The awesome people at Del Villaggio have given us their recipe for the much-loved coffee cocktail. Rich and smooth with a nice little kick to help welcome in some sunnier times! As always, please enjoy responsibly.

INGREDIENTS

• 50ml Vodka
• 50ml Khalua
• 50ml Espresso

METHOD

Pour ingredients into a Boston shaker with ice. Give it a good shake before slowly straining straight into a chilled Martini glass. To finish garnish with a few fresh coffee beans.

I have written previously for Birmingham Living on the significant role that women have played in winemaking, particularly in areas such as Champagne. Long before ‘Women in Wine’ became a hashtag, women were quietly shaping every vintage – from ancient Egyptian households to Champagne’s most famous cellars, leaving a legacy poured into every glass.

How women are adding value in winemaking

Today, women are leading vineyard design, soil management, and harvesting, introducing innovations in canopy management, yield optimization, climate-adapted practices, and sustainable winemaking. Female owners and executives are reshaping business through fresh marketing, direct-to-consumer sales, and global branding. Wineries led by women are often overrepresented in top wine rankings.

An under-represented group

But the industry remains stubbornly male dominated. Globally, women represent around 30 per cent of wine industry professionals. Even within this statistic, women represent 50 per cent-plus of entry level roles, but their presence in senior roles drops significantly. Women make up less than 10 per cent of vineyard owners, eight per cent of Masters of Wine, 11 per cent of UK sommeliers, roughly 20 per cent of winemakers, and a quarter of wine judging panel members.

Why it matters

Firstly, while winemaking has been male-dominated, wine consumption skews heavily towards females. In the UK, women are nearly twice as likely as men to prefer wine, favouring white, rosé, and sparkling styles, and are often more tolerant of slightly sweeter wines while sensitive to tannins. If the industry better reflected its consumers, it could influence not just who makes wine, but how wine evolves.

Secondly, women are driving sustainable winemaking. Biodynamic and organic vineyards are growing, and women are statistically more likely to adopt these practices. With increasing demand for ethical and environmentally friendly wines, women are leading the charge to protect vines, soils, and practices for the future. This is helping ensure that we not only have better, healthier grapes today, but that the vines survive to produce the wines of tomorrow as well.

Thirdly, wine suffers from a stuffy, elitist image. Greater female representation could help make it more accessible, especially as younger people turn away from traditional wine culture. Consumers want wine, and information about wine, to be accessible so they know how to choose wines they will enjoy. Some of the best wine communicators are women and the more women are represented in senior winemaking positions, the more likely the perceptions of elitism will fade.

DAVID’S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MARCH

In honour of female winemakers worldwide, all six of this month’s wine recommendations come from wineries where women have had a significant influence. They are all excellent wines – please enjoy them responsibly.

Something Sparkling:

Albert de Vilarnau Xarel·lo Fermentado en Castaño Gran Rerserva – £35.64, Decantalo, (www.decantalo.co.uk)
A remarkable wine on many levels. Made by Vilarnau’s talented winemaker Eva Plazas Torné, who has over 30 years’ experience and is now head winemaker and general manager. A 10-year-old sparkling wine for under £40, with six months in chestnut barrels adding subtle clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, herbs, and honeyed notes. On the palate, tropical flavours mingle with creamy almond and pastry from lees aging.

Something Fresh and Fruity:

Beronia Rueda Verdejo 2023 – £11.75, Sainsburys.
A bright, elegant Verdejo from Beronia Rueda under winemaker Marian Santamaría de las Heras, who has led the Rueda team since the winery opened. This 2023 white offers intense citrus and white fruit aromatics with herbaceous fennel notes. On the palate it’s crisp and fresh yet texturally silky, balancing zesty lime, white peach and melon with a touch of herbal complexity from the dual harvest blend.

Something Big and Bold:

Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 – £16.99, www.elliescellar.com/
A classically structured Stellenbosch Cabernet from Kleine Zalze’s Vineyard Selection, crafted by a team including winemakers Nataleé Botha, Hanri Ferreira and Carla van Wyk. Aromas of herbal spice and intense dark fruit (cassis and black cherry), fine tannins softened after extended maturation. Balanced and savoury, it’s a great match for grilled meats or mature cheese.

Something Classic:

Robert Oatley Semaphore Shiraz 2024 – £11.75, Co-op.
A vibrant McLaren Vale Shiraz from Robert Oatley’s Signature/Semaphore series, crafted under the guidance of senior winemaker Debbie Lauritz. The 2024 is deep in colour with blueberries, dark cherry and spice as well as noticeable French oak. It has a smooth, elegant finish and would pair well with red meats or hard cheeses.

Something English:

Brabourne Blanc de Noirs, 2020 – £37, www.brabournewine.com
A charming English traditional‑method sparkler from Brabourne Vineyard, where Hester Fenwick’s hands‑on approach to vineyard care shapes the personality of every release. Expect aromas of red apple skin, stone fruit and crumble, with crisp acidity, and hazelnut and brioche on the finish.

