Simon Judge
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What is Organic Wine?
As consumers become more conscious of what they consume and its impact on the environment, organic wine has become more popular. But what exactly sets organic wine apart from its regular counterpart? And is it truly better for you? The Difference Between Organic Wine and Regular Wine The primary difference between organic and regular wine lies in the cultivation of the grapes and the winemaking process. Organic wine is produced using grapes that are grown without the aid of synthetic fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides. Organic viticulture emphasises the use of natural methods to maintain soil health and combat pests. This…
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Unprecedented Declines in Chilean Wine Exports Including to UK
Chile has experienced a significant drop in wine exports during the first half of 2023. The decline amounted to 20 million boxes and 584 million dollars, marking a 24% decrease in both volume and value compared to the same timeframe in 2022. All ten of Chile’s primary wine-consuming markets have seen a decline in wine exports. China, which remains the top destination in terms of value, witnessed a 40% reduction in volume and a 37% decrease in value. Other markets that saw substantial reductions include the UK, Japan, Canada, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea and Mexico. Chile ranks as…
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Morandé ‘One to One’ Gewürztraminer
Morandé was the first winery in the Chile Casablanca Valley and were the first to receive sustainable certification in Chile. Their One to One Gewürztraminer is different in that each bottle originates from a single vine, thus explaining the product’s name. The word ‘Gewürz’ means ‘spice’ in German, reflecting the wine’s unique flavour profile, which is aromatic and strongly flavoured as with notes of lychee, rose petal and ginger. Gewürztraminer’s pronounced character can be polarising, with some wine drinkers loving its distinctive aromatic intensity and others finding it too overpowering. Gewürztraminer wine pairs well with Chinese and Thai spicy dishes.…
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UK Wine Regulation to Change
The UK government recently closed its Smarter Regulation: Wine Reforms Consultation on 21st July 2023. The consultation aimed to simplify the existing 400-page rulebook governing wine production and trade in Great Britain. The current regulations are seen as overly complex and hindering innovation, including practices that could reduce carbon emissions. The proposed reforms aim to stimulate investment in vineyards, wine import and bottling operations. The aim is to broaden consumer choice reducing prices, encourage bulk movements of wine to Great Britain for bottling, supporting glass recycling targets, reduce the rulebook’s size while retaining necessary standards, including policy objectives like frictionless…
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25% off Wine at Waitrose
Waitrose has 25% OFF 6 BOTTLES or more of wine and Champagne priced £5 or over until 29/8/23.
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Minerality
Minerality is a term used to describe a set of characteristics in wine that are reminiscent of flavours, aromas, or sensations that evoke wet stones, flint, chalk or other mineral-like qualities. The source of taste of minerality in wine is a complex and debated subject. Some believe it comes directly from the minerals in the soil where the grapes are grown. However, scientific research has not found a direct link between soil minerals and the taste of those minerals in wine. Instead, minerality is likely a combination of several factors. The climate and geographical location, the way a wine is…
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Majestic’s Organic Wine Sales Up 22%
Harpers is reporting that Majestic has experienced a 22% increase in organic wine sales in the first five months of its financial year compared to the same period last year. This growth is attributed to a shift in consumer preferences towards wines with positive environmental credentials. In response to the rising demand, Majestic has expanded its core organic range from 50 to 67 wines, aiming to meet the needs of retail customers and on-trade partners looking for planet-friendly products. The company predicts that sales of its organic wines will double over the next three years. Leading the organic sales is…
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25% off at Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s has 25% off until 27/08/2023.
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25% off at Asda
Asda has 25% off before until 11:59pm on Monday 28/8/2023.
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25% off at Tesco
Tesco has Buy 6 or more Save 25% Clubcard Price – Save 25% On Selected Wines When You Buy 6 + Bottles, until Mon 28/8/23.
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ASDA Extra Special Carménère
Carménère, originally cultivated in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France, is part of the Cabernet family. It derives its name from the French term for crimson, “carmin”. Despite its French origins, it’s not frequently found in France today, with Chile boasting the world’s largest plantations of this grape variety. The 2020 vintage of ASDA Extra Special Carménère received a commendable score of 91 points out of 100 from the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), who praised its rich concentration of fruit flavours, nuanced spice and oak accents and distinct savoury and smoky notes. This particular vintage also has a…
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World’s Biggest Wine Producers by Country
A recent infographic crafted by Alberto Rojo Moro, drawing upon data from the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), offers a vivid portrayal of the global concentration of wine production. For those of us in the UK, it’s intriguing to observe that the distribution of wine production doesn’t necessarily mirror the variety of wines available on our shelves. Conversely, when I travel to Spain, France, or Italy, it’s always evident that the majority of wines on offer are domestically produced. Will these distributions continue in the face of climate change? As global temperatures rise and weather patterns become more…
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Does Vacuvin Work?
