Simon Judge
-
Exploring Vineyards With World Winery Map
Only hours after I mentioned Open Wine Map, World Winery Map popped up, another ambitious wine mapping project, but a more commercial proposition, with a different focus and different goals. Developed by M.G. SOLUTIONS d.o.o., a Croatian business consulting and services company, World Winery Map currently covers 4,303,693 vineyard parcels and more than 100,000 wineries across 90 countries. It brings together official wine region boundaries, winery and vineyard locations, satellite-derived topographical measurements and climate indices. Its business model combines free access with paid visibility and richer listings. The free “Claimed & Verified” tier lets producers take ownership of their listing,…
-
Exploring Europe’s Wine Appellations With Open Wine Map
I recently came across Open Wine Map, a fascinating interactive website combining a reference wiki with a map of 1,659 wine appellations across 21 European countries. You can explore the map and drill down for more detailed information, filter by wine type, or search for a particular appellation, grape variety or region: The information is compiled automatically from public registers, including the EU register of protected designations of origin (PDOs) and protected geographical indications (PGIs), national wine regulators, Switzerland’s federal repertoire of cantonal AOCs and the UK register of geographical indications. Each fact in an appellation’s record can be traced…
-
Majestic Pick List
Welcome to my Majestic pick list, updated every April and September. Over the course of the recent Majestic Autumn and Spring press tastings, I have tasted over 200 wines. To help you easily navigate the wine aisles on your next visit, I have selected my favourites from these events. The wines below are grouped by country, complete with their vintage, price, and a quick summary to help you find the perfect bottle. Prices are subject to change and not every wine will always be available in every store. However, Majestic can usually find bottles in other branches if needed. Argentina…
-
Majestic Autumn Press Tasting
In mid-September, I headed to the Majestic Autumn/Winter press tasting at Vagabond St Paul’s, London, which was the venue used for the original ‘First Dates’ TV programme. Majestic, which owns Vagabond, has been busy expanding with a new store recently opened in Trowbridge and two new Vagabond bars in Soho and Canary Wharf. Over the course of the tasting, I worked my way through more than 100 wines. There was plenty to enjoy, but these are the bottles that really stood out for me: Simonsig ‘Kaapse Vonkel’ Cap Classique Brut 2024 12% £16.00From the Western Cape, South Africa, this is…
-
Global Syrah Masters
The Global Syrah Masters 2026 highlighted the consistently high quality and diversity of Syrah/Shiraz from around the world. Australia was particularly strong, offering good value at lower price points as well as numerous Gold and Master-winning wines. The judges specifically noted excellent value below £15, with strong performances from Australia, Chile, Spain, Portugal, Turkey and South Africa. Across the whole competition, 13 medal-winning wines fell into the “Under £10” or “£10–£15” categories: Here are all the more affordable wines priced at £15 and under: Price Band Winery Name of Wine Region Country Vintage Medal Under £10 J García Carrión Opera…
-
Blind Man Drives 150 Miles After Drinking Four Bottles of Wine
Dangerous Minds reports that Anthony Hall, 50, who is legally blind and has never held a driving licence, drove around 150 miles from Huddersfield towards Scotland after drinking heavily with his partner. He told police he could only make out light and had followed the lights of an HGV along the M6. Police stopped him near Kirkland, Cumbria, after reports that his Vauxhall Meriva was weaving across the motorway and into the hard shoulder. Hall admitted taking his wife’s car without permission and said he had wanted to escape difficulties at home. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, drink-driving, taking…
-
Independent Wine Retail in a Changing Market
Liberty Wines’ 2026 Independent Off-Trade Wine Report finds that the UK independent wine retail sector has faced a difficult two years, with overall spend falling by 5% between March 2024 and March 2026. Despite this, spend remains around 20% above 2019 levels, and performance varies considerably between retailers. More than 40% of independents have grown sales, with roughly one in four increasing sales by more than 10%. The report argues that the strongest performers tend to focus on high-quality wine, attracting new customers and offering a broad, distinctive range rather than attempting to compete directly with supermarkets on price. A…
-
Wine Mentions Matter Before the Customer Makes a Choice
Robert Joseph argues that wine buying is unusually stressful because it combines several psychological effects that discourage purchasing: loss aversion, choice overload and the desire to make decisions quickly. He cites behavioural research showing that too much choice becomes particularly problematic when products are difficult to compare, have many attributes, the buyer feels time or social pressure, and the buyer cannot clearly describe what they want. Wine fits these conditions almost perfectly. Shoppers face hundreds of bottles, unfamiliar regions and producers, different vintages and grapes, complicated labels and relatively small price differences. The result can be hesitation, lower confidence, regret…
-
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 15 September 2026 until 21 September 2026. See the Tesco Pick List for tips on what to buy.