Something Different:

Zuccardi Q Chardonnay 2024 – £16.50, Tesco.
A beautiful chardonnay from Argentina, crafted under the guidance of Laura Principiano, head winemaker at Zuccardi. This innovative wine was fermented in concrete and used oak barrels using native yeasts. The result is an explosion of lemon, butter and cream. Discerning drinkers will detect some floral and mineral notes.

It’s Riesling Day on 13 March! On the same day in 1435, cellar logs recorded the first sales of Riesling by Count Katzenelnbogen near the Rheingau region of Germany.

Riesling is a crowd divider. There are several reasons for this, some fairer to the variety than others. Firstly, many people think that Riesling is a sweet wine. While it is true that it can be made in sweet styles, wines are often dry or just slightly off-dry in style. Secondly, people often associate it with the very poor-quality German wines available in the UK during the 1970s and 1980s – things have improved considerably since then!

The other thing which puts a lot of people off is that Riesling (particularly those which are aged) can have both an aroma of kerosene or petrol which isn’t the most appealing smell and can be quite oily/waxy in texture which many people do not enjoy.

Versatile and high-quality grape

Riesling can, however, make some remarkably complex and age-worthy wines. Just look up Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese on the internet and you’ll find the best bottles can cost in the region of €23,000! In the 19th century, aged Riesling wines were considered some of the best and most complex wines available, earning Riesling the title of ‘King of White Wines’.

Despite the sometimes-intimidating petrol nose and waxy mouthfeel, Rieslings can also have aromas and flavours of lime, green apple, and rhubarb, as well as buttery creamy textures depending on how the wine has been made. Given how aromatic the variety is, it is often possible to detect jasmine on the nose and, at times, ginger on the palate. Some wines display remarkable complexity and can easily age for 10 or more years.

Typically, Riesling wines tend to be a little lower in alcohol and as mentioned above, are made in a variety of sweetness levels from bone dry to very sweet. Riesling is also one of the grapes permitted in the making of ice wines in Germany. These are also well worth trying if you enjoy luscious, sweet wines.

European roots, global appeal

Germany is by far the largest Riesling-growing country, with significant growth in the French Alsace region also. Smaller plantations can be found further south in Austria and Hungary where it is usually referred to as white Riesling or Rajnai Riesling. Outside of Europe, Riesling can often be found in colder regions of the USA and Australia. European versions tend towards greater minerality, while Australian versions are characterised by the presence of lime aromas. Riesling is a variety which can be highly influenced by the terroir in which it is grown.

If you are looking for good Rieslings then the Mosel in Germany, Alsace in France, Clare and Eden valleys in Australia, Finger Lakes in New York State or potentially Washington State or Oregon are good places to start. Riesling is the seventh most widely planted white variety in the world.

Great wine with Asian food and desserts

Riesling’s searing acidity makes it an ideal pairing with mildly spicy Asian food. Off-dry styles can help balance spicy dishes, and it goes well with Pad Thai, Thai curries, and spicy noodles. You can even pair drier versions with fatty foods like fish and chips. But off-dry and sweeter styles also pair well with desserts. Look for Trocken on the label if you want a dry style, Kabinett for off-dry, and Spätlese for something pretty sweet. Really sweet wines are likely to be labelled as Auslese, Beerenauslese or Trockenbeerenauslese.

So, is it time you gave Riesling a second chance? If you do, be sure to let us know. And whatever you’re drinking this March, please drink responsibly.

DAVID’S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MARCH

Something Sparkling:
Elyssia Gran Cuvée Cava – £16.99, Decantalo (www.decantalo.co.uk)
A very approachable Cava. Think citrus and orchard fruits, along with some cream, honey and white flowers. It finishes with a hint of brioche.

Something Fresh and Fruity:
Petaluma Clare Valley Riesling, 2021 – £29, Majestic.
A classic Riesling, showing lime, elderflower, flinty minerals, honey, almond and bright acids on the palate and the classic Riesling beeswax nose.

Something Big and Bold:
2023 Uovo Cabernet/Nebbiolo, Larry Cherubino, Frankland River – £23.95, Dorset Wine company (www.dorsetwine.co.uk)
A nice blend, showcasing dark fruit (blackcurrant), herbs and even a hint of mint on the finish. Well integrated tannins, and a long finish.

Something Classic:
The Society’s Exhibition Pauillac 2022 – £26, The Wine Society.
A Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend with black fruit notes of cassis, dark cherry which are supported by cedar, mocha and licorice notes, with spice and pepper on the long finish.

Something English:
Hattingley Valley Classic Reserve NV – £36, Waitrose.
Aromas of lemon zest, orange, and honeysuckle, with green apple on the palate and beautifully luxurious brioche from the four years aging on its lees.

Something Different:
Parcel Series Pinot Noir, No. 93, Central Otago, New Zealand – £36, Majestic.
A nice expression of the Pinot Noir grape with plum and cherry aromas, with some nice spice from barrel aging. Perfect for a roast dinner.

A Hugo Spritz is simple to make, delicious to drink and the bubbles make it just that little bit more special. No wonder it’s such a hit! As always, please enjoy responsibly.

INGREDIENTS 

• 40 ml Elderflower liqueur

• 60 ml Prosecco

• 60 ml Soda water

• Mint

METHOD

Add loads of ice to a balloon glass and a few torn up mint leaves. Pour over the elderflower liqueur then top with prosecco and soda water. Add a wedge of lime, stir and serve with a straw. Delicious!

