Great British Food Awards 2025

Buying wine can feel overwhelming, especially when there’s so much great choice in the English market. So, to help you on your way, we asked wine expert Charlie Stein to give his tips on understanding the different aspects of a drinks label – and why they each matter… The name of the producer When reading a wine label, a well-known brand or producer name often signals reliability, as big names usually mean consistent quality but, for me, some of the most exciting discoveries come from smaller, lesser-known producers making wines with real character. If you’re still learning about the different wine producers in England, ask for advice from a wine expert or a local independent wine shop with good knowledge. The grape variety England is most famous for our world- beating sparkling wines, so you will find the classic three grapes planted a lot here – that's Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. For still wine you will find classic plantings of Bacchus and Seyval Blanc. For me the most interesting wines are now coming from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Essex. The vintage Vintages matter because wine is ultimately Raise a GLASS Wine guru andGBF judge Charlie Stein gives his tips on how to read awine label an agricultural product – it's not like beer which is brewed to a recipe. Each growing year (or vintage) is a reflection of that year's weather, which changes the wine's flavour, structure and price. For more details about which years are good vintages for English wine, experts at independent wine shops will be able to help. The alcohol percentage Alcohol percentage matters because they dictate how a wine will be, so its body, balance, style, and sweetness. Lighter wines feel fresher and more delicate, while higher-alcohol wines taste richer, fuller, and more powerful. As a rule of thumb, wines grown in hotter regions will have a higher percentage and be more powerful than wines grown in cooler climates. The description Often you will get a good steer here on typical flavours to expect and potentially a food and wine match. My advice is to take a picture of the label and use the brilliant app Vivino to find out much more. Also a lot of wines are now required to include a QR code on the label which will take you to a page with more detailed information. Charlie Stein is a director of the Rick Stein Group, overseeing the online wine shop and all wine choices across the business. This year, he judged the wine category for the Great British Food Awards too. greatbr i t ishfoodawards.com 57