Simon Judge
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25% off Wine at Tesco
Tesco has Buy 6 or more Save 25% Clubcard Price – Save 25% On Selected Wines When You Buy 6 + Bottles, until Mon 25/9/23.
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Understanding and Using Wine Ratings
The world of wine can be a complex and sometimes intimidating space with countless varieties, regions, and producers, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. This is where wine ratings come into play. They offer a guide to help navigate the vast landscape. However, it’s important to understand wine ratings to know why it’s possible you might not actually like some highly rated wines. There are essentially two types of wine ratings. The first is a professional evaluation that focuses on the typicity of the wine. The second is personal, which centres on whether an individual or a group of people like…
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Pointillist Wine
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Orange Wine
Orange wine is a type of wine made by fermenting white grape juice in contact with its skins for an extended period. This process is similar to how red wines are made, but it’s applied to white grapes. The extended skin contact gives the wine its characteristic orange or amber hue. The practice of making wine in this manner dates back thousands of years, with origins in the Caucasus region, particularly in countries like Georgia. In recent years, orange wines have seen a resurgence in popularity, especially among enthusiasts of natural and biodynamic wines. Taste-wise, orange wines are known for…
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Ravenswood Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel
Ravenswood, once a revered producer closely linked with the renowned winemaker and owner, Joel Peterson, has seen a series of transitions. Initially acquired by Constellation for $149 million, it was later bundled with other brands and sold to the large wine conglomerate, Gallo, in 2021 for $1.7 billion. It’s essential to note that while the brand transitioned, the vineyard did not. This means that this wine’s lineage has changed and the great reviews prior to this are not reflective of the current product. The origin of the grapes is now somewhat ambiguous, but it’s highly unlikely they come from the…
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The Oxford Companion to Wine
The Oxford Companion to Wine has long been revered in the world of wine books and its fifth edition serves to solidify this reputation. This latest edition features more than 4,100 entries, providing comprehensive coverage of the subject. With the inclusion of more than 300 brand-new entries, readers are treated to fresh insights and information. The breadth and depth of the content are further enriched by the expertise of over one hundred new contributors. Their diverse backgrounds span a myriad of fields, from viticulture and oenology to the more esoteric realms of culture, religion, and history. This ensures that the…
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Italy Loses Wine-making Leadership to France
Reuters is reporting on the decline in wine production in Italy. The wine output in Italy is expected to decrease by 12% this year (2023), falling below 44 million hectolitres. This significant drop is attributed to extreme weather conditions and fungal diseases that have adversely affected the vineyards. As a result of this decline, Italy has lost its leadership position in wine-making to France. However, the concern isn’t primarily about Italy losing its lead in wine production volumes and is instead suffering more from the decline in both local and international demand.
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What is Vegan Wine?
Vegan wine is wine that is made without using any animal products during the winemaking process. While it might seem surprising that wine could contain animal products, traditional winemaking often involves the use of substances like gelatin, egg whites or fish bladder proteins (isinglass) to clarify and stabilise the wine. These substances help to remove impurities and unwanted particles from the wine, making it clear and bright. Vegan wines, on the other hand, avoid these animal-derived products and instead use plant-based or mineral alternatives for clarification. This can include substances like bentonite clay or activated charcoal. The use of these…
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Big Christmas Wine Fest
The Three Wine Men ‘Big Christmas Wine Fest‘ is will be on at The Royal Horticultural Halls, Lindley Hall, London on Friday 17th November and Saturday 18th November 2023. This year, there’s an impressive line-up of wine producers from around the world ready to share their wines with attendees. The event includes a main walk-around tasting, three masterclasses for those keen to dig deeper and on-stage features. Attendees can expect to taste over 600 wines, ranging from reds, whites, rosés, sparkling, sweet and fortified wines. The event also offers a chance to interact with the experts, discuss wines with the…
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Why is There a Global Wine Glut?
