Wednesday Wines

Matthew Jukes -Articles- Wednesday Wines

Wednesday Wines – Episode 323 – Kaesler New Icon Releases

Tasted on Tuesday 30th June 2026 I conducted this tasting online with Stephen Dew, Kaesler winemaker and Nigel van der Zande, GM and Viticulturalist.  All wines are already available or will be available from www.jeroboams.co.uk before too long. WHITE 2025 Kaesler, Old Vine Semillon £23.95, ABV 11% With a hint more fruit and more balancing traction…
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Matthew Jukes -Articles- Wednesday Wines

Wednesday Wines – Episode 322 – Portuguese Holiday Special – my favourites for 2026

As regular readers and Members of matthewjukes.com will know, I always publish a hit list of fabulous Portuguese wines each year, specifically for those of you who travel to Portugal for your holidays. These are all available online or on supermarket shelves, and I highly recommend them.  Even though you might be sceptical of a two-euro white wine,…
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Matthew Jukes -Articles- Wednesday Wines

Wednesday Wines – Episode 321 – The Penfolds Collection 2026

(Embargoed until 15.01 GMT on 22nd July 2026) with Peter Gago and joined by His Excellency The Honourable Jay Weatherill AO, Australia’s High Commissioner at the official residence, Stoke Lodge I was privileged to be the first to taste these wines in the world, alongside two other UK-based wine writers.  Please note that I have only included…
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Matthew Jukes -Articles- Wednesday Wines

Wednesday Wines – Episode 320 – Mitolo’s Amazing New Releases

I am very fortunate to have known Frank Mitolo and his McLaren Vale wines for a very long time, and each year, Mitolo sends me snapshot samples of their new releases.  Interestingly, despite Mitolo taking a year out from my 100 Best initiative, this winery has consistently ranked among the top 20 wineries in the country since the inception of my annual…
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Matthew Jukes -Articles- Wednesday Wines

Wednesday Wines – Episode 319 – A rare Vega-Sicilia vertical

Berry Bros & Rudd hosted a magnificent vertical of Vega-Sicilia yesterday.  The prices noted are all In Bond, exclusive of Duty and VAT, from www.bbr.com.   There are some very impressive wines below and I have noted my thoughts and scores, which were hastily typed out as I was on my way to the incredible UK Sommelier of the Year Competition! …
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Matthew Jukes -Articles- Wednesday Wines

Wednesday Wines – Episode 318 – 2014 Patience by Squerryes, launching today, and well worth the patience

Before I talk about this amazing wine, I wanted to go back 10, 8, and 5 years to three previous articles I have published on Squerryes’ sparkling wines.  Back in 2016, I mentioned a 2011 vintage in my comprehensive Daily Mail English Wine Compendium.  Two years later, I reviewed the 2013 again in the Daily Mail, and in 2021 I talked about a late-disgorged…
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Matthew Jukes -Articles- Wednesday Wines

Wednesday Wines – Episode 317 – The Last 23 Vintages of Pichon Baron, with Christian Seely & Pierre Montégut

Christian Seely (pictured above) arrived at Château Pichon Baron, 2ème Cru Pauillac, Bordeaux on 2nd January 2001.  Here are my thoughts and scores on every (finished and bottled) wine he has presided over during this period.  Back in the ‘90s, Pichon Baron made approximately 350000 bottles per year.  These days, they average 160000.  This reduction…
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Matthew Jukes -Articles- Wednesday Wines

Wednesday Wines – Episode 316 – PART 2 English Wine Week 20th – 28th June

In addition, here are some more wines I am likely to feature before too long, which have made a massive impact on my palate!  We have more wines than ever to be proud of this English Wine Week!  I have included snap one-liners on each for your perusal!  They are listed in alphabetical order.  Congrats to all below – these are brand-new discoveries…
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Matthew Jukes -Articles- Wednesday Wines

Wednesday Wines – Episode 316 – PART 1 English Wine Week 20th – 28th June

You are banned from drinking anything other than English wine from this Saturday for a week!  This is a decree from on high, and as well as my recommended wines being unutterably delicious, frenzied, elite wine consumption will also immeasurably help our wonderful English wine business!  Here is a collection of incredible wines that I have already…
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Matthew Jukes -Articles- Wednesday Wines

Wednesday Wines – Episode 316 – A World First – Johan Reyneke’s Awesome New Releases

A Tasting with Johan Reyneke 8th June 2026 The official global release for the Reyneke Estate wines is in September, but the UK sees these wines early, and I saw them on Monday, shortly after Johan Reyneke hopped off a plane!  RRPs are noted below, and retailers will be added soon.  The five Estate wines will be offered this week by The Wine…
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Matthew Jukes -Articles- Wednesday Wines

Wednesday Wines – Episode 315 – Restless River Vineyards – a rare vertical tasting

Restless River Vineyards, Hemel-En-Aarde Valley, South Africa with the brilliant Craig & Anne Wessels Est. 1998 Craig Wessels (Restless River) & Damon Quinlan (Liberty Wines) Here are my rough notes, taken at speed, ahead of the tasting! The Harvest Window and Vintage Conditions notes below are Craig’s own. Craig and Anne bought the…
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Matthew Jukes -Articles- Wednesday Wines

Wednesday Wines – Episode 314 – 2025 Bordeaux En Primeur Worthy of Consideration

As you might have noticed, there has been a distinct lack of noise from my direction regarding the 2025 Bordeaux En Primeur campaign this year.  You will have to zip back to my Notes post on the 24th April and also Wednesday Wines Episode 310 for a couple of serious recommendations, but I boycotted my visit this year for the first time in two decades…
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