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videoMuga Rioja Blanco 2024 – Worth £14 a Bottle? (Episode 583)
When you think of Rioja, you probably think of red wine. But what about white Rioja? In this episode of Wine Mastery, John and John taste Muga Rioja Blanco 2024, purchased from The Wine Society for around £13.50–£14.50. Made predominantly from Viura, this Spanish white wine has plenty to offer. We discover a lovely creamy texture, layers of melon and fruit flavours, a touch of oak and a refreshing finish. But does it justify its price? We also explore why Muga makes its own oak barrels, whether this is a wine for summer or winter, and what foods we'd pair with it. From fish in butter sauce to a creamy blue cheese, there are some interesting possibilities! **In this review:** - What does Muga Rioja Blanco 2024 taste like? - Does the oak influence the flavour? - Is it good value for money? - Which foods and cheeses work best? - What scores do we give it? **Wine details** 🍇 Wine: Muga Rioja Blanco 2024 🇪🇸 Region: Rioja, Spain 🏪 Retailer: The Wine Society 💷 Price at record
video£15 Spanish Red We’d Happily Buy Again | Matsu El Recio (Episode 604)
We’re tasting Matsu El Recio, a Tempranillo from Toro, Spain, recommended by Carl at Majestic Wine's Stevenage branch. John remembers selling this wine years ago, but does it still live up to his memory? In the glass, we find dark fruit, chocolate, a hint of pepper and tannins that give this rich red a refreshing finish. We also settle the question of what to eat with it: steak, Roquefort, or perhaps both. We paid £15 as part of Majestic’s Mix Six offer. Prices may change. Watch to the end for our scores, then tell us: have you tried El Recio, and what would you pair with it? Thanks for joining us for another glass and a good old chat. 🍷 #WineMastery #SpanishWine #Tempranillo 00:00 A recommendation from Majestic 00:18 The face on the bottle 01:12 Price and Mix Six offer 01:56 Tempranillo from Toro 02:37 Colour and first impressions 03:07 Aromas: cherry, pepper and chocolate 04:00 The first taste 05:13 A rich wine you keep coming back to 07:10 Old vines and intense flavour 07:41
videoCan This £36 English Sparkling Beat Champagne? (Episode 602)
Can a £36 English sparkling wine really compete with Champagne costing £60 or more? In this episode, we taste the Ambriel “Wendling” Blanc de Blancs 2018, a traditional-method sparkling wine made from 100% Chardonnay in West Sussex. We first visited Ambriel nearly ten years ago, so expectations were high—but this bottle still managed to surprise us. We explore its fine bubbles, buttered-brioche and honey aromas, lively acidity, apple-skin finish and impressive length. We also suggest food pairings and decide whether it justifies its £36 price—or offers better value than a similarly priced Champagne. The scores produce one of our biggest disagreements for some time: 82 versus 90 points. Which John got it right? Have you tried Ambriel or another English sparkling wine that can rival Champagne? Let us know in the comments. Wine tasted: Ambriel “Wendling” Blanc de Blancs 2018 Region: West Sussex, England Grape: 100% Chardonnay Price when purchased: £36 Prices and availability may cha
videoLouis Latour Grand Ardèche Chardonnay – Worth £16.50? (Episode 601)
Is Louis Latour Grand Ardèche Chardonnay 2023 worth £16.50 a bottle? This week on Wine Mastery, we taste this rich, oak-influenced Chardonnay from Louis Latour, recommended to us by Karl at Majestic in Stevenage. At £16.50 when bought as part of six — or £18.50 individually — it isn't exactly a budget bottle. So does the extra money deliver a noticeably better wine? From the first sniff, this is clearly a powerful Chardonnay. There's plenty of oak, richness and weight, with a lovely mouthfeel and enough acidity to lift things towards the finish. It's certainly not what we'd call a light, refreshing summer white! We also discuss what we'd pair it with — including pork, creamy mash and, perhaps surprisingly, a good blue Stilton — before getting to the scores. And that's where things get interesting... One John gives it 79 points. The other? Just 72. Is that too harsh? If you've tried Louis Latour Grand Ardèche Chardonnay, let us know what YOU think in the comments. 🍷 Wine: Louis
videoThis Malbec Was NOT What We Expected! (Episode 598)
We thought we knew what to expect from an Argentinian Malbec — big, rich, fruity and ready for a steak. Punto Alto Malbec had other ideas! 🍷 At £9.99, this Argentinian Malbec turned out to be much lighter and rather different from the style we were expecting. But that raised an interesting question: were we judging the wine for what it actually was, or for what we thought a Malbec ought to be? In this Wine Mastery tasting, we look at the colour, aroma and taste of Punto Alto Malbec, discuss whether this lighter style might actually work chilled as a summer red, and tackle the all-important question of what food and cheese we'd pair with it. And, as ever, we finish with our scores — and John and John don't entirely agree! 🍷 Punto Alto Malbec 🇦🇷 Argentina 💷 £9.99 at the time of tasting ⭐ Our scores: 79/100 and 72/100 The bottle tasted in this episode was kindly supplied by Wine Drops. They did not sponsor the video and had no input into our review or scores. Have you tried Pun
video£32 Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Bargain or Overpriced? (Episode 596)
Is this £32 Châteauneuf-du-Pape a genuine bargain—or are you paying too much for the famous name? In this Wine Mastery review, we taste Château Cabrières Châteauneuf-du-Pape, supplied by Wine Drops. With comparable bottles reportedly selling for considerably more, it initially appears to offer excellent value—but our two reviewers reach very different conclusions. We examine its unusually brown-garnet colour, delicate aromas and flavours before considering whether it delivers enough quality for £32. We also suggest food and cheese pairings, including steak and kidney pie and Ogleshield cheese, before awarding two dramatically different scores: 🍷 John: 83 points 🍷 John: 70 points Is this good value for Châteauneuf-du-Pape—or would you rather spend £32 on something else? Let us know in the comments. The bottle was supplied free of charge by Wine Drops, but this did not influence our opinions or scores. Subscribe to Wine Mastery for approachable, honest wine reviews without the
videoBest Wine with Pizza Expert Picks Revealed!
