In mid-September, I headed to the Majestic Autumn/Winter press tasting at Vagabond St Paul’s, London, which was the venue used for the original ‘First Dates’ TV programme.
Majestic, which owns Vagabond, has been busy expanding with a new store recently opened in Trowbridge and two new Vagabond bars in Soho and Canary Wharf. Over the course of the tasting, I worked my way through more than 100 wines. There was plenty to enjoy, but these are the bottles that really stood out for me:
Simonsig ‘Kaapse Vonkel’ Cap Classique Brut 2024 12% £16.00
From the Western Cape, South Africa, this is a blend of 56% Chardonnay, 43% Pinot Noir and 1% Pinot Meunier. It undergoes traditional secondary fermentation in bottle followed by a minimum of 14 months on the lees. Pale lemon in colour, it has citrus and green apple aromas alongside biscuit aromas from the lees. Zesty fruit is complemented by brioche and pastry complexity, leading to a dry, refreshing finish. It earned Gold at the 2025 Veritas Awards and 93 points in the 2026 Platter’s Wine Guide. Particularly good with the food served at lunchtime and I thought the best value for money across the 13 sparkling wines at the tasting.
Billecart-Salmon Le Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne NV 12% £76.00
From Champagne Billecart-Salmon in France, this is 100% Chardonnay sourced from four Grand Cru vineyard sites. Billecart-Salmon is one of the few remaining family-owned Champagne houses and is now in its seventh generation. The wine spends five years on the lees, adding considerable toasty complexity, while the final blend contains between 20% and 50% reserve wines. Pale lemon with a fine mousse, it has very deep citrus, apple and pastry aromas. Extremely crisp orchard fruit is balanced by autolytic creaminess, high acidity and a light body. Brut in sweetness, it finishes dry, bready and precise. A non-vintage wine is unusual at this (very high price) level, but blending with wines from previous years helps maintain consistency from year to year.
Sandridge Barton ‘Dart Valley Reserve’ 2023 10% £14.00
From Devon, England, this combines 70% Madeleine Angevine, 20% Bacchus, 8% Pinot Gris and 2% Pinot Blanc. Minimal-intervention winemaking includes indigenous yeast, no fining agents and minimal sulphites. Ten per cent is matured in old French oak barrels for three months, while the 2% Pinot Blanc component spends a year in 500-litre oak barrels. Deeply aromatic, with a pronounced Riesling-like petrol character, it also has tropical fruit, peach, pear, yellow apple and lemon flavours. The finish is long. Its lower alcohol level, without excess sweetness, makes it particularly appealing and it should work very well with Asian food.
Papel Encruzado 2025 12.5% £12.00
From Sociedade Agrícola Boas Quintas in the Dão, Portugal, this is made entirely from Encruzado grapes. The estate places considerable emphasis on biodiversity, natural cycle regulation and soil health. A portion of the final blend is selected for subtle oak integration, giving a slight oak influence to both the aroma and flavour. Dry and full in the mouth, it has a strong lemon, ripe pear and white peach character, coming across as, sort of like, white Burgundy. The finish is long. Something a little different, and very good value.
M. Chapoutier Collines Rhodaniennes Viognier 2024 11.5% £19.00
From the Collines Rhodaniennes in the Rhône, France, this is 100% Viognier from one of the oldest and most respected producers in the Rhône Valley. Indigenous yeasts are used during fermentation. Intense apricot and floral aromas lead into pear and apricot flavours, with honey and almonds adding further richness. It is an extreme expression of Viognier in almost every respect. Very rich and almost too much to drink on its own, it is perhaps better suited to food.
Urban Press Bacchus 2025 11.5% £16.00
Made from 100% Bacchus grown in Oxford and Sussex, including fruit from Yew Tree in Oxfordshire and Hidden Spring in Sussex. Urban Press is a Majestic exclusive produced through a collaboration with a London-based urban winery, with a limited run of just 4,000 bottles. The name was devised by the team at the Majestic Tunbridge Wells store, while the label was designed by Ben Bessant, Assistant Manager at Majestic Chichester. Six months on the lees adds texture and complexity. Grapefruit, melon, green apple and pineapple are all prominent. An extreme expression of English Bacchus and relatively expensive, although much easier to justify when viewed as a limited-run artisan wine.
Vereinigte Hospitien Riesling Trocken 2025 11.5% £15.00
From Vereinigte Hospitien in the Mosel, Germany, this is 100% Riesling. Pale lemon in colour, it is very intense, with green apple, lime and white blossom aromas. Citrus and green fruit are equally pronounced in the mouth, supported by high, bracing acidity and a clear mineral line. Dry, fresh and precise, it has excellent length and a long finish.
