France

  • Understanding Champagne

    Understanding Champagne

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    Simon Judge

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    Champagne, the world’s most celebrated sparkling wine, has captivated connoisseurs for centuries with its effervescence, complexity and prestige. This sparkling wine has evolved from humble beginnings to become a global symbol of celebration and luxury, with a rich history, distinctive production methods and diverse styles that continue to evolve to meet contemporary challenges and tastes….

  • The Definitive Champagne Tasting

    The Definitive Champagne Tasting

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    Simon Judge

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    On the first day of April 2025, I attended The Definitive Champagne Tasting, a two-floor event held at the Tate Modern in London. Organised by the UK’s Champagne Shippers’ Association, it marked the first generic Champagne trade tasting in London since 2018. With 51 producers represented, including Champagne houses, cooperatives, and growers, the event featured…

  • Château des Jaume ‘Infusion’

    Château des Jaume ‘Infusion’

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    Simon Judge

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    Château des Jaume Côtes du Roussillon Villages ‘Infusion’ is a wine from one of the renowned estates of the Roussillon region in France. Located near the village of Tautavel, the vineyard sits between the Mediterranean Sea and the Pyrenees mountains, producing wines that reflect this unique terroir. This 2022 vintage comes in at 14% ABV…

  • Alain Grignon, Réserve Vieilles Vignes Carignan

    Alain Grignon, Réserve Vieilles Vignes Carignan

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    Simon Judge

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    Sourced from old vines, some over a hundred years in age, in the village of Limoux, within the Languedoc region of southern France, this 2023 vintage wine is a great example of 100% Carignan. However, the age of the vines is a crucial factor here. ‘Vieilles Vignes’ means ‘old vines’ that help lend the wine…

  • Moillard-Thomas Chablis

    Moillard-Thomas Chablis

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    Simon Judge

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    Moillard-Thomas Chablis is produced by one of the region’s oldest wine merchants, known for their long-standing expertise. This 2023 vintage is made in stainless steel vats, unoaked as is typical for non-Premier Cru Chablis. The 2021 vintage of this wine was recognised with an IWC award in 2022, highlighting its quality. This Chablis is 12.5%…

  • How Climate Change is Affecting Bordeaux Wine Producers

    How Climate Change is Affecting Bordeaux Wine Producers

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    Simon Judge

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    New research examines the impact of climate change on the income of wine producers in the Bordeaux region. The study analyses the relationship between climate variables, vineyard characteristics and economic performance. The findings indicate that rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns significantly affect vineyard yields and income, with high temperatures during the bloom period (May…

  • Domaine Tabordet Organic Pouilly Fumé

    Domaine Tabordet Organic Pouilly Fumé

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    Simon Judge

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    A new wine from Majestic, made using the Sauvignon Blanc grape. This wine comes from the Pouilly-Fumé appellation in the Loire Valley and is the 2023 vintage with an alcohol content of 12.5%. The wine has a light golden hue and requires quite a bit of warmth to fully reveal itself. It is a gentle…

  • Calvet Sancerre Rosé

    Calvet Sancerre Rosé

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    Simon Judge

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    This Rosé is from the Loire Valley, France, with an ABV of 12.5%, vintage 2023. It has a pale pink colour with an aroma of red fruits. The taste is dry but not overly so, with a strong strawberry taste. What makes it particularly great is the round and mellow mouthfeel. Many other French rosé…

  • VIN 2025: a French Wine Tasting

    VIN 2025: a French Wine Tasting

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    Simon Judge

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    VIN in London marked my first tasting for 2025, an event organised by Business France, the trade section of the French Embassy in the UK, in collaboration with various French partners. This event brought together four UK importers and 34 producers, showing an impressive selection of over 500 wines from multiple French regions. The wines…

  • French Red Wine Faces Crisis Amid Changing Tastes

    French Red Wine Faces Crisis Amid Changing Tastes

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    Simon Judge

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    The FT newspaper is reporting (link started free but might be behind paywall by the time you read this) that the French red wine industry is facing a severe decline as younger generations increasingly shift away from red wine, opting for rosé, beer, spirits, or alcohol-free alternatives and some avoid alcohol altogether. Consumption of red…