What could be better for Valentine’s Day than a rather delicious Booty Call..! As naughty and delicious as it may be, please enjoy responsibly.

INGREDIENTS:

• 15ml Ciroc Red Berry vodka
• 15ml Raspberry liqueur
• 15ml Peach liqueur
• 15ml blood orange syrup (Giffard or Monin)
• 25ml Pineapple juice
• 25ml Cranberry juice

METHOD:

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill with cubed ice. Shake hard until the outside of the shaker goes cold and frosty. Carefully open the shaker and fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with freeze-dried raspberry powder and enjoy!

Here’s a question for you. Can you really smell and taste things in wine? If all wine is made from grapes, can people genuinely smell or taste blackcurrant, cedar, violets or pencil shavings? Is it science – or the power of suggestion? Let’s take a closer look and find out… 

How we taste and smell

Aromas and flavours come from three interacting systems:

Firstly, Chemesthesis, or mouthfeel. Chemesthesis is the sensations like the burn of chilli, the coolness of mint, the fizz of carbonation, or the viscosity of a liquid. These sensations are triggered by the trigeminal nerve as chemicals react with mucosal surfaces in the mouth, nose, throat and eyes.

Secondly, basic taste. These come from non-volatile compounds detected by tastebuds on the tongue (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami). While all these sensations can be detected all over the tongue, the tip and sides are more sensitive generally to sweet and salty tastes, the back to bitter flavours.

Finally, aromas. A significant part of taste is actually smell. As food and drink evaporates in our mouths volatile compounds travel up the nasal passage and activate smell receptors, revealing more complex aromas and flavours. We call this retronasal tasting. But we also detect aromas directly through the nose as well, which is why wine experts like to smell their wine. 

So, what might create these sensations in wine?

Different flavours come from different parts of the winemaking process. We refer to these as ‘Primary’ – those that come from the grape, ‘Secondary’ – those that come from the production methods, and ‘Tertiary’ – those that come from age.

Acidity, sugar and bitterness depend on grape variety and ripeness. Riper grapes have more sugar and less acidity; tannins in skins contribute bitterness and astringency, especially in red, rosé and orange wines. Viscosity (or body) is a mix of sugar and/or alcohol, and it can usually be seen in the ‘legs’ or ‘tears’ which run down our glass. 

Volatile compounds

Most flavour compounds sit in the pulp just under the grape skin. These volatile compounds – shared with everyday foods ­– explain why wines smell like non-grape items. Green bell pepper aromas in your Cabernet Sauvignon come from 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine (IBMP). If you examine green bell peppers you actually find the same volatile compound! Thiols in Sauvignon Blanc give the passionfruit aromas, Rotundone in Shiraz gives black pepper flavours, terpenes create floral smelling wines, Ethyl cinnamate gives Pinot Noir its strawberry nose, and many more. In other words, it is more than just the mere power of suggestion. 

Production methods

Secondary aromas come from processing of the grapes. Fermentation produces alcohol, which we often detect as a warm sensation. Lees ageing (letting the wine mix with dead yeast cells) produces biscuity, brioche notes. We also sometimes allow a bacteria to convert the harsh malic acids to softer lactic acids (like those found in milk) – malolactic conversion. This gives creamy, smoother, buttery flavours and mouthfeel. Oak introduces all kinds of flavours depending on the type of barrel, the level of toast it has received and whether it is new or used. Volatile compounds in oak are similar to things like vanilla, cloves, coconut and the toasting can contribute smoke, toast, chocolate, coffee and other aromas. 

Ageing the wine

Tertiary aromas are about how the wine changes chemically as part of ageing. With time, oxygen and internal chemical reactions shift fresh fruit towards dried fruit, and introduce complex flavours such as mushroom, forest floor, nutty or leathery notes. 

Pulling it all together

The final product is a mix of all these different chemicals interacting together. But don’t worry if your wine just smells like wine! Identifying aromas and flavours takes practice. And bad news for us men… women on average have a better sense of smell, so have an advantage.

Next time you pour a glass, take a moment to swirl, sniff and explore ­– you might recognise more than you expect. And whatever you choose, please drink responsibly.

DAVID’S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FEBRUARY 

Something Fresh and Fruity

Kleine Zalze Sauvignon Blanc – £10, Waitrose.

A great example of pyrazines – plenty of green bell pepper, tropical fruits, citrus and sharp acidity. Expect an explosion on your palate. 

Something Sparkling

Crémant du Jura – £8.19, Aldi.

Crémant is a great source of good quality sparkling wine and this one from Aldi, doesn’t disappoint. Apple and citrus with subtle brioche to finish. 

Something English

Gusbourne Blanc de Noir 2019 – £65, The Champagne Company.

With 27 months of lees ageing you’ll be spotting the brioche alongside the citrus, red fruits and fruits of the orchard. 

Something Big and Bold

Beronia Rioja Reserva Red Wine – £16.50, Sainsbury’s.

Red fruits and cherry focus, with nice coconut, vanilla and spice on the finish. Not overly oaky, and smooth tannins. 

