Reviews

  • ZONIN Cuvée Zero

    ZONIN Cuvée Zero

    ZONIN has a new offering in the increasingly popular area of low- and no-alcohol wines. While many products in this category often taste more like juice than wine, sparkling varieties tend to hold up better due to the appeal of the bubbles. This recent launch from ZONIN, a producer known for premium Prosecco and collaborations…

  • M&S Collection Poggio Tosco Chianti Classico Riserva

    M&S Collection Poggio Tosco Chianti Classico Riserva

    M&S Collection Poggio Tosco Chianti Classico Riserva 2019 is an Italian red from Tuscany, made by the Azienda Uggiano winery. This blend is predominantly Sangiovese (80%) with the remaining 20% likely composed of Cabernet Sauvignon and Canaiolo, given the usual composition of Chianti from this winery. It sits in M&S’s ‘Collection’ range, which features top-tier…

  • Co-op Irresistible Assyrtiko

    Co-op Irresistible Assyrtiko

    Greek wines are enjoying a growing presence in the UK market, with particular popularity around Assyrtiko, a vibrant and flavourful grape variety, with wineries such as Kir-Yianni leading the way. Assyrtiko’s profile is often compared to the boldness of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, though it brings its own distinct blend of mineral, citrus and peach…

  • M&S Notte Stellata Rossa Primitivo di Manduria

    M&S Notte Stellata Rossa Primitivo di Manduria

    M&S Notte Stellata Rossa Primitivo di Manduria is made from grapes grown in the San Marzano region of Puglia in Italy, with the new 2022 vintage offering a touch more strength at 14.5% ABV. This wine, which previously won a Silver at the International Wine Challenge. It spends six months ageing in a mix of…

  • Bel Air Parcellaire Merlot

    Bel Air Parcellaire Merlot

    I couldn’t resist trying this new Bordeaux from the Coop. Made from 100% Merlot, the Bel Air Parcellaire Merlot 2023, from Maison Sichel, is made from their select vineyard plots renowned for producing high-quality wines with a distinctive terroir expression, particularly benefiting from clay soils typical of Bordeaux’s right bank. On the nose, it offers…

  • Hacienda Uvanis, Garnacha Old Vines

    Hacienda Uvanis, Garnacha Old Vines

    I often buy wines that have caught my eye during press tastings and I first spotted this one at a Lidl press tasting early in 2024. It has been sitting around for a while, being overlooked as newer wines arrived. However, I decided to open it on a whim and was amazed by how good…

  • Taittinger Prestige Rosé

    Taittinger Prestige Rosé

    This Champagne, primarily from the 2019 vintage, is a blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, and 25% Meunier, with an ABV of 12.5%. This wine has gained high praise, winning accolades from critics such as James Suckling, Wine Spectator, Decanter and Robert Parker. It has also earned a Gold Medal at the Concours des…

  • Tbilvino Saperavi

    Tbilvino Saperavi

    Tbilvino, a very ambitious Georgian winery, has set its sights on becoming the country’s leading producer. This wine, Tbilvino Saperavi 2023 13.5%, is made from the Saperavi grape what’s known as a teinturier grape, meaning it has both dark skin and red flesh. From the moment the wine is poured, it commands attention, flowing from…

  • C.V.N.E Cune Rioja Reserva

    C.V.N.E Cune Rioja Reserva

    C.V.N.E Cune Rioja Reserva 2019 is a blend of Tempranillo (85%), Garnacha and Mazuelo grapes and has an ABV of 14%. The grapes for Cune Reserva are sourced from the estate’s own vineyards, known as Caballeros, Santo Tomás and Sarnamoros in the prestigious Rioja Alta region. Grapes are aged in a combination of French and…

  • Chosen by Majestic ‘Greek White’

    Chosen by Majestic ‘Greek White’

    I stumbled upon this great wine by chance during an evening out at a local amateur dramatics production, set in Greece, where we were also served Greek food. This 2023 vintage is a custom blend made for Majestic by the Kintonis winery in the Peloponnese, predominantly featuring Malagousia, along with Roditis and Assyrtiko, resulting in…

