, ,

Majestic Italian Wine Tasting

Posted by

In August 2024, I went to an Italian wine tasting at my local Majestic in Woking, just a few doors down from the infamous Woking Pizza Express. It was an enjoyable evening, sampling a variety of Italian wines, including Franciacorta, Soave, Gavi, Greco Di Tufo, a Rosso Veronese, Chianti and a Brunello. Among these, a few wines stood out as particularly memorable.

Gavi Groppella La Chiara DOCG 2023 (12.5%)
Made entirely from 100% Cortese di Gavi grapes, I thought this wine was the best of the evening. The 45-year-old vines and the 10-month aging in 225-litre French oak barriques imparted a pleasing apricot and grapefruit aroma, with a mineral undertone and deep vanilla taste that were surprisingly prominent over the oak. This vanilla twist set it apart, making it a unique experience. £19.99 for a mix of six.

Triplica Greco Di Tufo DOCG 2022 (13%)
Produced by one of Italy’s most dynamic and talented winemakers, Alessandro Michelon, this wine brought tropical flavours to the forefront, with notes of mango, pear and citrus. It had more body than most Greco Di Tufos, making it a richer and more satisfying option. Priced at £9.99 for a mix of six.

Piccini Brunello Di Montalcino 2018 (14%)
This 100% Sangiovese wine of 2018 vintage earned Piccini a gold medal at the 2023 Global Sangiovese Masters awards. It featured smooth tannins and a ripe, fruit-driven character, with flavours of black cherry, blueberry, spice and liquorice. Unlike typical Brunellos that lean towards a fuller body, this one was more medium to full, making it easier to drink. £29.99 for a mix of six.

Masi ‘Campofiorin’ Rosso Veronese 2020 (13%)
This wine, made from Rondinella and Molinara grapes, underwent a second fermentation process with partially dried grapes, a technique known as “leggero appassimento,” which concentrates the flavour. With medium to full body, it offered notes of ripe cherry, with hints of tobacco, vanilla and cinnamon spice. It struck a balance between a standard Valpolicella and an Amarone in style, with a fruity, smooth profile and soft tannins. £13.99 for a mix of six.

I had been missing these local Majestic tastings, which I used to attend more than ten years ago. You often need to visit the store in person to get to know about these tastings, as not all of them are listed on the Majestic website.

Follow

Did You Know?

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