Something Classic

Domaine Bernard Michaut ‘Beauroy’ Chablis Premier Cru 2022/23 – £34, Majestic.

Apple, pear and melon with some honeysuckle and strong mineral notes. Long finish and complex. 

Something Different

M&S Classics Cote De Provence Rose – £10, M&S.

Dry and refreshing with strawberry, cranberry and redcurrant notes. A nice floral note with some well-integrated citrus. Delicate and great value at this price point.

Yeah, yeah! It’s January and we’re supposed to be drinking less but blimey, sometimes you just have to give in to temptation! This vibrant, modern twist on a passionfruit cocktail from the awesome guys at Birmingham’s newest African restaurant, Empress, is just too good to wait until February. It’s a smooth, lightly textured drink with sweet berry notes, tangy passionfruit and subtle vanilla warmth. Go on, treat yourself to one this month… but as always enjoy responsibly.

INGREDIENTS

• 40ml vanilla vodka
• 30ml passionfruit purée (or high-quality passionfruit juice)
• 15ml raspberry syrup or grenadine
• 15ml passionfruit liqueur
• 20ml fresh lime juice
• 10–15ml simple syrup (adjust to taste)
• ½ fresh passionfruit

METHOD

Place a coupe or martini glass in the freezer or fill with ice water. Add all ingredients to the shaker, add ice and shake vigorously for 12 to 15 seconds until the shaker feels very cold. Double strain into the chilled glass, garnish with the ½ passionfruit and enjoy!

Recent years have been challenging for the wine industry, with tricky harvests and falling consumption. Yet several exciting trends look set to build momentum in 2026.

Sparkling wines
While global consumption dipped in 2025, sparkling wines proved remarkably resilient. In the UK, Crémant and English sparkling continue to grow, with competition driving value and encouraging new grape varieties and blends. Expect to see stiff competition and some new entrants in this part of the market, which hopefully means good value for the consumer.

English wines
English wine continues to grow in both volume and quality of production. Nyetimber, one of the Sussex production houses, beat a line-up of other sparkling wines to be named the winner in the IWC championship this year with their 2016 Blanc de Blancs. Increasingly English wine is not just about sparkling, expect to see more still whites and even some reds of acceptable quality this year.

Quality wines
Although consumers are drinking slightly less, they are trading up. Producers are investing in premium tiers and longer maturation periods to allow greater aroma and flavour complexity to develop in the bottle. Savvy buyers may find excellent value premium bottles in 2026.

Lower alcohol wines
Higher UK duties and growing interest in low and no-alcohol drinks are shifting styles. This means lighter red styles are coming into fashion, and more fruit driven whites are increasingly popular. White drinkers may be pleasantly surprised by some of the lighter red styles, and red drinkers may find lighter styles mean they can continue drinking reds during the summer months.

Rare varieties
As a long-time advocate for the wines of Central Europe and the New World, 2025 saw new offerings from places such as Romania, Georgia, Ukraine and South America. I am expecting to see this trend continue as production costs rise in Western Europe and we look further afield to find good value wines.

Natural and orange wines
Orange wine is wine made from white grapes which are left in contact with their skins which tends to give a more golden/orange hue to the wines. Typical flavours can include dried apricot, peach skin, nectarine, orange peel and tangerine, accompanied by subtle spices, nuttiness and bruised apple. I expect to see this trend continue, and for other natural wines to become increasingly popular.

Sustainability and climate change
Climate change is reshaping wine regions. UK, Northern Europe and parts of South America now produce better-quality wines, while some traditional areas adopt heat-resistant hybrids and new varieties. This will undoubtedly change what is available for consumers. Expect to see more winemakers following the example of the Cava DO in Spain which has decreed that all superior quality wines must be organically produced.

Packaging
Producers are experimenting with lighter, more sustainable packaging. Cans, paper bottles and lightweight glass are gaining traction as alternatives when wines are intended for early drinking. This works well for wines which are intended for immediate consumption rather than ageing, and with transportation costs rising looks set to continue into 2026.

In summary
This year could be a very exciting one for wine drinkers in the UK. Hopefully we will see better quality wines, more variety and greater emphasis on sustainable production. As always, whatever you are drinking, please drink responsibly, and watch out for recommendations in Birmingham Living magazine.

DAVID’S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR JANUARY

Something Fresh and Fruity
The Wine Atlas Fetească Regala – £6.08, Asda.
This wine from Romania boasts sweet red apple, peach and tropical fruit notes along with a crisp fresh acidity. Hard to beat at this price point.

Something Sparkling
Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs 2018/19 – £22, Majestic.
Lime, green apple and pear ease gently into a brioche, nut a gentle spice finish. Beautifully refreshing and luxurious.

Something English
Balfour ’1503′ Pinot Noir 2023/24 – £18, Majestic.
Red fruit dominated (strawberry and cherry), a fresh style, with some subtle spice from the short period of oak aging and silky tannins.

Something Big and Bold

Journeys End V4 Cabernet Bold Sauvignon – £18.50, Tanners Wines. Big, bold and complex, this is a serious wine. Characteristic minty notes on the palate and a cedar aroma, supported by blackcurrant, cassis and oak flavours which give a rich mouthfeel.

