Past Tastings

Past consumer, trade and press tastings

  • Davy’s Autumn Trade Tasting

    Davy’s Autumn Trade Tasting

    In late October 2024, I went to Davy’s Autumn Trade Tasting in London. Davy’s, established in 1870, supplies a range of bars, hotels, restaurants and catering services, as well as private and corporate clients, including universities, colleges and companies. Their offerings are available through several wine shops in London, online and via mail order. The…

  • Morrisons Autumn/Winter Press Tasting

    Morrisons Autumn/Winter Press Tasting

    I went to the Morrisons Autumn/Winter Press Tasting in London in October 2024, an event that showcased an great selection of 127 wines, curated with the festive season in mind. A pianist provided a touch of elegance, enhancing the ambiance as we explored the wines on offer. There has been a refresh of Morrisons’ The…

  • Monastrell Masterclass and Tasting

    Monastrell Masterclass and Tasting

    In October 2024, I attended a Monastrell Masterclass led by Patrick Schmitt MW, followed by a walk-around tasting. The event was sponsored by Monastrell Spain, so all the wines were Spanish, though the masterclass also referenced other countries for context. Monastrell is known as Mourvèdre in France and has lots of different names in other…

  • Asda Autumn Winter Wine Showcase

    Asda Autumn Winter Wine Showcase

    I attended Asda’s Autumn/Winter Wine Showcase which took place in October 2024. The event highlighted Asda’s impressive achievements, with 91% of their own label and private label wines having won awards this year, a total of 350 awards. Asda continues to focus on maintaining high quality by blending their wines at the source whenever possible….

  • Sainsbury’s Autumn Winter Press Tasting

    Sainsbury’s Autumn Winter Press Tasting

    Sainsbury’s Autumn Winter 2024 Press Tasting, in London, in October offered an impressive range of wines, particularly sparkling ones, that seem perfectly suited for the upcoming holiday season. Here are the highlights and my notes on what stood out for me: Louis Latour Mâcon-Villages 2023 £16 13%I’m typically not drawn to Chardonnay, but this one…

  • Waitrose Autumn Tasting

    Waitrose Autumn Tasting

    In October 2024, I had the pleasure of attending the Waitrose Autumn Wines, Beers and Spirits Press Tasting. The showcase featured over 125 wines, mostly available in Waitrose stores with a select few only available online at Waitrose Cellar. Waitrose have launched five new offerings in the Loved & Found wine range, including Aranel, Piedirosso,…

  • Lidl Winter Wine Tours

    Lidl Winter Wine Tours

    In October 2024, I went to a Lidl press wine tasting event in London, which showcased an interesting selection of wines set to be introduced for the upcoming Winter and Christmas Wine Tours as well as many from the core range. Some of the wines were part of Lidl’s Wine Tour series, where wines are…

  • Wines of Greece

    Wines of Greece

    In October 2024, I went to a Wines of Greece tasting event in London where there were 127 wines from various regions of Greece. This trade and press event provided an rare opportunity to sample wines predominantly made from grape varietals unfamiliar to me, which added a layer of intrigue to the experience. Here are…

  • Simply Italian Great Wines Tasting

    Simply Italian Great Wines Tasting

    In early October 2024, I had the pleasure of attending the Simply Italian Great Wines Trade Tasting, an event with many exciting wines yet to be available in the UK. For importers and retailers alike, this event offered numerous opportunities to discover new offerings that could bring something fresh to the British market. The tasting…

  • Tesco Autumn Winter Tasting

    Tesco Autumn Winter Tasting

    In September 2024, I had the opportunity to attend a Tesco Autumn Winter Tasting event, where I got to look at the exciting changes in their wine selection. Tesco has just completed its most significant update to their wine range in 15 years, introducing 130 new products. Notably, there’s been an increase in the number…

