Simon Judge
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Waitrose to Cut Wine Shelf Space
The Drinks Business is reporting that Waitrose intends to cut down the shelf space dedicated to wine to accommodate an increased selection of alcohol-free products. Blue signage will mark designated areas for non-alcoholic options in 253 stores, increasing the space for these items by 60%. Pierpaolo Petrassi, head of beers, wines, and spirits at Waitrose, noted a tremendous growth in demand for low-alcohol and alcohol-free drinks, expecting the trend to boost sales significantly this year, especially during Christmas. Waitrose has already added 10 new products in this category to its range, including non-alcoholic versions of popular alcoholic brands like Guinness,…
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Lees
Wine lees are the solid remnants that settle at the bottom of the fermentation vessel during the winemaking process. They are a mixture of spent yeast cells, grape particles and other organic matter. Some wines, like Champagne, certain Chardonnays and Muscadets, are aged on their lees, a process known as “sur lie” aging. This can add depth, richness, and complexity to the wine. The breakdown of yeast cells in lees releases compounds that can impart biscuity, brioche and toasty notes. Other traditional method sparkling wines, such as Cava from Spain or Crémant from various regions in France, can also exhibit…
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Sainsbury’s Brut Non Vintage Champagne
This champagne, crafted by Louis Kremer Champagne House, uses 20% reserve wines in its blend. “Salty, nutty notes are joined by intense green apple fruit on the nose. A green cooking apple character on the palate sits alongside roasted nuts and a lively acid backbone. It has a wonderful vibrancy that makes this a useful aperitif option.”90 out of 100, Decanter Comprising the classic mix of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir grapes, it tastes of fresh peach and has a distinct buttery taste, though not to the extent of, for instance, NV Bollinger or NV Lanson. The long finish…
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Laithwaites/Sunday Times Wine Club Festival
This year, I went to the Laithwaites/ Sunday Times Wine Club, Wine Festival held last May 2023 at its new venue, Olympia London, which is undergoing renovation and more like a construction site. There was a long queue and, on entering, the unfortunate smell of fresh paint, not something conducive to tasting wines! The event boasted its largest Festival selection yet with over 350 wines from 100 producers across 17 different countries, each country or region enjoying its own dedicated festival area. In addition to the impressive range of wines, there were stalls offering artisanal foods, English sparkling wine and…
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Wine Science: The Application of Science in Winemaking
This book explores the processes, advancements and factors impacting science of winemaking. With the rise of scientific techniques to enhance the consistency and profitability of wines, there has been a global exchange of knowledge, ideas and practices. This book, written by Jamie Goode, is unique in offering an in-depth examination of wine science. Goode adeptly deconstructs the intricate topic of wine science, revealing the principles behind various processes and the debates that surround their usage. The book is split into three parts focusing on the vineyard, the winery and the human relationship with wine. Goode covers the substantial progress in…
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Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival
Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival will take place from 16th to 17th September 2023. It will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 to 18:00. The event will feature a Jazz Breakfast with Lianne Carroll, along with stalls, bands, and demonstrations. Sunday Brunch star CJ Jackson will make a welcome return. The focus of the festival will be on locally-sourced, sustainable seafood and wine. Live music will include performances by The New Blue Shoes, Kinsella, The Heartlands Roots Band, The Old Romantics, The Sam Calver Band, Sarah G and the Other 3, The Greg Caulson Band, Soul Town and…
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The Art of Wine Serving: Ideal Temperatures for Red and White Wines
Something that’s often overlooked, but plays a significant role in your wine-drinking experience, is the temperature at which the wine is served. Serving wine at its ideal temperature can dramatically enhance its quality, revealing its complexity, balance, and true flavour.