Something Classic
Leon Perdigal Chateauneuf Du Pape – £26, Majestic.
Red fruit dominated, with some nice spicy and liquorice notes. This wine has an excellent finish and really smooth tannins. Drink now or age for up to 5 years.

Something Different
Journey’s End Bluegum Merlot 2022 – £12.75, Sainsburys.
At this price point the complexity on this wine is punching well above its weight. Red and dark fruit (think blackcurrant and raspberries), with some floral, herbal, vanilla and smoke notes. Smooth with a long complex finish.

Grapefruit season is upon us. Yes, we know they’re available throughout the year, but they’re at their juiciest and sweetest right now. Celebrate the season with this lovely grapefruit cocktail made with a very special gin from the Warwickshire Gin Company. It’s light, delicious and perfect for festive cheers! As always, please enjoy responsibly.

INGREDIENTS

• 50ml Pelota Dry Gin
• 50ml Grapefruit Juice
• 25ml Lemon Juice
• 25ml Aquafaba
• Dash of Angostura Orange Bitters

METHOD

Fill a shaker with two or three ice cubes. Add all the ingredients then shake hard and fast for 15 to 20 seconds. Strain into a glass. Garnish with a slice of dehydrated blood orange or grapefruit. Enjoy!

Cabernet Franc is having somewhat of a renaissance, partly due to its resilience to climate change, but it has yet to really flourish in the UK market as a single variety. And yet, as both a single varietal and as part of red wine blends, it contributes to many excellent wines in the market.

Without Cabernet Franc we would also not have famous wines such as Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Cheval Blanc, Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso and Opus One. Moreover, we would not have varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon (a cross with Sauvignon Blanc), Merlot (a cross with Magdeleine Noire des Charentes) and Carménère (a cross with Gros Cabernet). Cabernet Franc Day on 4 December coincides with the death of Cardinal Richelieu in 1642, who is credited with bringing Cabernet Franc cuttings from the Loire Valley to Bordeaux.

So why do Brits not rate Cabernet Franc? The answer probably lies partly in the fact that, despite it being part of the blend in some of the best Bordeaux, Tuscan and Loire wines, it is rarely mentioned on the bottle. We also have a historic predisposition towards Clarets, which tended to be dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. In our recent past, we have been driven partly by taste and partly by affordability towards richer, fruitier New World red wines. However, the current drive towards lighter styles of red, particularly among younger drinkers in the UK, means many are now discovering Cabernet Franc for the first time.

These wines are more substantial than Pinot Noir or Beaujolais, but lighter than Primitivo or Merlot. They’re typically less tannic, with red-fruit flavours such as strawberry, raspberry, sour cherry and plum. Some even take on flavours of smoked tomato or sweet red pepper. Cooler climates yield vegetal notes (from methoxypyrazines) and violet aromas (from terpenes), while warmer regions may show darker fruits like blackberry and blackcurrant. Aged examples develop savoury notes – vanilla, coffee, stewed fruit, fig and umami-rich mushroom. Bright acidity means these wines often age gracefully.

Cabernet Franc is widely planted in the Loire Valley where it is often made as a single variety or blended, typically with Cabernet Sauvignon. In Bordeaux, it is primarily a blending grape, adding spice, red fruit, and soft texture to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon; with the finest single-variety examples appear in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. In Tuscany, Cabernet Franc is blended with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Sangiovese, producing softer tannins, darker fruit, and notes of mocha, cinnamon, leather, and plum. Smaller plantings exist in Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece and Spain.

Outside Europe it grows in California, Washington, Virginia, New York and Canada’s Niagara region, where cooler climates yield lighter, fresher wines and warmer areas produce fuller-bodied, spicier styles. It is also found in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and China.

This is a wine that is made for cuisine. Roasted pork or lamb, chicken or turkey dishes (especially lighter styles), meatballs in tomato sauce, BBQ food, Camembert or feta, beetroot-centred dishes and lentil stews all work particularly well.

DAVID’S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DECEMBER

Something Fresh and Fruity
Jim Barry, The Agean, 2023 – £17, Majestic.
Stainless steel and oak combine for citrusy, mineral freshness with subtle herbal notes.

Something Sparkling
Bouvet Ladubay Saumur Rosé Brut – £14.50, Majestic.
Cabernet Franc proves it makes a great sparkle—red fruits, creamy texture, and floral lift.

Something English
Nyetimber Cuvée Chérie – £42, Majestic.
A demi-sec with citrus (lemon, tangerine), honeyed notes, and biscuity finish. Great with desserts or Asian spice.

Something Big and Bold
Chronic Cellars Space Doubt Zinfandel – £14.75, Sainsbury’s.
Cherry, strawberry, liquorice, florals, and a warm, gently sweet finish.

Something Classic
Vik ‘A’ Cabernet Franc 2023, Cachapoal Valley – £19, Majestic.
Chilean expression of Cabernet Franc with strawberry, plum, subtle blackberry and blackcurrant and a spicy finish.

Something Different
Moldovan Rara Neagră, 2021 – £7.99, Aldi.
A great wine at this price point from Moldova, with a fruity, herby and spicy palate – great with cheese or meaty dishes.