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videoIs This the Best-Value White Burgundy at £11.89? (Episode 581)
Can an £11.89 Costco White Burgundy deliver the rich character you expect from a Bourgogne Chardonnay? In this wine review, we taste an affordable French Chardonnay from Burgundy and discover aromas of bubblegum and honey, followed by a rich, smooth and rounded palate. This certainly isn’t a light, refreshing summer white. It’s a fuller, more substantial Chardonnay that may be at its best alongside food. We also explore some possible pairings, including tapas, mature Cheddar, ripe Brie and aged Gouda. But does this Costco Bourgogne Chardonnay offer genuine value for money—and what scores will we give it? If you’ve tried this wine, let us know what you thought in the comments. Subscribe to Wine Mastery for straightforward wine reviews, food-pairing ideas and enjoyable wine tasting without the snobbery. #BurgundyWine #Chardonnay #CostcoWine 00:00 Costco White Burgundy for £11.89 00:24 Where is Burgundy? 00:46 The bottle and price 01:50 Examining the colour 02:06 Bubblegum and hon
videoWine Tasting Tropical Fruit, Melon & Riesling Notes
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videoNose Swirl Unlocking Complex Aromas
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videoGarlic Prawn Dreams Canary Islands Dish Perfection
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videoWine Drop Score! Unbelievable Value at £8 99
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videoIncredible Chocolate Cherry Mint Aroma Unveiled!
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videoWe Didn't Expect This From a £10.69 Costco Wine (Episode 580)
Can a £10.69 wine from Costco really deliver the quality you'd expect from Burgundy? We taste UVC Bourgogne Aligoté 2023 — and it turns out to be quite a surprise. At just £10.69, we weren't quite sure what to expect. But from the colour and aroma through to the first taste, this inexpensive French white gave us plenty to talk about. We pick up creamy, buttery and honeyed notes, a touch of nuttiness and a surprisingly long-lasting flavour. We also look at what food we'd pair with it — including fish, pork and chicken — before John M tackles the all-important cheese pairing. And yes… Stinking Bishop enters the conversation. 😄 Finally, we give the wine our Wine Mastery scores and decide whether this Costco Burgundy really represents good value for money. Wine tasted: UVC Bourgogne Aligoté Émotions Minérales 2023 Region: Burgundy, France Price paid: £10.69 at Costco UK Have you tried this wine? And have you discovered another great-value Burgundy that we should taste? Tell us i
videoExceptional Wine A Smoky, Classy Italian Standalone
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videoAmazing Wine Smell Chocolate, Cherries & Mint!
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videoIncredible Chocolate Cherry Mint Aroma Unveiled!
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videoRioja Wine Review Nike with a Bottle Brutally Honest
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videoRosé Wine Is It Red & White Blend Wine Secrets Revealed!
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videoThis £8.98 Rioja Sauvignon Blanc Really Surprised Us! (Episode 579)
Can a Sauvignon Blanc from Rioja really be semi-sweet — and why on earth are we talking about cat pee? 🍷😂 In this Wine Mastery tasting, John and John try Barón de Ley Blanco Semidulce, an unusual semi-sweet white Rioja made from Sauvignon Blanc. Bought from Costco for £8.98, this is certainly not the sort of wine most people picture when they think of Rioja. Instead of Tempranillo and oak, we've got Sauvignon Blanc, a touch of sweetness, honeyed flavours and one particularly unmistakable aroma... We taste it, argue about whether we'd want a second glass, suggest some surprisingly good food and cheese pairings, and finally give it our Wine Mastery scores. 🍷 Wine: Barón de Ley Blanco Semidulce 🇪🇸 Region: Rioja, Spain 🍇 Grape: Sauvignon Blanc 💷 Price paid: £8.98 at Costco 🥂 Style: Semi-sweet white wine ⭐ Our scores: 84/100 and 82/100 If you normally find Sauvignon Blanc too dry or acidic, this could be a particularly interesting one to try. Food pairings we
videoRioja Wine Review Rustic Charm vs Delicious Taste
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videoRioja Wine Review Lacking Richness, Not My Pick
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videoBrutal Food Review Generous Score vs Personal Taste
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videoGreat Choice! Wine, Money & Avoiding Extra Kilos
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