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Simon Judge

  • Taste Spain London 2026

    Taste Spain London 2026

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    In February 2026, I attended a new event organised by the Economic and Commercial Office of Spain in London. Taste Spain brought together Spanish food and wine in a lively showcase. The Spanish Deli featured cheeses, cured meats, olive oils, vinegars and other foods, while The Spanish Cellar focused on wine. The event included Spanish wine exporters seeking UK distribution and also gave established UK importers the opportunity to present their Spanish wine portfolios. As I usually cover Red Rioja and Ribera del Duero at their respective tastings later in the year, I mainly focused on other styles on this…

  • Wines of Portugal’s Grand Trade & Press Tasting

    Wines of Portugal’s Grand Trade & Press Tasting

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    In February 2026 I was invited to Wines of Portugal’s Grand Trade & Press Tasting in London, a wide-ranging snapshot of what’s happening across Portuguese wine right now. There were 59 producers and more than 570 wines, representing 11 different wine regions. Most wines were poured by the producers themselves, which made it easy to get context and detail alongside the tasting, though there was also a Free Pour Area. That section was organised around three themes: low alcohol wines, single-varietal expressions from some of Portugal’s lesser-known indigenous grapes and Portugal’s Sustainable Wine Growing Certification. I also attended a masterclass…

  • World’s Best Sommeliers’ Selection

    World’s Best Sommeliers’ Selection

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    Wine Industry Advisor reports that the World’s Best Sommeliers’ Selection has announced its 2026 results, marking the programme’s third edition. A panel of 29 sommeliers and wine directors from the World’s 50 Best Restaurants network, drawn from 17 countries across six continents and led by Kristell Monot of Mugaritz, blind tasted and debated to produce a final selection of 115 wines from 16 countries, positioned as a practical benchmark for on-trade wine lists. However, a Delicious article argues that Australia’s absence from the World’s Best Sommeliers’ Selection 2026 is both surprising and revealing, presenting the list as a strong but…

  • Domaine du Clos Saint Martin Sancerre

    Domaine du Clos Saint Martin Sancerre

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    This wine comes from the Loire Valley, produced by the Clément family near the hamlet of Amigny, just below the village of Sancerre. The Clément family have been winegrowers since 1560 and the estate is certified organic. This Sancerre is new and exclusive to Majestic, made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, sitting at 12.5% abv, from the 2024 vintage. It also received a gold medal at Challenge Millésime Bio. A tip, let it warm for 30 minutes from cold to get a lot out of this wine. In the glass the colour is pale lemon. The aroma brings intense nectarine and…

  • Three Bowls Assyrtiko

    Three Bowls Assyrtiko

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    This is the third wine in the Three Bowls series from Greece. For the wider story behind this new range, take a look at the Three Bowls Xinomavro. It’s the 2025 vintage, sitting at 12.5% ABV, made from the Assyrtiko grape. In the glass the colour is extremely pale lemon, almost clear, so very striking. From very cold it comes across with real precision. The aroma brings citrus straight away, alongside a sea salt minerality and a subtle herbal edge that keeps things interesting. On the taste there is a powerful citrus and mineral core that drives everything forward. It…

  • 25% Off Wine at Asda

    25% Off Wine at Asda

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    Asda has 25% off wine, on £5.50 per bottle or more, 6 bottles or more, from 23 February 2026 until 1 March 2026. See the latest press tasting for tips on what to buy.

  • Lucale Primitivo Appassimento

    Lucale Primitivo Appassimento

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    This wine by Masseria Borgo dei Trulli comes from low yielding vineyards in the communes of Avetrana and Manduria, in the Province of Taranto in southern Puglia. It is 100% Primitivo. The label says Appassimento, which is usually the traditional Italian method where harvested grapes are dried for weeks or months, often on mats in ventilated rooms, to concentrate sugars, acids and flavour. However, this wine takes a different approach. In late August, when the grapes have reached perfect maturity, a special technique called il giro del picciolo, the twisting of the stem, is applied to around 50% of the…