  • Majestic Autumn Winter Tasting

    Majestic Autumn Winter Tasting

    In September 2024, I attended the Majestic Press Tasting event, which showcased 109 wines from their Autumn/Winter collection. The selection included new arrivals, fine wines and special parcels curated for the upcoming Christmas season. It was a comprehensive display, offering a wide range of styles and price points, as well as Majestic’s recently updated off-the-beaten-track…

  • The Grape Unveiling

    The Grape Unveiling

    Hallgarten & Novum Wines is one of the UK’s leading specialist wine merchants, boasting over 90 years of experience in the industry. As a renowned wine wholesaler, supplier and importer, they focus on distributing premium wines to the on-trade (hospitality) and off-trade sectors (supermarkets, independents). In September 2024, I attended The Grape Unveiling in London,…

  • Hatch Mansfield Autumn Portfolio Tasting

    Hatch Mansfield Autumn Portfolio Tasting

    In September 2024, I attended the Hatch Mansfield Autumn Portfolio Tasting, an event in London showcasing an impressive array of wines from Hatch Mansfield’s portfolio. This agency focuses on wines crafted by independent, family-owned winemakers. Their portfolio includes well-known names such as Taittinger, C.V.N.E, Villa Maria and Errazuriz. Their wines can be found at many…

  • Aldi Autumn Winter Wine Tasting

    Aldi Autumn Winter Wine Tasting

    In September 2024, I attended the Aldi Autumn Winter Press Wine Tasting, where 98 wines were showcased. It was a great opportunity to experience the variety and quality of Aldi’s wine offerings as they continue to establish themselves as a major player in the UK market. In fact, Aldi recently became the third-largest wine retailer,…

  • Fine Wine Tasting

    Fine Wine Tasting

    In September 2024, I attended a Fine Wine Evening at my local Majestic in Woking. It was a consumer tasting event, expertly presented by Andrew from Majestic Woking. Andrew, who is soon to move to Majestic Edinburgh, showcased his knowledge throughout the evening, offering insights into the selection of fine wines. The evening began with…

  • Tenuta Di Trinoro Tasting

    Tenuta Di Trinoro Tasting

    In early September 2024, I attended a tasting lunch in London hosted by Benjamin Franchetti, the owner of Tenuta di Trinoro, a renowned estate known for its Super-Tuscan wines. The estate was founded by Benjamin’s late father, Andrea Franchetti, who defied expectations by creating a world-class Super-Tuscan from scratch, without any outside help. Although Tenuta…

  • WineGB Trade and Press Tasting

    WineGB Trade and Press Tasting

    The WineGB Trade and Press Tasting, in early September 2024, offered an impressive selection, showcasing over 300 wines from 80 producers. The event featured individual exhibitor stands, regional vineyard association stands and themed tasting tables. English sparkling wine has reached an exceptional level of quality, frequently rivalling and occasionally surpassing some of the finest Champagnes….

  • Swig Autumn Portfolio Tasting

    Swig Autumn Portfolio Tasting

    Swig is an online retailer founded by Robin Davis, 25 years ago, which has earned a reputation as one of the UK’s best independents. They also supply some of the UK’s top restaurants and independents, and in 2021, Decanter Magazine awarded them Best Midsize Online Retailer. In September 2024, I attended the Swig Autumn Portfolio…

  • Italian Wine Tasting

    Italian Wine Tasting

    In July and August 2024, when press tastings were sparse, I decided to host a few wine tastings at home. For this third tasting of the Summer, I invited PR agencies, importers and retailers to submit Italian wines. I also included a few wines recommended by participants from previous tastings, as well as a blind…

  • California Dreaming Wine Tasting

    California Dreaming Wine Tasting

    I attended the “California Dreaming” consumer wine tasting event at Majestic in August 2024, hosted by the knowledgeable Andrew from Majestic Woking. Nine of us sampled a selection of wines that highlighted the diverse range of grape varieties available from California, going beyond the typical expectations. We started with a Champagne welcome drink, as Majestic…