-
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 15 September to 21 September 2026. See the Sainsbury’s Pick List for tips on what to buy.
-
Vinca Organic Red Wine
I broke one of my own rules with this one, not picking up a wine simply because the packaging looks different or attractive, but curiosity got the better of me. Wine in a can is nothing unusual these days, but a full 750ml can certainly is. The can is made from recycled aluminium, with Vinca claiming it produces four times less CO2 than glass bottles. There is also a special internal lining designed to keep the wine protected from contact with the metal. The brand is Vinca Wine, founded by friends Jack Green, Zak Walters and Charlie Vass. Green’s interest…
-
High Clandon The Cerulean Cuvée
The Cerulean Cuvée 2020 was a real treat, shared with my wife and I, when we went round to see friends who live close to High Clandon Estate in East Clandon, on the chalky Surrey Hills. The estate was founded in 2004 by Sibylla and Bruce Tindale and is very much a small, boutique operation. I have visited before for events, with wine, including charity art exhibitions. Its one-acre vineyard is entirely hand tended. High Clandon has built an impressive reputation for such a small estate. It has won the IWC Cellar Door of the Year trophy twice and received…
-
WineGB Trade and Press Tasting
At the beginning of September, I went along to my first tasting of the Autumn season, the WineGB tasting at Old Billingsgate in London. WineGB is the national trade association representing Britain’s vineyards and wine producers, and the tasting brought together producers from across England and Wales. The venue felt particularly great this year, with lots of space and natural light compared with previous WineGB tastings. With more than 350 wines on show from over 80 producers, there was plenty to explore. While I only tasted a fraction, these are the wines that really stood out for me: Simpsons Rabbit…
-
De Chanceny, Crémant de Loire Rosé
This is a non-vintage Crémant, from the vineyards located around the village of Brossay, in the southern part of the Saumur region. It is produced by Vignerons de Saumur and is a blend of 90% Cabernet Franc and 10% Grolleau, with an alcohol level of 11.5%. This wine is made using the traditional method, with a second fermentation in bottle, followed by ageing in tuffeau limestone cellars. Tuffeau is the distinctive white stone that was also used in the construction of many of the Loire’s famous castles. It picked up Silver at the 2022 Concours des Crémants, a Silver Medal…
-
Making Wine More Relevant for Today’s Consumers
Based on a survey of 900 US alcohol consumers aged 21–65 and analysis of online media, new research suggests Millennials and Gen Z are especially open to wine when it is presented as simple, flexible and relatable rather than something that requires expertise. Younger consumers are also experimenting with wine in less traditional ways, including serving it over ice, mixing it into other drinks and consuming it in more casual settings. The report argues that brands should embrace this versatility and give consumers more “permission” to enjoy wine however and whenever it suits them. A major issue is visibility: wine…
-
Viña del Cura Reserva
I first came across this wine at a Tesco press tasting and it was one of those wines that immediately stood out. I was interested to see whether a full bottle at home would live up to that first impression. This 2021 vintage is made from 100% Tempranillo by Barón de Ley. It spends 20 months ageing in French and American oak, followed by a further 16 months in bottle, and finishes at 14% abv. This is the real deal. It is estate bottled, with DOCa Rioja prohibiting bulk bottling, and it comes from a renowned producer with a strong…
-
Domaine des Echardières Touraine Rosé
