Majestic
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‘Tenacity Old Vine’ Cabernet Sauvignon
Two Hands ‘Tenacity Old Vine’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from old vines in McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley, Australia. This is the 2024 vintage, produced by Two Hands, with the aim of making wines that feel softer and more approachable. The name Tenacity reflects the determination and perseverance of old vines that have become such an enduring part of the Australian landscape. A good tip here is to let it breathe for at least half an hour. In the glass, you get blackcurrant, bay leaf, cedar and leather aromas. On the taste, it leans into fruity black cherry. It is dry,…
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Piccini ‘Histrio’ Anfora Toscana Rosso
‘Histrio’ Anfora Toscana Rosso, by Piccini, is a blend of Sangiovese and Malvasia Nera, given 12 weeks maturing in special clay amphorae, which is where the name comes from. As a bit of context, clay is slightly porous, so tiny amounts of oxygen work their way in over time. It behaves a little like oak in that sense, but without bringing any woody character along with it. What you get instead is softer tannins, a rounder feel in the mouth and less of that hard edge as the wine settles. This is the 2022 vintage, sitting at 13% ABV. The…
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Abbotts & Delaunay ‘Les Fleurs Sauvages’ Viognier
Abbotts & Delaunay ‘Les Fleurs Sauvages’ Viognier comes from Pays d’Oc in southern France, specifically the Hérault and the Aude Valley in the south of the Minervois. It takes its name from the wild plants, fleurs sauvages, that grow along the edges of the vines. This is 100% Viognier from the 2023 vintage, with 13.5% abv and it spends a few months ageing on the lees. In the glass, it has a light lemon-gold colour. The aroma brings apricot, peach, honeysuckle and ginger. On the taste, there is a strong stone fruit character, with a slightly oily texture that comes…
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Domaine du Clos Saint Martin Sancerre
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…
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Salvio Ribera de Duero
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…
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Non-Alcoholic Aperitivo and Spritz
Majestic kindly sent me some samples of non-alcoholic Aperitivo and Spritz drinks to try for Dry January. I tasted them side by side, which allowed me to compare and contrast. Each was served over ice, mixed 50:50 with tonic. Martini Vibrante Non-Alcoholic AperitivoThis Italian aperitivo is infused with artemisia, bergamot, chamomile and a mix of other key botanicals. It uses de-alcoholised wine as its base and sits at under 0.5% alcohol by volume. The colour is a bit artificial-looking, like strawberry jelly, which might surprise those expecting a more natural hue. Flavour-wise, it delivers the familiar bittersweet style of vermouth,…
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Château Méaume Matured Bordeaux Supérieur
Exclusively available at Majestic, this special release of Château Méaume has been introduced to honour 45 years of partnership between the winery and the retailer. It’s a significant bottle for both, marking a relationship that began in 1980 when the British owners, Alan and Sue Johnson-Hill, attended the opening of Majestic’s very first store. Their son, Mark, now leads the winemaking, taking the reins for this 2019 vintage. Made predominantly from Merlot grown near the famous regions of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, this Bordeaux Supérieur benefits from low-yield vines and has been matured in oak for no less than a year.…
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Vergelegen Millrace Red
Vergelegen Millrace Red is a blend from one of South Africa’s most historic estates, in the Western Cape’s renowned Stellenbosch region. The estate dates back to 1700, founded by the Dutch governor at the Cape and has become known for producing wines in the Bordeaux style with a South African twist. The name ‘Mill Race’ comes from the Dutch-engineered channel diverting water from the Lourens River to power the estate’s old mill wheel. The wine brings together 41% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, 12% Cabernet Franc and a touch of Petit Verdot at 1%. It has been matured for…
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Abbotts & Delaunay Languedoc Blanc
This 2024 vintage is a new wine from Jeanne Delaunay, a talented young winemaker who brings together the elegance of her Burgundian roots with the expressive wines of the Languedoc. This white blend features 60% Grenache Blanc and 40% Vermentino, aged for a modest five months on fine lees. Orange blossom and citrus grapefruit come through on the aroma, leading into flavours of apricot and more citrus on the tongue. The texture is soft and rounded, enriched by the lees ageing, with a long mineral finish that carries a subtle edge of salinity. Impressively, it remains enjoyable and evolves even…
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Moulin Rose de Malescasse
Moulin Rose de Malescasse was one of the highlights for me at the Majestic press tasting, so I was keen to revisit it in more detail. It comes from the Haut-Médoc area of Bordeaux and is produced by Château Malescasse. The estate holds an impressive status as one of only 14 Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel properties in the region, the highest level in the Cru Bourgeois classification system. For those curious, I’ve previously written more on the tiers and their significance in my article on Understanding Cru Bourgeois du Médoc. Moulin Rose is the estate’s second wine. A château’s second wine…
