Intoxicating wine without alcohol. Are you a wine drinker who is trying to cut down on alcohol? Perhaps you’ve tried non-alcoholic and low alcohol wines before and never quite felt comfortable. Oddbird aims to change all of that with a range of exclusive sparkling wines that are ‘liberated from alcohol’ and yet don’t taste like […]
Garnish for Gin – Serving Artisan Gin
How to improve perfection – picking a garnish for the perfect gin. There is, of course, no right or wrong garnish for the perfect gin and tonic. It’s all about personal taste – as, for that matter is the choice of gin and of tonic water. If like me, you have a new bottle or […]
Mead Tasting – Not Just About “Sweet as Honey”
An introduction to Mead at Gosnells Meadery – Peckham What do you know about Mead? On my bookshelves, there’s an authentic drinking horn. A present from my brother and sister in law when they got married, it was used as part of the ceremony. We all stood in the grounds of Duart Castle on Mull, […]
Lost Explorer Mezcal
The Lost Explorer Mezcal Review The first time I tried Mezcal was by my hotel pool in Guadalajara, Mexico. Author Irving Welsh of ‘Trainspotting’ fame sauntered over with a bottle of the smoky agave-based spirit looking for a late-night drinking companion. I was happy to oblige. The evening ended in something of a blur but […]
Low Alcohol Scottish “Gins”
A great alternative for a “school night” Scotland’s long history and unchallenged prowess in whisky production is a global given. With the rise in popularity of gin consumption, so it’s not surprising that those fine Scottish noses and pallets have turned their gifts to gin production. NB Gin, produced in North Berwick and The Secret […]
Primitivo from Puglia and Pasta
Pairing a Pasta with Sugo alle Olive and Carvinea Organic Primitivo. Meeting up with an Italian wine specialist and telling her how you are planning to pair the Primitivo from Puglia that you’ve been given to try is not always a good idea. In this particular case, I was explaining that I had a bottle […]
Oxford Rye – a unique spirit distilled from heritage grains
Looking for an organically different spirit? With Oxford Rye, look no further Great tasting Oxford Rye (40% ABV) is one of a range of spirits produced by the award-winning Oxford Artisan Distillery. Innovative and totally committed to the use of super-sustainable farming practices, Oxford Artisan is one of Britain’s very few ‘grain-to-glass’ distilleries (growing and […]
Spectacular Summer Rosés
Rosés Grow on You With the summer finally ready to deliver another burst of heat, we thought we would take the opportunity to review some more rosé wines and to explain more about the different methods of making the perfect pink wine. Whether you are spending time glued to the summer sport or out in […]
Party like it’s 1921 at a Piper-Heidsieck Prohibition night!
Release your inner Gatsby and It Girl at a Roaring Twenties champagne party this August With the current Covid travel restrictions, you could imagine it might be easier to visit the past than some countries. So, a big round of applause to Piper-Heidsieck for giving us the chance to go back in time to a […]
Côtes du Rhône at Home
Wine pairing and your plate A wise maxim suggests always selecting a bottle you would be happy to drink when your recipe includes wine. Why spend money on good ingredients only to spoil the flavour of your dish with the sharp tang of paint stripper? Choose a good wine and the meal will be as […]