206K visits/month

Reviews

  • Vinca Organic Red Wine

    Vinca Organic Red Wine

    , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    I broke one of my own rules with this one, not picking up a wine simply because the packaging looks different or attractive, but curiosity got the better of me. Wine in a can is nothing unusual these days, but a full 750ml can certainly is. The can is made from recycled aluminium, with Vinca claiming it produces four times less CO2 than glass bottles. There is also a special internal lining designed to keep the wine protected from contact with the metal. The brand is Vinca Wine, founded by friends Jack Green, Zak Walters and Charlie Vass. Green’s interest…

  • High Clandon The Cerulean Cuvée

    High Clandon The Cerulean Cuvée

    , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    The Cerulean Cuvée 2020 was a real treat, shared with my wife and I, when we went round to see friends who live close to High Clandon Estate in East Clandon, on the chalky Surrey Hills. The estate was founded in 2004 by Sibylla and Bruce Tindale and is very much a small, boutique operation. I have visited before for events, with wine, including charity art exhibitions. Its one-acre vineyard is entirely hand tended. High Clandon has built an impressive reputation for such a small estate. It has won the IWC Cellar Door of the Year trophy twice and received…

  • De Chanceny, Crémant de Loire Rosé

    De Chanceny, Crémant de Loire Rosé

    , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    This is a non-vintage Crémant, from the vineyards located around the village of Brossay, in the southern part of the Saumur region. It is produced by Vignerons de Saumur and is a blend of 90% Cabernet Franc and 10% Grolleau, with an alcohol level of 11.5%. This wine is made using the traditional method, with a second fermentation in bottle, followed by ageing in tuffeau limestone cellars. Tuffeau is the distinctive white stone that was also used in the construction of many of the Loire’s famous castles. It picked up Silver at the 2022 Concours des Crémants, a Silver Medal…

  • Viña del Cura Reserva

    Viña del Cura Reserva

    , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    I first came across this wine at a Tesco press tasting and it was one of those wines that immediately stood out. I was interested to see whether a full bottle at home would live up to that first impression. This 2021 vintage is made from 100% Tempranillo by Barón de Ley. It spends 20 months ageing in French and American oak, followed by a further 16 months in bottle, and finishes at 14% abv. This is the real deal. It is estate bottled, with DOCa Rioja prohibiting bulk bottling, and it comes from a renowned producer with a strong…

  • Domaine des Echardières Touraine Rosé

    Domaine des Echardières Touraine Rosé

    , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    This wine comes from Domaine des Echardières in the Cher Valley, in France’s Loire region. It’s a lively blend of roughly equal quantities of Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Gamay and Grolleau, all bringing fragrance and juicy fruit, alongside a rare red grape, Pineau d’Aunis. This is the 2025 vintage, at 12.5% abv, and it has earned a very impressive 4.7 out of 5 on The Wine Society website. The colour is a delicate, almost luminous light pink. There’s a gentle floral character at first, quickly joined by fresh raspberry. Take a sip and it almost seems sweet for a moment, but…

  • Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore Palazzo Maffei

    Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore Palazzo Maffei

    , , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    I particularly liked this wine at the last Co-op press tasting and found myself looking for it every time I went into my local Co-op afterwards. It proved surprisingly elusive. I finally spotted it while on holiday in Dorset, so I snapped up a bottle. The Palazzo Maffei name comes directly from the historic estate once occupied by the Marquises Maffei. The Maffei family was prominent among Verona’s aristocracy, and the estate itself appears on maps dating from around 1600. This 2021 vintage is a blend of 60% Corvina, 30% Corvinone and 10% Rondinella. The Superiore designation means it has…

  • Ormarine Cuvée Estela Picpoul de Pinet

    Ormarine Cuvée Estela Picpoul de Pinet

    , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    This is the new 2025 vintage of this distinctive Picpoul from the South of France. It comes from the Languedoc, now administratively part of Occitanie, specifically the AOP Picpoul de Pinet appellation in Hérault. Unlike a classic Picpoul, Cuvée Estela spends a minimum of six months ageing on its lees, giving the wine greater weight and a richer, more rounded mouthfeel. The label prominently carries the words “Élevée sur Lies Fines”, making a clear distinction between this fuller lees-aged version and the producer’s more straightforward Picpoul bottlings. It comes in at 12.5% ABV. In the glass it is a pale…

  • Calabria Bélena Pinot Grigio

    Calabria Bélena Pinot Grigio

    , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    I covered the Calabria and Bélena story in my review of the sister Rosé wine. Calabria is an Italian family that migrated to Australia in 1945, and this one takes the Italian connection a little further, using one of Italy’s classic white grape varieties. This is the 2025 vintage, made from 100% Pinot Grigio and coming in at 12% ABV. As with the Rosé, the decorative, faceted crystal-style clear-glass bottle feels rather more Italian than Australian, and it is good enough to keep afterwards as a decorative water bottle. Both the bottle and the labels look considerably more premium than…

