Reviews

  • La Belle Angèle Pinot Noir

    La Belle Angèle Pinot Noir

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    Simon Judge

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    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…

  • Definition Mosel Riesling Kabinett

    Definition Mosel Riesling Kabinett

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    Simon Judge

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    Mosel Riesling Kabinett is part of Majestic’s own-label ‘Definition ‘ collection, designed to showcase what they see as the definitive expression of a particular grape, region or style. In this case, the German Kabinett classification represents the lightest, earliest harvested style in the Prädikatswein hierarchy, produced from grapes picked just beyond ripeness. This results in…

  • Castello di Albola Chianti Classico

    Castello di Albola Chianti Classico

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    Simon Judge

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    Castello di Albola Chianti Classico is a red wine from a historic estate perched high in the hills of Radda in Chianti. The grapes are organically grown in the heart of Tuscany, with the estate’s lineage reaching back to the Middle Ages. Since 1979 it has been under the care of the Zonin family, who…

  • Extra Special Marques del Norte Rioja

    Extra Special Marques del Norte Rioja

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    Simon Judge

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    This is one of those wines you almost have to try, simply because it’s been given so may accolades this year. It took Gold at the 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards with an impressive 95 points, picked up Silver at the IWSC with 94 points and another Silver at the IWC scoring 92. Having enjoyed…

  • No.1 Cederberg Syrah

    No.1 Cederberg Syrah

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    Simon Judge

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    I had to include this one in my awards25 series because the 2022 vintage earned both an IWC Silver and an IWSC Silver. From the West Coast of South Africa, this Syrah comes from Cederberg, where the fifth generation of the Nieuwoudt family now oversees the estate. They are widely regarded as one of the…

  • Baronesa de Vilar Rosé Port

    Baronesa de Vilar Rosé Port

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    Simon Judge

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    Made by Alvaro van Zeller, a 15th-generation winemaker from one of the Douro Valley’s most renowned families, whose lineage dates back to 1715 and once included ownership of the iconic Quinta do Noval, this rosé port reflects both heritage and innovation. Rosé port itself is a relatively recent addition to the Douro, only introduced in…

  • Nero Oro Riserva

    Nero Oro Riserva

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    Simon Judge

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    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…

  • Villa Maria Marlborough Wairau Valley Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

    Villa Maria Marlborough Wairau Valley Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

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    Simon Judge

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    I tried this one as part of my awards25 series after the 2024 vintage achieved an IWC Gold with 95 points. Made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, the 2024 growing season saw low rainfall and cooler weather which led to a reduced crop yield and consequently more concentrated flavours balanced by fresh acidity. Specific yeast strains…

  • Extra Special Dão

    Extra Special Dão

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    Simon Judge

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    Reviewed here as part of my awards25 series, this 2021 vintage picked up a Silver medal at the IWSC with 92 points. Produced and bottled by Falua Sociedade de Vinhos, it comes from Dão in northern Portugal and is made from 60% Mencía and 40% Touriga Nacional. At 13.5% ABV, it opens with a delicate…

  • Extra Special Albariño Rias Baixas

    Extra Special Albariño Rias Baixas

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    Simon Judge

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    This 2024 vintage of Extra Special Albariño from Rías Baixas, produced by Bodegas Pazo Cilleiro in Galicia, stands out not just for its gleaming trio of 2025 medals, bronze from IWC, silver from IWSC, and bronze from Decanter, but for offering a genuine taste of its Atlantic homeland. Made entirely from Albariño and bottled at…

  • Heaphy Hill Riesling

    Heaphy Hill Riesling

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    Simon Judge

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    This is a distinctive white from Nelson, in the north-west of New Zealand’s South Island, a region known as Nelson Tasman. Made from 100% Riesling, this wine comes from one of New Zealand’s oldest vineyards, which is unirrigated and small in scale. The wine spent eight months resting on fine lees before bottling, adding depth…

  • Finest Sancerre Rosé

    Finest Sancerre Rosé

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    Simon Judge

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    I wanted to try this as it recently won a Gold medal at the International Wine Challenge (IWC), which caught my attention since golds account for less than 1% of all medals awarded. It’s made from Pinot Noir grapes grown in Sancerre and bottled at the source in the Loire by Fournier Père et Fils,…

  • Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux Blanc

    Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux Blanc

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    Simon Judge

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    This sparkling wine from Bordeaux is a blend of 70% Sémillon and 30% Cabernet Franc, made using the traditional method with the second fermentation in the bottle that lasts for 11 months. This the 2022 vintage and sits at 12% ABV. The bubbles are small and stayed for a very long time, giving it a…

  • Expressions Fetească Regală

    Expressions Fetească Regală

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    Simon Judge

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    This is a Romanian white wine produced by Cramele Recaș in Transylvania, a region with a winemaking history that stretches back centuries. The vineyards in this area are thought to be among the oldest in the world, with Roman origins and documented references to the Recaș vineyard land dating as far back as 1447. For…

  • Waitrose No.1 Barossa Shiraz

    Waitrose No.1 Barossa Shiraz

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    Simon Judge

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    This wine is part of Waitrose’s premium No.1 range, aimed at those seeking standout quality. Having been impressed by the No.1 La Val Albariño and Margaux, I had high hopes for this Shiraz, which boasts a 2025 IWC Silver medal and a 93-point rating. It’s produced by the seventh-generation Lindner family and aged in a…

  • Co-op Irresistible Cabernet Sauvignon

    Co-op Irresistible Cabernet Sauvignon

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    Simon Judge

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    I’m reviewing the 2023 vintage of Co-op Irresistible Cabernet Sauvignon as part of my awards25 series. This particular vintage won a silver medal at the 2024 International Wine Challenge (IWC), so I was naturally keen to try it. It’s produced by Viña Indómita in Chile’s Maipo Valley, with winemaking led by Diego Covarrubias. This is…

  • Esporão Bico Amarelo

    Esporão Bico Amarelo

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    Simon Judge

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    This, 2024 vintage, wine has swiftly risen to prominence, securing a remarkable 96 points and claiming both the IWC Vinho Verde Trophy and the Portuguese White Trophy at the International Wine Challenge 2025. Its lineage traces back to Quinta do Ameal, an estate established in the early 1700s, which Esporão rejuvenated a few years ago,…

  • Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône Rosé Réserve

    Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône Rosé Réserve

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    Simon Judge

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    This 2024 vintage draws inspiration from the lively elegance of 1920s Paris, a time when food, wine, music and art flourished. It also marks a period of transformation in the Rhône Valley, when the first co-operatives, like Les Dauphins, were formed. This rosé is a blend of 85% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 5% Cinsault, with…

  • ¡Hola! Mediterraneo Orange Spritz

    ¡Hola! Mediterraneo Orange Spritz

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    Simon Judge

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    As I write this, the UK is in the grip of a heatwave and I’ve been on the lookout for something light, refreshing and a little bit different to help cope with the warmth. This Spanish spritz fits the bill perfectly. Coming in at 8.5% ABV, this spritz comes from Catalunya, in the heart of…

  • Cuvée de Brieu Syrah

    Cuvée de Brieu Syrah

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    Simon Judge

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    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…

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