Yeah, we know it’s early but we’re embracing the party vibes at Brum Towers thanks to this fabulous little number christened Roll Over Paloma by the mixologists at the new High Line cocktail bar at Resorts World Birmingham. If you really want to wow your friends, go the extra mile and serve with the recommended garnish below – it’s well worth it! But remember to party responsibly.

Ingredients:

• 30ml Peach syrup

• 15ml Fresh lime juice

• 50ml Grapefruit juice

• 25ml Agave syrup

• 50ml Tequila

• 50ml Aquafaba

• 100ml London Essence pink grapefruit soda

Method: 

Add all the ingredients apart from the soda to a shaker filled with ice, then shake and strain into a citrus salt-dusted glass with no ice. Slowly top with soda so it doesn’t fizz over and garnish with jelly grapefruit (see recipe and method).

For a super cool garnish: 

Ingredients 

• 4g Agar-agar

• 350ml Still water

• 150ml Gomme syrup

Method

Add all ingredients to pan and heat. When boiling turn to simmer for 4 minutes, then pour into grapefruit halves and leave to set, cut into segments for garnish.

It’s November, and before we know it Christmas will be here. The shops, of course, have been in full Christmas spirit since the end of August, but this is the month when most of us will give what’s on the wine shelves extra-special attention. So, here’s some of my ideas for what to buy to toast the festive season in style. 

Welcome drinks

The classic choice is obviously Champagne. Elegant, refined and a classic drink for celebrations. As it’s Christmas, you’re probably going to want something a bit special. For that, I’d suggest the Pol Roger Pure Extra Brut NV Champagne from Waitrose (£56). The slightly drier style means you’re rewarded with a fresher, more floral wine with delicate peachy and tropical fruit notes taking centre stage. This will also pair well with canapes and light starters if you are serving them.

But there are other sparkles you could try. For a nice, refined Cava why not try the Roger Goulart Gran Reserva Cava Brut 2019/2020 which you can find at www.drinksdirect.com (£17.95). This has creamy and fleshy fruit aromas, with fresh fruit on the palate, as well as a toasted and nutty finish.

For something a little closer to home, try the Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs 2016 which you can find at www.thechampagnecompany.com (£52). This wine was recently named the best sparkling in the world at the International Wine Challenge competition of 1,000 sparkling wines, as well as receiving a 97-point rating.

For something great value and a little different, pick up a bottle of the very affordable Graham Beck Chardonnay Pinot Noir Vintner’s Selection Brut from Sainsbury’s (£14.50). The South African sparkling was served at Nelson Mandela’s inauguration and Barack Obama’s election party. Expect citrus and white fruit notes, with a nice creamy, nutty and toasty finish.

All of these would be possible options for New Year’s Eve as well! 

The main course

While normally convention would dictate lighter white wines with white meat, the combination of things on the plate for the traditional turkey dinner means lighter whites are going to be completely overwhelmed. So White Burgundy, Australian Chardonnay or Viognier are all good white options. Wines like these, with more body and a touch of oak can stand up better to the flavours on your plate.

A potential White Burgundy option would be the Louis Latour White Burgundy from Waitrose (£18.55). Alternatively, Penfolds Bin 311 Chardonnay 2023 is available from www.secretbottleshop.co.uk for £34.95 or the Matt Iaconis Napa Valley Chardonnay 2021 can be picked up from Naked Wines for £19.99. Alternatively, the Domaine de Saint Ferréol Viognier 2022/23 is £17 a bottle at Majestic.

Often a red is a good choice too. In terms of reds, lighter options would be a Pinot Noir or Beaujolais, but potentially even Rhone reds or a Rioja could work in this scenario, especially if there are additions such as cranberry sauce, rich gravy and pigs-in-blankets.

The Bread & Butter ‘Winemaker’s Selection’ Pinot Noir from Sainsburys (£16) could work well and would also pair nicely with any mushroom-containing vegetarian dishes. If you want to go patriotic, why not give the Barrel fermented Pinot Noir from www.aldwickwine.com (£22) a go. You could just as easily opt for the Château de Pizay Morgon 2022/2023 from Majestic (£15). Alternatively, the heavier Spanish Cune Rioja Gran Reserva from www.ndjohn.co.uk is excellent value at only £17.95. The additional age on the Gran Reserva adds depth but also makes it smoother.

And for the leftover turkey sandwiches, you might want to pick up a bottle of Pinot Noir from Oregon, such as the Erath Pinot Noir 2021/22 from Majestic at £25, or you could go for the Chilean Errazuriz Estate Pinot Noir from Waitrose (£10). Pinot Noir’s bright red fruit and soft tannins complement cold turkey without overpowering it. 

Dessert

Christmas pudding or cheese and biscuits naturally lend themselves to richer, sweeter wines. Try Graham’s Late-Bottled Vintage Port from Waitrose (£19.25) or Royal Tokaji 5 Puttonyos, Hungary 50cl 2017/18 from Majestic at £27. Occasionally at this time of year, the budget supermarkets also have ice wine which can also work well.

Whichever wines you pick, please drink responsibly and let me know if you find any hidden gems!

DAVID’S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NOVEMBER 

Something Fresh and Fruity

Small & Small Gewurztraminer, 2024 – Naked Wines, £14.99.