  • Belle France Bordeaux Rouge

    Belle France Bordeaux Rouge

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    Simon Judge

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    This bottle of Belle France Bordeaux Rouge, purchased as part of Aldi’s Wine of the Week promotion, represents excellent value for money and is almost certainly sold at below cost to get customers into stores. Priced at £9.99, and reduced to only £4.99, which is quite a bargain for a Bordeaux. The wine is a…

  • Domaine Philippon Frères Chablis

    Domaine Philippon Frères Chablis

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    Simon Judge

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    I first encountered Domaine Philippon Frères Chablis at a Lidl press wine tasting and was impressed enough to seek it out again. My aim was to confirm that the version available in shops matched the quality I initially experienced. This Chablis, with an ABV of 12.5%, comes from Burgundy and is made from 100% Chardonnay…

  • No.1 Margaux

    No.1 Margaux

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    Simon Judge

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    Having initially tried this wine during a press tasting, I was keen to revisit it at leisure to gain a fuller appreciation and ensure its consistency over time. Waitrose No. 1 Margaux, 2021 vintage, is a new addition to Waitrose’s wine range. This blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, with an ABV of…

  • Co-op Les Pionniers NV

    Co-op Les Pionniers NV

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    Simon Judge

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    Co-op’s award-winning Champagne is on offer to Co-op Members for just £15.00 (was £21.50) between 18th and 24th December 2024. Read my review.

  • Adnams Crémant de Limoux

    Adnams Crémant de Limoux

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    Simon Judge

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    Crémant has gained attention in recent years, due to the growing popularity of Crémant wines as an affordable alternative to Champagne. Produced by Maison Antech, this Crémant is a 70/30 blend of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc with an alcohol content of 12% ABV. The production process follows the traditional method, the same method used to…

  • Cru Bourgeois du Médoc

    Cru Bourgeois du Médoc

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    Simon Judge

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    In mid-November 2024, I attended a Cru Bourgeois du Médoc tasting event in London, featuring a selection of 64 wines from the 2022 vintage. Roughly 60% of the wines presented were seeking representation, making it an interesting event for industry professionals and wine merchants on the lookout for new additions. I’ve put together a short…

  • Understanding Cru Bourgeois du Médoc

    Understanding Cru Bourgeois du Médoc

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    Simon Judge

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    Building upon the my previous article on Understanding Bordeaux Wines, this piece looks into the world of Cru Bourgeois du Médoc, a classification that offers high-quality yet accessible wines from Bordeaux’s Left Bank. The term Cru Bourgeois has historical roots that trace back to the Middle Ages. During this period, the term “bourgeois” referred to…

  • Champagne Bruno Paillard Première Cuvée

    Champagne Bruno Paillard Première Cuvée

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    Simon Judge

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    Maison Bruno Paillard is one of Champagne’s few remaining independent, family-owned Houses. They take pride in their ‘Perpetual Reserve’, an impressive collection of reserve wines dating back to 1985, blended with the latest vintage to produce their signature Multi Vintage Champagnes. This blend features 45% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay, and 22% Pinot Meunier, all from…

  • Bel Air Parcellaire Merlot

    Bel Air Parcellaire Merlot

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    Simon Judge

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    I couldn’t resist trying this new Bordeaux from the Coop. Made from 100% Merlot, the Bel Air Parcellaire Merlot 2023, from Maison Sichel, is made from their select vineyard plots renowned for producing high-quality wines with a distinctive terroir expression, particularly benefiting from clay soils typical of Bordeaux’s right bank. On the nose, it offers…

  • Taittinger Prestige Rosé

    Taittinger Prestige Rosé

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    Simon Judge

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    This Champagne, primarily from the 2019 vintage, is a blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, and 25% Meunier, with an ABV of 12.5%. This wine has gained high praise, winning accolades from critics such as James Suckling, Wine Spectator, Decanter and Robert Parker. It has also earned a Gold Medal at the Concours des…

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