France

  • Chasm de Cabrespine Minervois

    Chasm de Cabrespine Minervois

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    Simon Judge

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    This is a southern French red with an unusual story behind its ageing. Stored for six years in one of Languedoc’s most striking natural wonders, the vast Cabrespine Chasm near Carcassonne, this wine spent part of its time resting in clay amphorae set in the upper cave, then the rest submerged in an underground river…

  • Pierre Jaurant Sud de France Rosé

    Pierre Jaurant Sud de France Rosé

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    Simon Judge

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    This rosé comes from the Pays d’Oc region, a broad sweep of vineyards along the southern coast of France. Assuming it remains consistent with previous vintages, it’s made entirely from Grenache and sits at 12.5% ABV. Talking of vintages, unusually, no vintage is mentioned on the bottle. Rather than being bulk bottled, this wine is…

  • Champagne Foil Debate Ends as Tradition Yields to Choice

    Champagne Foil Debate Ends as Tradition Yields to Choice

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    Simon Judge

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    The Drinks Business is reporting that the Comité Champagne has dropped its opposition to an EU ruling that makes neck foils on Champagne bottles optional, concluding after new research that removing them neither harms sales nor damages the region’s image. The decision follows years of debate across the sparkling-wine world. English producers have argued that…

  • Screaming Devil Côtes de Provence Rosé

    Screaming Devil Côtes de Provence Rosé

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    Simon Judge

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    I’ve previously written about this wine, picking it out at Asda press tastings. The new 2024 vintage had a lot to live up to, so I was eager to see whether it matched the standard set by earlier years. For anyone unfamiliar, Screaming Devil is a tongue-in-cheek spin on Whispering Angel, a name that quickly…

  • Bordeaux Royalty Chooses Vin de France

    Bordeaux Royalty Chooses Vin de France

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    Simon Judge

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    Château Lafleur has fired the starting gun on one of the most consequential shifts in modern Bordeaux. In a letter dated Sunday 24 August 2025, the Guinaudeau family confirmed that, from the 2025 harvest, all six of the estate’s wines will drop the appellations of Pomerol and Bordeaux and be labelled Vin de France. For…

  • Louis Couturier Crémant de Bordeaux Rosé

    Louis Couturier Crémant de Bordeaux Rosé

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    Simon Judge

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    A sparkling Rosé from the heart of the Entre-deux-Mers, the stretch of land between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. Dry in style and produced by Les Grands Chais de France, a large cooperative and négociant house known for its wide portfolio across Bordeaux and beyond, this wine comes in at 11.5% ABV. It is made…

  • Comte de Saint Emmanuel

    Comte de Saint Emmanuel

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    Simon Judge

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    This arrived by accident, a substitute for a bottle that never turned up. The name may sound grand, but it’s a white label name without particular provenance. However, behind it is the producer Amand Chaperon, with grapes coming from the Entre-Deux-Mers region. A blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it promised familiarity, though expectations were…

  • Triennes Rosé

    Triennes Rosé

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    Simon Judge

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    I came across this wine at a family gathering. There was nothing about the label to suggest it comes from Provence. The bottle itself doesn’t follow the visual cues you often see with Provençal rosé with no fancy lable or stylised bottle design. It’s modest, understated. The surprise is entirely in what’s inside. Only after…

  • La Belle Angèle Pinot Noir

    La Belle Angèle Pinot Noir

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    Simon Judge

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    This 2023 vintage offers an easygoing yet lively expression of southern French winemaking. Named after a celebrated muse of the Belle Époque, known for inspiring French Impressionist painters with her beauty and spirit, the wine carries a sense of charm. With its origins in the Languedoc, drawing fruit from the sun-drenched plains near Béziers and…

  • Finest Sancerre Rosé

    Finest Sancerre Rosé

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    Simon Judge

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    I wanted to try this as it recently won a Gold medal at the International Wine Challenge (IWC), which caught my attention since golds account for less than 1% of all medals awarded. It’s made from Pinot Noir grapes grown in Sancerre and bottled at the source in the Loire by Fournier Père et Fils,…

  • Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux Blanc

    Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux Blanc

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    Simon Judge

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    This sparkling wine from Bordeaux is a blend of 70% Sémillon and 30% Cabernet Franc, made using the traditional method with the second fermentation in the bottle that lasts for 11 months. This the 2022 vintage and sits at 12% ABV. The bubbles are small and stayed for a very long time, giving it a…

  • Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône Rosé Réserve

    Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône Rosé Réserve

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    Simon Judge

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    This 2024 vintage draws inspiration from the lively elegance of 1920s Paris, a time when food, wine, music and art flourished. It also marks a period of transformation in the Rhône Valley, when the first co-operatives, like Les Dauphins, were formed. This rosé is a blend of 85% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 5% Cinsault, with…

  • Cuvée de Brieu Syrah

    Cuvée de Brieu Syrah

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    Simon Judge

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    The Lidl July Wine Tour is now underway. I wasn’t able to attend the press tasting for this release as I happened to be on holiday. Fortunately, Lidl kindly sent over a few bottles from the range for me to try. Lidl’s Wine Tours tend to run for roughly two months, offering a limited window…

  • Ormarine ‘Cuvée Estela Élevée sur Lies Fines’ Picpoul de Pinet

    Ormarine ‘Cuvée Estela Élevée sur Lies Fines’ Picpoul de Pinet

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    Simon Judge

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    This 2023 vintage Picpoul is a striking example of the quality now coming out of this Languedoc appellation. Ormarine, based in the heart of Pinet since 1922, is responsible for over 40% of the region’s total production and their expertise shows in this wine. The term ‘Élevée sur Lies Fines’ refers to ageing on fine…

  • Laurent Delaunay Les Grappillages Fleurie

    Laurent Delaunay Les Grappillages Fleurie

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    Simon Judge

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    I’ve had the chance to be one of the first to try a brand-new wine from acclaimed Burgundian winemaker Laurent Delaunay. Known for multi-award-winning expertise and as a fifth-generation winemaker, Delaunay has just released a Beaujolais under the new Les Grappillages range. It’s a wine that brings together traditional regional winemaking with a distinctly modern…

  • Alain Grignon ‘Grande Réserve Vieilles Vignes’ Carignan

    Alain Grignon ‘Grande Réserve Vieilles Vignes’ Carignan

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    Simon Judge

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    This is a striking new arrival at Majestic that’s already turning heads. At a recent store managers’ tasting, it reportedly stole the show, and it’s not hard to see why. This impressive red comes from Château Grand Moulin in the town of Lézignan-Corbières, in the heart of Occitanie. It’s made from old-vine Carignan, with some…

  • Marsolay Pinot Noir

    Marsolay Pinot Noir

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    Simon Judge

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    This Pinot Noir is from the Languedoc region in southern France, IGP Pays d’Oc, and made by Producteurs Réunis. It’s from an area known for its long, hot growing season, which tends to encourage a riper expression of Pinot Noir. I tried it as part of my awards25 tasting series, as it was a finalist…

  • Tesco Finest Chablis Premier Cru

    Tesco Finest Chablis Premier Cru

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    Simon Judge

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    This is one I’d been meaning to try after it picked up a Gold at the recent International Wine Challenge. It’s part of my ongoing awards25 series and is made by the highly respected La Chablisienne Cooperative. The wine comes from Premier Cru vineyards in northern Burgundy and is made entirely from Chardonnay grapes, with…

  • Tensions Between Wine Growers and Supermarkets

    Tensions Between Wine Growers and Supermarkets

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    Simon Judge

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    International Supermarket News reports on rising tensions between growers and supermarkets. It also highlights increasing cost of wine and shows how much more expensive it is in the UK compared to France. Aldi France has come under fire after its national wine buyer claimed wines priced as low as €1.99 are still profitable for growers….

  • Majestic 45th Birthday Sauvignon Blanc Gros Manseng

    Majestic 45th Birthday Sauvignon Blanc Gros Manseng

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    Simon Judge

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    Majestic 45th Birthday Sauvignon Blanc Gros Manseng is one of two special blends created exclusively for Majestic’s anniversary, with the aim of offering a bold yet versatile wine that exceeds expectations for its price. When I first saw it, it gave off a modest impression and I didn’t expect anything out of the ordinary. But…

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