  • UK’s Top Restaurant Wine Lists Revealed

    UK’s Top Restaurant Wine Lists Revealed

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    The finalists for the sixth Star Wine List of the Year UK awards have been announced, which recognise the country’s best restaurant and bar wine lists. The 2026 competition attracted a record number of entries and 66 venues were selected by an expert panel of Masters of Wine and sommeliers. Winners will be revealed on 23 March 2026 at an invitation-only ceremony in London, and the international category winners will go on to a global final in Sweden later in the year. The finalists come from across the UK, although London dominates, and include previous gold-star winners returning to defend…

  • Three Bowls Rosé

    Three Bowls Rosé

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    This is the second of three reviews of the Three Bowls range of Greek wines. See the previous review of Three Bowls Xinomavro for the background on this new range. This one is 2024 vintage at 12.5%. It is 60% Xinomavro and 40% Assyrtiko, from vineyards in Naousa, Imathia, an interplay of these two landmark Greek varieties. In the glass it has a lovely pale gold colour. The aroma is expressive, with strong strawberry, tomato leaf and rose petal. On tasting, it is dry and savoury, red fruit to the fore, lively acidity and a very subtle tannic grip. Sweetness…

  • Salvio Ribera de Duero

    Salvio Ribera de Duero

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    This wine is produced by Dominio de Elbio, a new Ribera del Duero project from well-known winemaker David Gonzalez, recognised for his work across Bodegas Chivite, Viña Salceda and Gran Feudo within the Perelada stable. He was included in the Master Winemaker Top 100 2025, and brings meticulous attention to detail in the winery, with a clear focus on precision viticulture. The vineyard is located in the renowned magic triangle of La Horra, Anguix and Roa in the Ribera del Duero region of Spain. The wine is predominantly Tinto Fino (Tempranillo), complemented by Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and aged for…

  • Three Bowls Xinomavro

    Three Bowls Xinomavro

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    This is from a new wine range created in house by Maltby & Greek and developed in collaboration with a select group of contemporary Greek winemakers. This is the first I tried, with a Rosé Xinomavro Assyrtiko and a White Assyrtiko also to follow. The range is designed to showcase the country’s most important grape varieties in a clear, contemporary way. The name ‘Three Bowls’ comes from an ancient Greek text by the comic poet Eubulus, who describes the effects of wine through a series of bowls, ‘krater’, the ancient drinking vessels, and the wisdom of limiting oneself to just…

  • Piccini Collezione Oro Chianti Superiore

    Piccini Collezione Oro Chianti Superiore

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    Piccini Collezione Oro Chianti Superiore by Piccini. Collezione Oro translates to Gold Collection, and the range represents their more refined, region expressive wines that showcase both tradition and innovation. Chianti Superiore is a sub category of the Chianti DOCG, requiring stricter quality standards, slightly riper grapes and lower yields compared to base Chianti. The 2024 vintage is made from 85% Sangiovese and 15% Merlot. Fermentation takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks, with gentle extraction techniques ensuring a graceful expression of tannins and vibrant fruit. The wine is aged for eight months in concrete vats and comes in at…

  • Introducing Wine Headlines: Daily Industry News

    Introducing Wine Headlines: Daily Industry News

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    I’ve recently launched a new website, wineheadlines.com, which offers a broader range of news drawn from across the wine industry. It’s intended for anyone with a professional or personal interest in wine, and caters to a wide readership that includes consumers, PR professionals, retailers, importers, producer organisations and winemakers themselves. This new site emerged as an offshoot of winedrinker.co.uk, the site you’re currently visiting. While researching stories for this site, both for its content and out of personal interest, I regularly sift through a high volume of industry news and press releases from multiple sources. Many are have poor or…

  • Wales to Raise Minimum Alcohol Price to 65p per Unit

    Wales to Raise Minimum Alcohol Price to 65p per Unit

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    The Welsh Government has agreed to raise the minimum unit price of alcohol by about 30 per cent, increasing it from 50p to 65p per unit from October 2026. This policy, first introduced in 2020 under the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act, is intended to discourage excessive drinking by making very cheap alcoholic drinks more expensive. In practice that means bargain bottles, multipacks and large formats where the price has been kept low despite relatively high strength, including some stronger everyday wines (around 13.5% to 15% ABV) that are priced close to the lower end of the…