  • Mayu Carménère Appassimento

    Mayu Carménère Appassimento

    After thoroughly enjoying the Mayu Pinot Noir at a recent press tasting, I was eager to try their Carménère. This 2020 vintage comes from the Elqui Valley, one of Chile’s most extreme wine regions, situated nearly 5,000 feet above sea level. With around 300 days of sunshine a year, this climate offers ideal conditions for…

  • Finest Côtes de Provence Rosé

    Finest Côtes de Provence Rosé

    This wine, produced by Castel Frères, stood out to me during a Tesco Summer tasting and I even highlighted it in a roundup at the time. However, it wasn’t until recently that I had the chance to explore this wine in more detail. Now, I’m convinced this is my top pick for the best quality…

  • Errazuriz Max Carménère

    Errazuriz Max Carménère

    The Errazuriz Max Carménère is a wine that honours its heritage, named after the founder Maximiano Errázuriz, and made from the challenging yet rewarding 2022 season, one of the driest in the last century. This resulted in a more concentrated wine, rich in both colour and flavour, which is immediately noticeable in its vibrant deep…

  • Hancock & Hancock Tempranillo

    Hancock & Hancock Tempranillo

    I decided to try Hancock & Hancock’s 2021 Tempranillo because Tempranillo is more commonly associated with Spain’s Rioja region, not Australia in this case. However, the grape is increasingly thriving in Australia’s warm climates, including McLaren Vale. The Hancock brothers, Chris and John, established this label in 2015, with Chris bringing decades of experience from…

  • The Wine Box Porto

    The Wine Box Porto

    In September 2024, my wife and I spent a week in Portugal on an organised tour, exploring the regions between Lisbon and Porto. Throughout the trip, we drank wine in various places, but most of it was average and unremarkable. We were told that the Portuguese, who tend to favour beer over wine, export the…

  • Porto World of Wine

    Porto World of Wine

    In September 2024, my wife and I took a tour to Portugal, including both Lisbon and Porto. During our time in Porto, we had the chance to explore the new World of Wine (WoW), which had opened since our last visit. WoW emerged following a change in regulations that no longer required port wine to…

  • Villa Maria Seaspray Sauvignon Blanc

    Villa Maria Seaspray Sauvignon Blanc

    Villa Maria’s Single Vineyard Seaspray Sauvignon Blanc is a standout wine from the eastern coastline of the Awatere Valley, a cooler and windier sub-region of Marlborough, New Zealand. This area is known for its slow-growing season, which allows the grapes to develop an intense concentration and depth of flavour. The 2021 vintage of this wine…

  • Virgen del Galir Val do Galir Godello

    Virgen del Galir Val do Galir Godello

    Virgen del Galir Val do Galir Godello 2023 is a white wine from Valdeorras in Galicia, Spain. Produced by Bodegas Virgen, which was purchased by CVNE, a notable name in Rioja, back in 2018, this wine reflects the region’s traditional winemaking techniques. The wine has gained recognition, with a solid 91 points from Robert Parker….

  • Viña Pomal 106 Barricas

    Viña Pomal 106 Barricas

    Viña Pomal, famously associated with Winston Churchill as his reputed bodega of choice, offers its 106 Barricas Rioja Reserva 2019 as a limited edition tribute. The name ‘106’ pays homage, originally in 2010, to the 106th anniversary of the winery’s first harvest in 1904, with only 50,000 bottles produced for this exclusive edition. The wine…

  • Three Domaine Bousquet Malbecs

    Three Domaine Bousquet Malbecs

    I first came across Domaine Bousquet Malbec at the London Wine Fair, where I singled out Bousquet Gran Malbec, having won a Gold in the Drinks Business Malbec Masters. Here, I explore the winery further, along with its range of sister wines. The Bousquet family, originally from Carcassonne in southern France, have four generations of…

Follow

Did You Know?

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