The Wines Everyone Was Talking About at the Summer Somerset Wine Fair 2026
On Friday 3rd July, more than 150 guests joined us at Barley Wood in Wrington for our annual Summer Somerset Wine Fair. With the sun shining and over 100 wines ready to pour, it was an evening of curious people, great conversation and plenty of unexpected discoveries.
For those who made it along, we hope you found a few new favourites. For those who couldn’t join us, this is your guide to the wines that generated the most excitement on the night — all of which remain available to order through The Wine Shop.
Guests exploring the tasting tables at Barley Wood.
Two Masterclasses Worth Talking About
Alongside the tasting tables, guests enjoyed two excellent evening sessions.
Georgi Panayotov led a fascinating journey through some of Europe’s lesser-known wine regions, shining a light on indigenous grape varieties and producers that deserve far more attention than they typically receive.
Later in the evening, Guy Smith from Smith & Evans shared the story of leaving a career analysing supermarket data to establish one of England’s most respected sparkling wine producers. It was a reminder that some of the most interesting wine stories come from people who arrived by an unexpected route.
Both sessions made the same quiet point: the story behind a bottle often makes it even more enjoyable to drink.
Guests enjoying the evening masterclass sessions.
Somerset Wines Take Centre Stage
Sutton Ridge Bacchus
One of the biggest successes of the evening came from right on our doorstep.
Standout white
Wonderfully aromatic, full of elderflower, fresh citrus and orchard fruit, and far more characterful than many people expect. A genuine highlight of the Somerset wine scene.
Bacchus has quietly become England’s signature white grape — and Sutton Ridge showed exactly why. English still wine continues to earn its place alongside much more established competition.
English Sparkling
Our local English sparkling wines also attracted plenty of attention throughout the evening. Produced using traditional methods and benefiting from Somerset’s varied soils and growing conditions, they are a timely reminder of just how exciting English wine has become.
Explore our English Wines collection →
English wines proved among the evening’s most popular pours.
New Discoveries Worth Seeking Out
One of the greatest pleasures of the Wine Fair is introducing guests to wines they’ve never tried — and this year delivered some genuinely exciting finds.
Vidiano — Greece’s Best-Kept Secret
Standout discovery
Ktima Apostolidi Vidiano Lofos
Bright citrus fruit, ripe peach, gentle herbal notes and impressive texture. An excellent introduction to what modern Greek winemaking is capable of from organic producer Ktima Apostolidi.
If you’ve never explored Greek wines before, Vidiano is an ideal starting point. This is a grape variety that deserves far wider recognition.
Discover more Greek wines →A Chilled Red from Australia
One of the evening’s most talked-about bottles was the Silent Noise Uva di Troia from young Australian winemaker Charlie O’Brien. Made from an Italian grape variety grown in Australia and designed to be served lightly chilled, it’s packed with juicy cherry, strawberry and peach, with delicate floral aromas lifting the whole thing.
Unexpected, distinctive and hugely drinkable — exactly the sort of wine that earns its reputation at events like these.
Explore our Australian Wines →Slovenia Continues to Surprise
Underrated red
Medium-bodied, full of dark cherry, blackberry and subtle white pepper spice, with a freshness that makes it genuinely versatile at the table. One of Europe’s most underrated red grapes.
It also holds a particular place in our story: this was one of the very first wines we ever bought for The Wine Shop. Introducing it to new customers never gets old.
Discover more Slovenian wines →
Over 100 wines were available to taste across the evening.
The Classics That Earned Their Place Again
While guests were keen to explore, the evening’s most familiar names also showed exactly why they’ve built the reputations they have.
Larry Cherubino — Margaret River at Its Best
The Pedestal Chardonnay and Pedestal Cabernet Sauvignon from Larry Cherubino were among the most consistently praised wines of the night. Both come from Margaret River in Western Australia — a region that produces some of Australia’s most elegant, structured wines — and both delivered exactly that: refined, balanced and beautifully expressive.
A warm evening at Barley Wood made for perfect tasting conditions.
A Malbec with a Jurassic Story
No Wine Fair would be complete without a standout Malbec, and this year’s came with one of the wine world’s more remarkable backstories.
Standout red
Familia Schroeder Saurus Select Malbec
During the construction of the Schroeder estate in Patagonia, workers uncovered the fossilised remains of a 75-million-year-old dinosaur. The Saurus range takes its name from that discovery — and the wine itself more than lives up to the legend: generous dark fruit, good structure and a polished, smooth finish.
Sometimes the story behind a bottle is every bit as memorable as the wine itself. This one has both.
Explore our Malbec collection →
The final pours of the evening at Barley Wood.
Browse Every Wine from the Evening
If you attended and want to track down a particular bottle, or simply want to see everything that was poured, you can download the complete tasting list below.
Download the Summer Somerset Wine Fair 2026 tasting list
Full list of all wines poured on the evening · PDF
Every wine featured remains available to order, subject to availability. If you’d like a recommendation, can’t find a specific bottle, or would like help choosing something similar, we’d be delighted to help.
Browse our full wine range →