Floral, fruity (white, citrus and tropical fruits), classic Gewurztraminer lychee flavours, and slightly off-dry with some nice creaminess on the finish. 

Something Sparkling

Radacini Blanc De Noirs – Morrisons, £7.

An alternative for Prosecco drinkers, coming from Moldovia. Citrus and flesh fruit flavours, with some hints of darker fruit (cherry). 

Something English

Chapel Down English NV Rose (sparkling) – Sainsbury’s, £33.

Notes of redcurrant and strawberry, with a nice balanced citrus note. Some lees aging adds cream and biscuity balance – think strawberries and cream / Eton mess. 

Something Big and Bold

VIK ‘A’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2022/2023 – Majestic, £19.

Big and bold, but still silky and smooth. Notes of ripe blackcurrant, cassis, dried fruits, spice and mocha. 

Something Classic

Gigondas Le Souiras, Clos des Cazaux 2020 – Wine Society, £38.

A big, powerful and complex Rhone red with layers of black cherry, spice, coffee and caramel. 

Something Different

Errazuriz Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – Waitrose, £10.

Red fruits on the nose and palate, medium body, with a subtle finish of chocolate, vanilla, warm spice and a hint of balsamic.

Local spirits brand, the Warwickshire Gin Company has brought out a delightful vodka that’s been given a unique twist, adding a hint of frankincense to provide a regal, smooth finish. To celebrate the launch of Kingmaker vodka, here’s a nice easy recipe for a passionfruit martini. Utterly delicious, but please enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients: 

• 50ml Kingmaker vodka

• 50ml passionfruit juice

• 25ml passoa

• 25ml lime juice

• 25ml vanilla syrup

Method:

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add all the ingredients then shake hard and fast for 15 seconds, making sure there is foam on the top. Strain into a glass and garnish with half a passion fruit or a dehydrated slice of grapefruit. For extra indulgence add 25ml of Prosecco or have separately as a shot on the side.

The grape itself is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault (chosen to combine elegance with hardiness); however, its flavour profile is distinct from both parents. Some would say it shares more flavour and structural characteristics with grapes like Shiraz, Merlot or Carménère. The berries are thick-skinned, and the vines thrive in warm, dry climates thanks to their drought resistance. When fully ripe, it can reach high sugar levels (so expect typically high levels of alcohol – 15% is not uncommon), and it also has high tannin levels due to those thick skins. Developed in the 1920s by Abraham Perold, Pinotage rose quickly in popularity after the first wines appeared in the 1940s.

TRADEMARK VARIETY

Along with Chenin Blanc, Pinotage has become one of South Africa’s trademark wine varieties. And for good reason. Pinotage comes in many styles, from light, fruit-forward reds, through jammy styles, to complex full-bodied wines with dark fruit, smoke, chocolate and robust tannins. As a result, Pinotage doesn’t have one fixed identity, but rather many faces, so there’s often a style to suit everyone. Pinotage’s relative obscurity can in many ways be attributed to its lack of presence outside of South Africa. Look out for examples from Stellenbosch and Paarl though, these tend to be the best examples.

One of the advantages of South African wines is that they do not generally attract the same high prices as typical French or Italian wines, so it is possible to pick up bottles of decent Pinotage for just over £10. Tesco’s Bellingham Pinotage is £11.50, and even the more exclusive Beaumont Jackal’s River can be picked up for £21 at The Wine Box.

The really good examples can be age-worthy and may be able to last 15 or more years with proper storage developing tertiary flavours (like leather or tobacco) and complexity over time. Expect full-bodied, high alcohol wines characterised by dark fruit, spice, leather, chocolate, coffee and silky tannins. Pinotage wines often benefit from decanting, as this helps soften the tannins and bring out the fruit. Pinotage is also used in Cape Blends, where it is blended with other Bordeaux varieties to create some fantastic wines. And there is good news for rosé fans as well, Pinotage makes a nice rosé.

GAINING QUALITY

However, Pinotage can often divide opinion. In the 80s and 90s, some producers over-extracted colour but thinned flavour, creating cheap, diluted wines that put people off. Since then, winemakers have refined vineyard and cellar techniques, massively improving quality. The variation in styles can sometimes also mean that people try one bottle, dislike it, and dismiss the grape completely.

It can also be difficult to grow and can develop high levels of volatile acidity which result in a sort of a nail-varnish or acetone-like aroma which makes it smell like paint, which is not a positive in tasting notes! This is usually the result of poor winemaking rather than the grape itself. To make a good Pinotage takes time and effort. Finally, it is rare to find Pinotage outside of South Africa, so many people have just never encountered it before.

As we celebrate Pinotage Day, whether you’ve never tried Pinotage or are a seasoned expert, I hope you find a Pinotage you like to mark the occasion. You don’t need to spend a fortune – just go a little above the cheapest bottle. Whichever one you pick, please drink responsibly and let me know if you find any hidden gems!

DAVID’S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OCTOBER

Something Fresh and Fruity

Santodeno Grillo Sicilia DOC Vino Wine – Asda, £6.97.

Aromas of citrus, pineapple, apricot and orange blossom with refreshing acidity. Perfect with seafood.

