1. WHAT IT IS

A small, cool region in north-eastern France, 140km from Paris, with 34,000 hectares of vineyards. Only sparkling wine made here can be called Champagne, mainly from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier.

2. HOW IT TASTES

Fine bubbles, citrus and green apple, with brioche and toast notes from ageing in the bottle. Crisp and elegant.

3. THE LAND

• Montagne de Reims – mainly Pinot Noir

• Vallée de la Marne – mainly Meunier

• Côte des Blancs – mainly Chardonnay

• Côte des Bar - further south, Mainly Pinot Noir

4. HOW IT’S MADE

First fermentation – still wines are made, then blended

Second fermentation in the bottle – a little sugar and yeast create the bubbles

Riddling and disgorging – the sediment is collected in the neck, frozen and removed

Dosage – a touch of sugar sets the style, from Brut Nature (driest) through Brut to Doux (sweetest)

5. THE VILLAGES

319 villages may grow grapes for Champagne, each graded from 80% to 100%:
• Grand Cru – 17 villages, graded 100%

• Premier Cru – 42 villages, graded 90–99%

• The rest – 260 villages, graded 80–89% (Anton’s “Mötley Cru”)

6. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING

Serve well chilled, and open by turning the base of the bottle, not the cork.
• Oysters and shellfish – the classic match

• Fried and salty bites – tempura, even crisps

• Soft cheeses – Brie, or Chaource from Champagne itself

7. SAY IT RIGHT

Reims = “Rance”, not “Reams”.

8. IN A WORD

Celebration. The wine of every toast – and, as Madame Bollinger showed, of almost every other moment too.

1. WHAT IT IS

Spain’s most famous wine region, along the River Ebro in the north. Red Rioja is led by Tempranillo, traditionally blended with Garnacha. Look out, too, for white Rioja from Viura: fresh, textured and quietly having a revival.

2. HOW IT TASTES

Red cherry and plum when young, moving towards darker fruit as the grapes ripen. The signature is oak: vanilla, coconut and sweet spice, with leather, tobacco and dried fruit as the wine ages.

3. THE LAND

• Rioja Alta – high vineyards (around 400–800m), mostly Tempranillo; home to Haro, the main wine town

• Rioja Alavesa – the smallest and coolest sub-zone; again Tempranillo-led

• Rioja Oriental (formerly Rioja Baja) – lower, hotter and flatter, with fertile soils; more Garnacha

4. THE FOUR STYLES

• Joven / Genérico (green) – no minimum ageing; usually young, bright, lively and red-fruit driven

• Crianza (red) – two years’ ageing, at least one in oak; fruit with a touch of oak

• Reserva (burgundy) – three years’ ageing, at least one in oak; leather and tobacco appear Gran Reserva (blue) – five years’ ageing, at least two in oak; dried fruit and real complexity, usually only made in the best vintages

Look for the coloured seal on the back label – it tells you how long the wine has been aged:

5. A BIT OF HISTORY

When phylloxera hit Bordeaux in the late 1800s, many of its winemakers moved to Rioja and helped establish the 225-litre barrique. Add Spain’s access to American oak, and the classic style was born. Today over 1.3 million barrels lie aging here.

6. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING

Match the wine to the weight of the food:

7. SAY IT RIGHT

Rioja = “ree-OH-ha.” The Spanish “j” sounds like a soft, breathy “h”.

8. IN A WORD

Time. Rioja is the wine that does the ageing for you – and the label tells you exactly how long.

“WHAT IS…?” SERIES
Episode 02: “What is Cabernet Sauvignon?”

Date: September 23, 2026

Hosts: Gavin Jones with Chris Page Recorded at: Winexel HQ, Hong Kong

1. WHAT IT IS The king of black grapes – the world’s most planted. Thick skins, small berries, deep colour, hardy in the vineyard. Born in Bordeaux, a natural cross of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. Now grown almost everywhere.

2. HOW IT TASTES Blackcurrant and black cherry, front and centre. A green-pepper, herbal edge; often a hint of mint. Oak brings toast, spice, vanilla – and that famous “pencil lead” or cedar note. Cool climates: fresher, brighter. Warm climates: riper, jammier. With age: leather and dried fruit.

3. THE WINEMAKER’S HAND Climate calls the shots. Cool regions struggle to ripen – hard, bitter tannins – so winemakers blend in Merlot or others to soften, Bordeaux-style. Warm regions like Napa ripen fully: often 100% Cabernet. Big flavour that takes oak in its stride.

4. WHERE IT GROWS – AND WHAT TO BUY

5. A BIT OF HISTORY The Judgment of Paris, 1976 – fifty years ago this year. British merchant Steven Spurrier put top French wines, blind, against California upstarts. Napa won both colours. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 1973 beat Château Mouton Rothschild – and the wine world woke up. Retold, with a wink, in the film Bottle Shock.

6. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING

7. SAY IT RIGHT Cabernet Sauvignon = “cab-er-NAY so-vin-YOHN.” The “t” in Cabernet stays silent.

8. IN A WORD Icon. The world’s benchmark red – powerful, structured, ageless. Made at every price, found in almost every market.
Entry level – Chile’s Central Valley, Pays d’Oc France, South Australia, California’s Central Coast. Inexpensive, easy, a good first taste.
Step up – Margaret River, Coonawarra (that signature eucalyptus note), Stellenbosch. Real quality for the money.
Top tier – great Bordeaux from appellations such as Pauillac and Margaux, and the finest Napa. Superb, priced to match.
Good value tip – affordable Bordeaux (Supérieur, Cru Bourgeois): often Cabernet-dominant, a great window on the grape.
A juicy ribeye – tannins slice through the fat.
Lamb, game, hearty stews – anything with savoury depth.
Mushroom risotto – the vegetarian pick (and great alongside the steak).