This wine comes from Domaine des Echardières in the Cher Valley, in France’s Loire region. It’s a lively blend of roughly equal quantities of Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Gamay and Grolleau, all bringing fragrance and juicy fruit, alongside a rare red grape, Pineau d’Aunis. This is the 2025 vintage, at 12.5% abv, and it has earned a very impressive 4.7 out of 5 on The Wine Society website. The colour is a delicate, almost luminous light pink. There’s a gentle floral character at first, quickly joined by fresh raspberry. Take a sip and it almost seems sweet for a moment, but…
-
Understanding Savouriness in Wine
Savouriness is an aspect of wine that I had not really appreciated fully before I created this website. Since then, it has become another dimension that I actively look for and enjoy, particularly in Pinot Noir and Shiraz. For me, savouriness can make a wine more interesting, more versatile with food and sometimes considerably more sophisticated than its price might suggest. A relatively inexpensive wine with the right balance of fruit and savoury character can have an extra layer of complexity that lifts it above a straightforwardly fruity wine. It is also a characteristic that I think can sometimes confuse…
-
Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore Palazzo Maffei
I particularly liked this wine at the last Co-op press tasting and found myself looking for it every time I went into my local Co-op afterwards. It proved surprisingly elusive. I finally spotted it while on holiday in Dorset, so I snapped up a bottle. The Palazzo Maffei name comes directly from the historic estate once occupied by the Marquises Maffei. The Maffei family was prominent among Verona’s aristocracy, and the estate itself appears on maps dating from around 1600. This 2021 vintage is a blend of 60% Corvina, 30% Corvinone and 10% Rondinella. The Superiore designation means it has…
-
Modern Science Identifies 2,000-Year-Old Chinese Wine
Chinese researchers have confirmed that liquid found inside a bronze vessel more than 2,000 years old was an ancient grain wine. The pot was discovered in a Warring States Period tomb in Ningxia, north-west China. Despite lacking a conventional lid, it had been sealed with fabric and mud, preserving around 3.7 litres of liquid. Using advanced chemical and microfossil analysis, researchers identified thousands of compounds as well as starch grains, yeast and plant remains. The results showed the liquid was a fermented grain drink made using cereals including barley and wheat. The find offers rare physical evidence of ancient Chinese…
Pick Lists
Majestic | The Wine Society | Tesco | Waitrose | Sainsbury’s | Morrisons | Co-op | Asda | Lidl | £7 and Under | Over £20
Did You Know?
Australian wine exports to China have collapsed from around $1.2 billion to less than $10 million. More
Wine’s aroma is not determined solely by which flavour compounds it contains. More
Low-to-moderate wine consumption is associated with lower mortality. More
Moderate water stress can be part of what creates flavour and terroir expression. More
Wine appears less frequently online than other alcoholic drinks. More
Independent retailers had 9% fewer customers in March 2026 than two years earlier. More
Average spend per bottle in independents has risen by 23% since 2019, compared with 21% in supermarkets. More.
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
IMAGE WALL
Tools
Recent
Tags
25% Off Wine Aldi Amarone Argentina Articles Asda Australia Austria Award Awards25 Bizarre Blog Books Bordeaux Bulk Bottling Cabernet Sauvignon Carménère Cava Champagne Chardonnay Chile Climate Change Coop Crémant Decanter Duty English Wine EPR Fairtrade Food France Germany Glossary Greece Health Hungary Italy IWSC Jeroboams Laithwaites Legislation Liberty Wines Lidl Low Alcohol M&S Majestic Malbec Merch Merlot Morrisons Natural Nero d'Avola News New Zealand Non-Alcoholic Ocado Old Vine Organic Past Tastings Pick List Pinotage Pinot Grigio Pinot Noir Port Portugal Primitivo Prosecco Research Reviews Ribera del Duero Riesling Rioja Ripasso Rose Sainsbury's Saperavi Sauvignon Blanc Shiraz Sicily South Africa Spain Sparkling Supermarkets Sustainable Tax Terroir Tesco The Wine Society Unrepresented USA Valpolicella Virgin Wines Waitrose Wanderlust Welsh Wine What to Buy Wine Art WineGB WIne Glasses Zinfandel