  • Esporão Monte Velho Red

    Esporão Monte Velho Red

    , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    Esporão is a producer I’ve liked for a long time, particularly for its Reserva. A few of their newer, more approachable wines have appeared in supermarkets very recently and I’ve been less impressed with those, so I was interested to try Monte Velho Red. It is again aimed at being an accessible, everyday wine, but it is available through more premium retailers. It comes from Portugal’s Alentejo wine region and was first released in 1992 as a more accessible, everyday expression inspired by Esporão Reserva. The blend changes somewhat with each vintage. There’s lots of information on the back label,…

  • Erazuriz Estate Reserva Pinot Noir

    Erazuriz Estate Reserva Pinot Noir

    , , , , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    Viña Errázuriz was founded in 1870 by Don Maximiano Errázuriz, who introduced French grape varieties to Chile’s Aconcagua Valley in Chile. This is the 2025 vintage, made from 100% Pinot Noir. It is lightly oaked, with 50% of the wine subsequently aged for six months in French oak barrels, and comes in at 13% abv. It pours a pale red, with red cherry, strawberry and rose coming through alongside a lovely herbal character. Strawberries and cherries lead the way when drinking, followed by gentle spice and a savoury mushroom character. It is dry, with a light to medium body, although…

  • Izakaya Red

    Izakaya Red

    , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    Last week I was in London and ate at Maki & Ramen in Soho. I’m becoming increasingly sceptical about ordering wine when eating out, partly because I’ve been disappointed too many times, and partly because some of the mark-ups are eye-watering. This time, though, I tentatively ordered the Izakaya Red from Portugal, described on the drinks list as “Specially made to compliment Japanese Cuisine”. It turned out to be a bit of a good surprise. The wine is Vinho Tinto by Caves Campelo in Portugal. The back label goes even further, declaring it “The Ultimate Wine for Asia Cuisine”. It…

  • Villiera Cap Classique Brut

    Villiera Cap Classique Brut

    , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    Villiera Cap Classique Brut comes from South Africa, from a producer that has become one of the country’s most respected names in sparkling wine. Villiera played an important part in establishing Cap Classique as one of South Africa’s flagship wine styles and became particularly associated with traditional-method sparkling wine, helped in its early years by Champagne producer Jean-Louis Denois. The word “Tradition” is particularly fitting here, as this was Villiera’s first Cap Classique, first produced in 1984. Villiera Wines is also home to the Pebbles Project, which enriches the lives of thousands of children in the Winelands of the Western…

  • Calabria Bélena Rosé

    Calabria Bélena Rosé

    , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    Calabria Bélena Rosé comes from Calabria Family Wines, drawing fruit from NSW/South Australia. “True Partnership” appears on the label, and there is a family story behind it. The name Bélena pays respect to the second generation, Bill and Lena Calabria, combining “Bill” and “Lena”. It celebrates their partnership in guiding the family through difficult periods and building a future for the generations that followed. The family originally came from Italy and the business is now into its fourth generation. It began in 1945 with Francesco and Elisabetta, who courageously journeyed across the world to forge a new future for their…

  • Heritage Côtes De Provence Rosé

    Heritage Côtes De Provence Rosé

    , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    Héritage Rosé from Famille Negrel comes from Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire. The producer is a little shy about revealing the exact blend, but it’s likely to be Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault. This is the 2024 vintage, vegan, with 12.5% abv, and it has an impressive 3.9 rating on Vivino. In the glass, it’s a very pale salmon. Strawberry, redcurrant, pink grapefruit and white flower aromas give it a bright, summery character. It’s dry, with delicate red fruit and citrus, brisk acidity and a light salinity. Medium to full in body, it has a particularly satisfying mouthfeel, and that extra sense…

  • Gaia Organic Malbec

    Gaia Organic Malbec

    , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    Gaia Organic Malbec takes its name from Gaia, the green goddess of the earth, who appears on the label. Behind it is a touch of French winemaking brought to Argentina by Domaine Bousquet, whose roots are in Carcassonne in southern France. The grapes are grown at 1,200 metres in Gualtallary, in Mendoza’s Tupungato Valley, where huge temperature shifts between day and night help shape the wine. The estate is organic, Demeter certified and also vegan. For this 2023 vintage, the wine comes in a lighter glass bottle than previously. It is made from 100% estate-grown Malbec grapes, aged in French…

