
Matt Walls
Matt Walls is an award-winning freelance wine writer and consultant, contributing regular articles to various print and online titles including Decanter, where he is a contributing editor. He publishes the blog mattwalls.co.uk, for which he was named the 2015 International Wine & Spirit Competition Blogger of the Year.
His first book on wine, Drink Me!, won Best Newcomer at the 2013 Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards. In addition to writing, Walls advises restaurants on wine lists, hosts tastings and judges at food and wine competitions.
He was previously fine wine manager at UK importer Mentzendorff, and bought wines for the flagship store of London’s The Sampler.
He writes about all areas of wine, but specialises in the Rhône, for which he was Regional Chair at the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2019.
Matt's latest book, The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to the Rhône Valley, was published in September 2025.
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Walls: Vacqueyras 2015 vs 2016 – how are they drinking now?
Matt Walls' expert advice on which wines to buy...
By Matt Walls Published
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Walls’ hidden gems: Domaine Richaud, Cairanne
Drama, energy and authenticity abound...
By Matt Walls Published
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Walls: Get to know the 20 lieux-dits of Hermitage
Everything you need to know about the complexities of Hermitage...
By Matt Walls Published
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Southern Rhône 2020: full report and top scoring wines
Despite a hot year, wines are fresh and accessible when young with whites particularly exceptional.
By Matt Walls Last updated
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Producer profile: Château-Grillet
One of those memorable names that leaps out when you’re poring over wine maps...
By Matt Walls Published
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Walls’ hidden gems: Domaine A&E Verset, Cornas
Matt Walls meets sixth-generation winemaker Emmanuelle Verset and tastes six of her wines...
By Matt Walls Published
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Rhône 2020: best-value wines
Matt Walls rounds up the value Rhône picks from his 2020 report...
By Matt Walls Last updated
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Walls: Brézème and Seyssuel – sleeping beauties of the Northern Rhône
Discover the small, previously dominant areas of Brézème and Seyssuel...
By Matt Walls Published
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Walls: Tasting five vintages of Domaine Gonon St-Joseph
The rise of St-Joseph's Domaine Gonon...
By Matt Walls Published
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Rhône 2020 En Primeur: full vintage report and top-scoring wines
Expert verdict plus the top-scoring bottles...
By Matt Walls Last updated
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St-Joseph 2020: report and top-scoring wines
Matt Walls discovers great value and early-drinking capacity for the 2020s...
By Matt Walls Last updated
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Cornas & St-Péray 2020: report and top-scoring wines
2020 marks a return to a more focused, classic style...
By Matt Walls Last updated
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Walls: My top 10 Rhône wines of 2021
Sometimes atypicity, combined with charisma and personality, is what makes a wine stand out..
By Matt Walls Last updated
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Hermitage 2020: report and top-scoring wines
Impressive balance, precision and structure across both red and white Hermitage in 2020...
By Matt Walls Last updated
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Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2020: report and top-scoring wines
Choose carefully when buying Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2020 wines...
By Matt Walls Published
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Lirac & Tavel 2020: report and top-scoring wines
2020 is a great year to get to know Lirac and Tavel wines...
By Matt Walls Published
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Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres 2020: report and top-scoring wines
Careful research into the best estates will be rewarded ...
By Matt Walls Published
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Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise 2020: report and top-scoring wines
Vacqueyras and Beaumes de Venise 2020 are good for early drinking...
By Matt Walls Published
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Decanter at Home masterclass: Tasting the La Las with Philippe Guigal
The three LaLas tasted from 2017, 2016 and 2012...
By Matt Walls Published
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Northern Rhône 2020: full report and top-scoring wines
Fresh but slightly less ageworthy wines. Look out for both reds and whites...
By Matt Walls Last updated
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Côte-Rôtie & Condrieu 2020: report and top-scoring wines
Drink these fairly young and save the 2019s for long-term ageing...
By Matt Walls Last updated
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Walls: Tasting Hermitage 2001 20 years on
Twenty years is a long time to wait, so is it worth it?
By Matt Walls Published
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Walls’ hidden gems: Clos de la Bonnette, Condrieu
Matt Walls questions whether we could be witnessing the birth of a great estate...
By Matt Walls Published
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Cornas to drink now: Matt Walls’ top 20
20 top recommendations
By Matt Walls Published
