In good taste
MATTHEW JUKES • Jukes Cordialities
WORK • Wednesday Routine
MATTHEW JUKES • wine writer, founder • Jukes Cordialities
Neighbourhood you work & live in: Battersea
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I divide my week between tasting and writing about wine for various columns and my own website, and running my alcohol-free business Jukes Cordialities. I’ve been in the wine business for 38 years and I’ve published 14 books. I taste hundreds of bottles a week, and still love every second, despite the relentless flow.
We make our Jukes alcohol-free drinks in the Victorian railway arches in Battersea. If I’m not cycling across town to a wine tasting, I’m in the arch with my head of production, Melania, tasting and producing our handmade drinks.
What’s on the agenda for today?
I’m putting the finishing touches on the 22nd edition of my 100 Best Australian Wines Report, so bottles are arriving non-stop for me to taste. I launch on 24 November, so keep your eyes peeled and do also come along to my Wine Festival at Tate Modern on 7 March 2026. Elsewhere, we’ve just launched Believe by Jukes, a 75cl bottle, ready-to-drink style. It’s the first we’ve made in this format, and we’ve already picked up a fantastic array of reviews.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
The most exciting restaurant visits in the last couple of weeks are Stevie Parle’s Town, the imperious Andrew Edmunds and Katie Exton’s sublime Lorne. I was slow to find Doppo in Dean Street, but the gorgeous Italian food and incredible wine list make it a hidden gem.
If you love the classics and want BYO with no corkage, you can’t do better than a sneaky Monday table at No. Fifty Cheyne, when there’s also 50% off the surf and turf. Closer to home, we’re regulars at Adam Byatt’s magnificent Trinity, and we’re spoilt for choice around St John’s Hill and Northcote Road in Battersea. The newly opened Japanese Katsuro is terrific, and you’d be lucky to find finer coffee and service than Birdhouse in St John’s Hill. Best local pub? Easy: The Fox & Hounds on Latchmere Road, with its stunning beers, wines and insanely good food.
It’s always a massive treat to eat at Hunan. They recently celebrated their 43rd anniversary, which shows great restaurants can survive no matter how challenging the economy. I’m most looking forward to dining at Clare Smyth’s new place, Corenucopia.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I’m a member of Roundhouse and I love rock music, so if I’m not there, I’ll be following my favourite bands around town. We have young boys and it was a thrill to take them to their first rugby match in October at The Stoop – come on, you Quins. I’m also a member of the Tate, and the Emily Kam Kngwarray exhibition is mind-blowing.
Any weekend getaways?
You can’t beat a short stay at The Pig in the South Downs for a much-needed reset. Paris is always tempting – I stay at Hotel Adèle & Jules, eat at Juveniles and Parcelles and drink wine at LQV – but there’s so much to discover without leaving our shores too. The cottages at Walmer Castle are stunning, and you can roam the gardens after visitors leave.
I also recommend a day trip to an excellent English vineyard to discover the breadth and quality of our home-grown wines – Oxney Organic, Greyfriars, Simpsons, Rathfinny, Ridgeview, Gusbourne, Roebuck and more. All make spectacular, world-class wines, and if you’re within driving distance of Worthing, then my favourite dining experience of 2025 was at Crabshack. This family-owned seafood specialist is sublime and the finest value restaurant in the UK.
What was your last great holiday?
Driving from the UK through France and Spain to Portugal, then home via the ferry from Bilbao. We ate and drank at some spectacular haunts, with highlights including Blouge Wine Bar, Chez Dupont and Ressources (Bordeaux, France), Howard’s Folly and Casa do Gadanha (Estremoz, Portugal) and Vinodiario (Salamanca, Spain).
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I bought my wife a piece of art from an exhibition by the brilliant Rob and Nick Carter. If you don’t know this inspirational couple, you must introduce yourself at their studio in Bathurst Mews. They’re so talented and yet personable and generous with their time, too.
What store or service do you always recommend?
I cannot recommend Robert Emmett’s shirts enough. I shudder to think how many I’ve owned since he first opened his shop on the King’s Road. If you’re strolling down Jermyn Street, you’ll be seduced when you meet the family and discover their extraordinary design skills and build quality.
Where are you donating your time or money?
I support Childline (NSPCC) each year by hosting the annual City Fine Wine Challenge evening, and also The Drinks Trust, which supports hospitality colleagues who fall on hard times.
Photo: Matthew Jukes with Libby Brodie at the City AM Toast Awards