Other peoples’ recommendations of what to buy

Rob Buckhaven from Metro explores the stigma around supermarket wines, noting that people are often hesitant to bring own-brand bottles to social events, fearing judgment, though they’re happy to drink them in private. Rob suggests we care less about others’ perceptions, as supermarket wines are often made by top producers and offer excellent value. Here’s…

David Williams of The Guardian has some recommendations for richer, fuller white wines as an alternative to the usual reds. Wildstone Reserva Roussanne 2024, Colchagua Valley, Chile – £8 at WaitroseAlso previously also tipped by me from the Waitrose tasting, this wine from Chile’s reliable Luis Felipe Edwards has a full-bodied, autumnal appeal, featuring mouth-filling…

The Guardian Newspaper has an article by Hannah Crosbie that explores the dominance of Provence in the rosé wine market, noting that many people mistakenly believe rosé is only made there. However, rosé is produced worldwide, offering unique qualities that shouldn’t be overlooked. Hannah encourages readers to explore rosés from different regions, which can offer…

The Global Chenin Blanc Masters competition recently highlighted the remarkable versatility of Chenin Blanc, which produces some of the finest sweet and dry white wines, both with and without oak, as well as sparkling wines. The Loire Valley is its historic home, producing notable sparkling and sweet wines, such as Crémant de Loire, sparkling Vouvray,…

Decanter Magazine regularly features a “Weekday Wines” section showcasing top wines under £20, along with a “Weekend Wines” section highlighting selections priced between £20 and £50. These sections focus on the more affordable end of the wine spectrum, making quality wines accessible to a broader audience. I’m pleased to say that some of the wines…

At this year’s WineGB Awards, wines from 13 counties won trophies, with a record number of Gold medals awarded. The ceremony was held on 19 July at The Drapers’ Hall in London. Kent’s Chapel Down was the standout winner, claiming Supreme Champion, Top Sparkling Wine, Best Prestige Cuvée, the South East Trophy, Best Chardonnay, Joint…

Fiona Beckett, the Guardian’s wine critic for nearly 14 years, is stepping down to pursue other interests, mainly travel, as she approaches her 76th birthday. Reflecting on changes since she began in 2010, Fiona notes her shift towards lighter, fresher wines, the rise of natural and orange wines and the increasing quality of English and…

The Global Syrah Masters is an annual event celebrating the distinguished grape variety, Syrah. This year saw a high number of wines awarded with Silver, Gold and Master medals. Syrah’s traditional home is in the northern Rhône valley, but it has spread to southern regions and beyond, including Australia and New Zealand, with notable entries…

Italy is renowned for Sangiovese, its most planted wine grape, covering around 70,000 hectares. In Tuscany, Sangiovese is often blended with international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah, except in Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino where blending is not permitted. The recent Global Sangiovese Masters showcased mainly Tuscan wines, with some from…

Rosé wines have grown in popularity, particularly in the UK, where a significant number of consumers now enjoy them in bars and restaurants. This surge in popularity has led to a broader acceptance of rosé wines as versatile options for food pairing. A new article at Decanter highlights the main methods of making rosé wines…

The Global Sparkling Masters 2024, held on 9 May at Bellanger in Islington, London, featured high-quality judges evaluating 210 wines from 14 countries. Wines were awarded Gold, Silver, or Bronze medals, with the best receiving the title of Sparkling Master. Among the entries, Italy had the most submissions, while the US did not secure any…

The Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2024 has revealed its Top 20 Value Gold wines, showcasing the best wines under £15. These wines deliver exceptional quality for their price, making them ideal choices for everyday enjoyment without compromising on excellence. The judging process involves blind tastings and evaluations by regional panels and co-chairs, ensuring that…

The eighth WineGB Awards saw a record-breaking number of entries and gold medals, with wines from 33 counties across England and Wales receiving accolades. Over 350 medals were awarded: 177 for sparkling wines and 174 for still wines, with a significant increase in gold medals for still wines compared to 2023. Notable categories included Classic…

The Decanter World Wine Awards 2024 results are out, highlighting the best wines from over 18,000 entries across 57 countries. France led with the most top medals, including 12 Best in Show awards. Notable winners include Burgundy and Champagne. Other standout regions are Australia, Spain and Italy. The awards also featured impressive performances from emerging…

A new article from The Drinks Business highlights twelve luxury rosés, detailing their unique characteristics and appeal to fine wine enthusiasts. The selection spans various regions and styles, emphasising high-quality production and distinctive flavour profiles. These rosés are premium choices for discerning palates, often accompanied by notable packaging and prestigious vineyard reputations. Here is the…

The Guardian newspaper has an article on Wines to Capture the Taste of Summer: Theopetra Estate Xinonmavro Rosé, Meteora, Greece 2022An outstanding Greek rosé with mandarin-orange tingling and ripe stone fruit flavoirs. £21.75 from corkingwines.co.uk. Gerard Bertrand Orange Gold, IGP Pays d’Oc, France 2021Stylish orange wine with gentle tannic bite, spice, and exotic fruit flavours….

After a break due to the pandemic, the Sommelier Wine Awards (SWA) resumed at The Oval in London this year. This unique competition, dedicated to wines for the on trade (hospitality) industry in Britain, provides a specialised platform where the best of suppliers’ offerings can be showcased. The event is judged by professionals within the…

The International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) has recently announced the results of thousands of entries judged by a team of more than 120 international experts. This panel included over 20 Masters of Wine and nearly a dozen Master Sommeliers. The results are available in an online database. Champagne stood out with a great performance,…

Wine Merchant magazine has recently announced its annual Top 100 wines. This year marks the first in-person judging since the pandemic, with judges from 38 independent stores across the UK participating in the selection process. The initial selection consisted of over 900 wines, reflecting a diverse range of offerings. Among the trends observed in this…

The Global Cabernet Sauvignon Masters 2024 took place on 17 April 2024 at The Thomas Cubitt in London. Renowned for its rigorous judging process, this prestigious event draws on the expertise of seasoned wine judges, ensuring that only the finest wines receive awards. Each wine was evaluated rigorously, with the standout entries being awarded Gold,…
In 2024, the UK was the second-largest export market for Champagne globally, after the United States. More
Local UK bottling of wine which 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










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