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Majestic Autumn Press Tasting
In October 2025, I attended the Majestic tasting held at the iconic Lord’s cricket ground. It’s a lovely venue, full of space and natural light, which really added a sense of occasion to the event. Since the last tasting only five months ago, Majestic has expanded with the opening of three new stores in Thame, Christchurch and Wimborne Minster, with another due to open soon in Truro. In addition, Vagabond has now become part of Majestic and the expansion continues with the opening of two new Vagabond bars at St Paul’s and Liverpool Street. A different kind of diversification is…
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Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling Wine
Part of my #awards25 series, this South African sparkling has a Gold Medal from the IWSC 2025 with an impressive 96 points. It’s from Robertson in the Western Cape and is an example of a ‘blanc de blancs’, a term that means white wine made solely from white grapes. In this case, it’s 100% Chardonnay. Produced using the Méthode Cap Classique, South Africa’s take on the Traditional Method used in Champagne, it undergoes its second fermentation in the bottle. This is the 2019 vintage, though it was only disgorged in 2024, allowing time for ageing. The bubbles are small and…
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La Belle Angèle Pinot Noir
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 Valras-Plage as well as the higher ground of the Minervois, it captures a warm, Mediterranean spirit. At first pour, a scent of red berries rises gently, hinting at cherries and perhaps a touch of raspberry. Unlike some Pinots that lean into earthiness or darker, forest…
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Nero Oro Riserva
This Sicilian red might catch your eye if you’re drawn to Nero d’Avola, but it’s very different from the usual expressions of that grape. It’s a blend of Nero d’Avola and Syrah from the 2021 vintage, with 14% ABV and a long 18 months spent in oak barrels. The result is a distinctive, deeply flavoured wine, shaped by the hands of acclaimed winemaker Stefano Chioccioli, whose past work has earned perfect scores from both the Gambero Rosso wine guide and Robert Parker. Now starting to show a bit of age in the glass with a touch of browning, the wine…
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Ormarine ‘Cuvée Estela Élevée sur Lies Fines’ Picpoul de Pinet
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 lees, the spent yeast cells left over after fermentation which adds depth, texture and complexity. In the glass, the wine shows a slight green-gold hue. When served very cold, it opens with a restrained peach/nectarine aroma, but the palate is already full-bodied with rich stone…
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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 a generous character. There’s an inviting aroma of raspberry, along with a subtle woody note that adds complexity. On the tongue, it delivers a smooth and rounded feel, with clear flavours of blackberry and oak running through it. It feels fuller than what you might…
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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 vines aged well over 80 years, a few even topping the century mark. That age brings depth and concentration and the winemaking approach preserves the fruit’s natural vibrancy. While most of the wine is matured in stainless steel to retain freshness, 30% sees time in…
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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 on tasting it, it quickly became clear that a lot more thought and care had gone into this wine than the packaging lets on. Created by Majestic’s Head Buyer, Matt Fowkes, in collaboration with long-standing producer partners, the blend captures the essence of what Majestic…
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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. There’s an immediate aroma of cherry and earthiness, with a subtle trace of caramel. The flavour continues in this vein, savory at its core, but with raspberry and cherry fruit giving it vibrancy and lift. Through the middle part of the taste, there’s a lovely…
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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 where I link as it’s very well done. This 2024 vintage, 12% ABV, blends Cinsault and Grenache grapes, sourced from the Gers and the Languedoc. The Cinsault brings a sense of freshness, while the Grenache adds richness and a deeper concentration. In the glass, it…
Pick Lists
Majestic | The Wine Society | Tesco | Waitrose | Sainsbury’s | Morrisons | Co-op | Asda | Lidl | £7 and Under | Over £20
Did You Know?
Australian wine exports to China have collapsed from around $1.2 billion to less than $10 million. More
Wine’s aroma is not determined solely by which flavour compounds it contains. More
Low-to-moderate wine consumption is associated with lower mortality. More
Moderate water stress can be part of what creates flavour and terroir expression. More
Wine appears less frequently online than other alcoholic drinks. More
Independent retailers had 9% fewer customers in March 2026 than two years earlier. More
Average spend per bottle in independents has risen by 23% since 2019, compared with 21% in supermarkets. More.
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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