Simon Judge

  • Tasting for The Essential Guide to Italian Wine

    Tasting for The Essential Guide to Italian Wine

    In October 2025, in London, wine professionals and enthusiasts gathered for a tasting event to celebrate the The Essential Guide to Italian Wine 2026. The event was led by Daniele Cernilli, better known as Doctor Wine, one of Italy’s foremost wine experts. A celebrated journalist, author and educator, Cernilli is also the co-founder of Gambero…

  • WineGB Golden 50 Wine List for 2025

    WineGB Golden 50 Wine List for 2025

    WineGB has released its Golden 50 Wine List for 2025, celebrating the top UK wines that achieved gold medals in ten national and international competitions. The initiative, now in its second year, was launched in partnership with the Vineyard & Winery Show. The list showcases 50 award-winning wines, 34 sparkling and 16 still, from across…

  • Smallest Vintage in Germany Since 2010

    Smallest Vintage in Germany Since 2010

    Germany is set to record its smallest wine vintage since 2010, with the nationwide grape must harvest estimated at just 7.3 million hectolitres. This marks a 7% decline compared to last year and a 16% drop against the 10-year average of 8.7 million hectolitres. The sharp reduction is largely due to poor yields in the…

  • Typicity Tool

    Typicity Tool

    When tasting many wines during large wine tastings, I often find my brain eventually becomes a bit numb trying to pinpoint what different things actually taste like. I’m also aware that I need to broaden my wine vocabulary and include a wider range of descriptive terms. With that in mind, I felt I needed a…

  • Laurent Delaunay Les Grappillages Chablis

    Laurent Delaunay Les Grappillages Chablis

    Laurent Delaunay, a well-known Burgundian winemaker, brings a touch of contemporary charm to tradition with this Les Grappillages Chablis. This wine blends classic regional winemaking with modern elegance, the label adorned in a chic Toile de Jouy print more often seen in the world of high fashion than on supermarket shelves. Made entirely from Chardonnay,…

  • Morrisons Autumn Winter Press Tasting

    Morrisons Autumn Winter Press Tasting

    My final supermarket press tasting of the Autumn/Winter season took place with Morrisons. Held in mid-October 2025, the event was hosted at the usual London venue, where a pianist played gentle background music, lending a touch of elegance as we tasted our way through the selection. Among the highlights were some wines from the upcoming…

  • 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, from 16 October 2025 until 2 November 2025. See the latest press tasting for tips on what to buy.

  • Co-op Autumn Winter Press Tasting

    Co-op Autumn Winter Press Tasting

    In mid-October 2025, I went to the Co-op Press Wine Tasting in London. This year’s event was held at a new, upmarket venue for the Co-op tastings. A total of 71 wines were on show, with over 50 new additions having made their debut this year. The Co-op has placed a strong focus on refreshing…

  • Asda Autumn Winter Press Tasting

    Asda Autumn Winter Press Tasting

    Asda’s Autumn Winter Press Tasting took place in mid-October in London. As ever, the supermarket’s core focus remains firmly on delivering great value across its range. This commitment was clearly underlined in the tasting booklet, which acknowledged how increasingly difficult that goal has become in light of ongoing market challenges and record levels of taxation…

  • 25% Off Wine at Sainsbury’s

    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 October to 28 October 2025. See the recent Sainsbury’s press tasting for tips on what to buy.

  • 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 £6 and over (£7 in Wales), from 15 October 2025 until 20 October 2025. See the recent Tesco tasting for tips on what to buy.

  • Ca’ Bolani Merlot

    Ca’ Bolani Merlot

    This 100% Merlot comes from the largest wine estate in Northern Italy, rooted in a landscape where vines have flourished since Roman times. Situated in the Friuli DOC Aquileia appellation in the northeastern corner of the country, it forms part of the Zonin family’s extensive portfolio of estates. Over the past twenty years, the estate…

  • Wine Neck Capsules or No Capsules?

    Wine Neck Capsules or No Capsules?

    A recent study commissioned by the Crealis Group explored the impact of wine capsules, the foil over the top of wine bottles, on consumer perception and purchase decisions. Traditionally viewed as a purely functional component, the capsule’s potential marketing influence had been largely overlooked. Conducted by SenseCatch, the research used a mix of biometric tracking…

  • Tesco Autumn Winter Press Tasting

    Tesco Autumn Winter Press Tasting

    The Tesco press tasting took place in the middle of an exceptionally busy three-week tasting period in October 2025. A total of 152 wines were available to taste, including 58 new additions. Over the course of the year, Tesco has launched 108 new wines, highlighting its commitment to continual development rather than standing still. Some…

  • Waitrose Autumn Press Tasting

    Waitrose Autumn Press Tasting

    I was invited to the Waitrose press tasting held in London in October 2025. While the overall wine market has been in decline, Waitrose has managed to outperform it in both value and volume, resulting in an increase in its market share. A notable highlight was the strong performance of New Zealand fine white wine,…

  • Majestic Autumn Press Tasting

    Majestic Autumn Press Tasting

    In October 2025, I attended the Majestic tasting held at the iconic Lord’s cricket ground. It’s a lovely venue, full of space and natural light, which really added a sense of occasion to the event. Since the last tasting only five months ago, Majestic has expanded with the opening of three new stores in Thame,…

  • Calvet Fitou Le Grand Roi

    Calvet Fitou Le Grand Roi

    This 2022 vintage comes from the sun-soaked region of Languedoc in the South of France, produced under the Fitou appellation, which requires at least 40% Carignan in any blend. This wine brings together Black Grenache, Carignan and Syrah in a style that’s both expressive and easy to enjoy. The bottle stands out with an eye-catching…

  • The Wine Society Autumn Press Tasting

    The Wine Society Autumn Press Tasting

    I was pleased to attend The Wine Society Press tasting this time, having missed the previous one due to bereavement. Prior to this, the tastings were held at the private wine members’ club, 67 Pall Mall, which was proving too small. This time, however, the tasting was held at a new venue with expansive views…

  • Sainsbury’s Autumn Winter Press Tasting 2025

    Sainsbury’s Autumn Winter Press Tasting 2025

    In early October, I was invited to Sainsbury’s Autumn Winter press tasting in London. This time, the venue was different, previously held in their head office food labs, which had quite a sterile feel. Wine always benefits from being served in surroundings that allow for a bit more atmosphere. This time, it was a warehouse-style…

  • 25% Off Wine at Morrisons

    25% Off Wine at Morrisons

    Morrisons has 25% discount on 6 or more bottles of wine, More card price, £6 or more until 12 October 2025. See the recent press tasting for my picks.

Follow

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

IMAGE WALL