Mike Veseth has a thought-provoking article on Theories of the Global Wine Glut. The world seems to be overflowing with surplus wine. In Australia, there’s an estimation that suggests that the surplus could fill 859 Olympic-size swimming pools which translates to roughly 2.8 billion bottles. In France, the government has set aside two hundred million euros for crisis distillation. This means surplus wine will be purchased to maintain local prices and then distilled into industrial alcohol. While wine surplus isn’t a new phenomenon, the current situation seems different. Historically, wine, being an agricultural product, has seen periodic booms and busts.…
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Love Wine
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Diablo Crystal Sauvignon Blanc
When it comes to Chilean wines, Concha Y Toro is a mass producer that delivers wines that are both accessible and enjoyable. With a commendable score of 3.9 on Vivino and a ranking as the #2 top Chilean Sauvignon Blanc in the UK, expectations were high. As someone who enjoys the robust flavours of the sister wine, Diablo Black Cabernet Sauvignon, and the crispness of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, I was intrigued to see how this particular bottle would measure up. The initial nose promised a tropical adventure, with notes of passion fruit leading the way. However, upon tasting, the…
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Quickly Picking a Wine
Victoria Moore of The Telegraph highlights the familiar feeling of brain fog when faced with an overwhelming selection of wine bottles in a shop. She offers a solution for swiftly picking a wine, presenting both budget-friendly choices and pricier ‘upgrade’ alternatives Last of the summer roséBudget buy: La Vieille Ferme Rosé 2022, France – Asda (£6.75 down from £7.75), Sainsbury’s (£7 down from £8.25 until Sept 26), Tesco (£8.25 or £7.50 Clubcard price until Sept 18), Waitrose (£7.25 down from £8.25 until Sept 26)The upgrade: AIX Provence Rosé 2022, France – Ocado (£19) A cold glass of white with friendsBudget…
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Natural Wine
Natural wine, sometimes referred to as ‘natty wine’, is a type of wine that’s made with minimal intervention in both the vineyard and the winemaking process. Typically, this implies grapes that have been picked by hand and grown organically, with no additions. This means no added yeast, enzymes, enrichment, acidification, filtration or temperature control. The idea behind natural wine is to let the grapes and the fermentation process work for themselves without the influence of additives or heavy-handed winemaking techniques. Originating in the early 2000s, this term has become a buzzword in the wine community. Natural wine is often described…
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How Consumers Select Wine
A recent survey, documented on Forbes by one of the researchers Liz Thach, MW, has shed light on the preferences of wine consumers in three major markets: the U.S., Australia, and Italy. The study, conducted in May 2023, highlighted that in all three countries, the taste of the wine was prioritised over its price. Prior experience with a particular wine was a significant indicator of future choices. Interestingly, while Australian and U.S. consumers often based their decisions on price if they hadn’t tasted the wine, Italians were more influenced by the food they intended to pair with the wine. The…
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Sainsbury’s Cava Brut
Sainsbury’s Cava Brut is a great find for those who are looking for a middle ground, taste-wise, between Prosecco and Champagne. Fermented in the bottle using the traditional method, this Cava features a blend of Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada grapes. While the reviews on Sainsbury’s website are a mixed bag, I suspect that some of the less favourable comments may be down to serving temperature. A word of advice: don’t serve this Cava straight from the fridge because it doesn’t taste of much. Letting it warm up for about 20 minutes really brings out its citrus aromas and green apple…
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Climate Change Threatens Prosecco
Climate change is posing a severe threat to Prosecco, according to recent research published in the iScience journal. Originating from Italy’s mountainous vineyards, Prosecco has seen a decline in grape yields due to extreme weather conditions and soil degradation. The risk extends beyond losing an agricultural product as it also threatens entire communities’ history and cultural roots. Extreme weather events, including sudden, intense rainfall and droughts, are making it increasingly difficult for Prosecco producers. These conditions lead to soil erosion and slope failures in the steep vineyards of Northern Italy. This year, the vineyards experienced massive spring rainfall and hailstones,…
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Don’t Whine, Drink Wine
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Decanter World Wine ‘Value’ Awards
Decanter has introduced a ‘Value’ category this year for wines that score above 95 (out of 100). A wine is considered ‘Value’ if it’s priced at £14.99 or below. In 2023, the wines in the Value category made up 13.48% of the 705 Gold medals given out. The criteria for these wines include exceptional fruit qualities, a vibrant regional style and overall tastiness. It’s important to view these scores in relation to the entire group of entries, especially given that only 3.86% of Gold medals were awarded. Lacrima Baccus, Summum Reserva Cava Brut, Penedès, Spain 2018Supplier: lacrimabaccus.comDescription: Complex, focused nose…
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How Long To Keep Wines
Contrary to popular belief, not all wines get better with age. While some wines do indeed mature well, many are meant to be enjoyed in their youth. Only a small 1% of wines are designed to be stored for extended periods. The vast majority are best drunk when they’re fresh, lively and bursting with their inherent characteristics. Price as an Indicator You might think that the more expensive a wine, the better it ages. While there’s some truth to this, it’s not a hard and fast rule. Wines priced below £25 are typically meant for immediate consumption and are unlikely…
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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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