for Majestic…
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25% Off Wine at Sainsbury’s
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 21 May 2025 to 31 May 2025. Excludes Sainsbury’s Locals. See the latest Sainsbury’s press tasting for tips on what to buy.
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25% Off Wine at Asda
Asda has 25% off wine, on £5.50 per bottle or more, 6 bottles or more, from 22 May 2025 until 26 May 2025. See the latest press tasting for tips on what to buy.
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IWC Results Announced
The International Wine Challenge (IWC) results are out. The IWC has reported that the quality of wines submitted in its latest competition has reached new levels. Despite challenges posed by climate change, such as erratic weather patterns and reduced yields, renowned wine regions and producers continue to deliver exceptional wines. Notable names like Maison Albert…
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25% Off Wine at Waitrose
Waitrose has 25% off 6 bottles or more of wine and Champagne priced between £5 and £100 from 21 May to 3 June 2025 inclusive. See the recent press tasting for tips on what to buy.
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London Wine Fair 2025
I visited the London Wine Fair 2025 in May 2025. The event featured 433 exhibitors showcasing an impressive 3,213 products. There were prominent, dedicated pavilions representing France, Italy, Romania, Japan, Greece, Macedonia and Georgia. Each of these had clearly made a strong effort to stand out, with Romania, Japan, Greece, Macedonia and Georgia in particular…
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25% Off Wine at Morrisons
Morrisons has 25% discount on 6 or more bottles of wine, More card price, £6 or more from 20 May 2025 until 25 May 2025. See the recent press tasting for tips on what to buy.
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25% Off Wine at Tesco
Tesco has save 25% off wine with Clubcard when you buy 6+ bottles that are £6 and over (£7 in Wales), from 20 May 2025 until 26 May 2025. See the recent Tesco tasting and Picks for tips on what to buy.
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IWSC 2025 Results
The IWSC 2025 results are now available. The very top Gold winners, each awarded a score of 97, are: tekhi – Gurjaani Wine FactoryGuremani Otskhanuri Sapere 2022Imereti, Georgia Morris WinesOld Premium Rare Muscat NVRutherglen, Victoria, Australia Bolero & CompanySabado Grand Khikhvi Qvevri 2023Gurjaani, Kakheti, Georgia Lo SparviereSylvò Extra Brut 2015Franciacorta, Lombardy, Italy Georgian Wines &…
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Wine Merchant Top 100 2025
The winners of this year’s Wine Merchant Top 100 have been revealed. These represent the top 10% from nearly 1,000 wines assessed during a rigorous day of judging in April, involving 36 independent wine merchants. Further details about why each wine was chosen will be shared in a special supplement due out in July, which…
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My Top Wines By Value
This post is all about the best of the best when it comes to value in wine I have tasted recently. I have a separate page listing what I think are the best value wines overall, but this is a selection of those few that stand out even more. These are, in my view, the…
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Vinho Verde Sun Lotion
Aldi has electronic shelf labelling so they can easily change products and prices. I spotted this in the health area of the Woking store.Electronic shelf label gone rogue or new Vinho Verde packaging?
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Parcel Series English Sparkling Brut
Majestic’s Parcel Series wines are sourced from top-tier wineries that discreetly offer a limited amount of stock at significantly reduced prices. This arrangement allows the producers to free up valuable cellar space, while presenting customers with a rare chance to enjoy high-quality wines for much less than their usual cost. This particular wine is a…
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