Majestic

  • Edna Valley Pinot Noir

    Edna Valley Pinot Noir

    Edna Valley Pinot Noir 2022 comes from California’s Central Coast, where the cooling influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean allows for a long, gentle ripening season. This slower process brings depth and elegance to the wine. At 14% ABV, it has a touch more weight than many other Pinots. This is a medium-bodied red with…

  • Alain Grignon ‘Grande Réserve Vieilles Vignes’ Carignan

    Alain Grignon ‘Grande Réserve Vieilles Vignes’ Carignan

    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…

  • Majestic 45th Birthday Sauvignon Blanc Gros Manseng

    Majestic 45th Birthday Sauvignon Blanc Gros Manseng

    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…

  • Moillard Thomas Santenay Rouge

    Moillard Thomas Santenay Rouge

    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

    La Belle Angèle Rosé

    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…

  • Definition Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon

    Definition Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon

    I first came across this wine last year when it was announced as a new wine at a Majestic press tasting. Since then, I’ve purchased it twice and had the chance to spend a bit more time with it, getting to understand it better on each occasion. The wine is made by Kanonkop for Majestic…

  • Parcel Series English Sparkling Brut

    Parcel Series English Sparkling Brut

    Majestic’s Parcel Series wines are sourced from top-tier wineries that discreetly offer a limited amount of stock at significantly reduced prices. This arrangement allows the producers to free up valuable cellar space, while presenting customers with a rare chance to enjoy high-quality wines for much less than their usual cost. This particular wine is a…

  • Mayu Gran Reserva Single Vineyard Pinot Noir

    Mayu Gran Reserva Single Vineyard Pinot Noir

    I was impressed by this wine at a Majestic press tasting in Autumn 2024. I bought a bottle not long after but it’s taken me some time to get round to opening it. It’s from the Elqui Valley in Chile, where Mayu has been producing wine since 2005. The Mayu name comes from an ancient…

  • Moillard Thomas Mâcon Rouge

    Moillard Thomas Mâcon Rouge

    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,…

  • Majestic Spring Press Tasting

    Majestic Spring Press Tasting

    At the start of May, I attended the Majestic Spring Press Tasting 2025, which this time took place at a different venue, the iconic Lord’s cricket ground in London. Spacious and distinct, the surroundings gave a certain charm to the event, helping the wines feel a little more special. The layout benefited from the space…

  • Parcel Series ‘No.77’ Chilean Red Blend

    Parcel Series ‘No.77’ Chilean Red Blend

    Parcel Series wines come from top-class wineries that quietly sell a limited quantity to Majestic at a fraction of their usual price to clear some space in their cellars, making this a rare opportunity to buy. This particular wine comes from the Viña Vik vineyard, set in the foothills of the Andes mountains. The vineyard…

  • Definition Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

    Definition Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

    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…

  • Alain Grignon, Réserve Vieilles Vignes Carignan

    Alain Grignon, Réserve Vieilles Vignes Carignan

    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…

  • Domini Veneti ‘La Casetta’ Valpolicella Ripasso

    Domini Veneti ‘La Casetta’ Valpolicella Ripasso

    Ripasso wines gain their signature depth and texture from the addition of leftover grape skins from Amarone production, but La Casetta goes a step further. Instead of Amarone, it is re-fermented with the skins from Recioto, a rich, sweet dessert wine, which takes the flavour intensity to another level. Being a Classico Superiore, it comes…

  • Moillard-Thomas Chablis

    Moillard-Thomas Chablis

    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%…

  • Definition by Majestic Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

    Definition by Majestic Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

    Majestic Wine has expanded its Definition range with a new wine made exclusively for them by the well-known Californian producer, Schug Winery. This Pinot Noir comes from Sonoma’s cool-climate region, an area greatly influenced by marine fog and the winds of the Petaluma Gap, lending a unique character to the wine. The winery’s founder, Walter…

  • Josh Cellars Reserve Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel

    Josh Cellars Reserve Bourbon Barrel Zinfandel

    Previously, I really enjoyed Josh Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at a past Majestic press tasting, so I thought I’d try the Zinfandel and I’m glad I did. Aged in charred bourbon barrels for two months, this 2021 vintage has an ABV of 14.5%. At first, the aroma was a little subdued, but after just half…

  • Chosen by Majestic Pinotage

    Chosen by Majestic Pinotage

    Pinotage is a grape variety that often flies under the radar and often offers hidden, affordable treasures at least for me. Originally cultivated in 1925 by Abraham Izak Perold, the first Professor of Viticulture at Stellenbosch University, Pinotage is a crossbreed of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. Renowned for its rich colour and bold flavours, this…

  • The Traitor Red Blend

    The Traitor Red Blend

    As I write this, a new season of the hugely popular show The Traitors is captivating audiences on UK TV. Possibly by coincidence, Majestic has introduced a new Chilean own-label wine range intriguingly titled The Traitor, complete with its own fascinating backstory: The legend of the Añañuca flower tells of a young indigenous woman from…

  • Muga Rioja Reserva

    Muga Rioja Reserva

    Muga is one of the most iconic and traditional bodegas in Rioja. Situated in the historic railway quarter of Haro, the capital of Rioja Alta, Muga is renowned for eschewing stainless steel tanks in favour of time-honoured methods. The bodega even operates its own cooperage, creating barrels from a variety of oak sources and carefully…