  • Ombra Antica Galatina Rosso

    Ombra Antica Galatina Rosso

    , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    This is new to Laithwaites, and it comes from a tiny Italian wine region that is easy to overlook. Galatina, down in Puglia, is so small that the whole region produces roughly the same amount of wine as one medium-sized Italian estate. Rather unexpectedly, I found out more about the label on LinkedIn. It was designed by Miguel de Almeida Design. The central design takes its inspiration from the Torravento monastery in the Galatina area, along with the local tradition of the tarantata. This is connected with the historical belief that people bitten by a spider could be cured, or…

  • Vavasour Sauvignon Blanc

    Vavasour Sauvignon Blanc

    , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    I’ve picked out this wine at several past Co-op press tastings, so it felt like time to take a closer look at it. Vavasour is the name of the winery, one of the founding wineries in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley, an area once considered too cool, dry and exposed for serious viticulture. The rooster on the Vavasour label comes from the Vavasour family crest. The imagery refers to the family’s Anglo-Norman heritage, with an early Vavasour ancestor traditionally said to have served as a wine taster for William the Conqueror! This is the 2025 vintage and comes in at 12.5% ABV.…

  • W/O Nerello Mascalese Rosato Spumante

    W/O Nerello Mascalese Rosato Spumante

    , , , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    W/O Nerello Mascalese Rosato Spumante is a new addition to the W/O range, a sparkling rosé from the 2025 vintage. This is wine made without (W/O) compromise, with sustainability placed front and centre. It comes in a 100% post-consumer recycled wild glass bottle, with no neck foil. It is made from organic Nerello Mascalese, a grape usually used for red wines. One of Sicily’s leading varieties, it is often compared with Pinot Noir and goes into some seriously impressive, and seriously pricey, Etna reds. At 10.5%, it is also lower in alcohol. In the glass, it has small bubbles and…

  • Asda Exceptional Carménère

    Asda Exceptional Carménère

    , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    This has been a favourite of mine before, and this latest 2023 vintage comes in at a higher 14.5% ABV. I particularly enjoyed it at the recent Asda Exceptional Tasting, where I thought it was one of the best reds, so I wanted to try it again and look at it in a little more detail. It comes from Valle del Rapel in Chile, is made from 100% Carménère (the previous vintage used 10% Shiraz) and is produced by Viña Luis Felipe Edwards. In the glass, it is a light purple-ruby colour. Black plum and blackberry come through on the…

  • Finca Lalande Organic Cabernet Franc

    Finca Lalande Organic Cabernet Franc

    , , ,

    ·

    By

    Simon Judge

    –

    This wine, from Domaine Bousquet pays tribute to the winemaker’s French roots. The Bousquet family comes from the Languedoc, where it owned Domaine Lalande, a winery and vineyards based in Pennautier. The property was sold to fund the purchase of the family’s Argentine estate in the 1990s. Made from 100% Cabernet Franc with no oak influence, the wine is certified organic. The vineyards were planted on untouched land from 1997 onwards and have been certified organic from the very beginning. The 172-hectare property sits in Gualtallary, in Mendoza’s Uco Valley, at a dizzying altitude of 1,219 metres, or 4,000 feet.…

Pick Lists


Majestic | The Wine Society | Tesco | Waitrose | Sainsbury’s | Morrisons | Co-op | Asda | Lidl | £7 and Under | Over £20

TipS – Infographics


Buying | Menu Ordering | Labels | Drinking | Storing | Pairing

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

IMAGE WALL

View all the images

Tools

Typicity

Food & Wine Pairing

Recent

Tags

25% Off Wine Aldi Amarone Argentina Articles Asda Australia Award Awards25 Bizarre Blog Books Bordeaux Bulk Bottling Cabernet Sauvignon Carménère Cava Champagne Chardonnay Chile Climate Change Coop Crémant Decanter Duty English Wine EPR Fairtrade Food France Germany Glossary Greece Health Hungary Italy IWSC Jeroboams Laithwaites Legislation Liberty Wines Lidl Low Alcohol M&S Majestic Malbec Merch Merlot Morrisons Natural News New Zealand Non-Alcoholic Ocado Old Vine Organic Past Tastings Pick List Pinotage Pinot Grigio Pinot Noir Port Portugal Primitivo Prosecco Regulations Research Retailers Reviews Ribera del Duero Riesling Rioja Ripasso Rose Sainsbury's Saperavi Sauvignon Blanc Shiraz Sicily South Africa Spain Sparkling Supermarkets Sustainable Tax Terroir Tesco The Wine Society Unrepresented USA Valpolicella Virgin Wines Waitrose Wanderlust Welsh Wine What to Buy Wine Art WineGB WIne Glasses Zinfandel