Vacu-vin and copycat methods involve using a stopper that enables air to be drawn out of the bottle, thereby preventing the wine from oxidising. Oxidation can be detrimental to wine, causing it to lose its vibrancy in both colour and flavour. White wines may start to take on a brownish hue, while reds can lose their rich colour, turning to shades of russet or orange. Prolonged exposure to air can even lead to a wine’s acetaldehyde converting to acetic acid, rendering the wine vinegary. The effectiveness of a vacuum system largely hinges on its ability to maintain the vacuum. The…
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WineGB Industry Report
The wine industry in England and Wales has been experiencing great growth, as evidenced by the recent WineGB Industry Survey (PDF). The WineGB Industry Survey received 155 responses, capturing 91% of wine production in Britain. This comprehensive data provides a clear snapshot of the current state of the industry and its potential for future growth. Consumers are increasingly seeking more locally produced and environmentally friendly wines, a demand that English and Welsh wines are distinctively poised to fulfil. Viticulture, the cultivation of grapevines, is now the UK’s fastest-growing agricultural sector. The industry currently employs around 2,300 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers,…
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Tips for Waitrose
Jancis Robinson has useful ‘Bargains at Waitrose‘ blog post that mentions some of the more affordable, great wines available from Waitrose: WhitesA A Badenhorst, The Curator 2022 Coastal Region 13%, South Africa £8.99Morandé, Terrarum Patrimonial Semillón 2022 Maule 12.5% Chile £9.99Markus Huber Grüner Veltliner 2022 Traisental 12.5%, Austria £10.99Zacharias Assyrtiko 2022 Peloponnese 14% Greece £11.99 RedsThe Sardine Submarine 2021 Tejo 12.5%, Portugal £7.99Los Tontos Sabios 2021 Castilla 13.5%, Spain £8.99Chateau Oumsiyat, Mijana 2019 Bekaa Valley 13%, Lebanon £8.99Stellenrust Cinsault 2021 Western Cape 13.5%, South Africa £9.99Thymiopoulos, Atma Xinomavro 2021 Macedonia 13%, Greece £11.99
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‘Back to Basics’ – Cheese and wine pairing
Online ‘Back to Basics’ – a Cheese and wine pairing event free for Wine Society members. Nick Bayne from The Fine Cheese Company will join the Wine Society’s Tastings Team for an evening exploring wine and cheese pairings. Nick will introduce a selection of four English cheeses, each to be paired with one of our favourite wines. This session will provide a fundamental understanding of wine and cheese matching, looking into the production process of each cheese, the reasons for their selection, and how to ideally match them with the perfect wine. Post event update: There’s a freely available recording…
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Vivino Changes UK Strategy
Vivino, the well-known wine scoring and recommendations app, is altering its ecommerce approach in the UK. Having grown from 27 million global users in 2018 to 65 million today, with 3 million of those in the UK, Vivino has decided to stop its direct wine sales in the UK. Instead, the company will rely on its network of approximately 60 independent merchants to fulfil orders across the country. On the Harpers web site, COO Nick Bell emphasises that Vivino’s mission remains unchanged: to simplify the wine-buying process for consumers. Initially, Vivino supported its ecommerce efforts by selling wine themselves. However,…
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ASDA Extra Special Soave Classico
This nutty, white wine is from Italy’s Veneto region. Soave is renowned for its delicate smoothness and freshness and it is made primarily with Garganega grapes forming a minimum of 70% of the blend. There are two Soave classifications – Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG). The DOC region, larger and flatter in terrain, is known for producing usually unoaked Soave, notable for its dry, zingy palate with hints of citrus and almond. The more prestigious DOCG classification usually has a lower yield which produces a higher quality wine. DOCG Soave exhibits increased…
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Romantic Serenade on London Train Leaves Passengers in Splits
London, August 13, 2023: A London Overground train was transformed into an impromptu stage as a man, dressed in a sharp blazer, shirt, and a smart cap, serenaded a fellow passenger. The scene was made even more surreal as George Michael’s hit “Careless Whisperer” played in the background, turning the usually mundane journey into a bizarre romantic escapade. The man, later identified as notorious YouTube prankster Elvin Mensah, had passengers in fits of laughter as he drank wine and tucked into a massive chocolate cake. A pristine white sheet covered the table, adorned with a vase of roses and a…
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Discover Greek Wine
Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the ‘Discover Greek Wine’ event at Cellar Magnifique in Woking. The event was hosted by Sam Kemp, wine events manager and English winemaker, who is knowledgeable and deeply passionate about wine. We were introduced to five wines, comprising three whites and two reds. It was interesting to learn that despite Greece’s hot climate, 55% of its wines are white. This is attributed to the local, indigenous, grapes being suitable for white wine and the white wine being well-suited to the hot Greek weather. The first wine we tasted was the Feast –…
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Majestic | The Wine Society | Tesco | Waitrose | Sainsbury’s | Morrisons | Co-op | Asda | Aldi | Lidl | £7 and Under | Over £20
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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