Wines made from Orion grapes

Producers including Rathfinny, Ridgeview and Bolney embarked upon their quest to turn Sussex into an appellation back in 2015. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has now finally recognised Sussex wine as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). It will enter the register on 5 July, 2022, giving Sussex wine the same legal status as Jersey Royal potatoes, Cornish clotted cream and Stilton cheese. Mark Driver, the former hedge fund manager who set up Rathfinny Wine Estat ...

Château Lafleur 2021 was released in the Bordeaux en primeur campaign this morning (27 May) at the equivalent of £6,508 (12x75cl in bond), according to Liv-ex. This sought-after Pomerol label, produced from a vineyard of just 4.5 hectares, is often sold in smaller quantities and sometimes only on allocation. UK merchant Justerini & Brooks was offering three-bottle cases of Lafleur 2021 for £1,627 in bond at the time of writing. Decanter’s Georgie Hindle gave Lafleur 2021 97 points, naming it ...

Having joined The Wine Society’s team in 1973 as promotions manager, Payne became the head buyer in 1985. He stepped down from this position in 2012, when Tim Sykes took over, but has remained on the buying team ever since. As part of his responsibilities, Payne has bought in every region throughout the years but, in recent years, focused mainly on Italy and Bordeaux. He was also instrumental in introducing wines from Eastern Europe and Greece to the portfolio. The Wine Society described Payne’s ...