Rijckaert F. Rouve, ‘Sur le Marnes’, Côtes du Jura 2023 13% £20.00
From the Côtes du Jura in France, this is 100% Chardonnay. Belgian wine enthusiast Jean Rijckaert operates two winemaking facilities, allowing him to work close to his vineyards in both Burgundy and the Jura. Fermentation is slow and uses wild yeasts. Following the traditional Burgundian method, the wine is matured for 12 months in small 228-litre oak barrels. Medium lemon-gold in colour, it has intense ripe citrus and stone fruit aromas with hazelnut, butter and toast. Layered citrus and peach flavours combine with a creamy texture, generous mouthfeel and nutty complexity. Dry, with a long, nutty finish, it feels even more expensive than its price suggests.
Alamos Malbec 2024 12.5% £9.00
From Mendoza, Argentina, and produced by Catena, this combines 90% Malbec with 10% Bonarda. It spends six to eight months in medium-toast, 225-litre French oak barrels. Purple in colour, it has aromas of black plum, blackberry, violet and cocoa. Plush dark cherry and blackberry fruit are supported by soft tannins. Dry and medium to full bodied, it has a long, dark-fruited finish.
Chaffey Bros ‘Pax Aeterna’ Old Vine Grenache 2025 14% £18.00
From the Barossa Valley in South Australia, this is 100% Grenache. Chaffey Bros follows a ‘New Wave Barossa’ philosophy, producing small-batch, minimal-intervention and vegan-friendly wines. The fruit comes from low-yielding vines more than 93 years old, followed by four months of maturation in large-format neutral oak casks. Lovely raspberry, strawberry, baking spice and rose aromas lead into juicy red fruit taste. Dry and medium-bodied, with low to medium tannins, it finishes perfumed.
El Siete Reserva 2019 13.5% £11.00
From Bodegas Franco-Españolas in Rioja, Spain, this is 100% Tempranillo sourced from vineyards in Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Alta. It undergoes a minimum 36-month ageing process, including at least 12 months in oak and six months in bottle. Lovely, highly developed aromas of dried red fruits, leather, tobacco and sweet spice lead into mature red fruit flavours. Dry and medium-bodied, with low to medium tannins, the finish is long and elegant. There is also a Gran Reserva version for only £1 more, very similar, but I actually preferred the Reserva. Excellent value.
Chaffey Bros ‘Omnia Nova’ Syrah 2023 14% £18.00
From the Eden and Barossa Valleys in Australia, this is a 100% Shiraz from Chaffey Bros Wine Co. It is the sister wine to the previous old-vine Grenache and was just as good. Again using old-vine fruit, the grapes come from the Noack Vineyard in Eden Valley and the Rohrlach Vineyard in Barossa Valley. The wine matures for eight months in seasoned French oak. Purple in colour, it has intense blackberry, plum, graphite and pepper aromas. Concentrated dark fruit and low to medium tannins. Dry and medium bodied, it finishes dark and very slightly spicy.
Thelema ‘The Mint’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 14% £32.00
From Stellenbosch, South Africa, this is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Its name refers to the distinctive eucalyptus character found in the wine. It is aged for 18 months, with 35% of the wine matured in new French oak barrels. Deep ruby in colour, with blackcurrant, plum, cedar, herbs and eucalyptus aromas. Rich, structured dark fruit is combined with herbal and savoury flavours. Dry and full-bodied, with medium to high tannins, it has a long, cedary finish. The eucalyptus gives an interesting variation on the classic Cabernet Sauvignon style.
The Ned ‘Noble’ Sauvignon Blanc 2024 10.5% £13.00 (Half bottle)
From Marisco Vineyards in Marlborough, New Zealand, this is a rich and vibrant dessert wine made entirely from Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes are harvested only after natural botrytis is well established throughout the selected vineyard blocks, concentrating the sugars, acids and flavour compounds. Yeast strains are specifically selected for their ability to ferment in the unusual conditions created by these high sugar levels. Similar in style to Sauternes, it combines apricot and tropical fruit with marmalade and honey notes.
There were actually quite a few more wines I enjoyed but chose not to include, as I was also weighing up value for money rather than judging on taste alone. As with other retailers, wine prices are creeping up, and rises of those that were already on the high side now give me pause for thought.
Majestic continues to rotate its range to keep things interesting, while retaining a strong core selection. One noticeable omission from the tasting was the white-label Definition range, although these wines are still available.