  • Irresistible Montepulciano D’Abruzzo Riserva

    Irresistible Montepulciano D’Abruzzo Riserva

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    This Italian red comes from the Abruzzo region and is made by Botter for the Co-op. Montepulciano is the grape used here, not to be confused with the Tuscan town of the same name which is entirely unrelated. Being a Riserva and from the 2021 vintage, it’s been aged longer, likely in oak. This typically brings a fuller texture and subtle vanilla character, which is backed up by what’s written on the label. At first pour though, it underwhelms. There’s little aroma or flavour straight out of the bottle, which might lead some to dismiss it too soon. That would…

  • Calvet Chablis

    Calvet Chablis

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    From the northern reaches of Burgundy near Auxerre in France, this wine is produced by Calvet, a well-known French wine house with over two centuries of winemaking heritage, now part of the Les Grands Chais de France group. Made entirely from Chardonnay, the sole grape permitted under the Chablis AOC, this is a 2023 vintage that has spent 8 to 10 months ageing on its lees in stainless steel vats, with regular stirring to build texture and complexity. It sits at 12.5% ABV. In the glass, it has a pale lemon colour. It benefits from being given a lot of…

  • Blouge Wine

    Blouge Wine

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    Blouge wine is an informal term formed from the French words blanc and rouge, used for wines that sit between white and red in style and colour. It most commonly refers to wine made by co-fermenting white and red grapes together (sometimes from vines grown in the same vineyard), producing a light, pale-red or deeper rosé-like wine that can combine red-fruit character with the freshness and lift associated with white varieties. In other words, it is not simply a finished white wine mixed with a finished red wine, and it is not the standard rosé method of brief skin contact…

  • Arpeggio Nero d’Avola

    Arpeggio Nero d’Avola

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    This 2024 vintage comes from Cantine Settesoli, a Sicilian cooperative of 2,000 members. At 13% ABV, it is bottled at source and brought into the UK by Liberty Wines Ltd, one of the UK’s larger wholesaler-importers. The name Arpeggio refers to the musical technique where the notes of a chord are played one after another rather than all at once, creating a sense of progression and movement. The Nero d’Avola grape was first cultivated near the town of Avola, and its name reflects its deep, dark skin, meaning “Black of Avola.” The colour is slightly lighter than expected, bringing Pinot…

  • A Toast to 105, Ron Thompson’s Red Wine Secret

    A Toast to 105, Ron Thompson’s Red Wine Secret

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    Essex Live reports that Ron Thompson, a care home resident in Essex who has just turned 105, has joked that the secret to his long life is red wine, saying he does not understand what all the fuss is about. He marked the occasion with a weekend of celebrations, including a family gathering where he toasted with red wine and enjoyed chocolates while spending time with his great-grandchildren. Ron received cards from across the country as well as a message from His Majesty The King, which he now keeps alongside earlier royal messages. He was also presented with a certificate…

  • Premium Wines and Sparkling Drive Resilience in a Declining UK Retail Market

    Premium Wines and Sparkling Drive Resilience in a Declining UK Retail Market

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    DrinksRetailing is reporting that UK off-trade (retail) wine sales are under pressure, with total value down 1.8% year on year, mainly due to falling volumes despite higher average prices. Sparkling wine is holding up better than still wine, while red wine is declining most sharply, partly because of duty banding. Premiumisation is a clear theme. Wines priced at £7 and above are growing, while cheaper wines are seeing significant declines. A small number of brands are driving growth, most notably La Vieille Ferme, alongside Freixenet and Villa Maria, all benefiting from positioning in the £8–9 price range. Looking ahead, ongoing…

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Did You Know?

Nearly a third (32%) of UK consumers say they have already used AI for alcoholic drinks advice. More

Among socially active wine buyers, 37% have bought a wine recommended online. More

In 2026, 72% of consumers now think wine knowledge is essential to appreciation, up 20 percentage points on 2025. More

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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