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Palacio Di Vivero Rueda
ASDA Extra Special Rueda, a wine crafted from Verdejo grapes sourced from Spain’s Rueda region, is a hidden gem due to its relative obscurity. This dry, sharp and citrusy wine offers great value for money and a pleasing depth of flavour. Its qualities have been recognised in the IWSC 2022 with a bronze award, and in the IWC and Decanter World Wine Awards in 2023 with silver and bronze medals respectively. “Punchy lemon and lime zest. Multi-dimensional, herbal and saline note. Good mouthfeel. Fresh, lifted and long.” IWC “What incredible value! Fresh, mineral, saline and waxy with some smoky reduction,…
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Corked
A term that denotes a wine that has suffered cork taint, which is characterised by a mouldy, musty or wet cardboard smell or taste. This condition is not related to the bits of cork that occasionally fall into the bottle when opening. Instead, it refers to the wine being tainted by a chemical compound called 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA). TCA is a compound that forms when natural fungi, which are present in cork, come into contact with certain chlorides found in bleaches and other winery sanitation products. Even in very low concentrations, TCA can cause a wine to smell and taste musty.…
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Italy’s 2023 Wine Harvest in Jeopardy
Italy’s 2023 wine harvest is projected to decrease by up to 14% due to extreme weather conditions associated with climate change, including intense heat, storms and wildfires, according to agricultural group Coldiretti. An initial forecast predicts a national production of around 43 million hectolitres, down from 50 million in 2022, potentially marking one of the smallest Italian wine harvests on record. This situation varies across regions, with southern and central areas of Italy expecting heavier declines, whilst northern regions remain stable for now. Despite potential reductions in yield, some wineries, such as those in Sicily, anticipate maintaining grape quality, even…
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Wine Legs
The tracks of liquid that cling to the sides of a glass after the contents have been swirled. Also known as wine tears. This happens due to interaction between several factors: the alcohol content in the wine, the surface tension of the liquid, and the phenomenon known as the Gibbs-Marangoni effect. The Gibbs-Marangoni effect, describes the flow of liquid caused by gradients in surface tension. In the case of wine, the alcohol and water have different surface tension and evaporate at different rates because alcohol evaporates faster than water. When you swirl wine in a glass, a thin film of…
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Everything’s coming up Rosé – Rosé workshop
The Wine Society have a free Rose workshop for members on 10 Aug 2023 7:00 – 08:00 pm. Once dismissed as a mere summer refreshment, rosé wines have experienced a significant resurgence, with the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) noting a 22% rise in sales in 2020. With a vast range of styles from dry to sweet, from deep pink to barely tinted, and suitable for a variety of settings, rosé offers more diversity than previously thought. There’s certainly a rosé for every occasion, as Emma Briffett from the Tastings team will guide you in exploring.
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Alamos Malbec, Uco Valley
This Malbec gained worldwide recognition as the most awarded of its kind in 2018 and 2019. Furthermore, the 2021 vintage won an International Wine Challenge (IWC) award in 2022. According to Vivino, the 2022 vintage outperformed all previous years, scoring an impressive 3.9. I discovered this at a Majestic a very long time ago when they still used to do tasting events and this actually got me started on Malbec. I have tried lots of Malbecs since from Majestic and other suppliers but I have yet to get anywhere as good this. I sometimes even question if I don’t particularly…
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New Kent Winery Planning Rejected
A planning inspector has backed Medway Council’s refusal to allow a £30 million winery, designed by Foster, in Kent. This would have been the UK’s largest winery. This recent decision is another setback for plans to establish a winery, café, and visitor centre in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) near the Cuxton village in Gravesham, Kent. The proposed establishment would be constructed 80% below ground and include a restaurant, shop and visitor centre. It was considered that any significant development within the AONB should serve the public interest and the planning inspector was not persuaded by the winery’s…
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Acidity
The presence of natural fruit acids that lend a tart, crisp taste to wine. Essential for balance and structure in the wine and its longevity. Acidity is an inherent trait present in all wines, which is characterized by a pH level below 7. Generally falling within a range of 2.8 to 4.0, wine acidity is influenced by various factors, with white wines typically exhibiting higher acidity levels than their red counterparts. Wines with elevated acidity are often perceived as fresher, livelier and more vibrant on the palate. This crucial element plays a role in balancing the wine, ensuring it does…
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Bulk Packaging and Local Bottling
A hidden part of the UK wine industry to consumers, is the process of bulk packaging, transporting and local UK bottling of wine which represents about 40% of imported wine. This reduces transportation costs and the environmental impact but also carries implications for the provenance and authenticity of the wine. If you look at the back label of a bottle you might see a bottling code rather than a statement that it’s bottled near origin. The bottling plant code on wine bottles is typically, F for France, D for Germany, and W, commonly used for the UK. While the use…
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25% off The Best at Morrisons
Buy 3 or more from ‘The Best’ range, save 25%, until 5/9/23.
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International Wine Challenge 2023
The results for the International Wine Challenge™ 2023, have recently been released. Over 40 countries entered, with thousands of wines, all of which were evaluated in a blind taste test by a panel of international experts. Over 6,000 wines received accolades. While well-established wine-producing countries like France, Australia, and Spain secured a prominent position in the medal tally, unexpected surprises were seen with the Netherlands winning its first silver medal and Egypt and Denmark taking their first bronze medals. There’s an article and search on the IWC web site. However, these details aren’t much use for those interested in knowing…
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Diablo Black Cabernet Sauvignon
Originating from Maule, Chile and made by wine maker Héctor Urzúa Pistas, this wine offers a blend of black wood, tobacco and a hint of vanilla. It’s a rich, dark, silky smooth and pleasurable drink that fulfils the marketing descriptions. It’s produced by Concha Y Toro, the well-known mass producer of wine. However, don’t let this fact sway your judgement. Diablo Black represents their premium offering, justifying its slightly increased cost. This wine consistently receives high ratings securing a 4.0 out of 5 on Vivino, The 2018 vintage was ranked amongst the top 4% of all wines globally according to…
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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 30/7/23.
Pick Lists
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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