Simon Judge

  • Sainsbury’s CVNE Rioja Gran Reserva

    Sainsbury’s CVNE Rioja Gran Reserva

    The 2016 vintage Gran Reserva, produced for Sainsbury’s by CVNE Winery, is a CVNE variant that stands out even among the winery’s diverse Rioja selections available at Sainsbury’s and other retailers. This particular wine is made from a blend of Tempranillo Graciano, and Mazuelo grapes hand-picked from CVNE’s own premier vineyards and is 14% ABV….

  • Wine With Roast Meal

    Wine With Roast Meal

    Pairing wines with a roast meal can elevate the dining experience significantly, whether you’re serving roast beef, pork, lamb, or chicken. The key is to match the intensity and flavours of the meat with the appropriate wine. Here are some classic pairings to consider: General TipsConsider the Seasoning: The herbs and spices used in the…

  • Dorset Wine Festival 2024

    Dorset Wine Festival 2024

    The inaugural Dorset Wine Festival is set to dazzle wine aficionados and epicureans alike on the 5th and 6th of October 2024. Hosted within the historic grounds of Highcliffe Castle, this premier event promises an exploration of the globe’s most exquisite wines. Over 50 esteemed wine exhibitors will be making their way from every corner…

  • UK Wine Buying Trends

    UK Wine Buying Trends

    There’s a new issue of Drink Retailing that contains data from a revealing study of 2000 UK adults, conducted by IPSOS in October 2023. A notable 29% of respondents reported a decrease in their alcohol purchases compared to the previous year, signalling a potential long term shift in consumption habits. However, 16% of individuals have…

  • Neo-Prohibitionists Reshaping Global Alcohol Policy

    Neo-Prohibitionists Reshaping Global Alcohol Policy

    Wine Business Monthly has an in-depth piece by Felicity Carter on How Neo-Prohibitionists Came to Shape Alcohol Policy. In January 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) made a startling declaration, stating that there is ‘no safe level’ of alcohol consumption, thereby placing light alcohol consumption under the spotlight as a significant public health concern. This…

  • Cava All-Time Sales Record

    Cava All-Time Sales Record

    Cava has achieved a new sales record, reaching 252 million bottles, marking a growth of 1.09% from the previous year. This growth was primarily driven by a 4.02% increase in domestic sales, despite a slight 0.25% decrease in international sales. The decrease in foreign markets was attributed to economic challenges, including inflation in Europe and…

  • Sainsbury’s Valpolicella Ripasso

    Sainsbury’s Valpolicella Ripasso

    The 2020 vintage, made from a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, Corvinone and Croatina grapes. This wine is described on the bottle as “juicy ripe cherries, rich and complex,” due to the Ripasso technique. However, my experience with this particular bottle was somewhat unexpected. While the wine is ok, Instead of the anticipated concentrated fruit notes,…

  • Database of My Picks

    Database of My Picks

    I have updated my picks to include not just the very top wines from my reviews but also the best wines from my tastings. It’s initially sorted by price but you can change this by tapping on the £ column. You can also filter by country, type (sparkling/still), colour (red, white, Rosé) and supplier using…

  • 25% off Wine at Sainsbury’s

    25% off Wine at Sainsbury’s

    Sainsbury’s has 25% off wine, 6 bottles or more, £6 or more, from 23 March to 30 March 2024.

  • The Wine Society Press Tasting

    The Wine Society Press Tasting

    The Wine Society held a press tasting event in March 2024, in London, showcasing a curated selection of about 100 wines. This introduced the newest wines and vintages within their core range, alongside a special 150th range designed to commemorate the Society’s 150th anniversary. These are the wines that particularly stood out for me together…

  • Wines of Portugal Tasting

    Wines of Portugal Tasting

    This event held in London, on 20 March 2024, brought together an impressive 60 producers showcasing 600 wines from 11 distinct wine regions of Portugal. The tasting highlighted the rich vinicultural diversity of Portugal, a country with a wide array of over 250 grape varieties. A highlight of this tasting was the inclusion of a…

  • 25% off Wine at Waitrose

    25% off Wine at Waitrose

    Waitrose has 25% off 6 bottles or more of wine and Champagne priced £6 or over from 20 March to 2 April 2024 inclusive.

  • Ellis Wines Portfolio Tasting 2024

    Ellis Wines Portfolio Tasting 2024

    The Ellis Wines Portfolio tasting, themed ‘A Taste of the Future’, was held at the Royal Opera House in London on 18th March 2024. As a historic importer and wholesaler, Ellis Wines has been curating an exceptional selection of wines from across the globe since 1822, priding itself on being an independent, family-owned business dedicated…

  • 25% Off Wine at Tesco

    25% Off Wine at Tesco

    Tesco has save 25% off wine with Clubcard when you buy 6+ bottles that are over £5.50, from 19 March 2024 until 25 March 2024.

  • New Post-Brexit Wine Duty Bands Unworkable?

    New Post-Brexit Wine Duty Bands Unworkable?

    Jack Simpson from The Guardian newspaper reports on the concerns of UK wine industry about post-Brexit tax changes set to increase the complexity of alcohol duty, leading to higher wine prices for consumers. The new system, effective from February 2025, will introduce 30 tax bands for wine, replacing the previous single band. This change, which…

  • How the Vivino Community Affects Consumer Wine Choice

    How the Vivino Community Affects Consumer Wine Choice

    A new study Factors influencing wine ratings in an online wine community: The case of Trentino–Alto Adige (PDF) by Giulia Gastaldello, Isabel Schäufele-Elbers, and Günter Schamel explores the dynamics behind consumer ratings of wine on Vivino, a leading online wine community. It examines how various factors, including wine attributes like geographical indications, brand, and a…

  • 25% Off Wine at Asda

    25% Off Wine at Asda

    Asda has 25% off wine, on £5.50 per bottle or more, 6 bottles or more, until 11:59pm on Monday 1 April 2024.

  • Aldi Spring Summer 2024 Press Tasting

    Aldi Spring Summer 2024 Press Tasting

    The Aldi Spring Summer 2024 Press Tasting took place in March 2023, in London. This event presented a diverse selection of 99 wines with options for those seeking low and no-alcohol alternatives, catering to the growing demand for healthier lifestyle choices. Additionally, the event featured some wines with innovative packaging, underlining Aldi’s efforts to stand…

  • Wines to Elevate Easter Weekend Celebrations

    Wines to Elevate Easter Weekend Celebrations

    In Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, Marianna Hunt presents a list of eight wines to enhance an Easter weekend, accompanied by suggested food pairings. These selections span from sparkling rosés to rich reds and dessert wines, suitable for various dishes and preferences.

  • Understanding Portuguese Wines

    Understanding Portuguese Wines

    Portugal’s winemaking heritage is not only shaped by the country’s extensive range of climates and terroirs but also by the passionate commitment of its winemakers to both innovation and the preservation of centuries-old practices. In 2020, Portugal solidified its position on the international wine stage as the 10th largest exporter by volume and 11th by…

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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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