This month’s diary will be shorter than usual because I did very little other than wilt – a bit like Ziggy, our younger daughter’s cockapoo, pictured below. All but the first two days of August were spent in the Languedoc, far too many of them enduring the heatwave that lasted almost two weeks and burnt much of Europe to a cinder figuratively, and literally for a large part of the Corbières Massif just over the mountain from the place we bought in 1989...
Jancis's diary – August 2025
Monday 1 September 2025
• 1 min read
Hot, hot, hot – and much quieter than usual. Above, one of Sylt’s many (delightfully cool) beaches.
Become a member to continue reading
Celebrating 25 years of building the world’s most trusted wine community
In honour of our anniversary, enjoy 25% off all annual and gift memberships for a limited time.
Use code HOLIDAY25 to join our community of wine experts and enthusiasts. Valid through 1 January.
Member
$135
/year
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
- Access 285,321 wine reviews & 15,804 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
Inner Circle
$249
/year
Ideal for collectors
- Access 285,321 wine reviews & 15,804 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
- Access 285,321 wine reviews & 15,804 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade
- Access 285,321 wine reviews & 15,804 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
More Don't quote me
Don't quote me
Two fabulous weekends, and a lot of tasting. The Tuscan weekend is exemplified by the outdoor Sunday lunch pictured above...
Don't quote me
Multiple tastings and one visit to a vineyard this month.
I still have a physical diary. In August I had...
Don't quote me
Winners and dinners and much else besides. Above, the Supreme Champion trophy at this year's Wine GB Awards. Since 1989...
Don't quote me
Spain, Languedoc, Roanne, Burgundy, Paris and London this month. My father would have been 100 this month. He used to...
More from JancisRobinson.com
Nick on restaurants
A daughter revives memories of her parents’ much-loved Chinese restaurants.
The surname Poon has long associations with the world of...
Inside information
The fifth of a new seven-part podcast series giving the definitive story of Jancis’s life and career so far. For...
Free for all
What do you get the wine lover who already has everything? Membership of JancisRobinson.com of course! (And especially now, when...
Free for all
A wide range of delicious reds for drinking and sharing over the holidays. A very much shorter version of this...
Wines of the week
A rare Austrian variety revived and worthy of a place at the table. From €13.15, £20.10, $24.19.
It was pouring...
Tasting articles
The fine sparkling-wine producers of Oregon are getting organised. Above, Lytle-Barnett’s Windfall vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon (credit: Lester...
Tasting articles
More than 120 Greek wines tasted in the Peloponnese and in London. This peacock in the grounds of Mercouri estate...
Book reviews
A scathing take on the wine industry that reminds us to keep asking questions – about wine, and about everything...