The best party wines, from Ibiza to St Tropez and Santorini August 7, 2023 Each summer certain places draw epicureans and hedonists like a magnet. Crystalline waters, blue skies and beaming sunshine are all very well but as the beautiful people recline upon their beach beds, dance under the stars and dine under glorious sunsets, what I want to know is: what wine are they drinking? St Tropez held [...]
Carmen Stevens on philanthropy, wine and South Africa July 26, 2023 The first black South African to study winemaking in South Africa, Carmen Stevens owns the first black-owned winery in the country and, aided by her partnership with Naked Wines in the UK, provides meals to 25,000 hungry school children in Stellenbosch each year through ‘Carmen’s Kids’. WHAT GOT YOU INTO WINE? Wine has a lot [...]
Secret cheese and wine pairings to amaze dinner party guests July 26, 2023 You will all, I assume, have yesterday been celebrating one of the highlights of the British calendar: National Cheese and Wine Day. Other than being an amazing excuse to eat loads of cheese and drink loads of wine, the day was also the perfect opportunity to ask my cheesemonger friend about the secrets behind the [...]
Why these wines are the perfect serve for Wimbledon June 28, 2023 Even watching tennis can be thirsty work so it is time to prime those palates for Wimbledon and pair your glass to whomever you are supporting this season. Our very own Andy Murray has won Wimbledon twice already and is looking as good as a glass of something crisp and cold on a hot day [...]
Where to celebrate English Wine Week in London, from tours to tastings June 14, 2023 As a UK-based wine lover, one of the most important weeks is nearly upon us: English Wine Week. England has always been one of the most important wine markets in the world, flooded with wines from every grape growing country, but 17-25 June is the time for our own produce to shine. At the recent [...]
A glass of wine with Pink Diesel rosé founder Amy Gatehouse May 31, 2023 Female-founded Pink Diesel rosé began as a pandemic passion project but made speedy waves with its tongue-in-cheek-yet-chic branding. Co-founder Amy Gatehouse is the woman taking it to the top. How did you get into wine? I grew up with it as my father’s hobby, but it was while working in hospitality in Hong Kong, pairing [...]
Kiss from a rosé: Why you need to drink the pink this summer May 31, 2023 Rosé season is finally here, and pink bottles can be seen glinting in the sun everywhere from rooftop ice buckets to picnic blankets. Rosé is a crowd-pleaser, perhaps the most accessible of all the wine styles – and it is on the rise. According to Wine Business Monthly, sales in the US are growing by [...]
The wine to drink when there’s weird weather May 18, 2023 It has been a strange in-between time with the weather. Alternating rainstorms, sunshine, bitter chill, and fleeting heat makes it hard to know what to serve, but I have the ideal suggestions to solve this conundrum. A chilled red. You have probably heard that red wine should be served “at room temperature” but this is [...]
Why Horwood House in Buckinghamshire is a perfect country-chic break May 14, 2023 These manicured hotel grounds are perfect for spring, finds Libby Brodie THE WEEKEND: Imposingly sat in the rolling green of Buckinghamshire’s countryside, Horwood House is a Grade II listed manor which has just undergone an extensive £6-million, 18-month long facelift. There is plenty to discover nearby and in half an hour you can be facing [...]
Coronation wine: why magnums and boxes of wine are best May 4, 2023 We Brits really do enjoy a party and this Saturday will see festivities up and down the country for the coronation of King Charles. The tradition of celebrating these occasions is part of our nation’s heritage, with documents even describing the coronation of unlucky Anne Boleyn as having the streets hung with flags and bunting [...]