Screwcap damage: how much of a problem is it? For this Henschke Johann’s Garden 2023, not so much
I’ve talked a lot about the problems of cork taint. It’s still here, but at a reduced rate from the
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Regions
Some amazing Spanish wines from Rioja and Sherry: tasting some of the winners from the International Wine Challenge
These are gold medal and trophy winners from the 2025 edition of the International Wine Challenge, which I tasted live
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Glenelly is making some increasingly impressive wines from its vineyard on the Simonsberg, Stellenbosch
Website: https://glenellyestate.com/ Glenelly is Stellenbosch with a French accent. Back in 2004 former Château Pichon-Longueville-Lalande owner May de Lencquesaing purchased
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Quinta da Pellada/Quinta de Saes: the Castros are doing something special in Portugal’s Dão region
Website: https://www.quintadapellada.com/ Alvaro Castro and his daughter Maria have been very important in the modern Dão story. They have two
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Woodfine: radically natural wines and ciders from a farm on the edge of the Chilterns who have measured the impact of their regenerative approach
Website: https://www.woodfinewine.com/ In 2021 Richard Woodfine left his job and took over a 16 acre farm in Seer Green, Buckinghamshire.
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Tasting a wide range of Swedish wines
I was in Sweden talking at the Swedish Wine Association annual meeting this weekend. As part of the event, there
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Álvar de Dios: making exceptional wines in Arribes, Toro and Zamora, Spain
Website: https://alvardedios.com/en/ Álvar de Dios works in Zamora, near the border with Portugal, in three different villages, including the southern
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Highlights: Champagne Laurent Perrier Brut NV
Website: https://www.laurent-perrier.com/en/champagnes/la-cuvee/ This is a blend of more than 100 lots of wine, with 15-30% reserve wines, and a varietal
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Gant & Co: stylish wines from Margaret River, Western Australia
Website: https://www.gantandco.com.au/ Matt Gant is an Australian winemaker known for his brand First Drop, which he made for 15 years
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2023 was a tricky vintage in Hawke’s Bay, but this selection of Chardonnays impressed
Hawke’s Bay is proving to be an amazing region for Chardonnay, making some of New Zealand’s best examples. This was
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