The Simple Guide to Wine Glasses
Wine can taste surprisingly different depending on the glass you pour it into, and this article explains why. Using simple science rather than rules or jargon, it shows how glass shape influences aroma, texture, temperature and balance, often revealing more character from the same bottle.
The guide keeps things practical, focusing on a small number of versatile glasses that work for most wines, while explaining when specific shapes can enhance certain styles. The aim isn’t perfection, but helping you understand what’s happening in the glass so every pour feels more rewarding.
Read the guide
News in brief
Chapel Down Sales Rise 19% as Millennials Embrace English Fizz
Chapel Down posted a 19% jump in sales to £19.4m in 2025, crediting a “generational shift” towards sparkling wine. Over 1 million bottles of Chapel Down sparkling wine were dispatched last year, aided by strong retail growth and exports. Despite pressures in hospitality, on-trade sales rose 5% as distribution expanded. With a record 2025 harvest and 777 acres now productive, Chapel Down is targeting long-term growth, aiming to triple sales to 3m bottles and capture 1% of the champagne-equivalent market by the 2030s.
Daniel Cathiard, Visionary Behind Smith-Haut-Lafitte Revival, Dies at 81
Daniel Cathiard, former ski champion turned retail magnate and pioneering Bordeaux vintner, has died aged 81. Alongside his wife Florence, Cathiard transformed Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte into a benchmark organic estate, later expanding to Napa with Cathiard Vineyard. Known for his competitive spirit and artisanal vision, he brought business acumen and a passion for quality to every project. His legacy continues through the next generation of the Cathiard family.
Brooklyn & Nicola Shrug Off Drama with £80,000 Wine Flex
Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz appeared unfazed by recent family tensions as they shared an £80,000 bottle of Château d’Yquem. The post, shared on Instagram, comes days after Brooklyn’s public accusations against Mother, Victoria Beckham. While the couple remain tight-lipped on the fallout, their luxury wine moment has drawn attention online, with some critics branding them out of touch.
What we’re drinking
Consecration (献納) Junmai Ginjo Sake, 15%
Produced by Kikumasamune Brewery
Nathalie Nash, Logistics Manager - Cult Wines
This sake feels like alchemy. How something this refined can come from polished grains of rice still feels faintly miraculous.
The wine world spends an enormous amount of time coaxing the best from grapes. Sake, by contrast, achieves something equally compelling through precision and restraint. The more the rice is polished, the higher the quality and price of the sake. In this case, only 60% of each grain remains, with the rougher outer layers removed to leave purity, elegance and lift.
Junmai means “pure rice”, so this sake is made using only rice, water, yeast and koji, with no added alcohol. It is produced using the traditional Kimoto method, which relies on naturally occurring lactic acid rather than added cultures, resulting in greater depth, texture and complexity without heaviness.
Founded in 1659, Kikumasamune is one of Japan’s most historic sake producers, based in Kobe near Osaka, where this bottle was picked up. In the glass, Consecration is dry and delicately floral, with pear and hints of melon, all held together by a subtle savoury umami note.
We drank it chilled, as recommended, alongside sashimi-grade tuna and properly prepared sushi rice. While sake is often associated with being served warm, styles like this really come alive when served cold. It felt like the perfect reward for a relaxed Sunday evening at home.
Availability in the UK is limited. Unless you have a friend passing through Japan, expect to pay around £50 for a bottle of this quality. Not an everyday drink, but a very satisfying one. Cheers!
Our fine wine feature
A Grape Remembered: Malbec Told Through the Catena Zapata Label
Written by - Jessie Wu, Client Account Manager - Cult Wines
This article explores how one of wine’s most recognisable grapes is reframed as a story of history rather than trend.
Through the intricate design of the Malbec Argentino label, the article traces Malbec’s journey from medieval France to modern Argentina, using symbolism and illustration to chart power, migration, and survival.
More than packaging, the label becomes a visual narrative of Malbec’s evolution... shaped by royalty, explorers, disease, and scientific intent. It reveals how the grape’s identity was disrupted, preserved, and ultimately redefined, positioning Malbec not as a modern success story, but as a variety still shaped by time, place, and understanding.
Read Full Article
Explore & travel
Wines at the Edge of the World
Written by - Christopher Cooper, General Manager, Middle East - Cult Wines
Explore vineyards at the edge of the world, pushed to their absolute limits. From extreme altitudes and hostile climates to places shaped by conflict, isolation and ingenuity.
This article journeys through the most improbable wine regions on Earth, where vines survive only through human determination.
These are not wines defined by comfort or convention, but by resilience and belief. Each bottle tells a story of perseverance, culture and identity, revealing why winemaking at the margins matters more than ever.
Read Full Article
