Reviews

  • Marks & Spencer Classics No. 37 Shiraz

    Marks & Spencer Classics No. 37 Shiraz

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    Simon Judge

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    This wine is part of the M&S Classics range, a line that draws on trusted wine styles from celebrated regions, with an eye on quality and accessibility. This 2024 vintage is from South Australia and comes with a strong showing in this year’s awards, having earned a Silver from the IWC and a Bronze from…

  • Exceptional by Asda Grüner Veltliner

    Exceptional by Asda Grüner Veltliner

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    Simon Judge

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    This Austrian white caught my attention at the Asda Spring 2025 press tasting. It stood out immediately in a strong line-up and I was keen to take a closer look before it hits the shelves. It’s already just picked up a Bronze at the IWSC and it’s easy to see why. Made by Markus Huber…

  • Moillard Thomas Santenay Rouge

    Moillard Thomas Santenay Rouge

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    Simon Judge

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    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….

  • La Belle Angèle Rosé

    La Belle Angèle Rosé

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    Simon Judge

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    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…

  • Wildstone Roussanne

    Wildstone Roussanne

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    Simon Judge

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    From the Chilean producer Luis Felipe Edwards, Wildstone is a wine that pays tribute to the rugged stone that emerges untamed from the landscape, carving its own way through plains and forests of Chile itself. The grapes for this white come from the Colchagua Coast, an area increasingly recognised for producing distinctive wines. I first…

  • Taste the Difference Crémant d’Alsace

    Taste the Difference Crémant d’Alsace

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    Simon Judge

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    Taste the Difference Crémant d’Alsace is made from 75% Pinot Blanc and 25% Pinot Gris from Alsace in France. This non-vintage wine sits at 12% ABV and undergoes its second fermentation in bottle, in the same way as Champagne, and is aged for 18 months on its lees. I first discovered it at the Sainsbury’s…

  • Definition Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon

    Definition Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon

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    Simon Judge

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    I first came across this wine last year when it was announced as a new wine at a Majestic press tasting. Since then, I’ve purchased it twice and had the chance to spend a bit more time with it, getting to understand it better on each occasion. The wine is made by Kanonkop for Majestic…

  • Parcel Series English Sparkling Brut

    Parcel Series English Sparkling Brut

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    Simon Judge

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    Majestic’s Parcel Series wines are sourced from top-tier wineries that discreetly offer a limited amount of stock at significantly reduced prices. This arrangement allows the producers to free up valuable cellar space, while presenting customers with a rare chance to enjoy high-quality wines for much less than their usual cost. This particular wine is a…

  • Mayu Gran Reserva Single Vineyard Pinot Noir

    Mayu Gran Reserva Single Vineyard Pinot Noir

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    Simon Judge

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    I was impressed by this wine at a Majestic press tasting in Autumn 2024. I bought a bottle not long after but it’s taken me some time to get round to opening it. It’s from the Elqui Valley in Chile, where Mayu has been producing wine since 2005. The Mayu name comes from an ancient…

  • Toro Loco Superior Rosé

    Toro Loco Superior Rosé

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    Simon Judge

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    When you have seen Toro Loco at Aldi you would be forgiven for thinking it’s one of their brands invented just for the supermarket shelf, but it’s very much the real thing. It’s produced by NVC Bodegas in Utiel-Requena, a region just inland from Valencia in Spain. This wine is the result of a community…

  • Moillard Thomas Mâcon Rouge

    Moillard Thomas Mâcon Rouge

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    Simon Judge

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    Moillard-Thomas is in Nuits-Saint-Georges, in the Côtes de Nuits and is one of the oldest wine merchants in the region. This Mâcon Rouge, 2024 vintage, 12.5%, from Burgundy, France, is made entirely from Gamay grapes. This light purplish wine starts with a fruity aroma, gently underpinned by a savoury note that hints at something earthy,…

  • Mount Rozier Reserve Merlot

    Mount Rozier Reserve Merlot

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    Simon Judge

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    Mount Rozier Reserve Merlot comes from the foothills of the Hottentot Mountains in South Africa’s Western Cape, produced by the Mount Rozier winery. The estate traces its roots back to the early 1800s, when Annie Rozier, a flower merchant known for foraging wild blooms in the Schapenberg hills, established a reputation for creating natural remedies….

  • Calvet Sancerre

    Calvet Sancerre

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    Simon Judge

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    This Calvet Sancerre 2024, 12.5%, is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire region of France. It is grown on a hillside overlooking the left bank of the Haute Loire. In the glass, it has a pale yellow colour with delicate green reflections. Even when served very cold, it releases a strong and enticing aroma of…

  • Parcel Series ‘No.77’ Chilean Red Blend

    Parcel Series ‘No.77’ Chilean Red Blend

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    Simon Judge

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    Parcel Series wines come from top-class wineries that quietly sell a limited quantity to Majestic at a fraction of their usual price to clear some space in their cellars, making this a rare opportunity to buy. This particular wine comes from the Viña Vik vineyard, set in the foothills of the Andes mountains. The vineyard…

  • Mount Rozier Chenin Blanc Reserve

    Mount Rozier Chenin Blanc Reserve

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    Simon Judge

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    Mount Rozier Chenin Blanc Reserve is a white wine from the foothills of the Hottentot Mountains, produced by the Mount Rozier winery in South Africa’s Western Cape wine region. The estate has a rich heritage, founded at the turn of the 19th century by Annie Rozier, a local flower merchant known for gathering wildflowers in…

  • Apelación Cabernet Franc

    Apelación Cabernet Franc

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    Simon Judge

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    Apelación Cabernet Franc by Zuccardi is an interesting expression of this variety, made by a winery more widely known for its Malbec. Made from 100% Cabernet Franc, the grapes are carefully sourced from select vineyards in Paraje Altamira and across the wider Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina, a region renowned for its high-altitude viticulture. The…

  • Definition Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

    Definition Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

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    Simon Judge

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    This 2018 vintage of Saint-Émilion Grand Cru comes from the right bank of the River Garonne, from the family-run Château du Roy. It is made from 35-year-old vines and sits at 13.5% ABV. While it’s Merlot-led, it also includes some Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. I almost didn’t review this bottle. On opening, it was…

  • Blueprint Pinot Noir

    Blueprint Pinot Noir

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    Simon Judge

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    Blueprint Pinot Noir from Waitrose is part of a range created to highlight excellent-value, classic wines from around the world. Each bottle is chosen not just for quality, but for how faithfully it represents its style and place of origin. The label design reflects the winemaker’s region, adding a touch of visual charm to the…

  • Les Dauphins Cotes du Rhone

    Les Dauphins Cotes du Rhone

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    Simon Judge

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    Les Dauphins wines take their cue from the vibrant spirit of 1920s Paris, a time when jazz, art, fine food and wine flourished and when the Rhône Valley saw the formation of its first co-operatives. This cultural backdrop shapes the character of these wines, which are made by the Union des Vignerons des Côtes du…

  • w/o Organic Grillo Spumante

    w/o Organic Grillo Spumante

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    Simon Judge

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    From Sicily comes a new project from winemaker Dino Taschetta: w/o – meaning a wine made without compromise. This sparkling wine is made from the indigenous Grillo grape believed to be a cross between Cataratto and Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria). Grillo is a versatile grape capable of producing both still and sparkling wines. In this…

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