
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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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 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…

This one is a bit different as it’s a wine I’ve held onto for 10 years. Normally, I focus on wines that are ready to buy and drink straight away. I don’t usually store or age bottles. But this one’s got a story behind it and it’s taught me a thing or two, particularly about…

I first discovered this Champagne at an Asda tasting, where it immediately stood out to me. I was keen to try it again, particularly as I’ve found that some Champagnes I’ve enjoyed at tastings have often not lived up to expectations when revisited later. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case this time. Produced by Blondel from…

This is a red wine that captures the character of the southern Rhône’s Ventoux appellation, an area defined as much by its striking scenery as its distinctive wines. Towering over the region is Mount Ventoux, an iconic landmark known to cycling fans worldwide as a legendary stage finish of Le Tour de France. This 2022…

Moillard Grivot Premium Chardonnay makes a statement with its wax seal and substantial, weighty bottle. It gives off a strong impression of luxury and quality, though some may view these touches less favourably from an environmental standpoint. The grapes are mainly sourced from vineyards in the Mâconnais, a region in the south of Burgundy that…

Moillard Thomas Santenay Rouge 2022 is a 100% Pinot Noir from Burgundy, aged for 12 months in oak barrels. It’s a wine that impresses straight from the bottle, needing no time to open up. For it’s vintage, the light colour shows a very slight touch of browning, correctly suggesting it leans towards a savoury style….

La Belle Angèle Rosé takes its name from a figure of the early 20th century, a muse of the French Impressionists whose charm and elegance inspired many. Produced by La Belle Angèle Wines in Nuits-Saint-Georges, France, the bottle itself reflects a refined aesthetic and the producer’s website is very well presented – a rare case…

Taste the Difference Crémant d’Alsace is made from 75% Pinot Blanc and 25% Pinot Gris from Alsace in France. This non-vintage wine sits at 12% ABV and undergoes its second fermentation in bottle, in the same way as Champagne, and is aged for 18 months on its lees. I first discovered it at the Sainsbury’s…

Moillard-Thomas is in Nuits-Saint-Georges, in the Côtes de Nuits and is one of the oldest wine merchants in the region. This Mâcon Rouge, 2024 vintage, 12.5%, from Burgundy, France, is made entirely from Gamay grapes. This light purplish wine starts with a fruity aroma, gently underpinned by a savoury note that hints at something earthy,…

This Calvet Sancerre 2024, 12.5%, is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire region of France. It is grown on a hillside overlooking the left bank of the Haute Loire. In the glass, it has a pale yellow colour with delicate green reflections. Even when served very cold, it releases a strong and enticing aroma of…

This 2018 vintage of Saint-Émilion Grand Cru comes from the right bank of the River Garonne, from the family-run Château du Roy. It is made from 35-year-old vines and sits at 13.5% ABV. While it’s Merlot-led, it also includes some Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. I almost didn’t review this bottle. On opening, it was…

Les Dauphins wines take their cue from the vibrant spirit of 1920s Paris, a time when jazz, art, fine food and wine flourished and when the Rhône Valley saw the formation of its first co-operatives. This cultural backdrop shapes the character of these wines, which are made by the Union des Vignerons des Côtes du…

In April 2025, I joined a virtual masterclass hosted by Ray O’Connor MW, ambassador for Vins de Provence. Aimed at trade and press, the session tackled the question: “Provence rosé: are they all the same?” and explored the breadth and diversity the region has to offer. Ray took us through the regions and sub-regions of…
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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