Reviews

  • Mar de Frades Albariño Brut Nature NV

    Mar de Frades Albariño Brut Nature NV

    Mar de Frades Albariño Brut Nature NV is a very different wine from the Rías Baixas DO. It is produced by the highly regarded Mar de Frades, established in 1987. Winemaker Paula Fandiño leads the way with this distinctive bottle-fermented sparkling wine, the first of its kind in the region using the traditional method. Made…

  • Specially Selected Chianti Riserva

    Specially Selected Chianti Riserva

    I first came across this wine during the Aldi Autumn/Winter 2025 press tasting and was immediately taken with it, enough so to purchase a bottle for a closer look. This is a 2022 vintage with an alcohol content of 13%, made primarily from Sangiovese (70%), with the remaining percentage made up of other varieties allowed…

  • Passionada Alvarinho

    Passionada Alvarinho

    Passionada is the work of Anselmo Mendes, widely regarded as one of Portugal’s most accomplished winemakers. Mendes is known especially for his expressions of Alvarinho from the Vinho Verde region, just over the border from Spain’s Rías Baixas where Albariño thrives. Alvarinho it is genetically the same variety as Spain’s Albariño. The 2024 vintage of…

  • Abbotts & Delaunay Languedoc Blanc

    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…

  • Comparative Review of English Sparkling

    Comparative Review of English Sparkling

    This review began when Nyetimber kindly offered to send me some bottles for tasting, which led me to wonder whether I could broaden the scope to include a wider range of English Sparkling Wines. I was keen to explore the differences between Charmat and Traditional Method wines, and to compare various styles – rosé, vintage…

  • Wilson Gunn Bellum Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz

    Wilson Gunn Bellum Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz

    Wilson Gunn is a label under the RedHeads Wine umbrella, part of a wider Laithwaites family venture. RedHeads itself began life in the 1990s in McLaren Vale, launched by a band of winemakers with a rebellious streak and a mission to produce honest, small-batch wines outside the commercial mould. Henry Laithwaite, the eldest son of…

  • Moulin Rose de Malescasse

    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…

  • Abbotts & Delaunay ‘Les Fleurs Sauvages’  Malbec

    Abbotts & Delaunay ‘Les Fleurs Sauvages’ Malbec

    This wine comes from rising Languedoc winemaker Jeanne Delaunay, daughter of winemakers Laurent and Catherine Delaunay. She brings a contemporary outlook combined with a strong respect for nature and the Burgundian heritage that shapes her approach. The wine name reflects the care taken to protect the wild plants, les fleurs sauvages, that grow along the…

  • Rectoral de Amandi Mencía

    Rectoral de Amandi Mencía

    This is a find from the Ribeira Sacra region in Galicia, in the north-west of Spain. I picked up a bottle during a visit to Spain, drawn in by its distinct look and relative obscurity, at least in the UK. What caught my eye immediately was its label, which features a bold pink tone. This…

  • Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône White

    Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône White

    Les Dauphins is a range that draws inspiration from the vibrant energy of the 1920s, evoking an era when Paris pulsed with culture and creativity. This was also the time when co-operatives began to take root and the wines from the Dauphiné corner of the Rhône Valley found favour among the capital’s bistro-goers. The wine…

  • Sibarita in Vigo, Spain

    Sibarita in Vigo, Spain

    In late October 2025, my wife and I found ourselves in Vigo, Spain, looking for a glass of Albariño to pass the time while we waited for the rain to ease. A quick online search led us to Sibarita, a wine and tapas bar situated just above the city’s main square. The name “Sibarita” is…

  • Ca’ Bolani Sauvignon Blanc

    Ca’ Bolani Sauvignon Blanc

    The 2024 Ca’ Bolani Sauvignon Blanc is the sister wine to the previously reviewed Ca’ Bolani Merlot. Grown in the Friuli DOC Aquileia appellation, in the northeastern corner of Italy, it comes from the Zonin family’s extensive collection of estates. Acquired by Zonin in 1970, this was their first venture beyond the Veneto region. With…

  • Laurent Delaunay Les Grappillages Chablis

    Laurent Delaunay Les Grappillages Chablis

    Laurent Delaunay, a well-known Burgundian winemaker, brings a touch of contemporary charm to tradition with this Les Grappillages Chablis. This wine blends classic regional winemaking with modern elegance, the label adorned in a chic Toile de Jouy print more often seen in the world of high fashion than on supermarket shelves. Made entirely from Chardonnay,…

  • Ca’ Bolani Merlot

    Ca’ Bolani Merlot

    This 100% Merlot comes from the largest wine estate in Northern Italy, rooted in a landscape where vines have flourished since Roman times. Situated in the Friuli DOC Aquileia appellation in the northeastern corner of the country, it forms part of the Zonin family’s extensive portfolio of estates. Over the past twenty years, the estate…

  • Calvet Fitou Le Grand Roi

    Calvet Fitou Le Grand Roi

    This 2022 vintage comes from the sun-soaked region of Languedoc in the South of France, produced under the Fitou appellation, which requires at least 40% Carignan in any blend. This wine brings together Black Grenache, Carignan and Syrah in a style that’s both expressive and easy to enjoy. The bottle stands out with an eye-catching…

  • Ramón Bilbao Crianza

    Ramón Bilbao Crianza

    This 2022 vintage is made entirely from Tempranillo and while it carries the Crianza level rather than the more prestigious Reserva or Gran Reserva, don’t let that fool you into underestimating this wine. In the winery, each vineyard plot is handled individually, with fermentation done separately before the final blend is brought together just ahead…

  • Chassaux et Fils Atlantique Rosé

    Chassaux et Fils Atlantique Rosé

    This Rosé comes from the IGP Atlantique in the southwest of France, a broad region that stretches along the Atlantic coast. The area benefits from a maritime climate, which gives rise to bright, fruit-forward wines. Produced in departments such as Gironde and Charente-Maritime, this particular example uses Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes, commonly used in…

  • Chasm de Cabrespine Minervois

    Chasm de Cabrespine Minervois

    This is a southern French red with an unusual story behind its ageing. Stored for six years in one of Languedoc’s most striking natural wonders, the vast Cabrespine Chasm near Carcassonne, this wine spent part of its time resting in clay amphorae set in the upper cave, then the rest submerged in an underground river…

  • Louis Pommery Brut Royal

    Louis Pommery Brut Royal

    Pommery was the first Champagne house to introduce a Brut style with low dosage back in 1874. ‘Brut Royal’ is the flagship non-vintage cuvée of the house, created to capture the essence of Pommery’s style, which is centred on liveliness, finesse and freshness. This non-vintage wine sits at 12.5% ABV and is composed of 34%…

  • Barossa Blood Ink Shiraz

    Barossa Blood Ink Shiraz

    Barossa Blood Ink Shiraz is making a bold show this Halloween with a limited-edition makeover, featuring striking new front and back labels designed to catch the eye and chill the spine. While the look is for Halloween, what’s inside the bottle remains the same as the usual Barossa Ink Shiraz, the UK’s top-selling premium Shiraz….

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Did You Know?

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