Something Sparkling

Martial Richard Crémant de Limoux – Naked Wines, £18.99.

I tasted this alongside a well-known Champagne and the difference was virtually imperceptible. Citrus, green fruit and peach on the palate with a creamy, biscuity feel. Floral and mineral notes.

Something English

Brabourne Classic Cuvee, 2019 ­– www.brabournewine.com, £35.

A hidden gem from a small Kent vineyard. Definitely a champagne-beater. Citrus, fleshy fruit, honeyed notes, almond and brioche. Elegant with a strong finish.

Something Big and Bold

i-Latina La Armonia, Vineyard Petit Verdot, 2021 ­– Naked Wines, £23.99.

A big wine! Cherry, blackberry, plum, oak spice and vanilla, full-bodied but balanced and with a luxurious finish.

Something Classic

Paolo Leo Primitivo di Manduria – Waitrose, £14.

Full-bodied but elegant. Dark fruits and cherry with warm spice and savoury notes.

Something Different

Domaine Jones Vieilles Vignes Fitou – Loki Wines, £17.99.

Complex and concentrated with flavours of hedgerow. Black fruits, herby-leathery finish and succulent mouthfeel.

Twofold Spirits is a new spirits brand launched by husband-and-wife team, Charlotte and Tom Shepherd, who also own Michelin-star restaurant, Upstairs by Tom Shepherd. To celebrate they’ve created some special cocktails including this cheeky little number. Perfect for a summer sundowner, it uses their special Thai green gin which blends juniper, lemongrass and coriander with the flavours of kaffir lime and coconut – crikey! As always, please enjoy responsibly.

INGREDIENTS

• 10ml Spiced Agave

• 40ml Gin

• 15ml Fresh Lemon

• 50ml Cloudy Lemonade

METHOD

Combine all the ingredients, except for the lemonade, into an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake the mixture with ice and strain it into a stemmed glass. Finally, top it off with cloudy lemonade and enjoy!

Think France and Italy have the monopoly on great wine? Think again! The two largest wine-producing countries may boast a long winemaking heritage dating back to 100 BC, but wine was being made in Georgia while the Roman Empire was still a dream – and some of Europe’s most exciting bottles are now coming from regions you’ve probably heard of.

If you care about wine heritage, it might surprise you to learn that while Châteauneuf-du-Pape earned PDO status back in 1936, Hungary’s Tokaj claimed official recognition nearly 200 years earlier, and Cyprus’s Commandaria was protected as far back as the 12th century.

With centuries of experience, Central, Southern and Eastern Europe produce wines that rival the global powerhouses – often at better value. The region offers everything from traditional method sparkling wines to bold, complex reds nearing 16% ABV.

It’s tempting to stick with the familiar when choosing wine – a trusted label, a grape you can pronounce. But by passing over a crisp Cserszegi Fűszeres from Hungary, a bold Saperavi from Georgia, or a bright, aromatic Xynisteri from Cyprus, you could be missing your next favourite bottle.

Many countries in the region don’t produce enough volume to export widely, so if you visit, plan wine tastings or cellar tours – and bring a case home. That said, some hidden gems are starting to appear on UK shelves if you know where to look. 

Sparkling Wines

Germany consumes the largest amount of sparkling wine (Sekt) per capita in the world; however, finding the best ones can be a little tricky. Alternatively, Hungarian Pezsgő or sparkling wines from Moldova or Romania offer good quality at entry-level Champagne prices or less.

Some good choices here are:

• Radacini (Moldova) Blanc de Noirs. Morrisons, £7.

• Allendorf (Germany) N/V Riesling Sekt Brut. www.thewinebarn.co.uk, £19.60.

• Thummerer (Hungary) Blanc Brut Nature 2017. www.hungarianwinehouse.co.uk, £23.59.

• Blanc de Blancs Brut from Carassia (Romania). www.amathusdrinks.com, £26.50. 

White Wines

For white wines, consider a German Riesling, an Austrian Gewurztraminer, or even a Greek Assyrtiko, all of which are quite obtainable. Going further afield, there are some great whites in Romania, Serbia and Slovenia. You could even reach for a bottle of the Hungarian grape, Juhfark. For something different, I recently attended a masterclass on Cypriot wines – the whites were outstanding and well worth exploring.

Some options here are:

• Incanta Fetească Regală (Romania), 2023. Majestic, £9.00.

• Diamantakis Petali (Greece) Assyrtiko. Lokiwine, £15.99.

• Kozlović Malvasia (Croatia). Lokiwine, £17.99.

• KEO Saint Panteleimon (Cyprus) Xynisteri. Drink Supermarket, £8.99. 

Orange Wines

If orange wine is your thing, then I’d point you firmly in the direction of Georgia. They have been making it for 8,000 years and are very good at it. You might also want to consider Slovenia.

Options include:

• Bedoba (Georgia) Orange 2021. www.georgian-wine.co.uk, £17.50.

• Matić (Slovenia) Postopoma Natural Orange Wine 2023. www.secretbottleshop.co.uk, £20.95. 

Rosé Wines

In Hungary, rosé is taken seriously and enjoyed by everyone – regardless of gender. Look out for local varieties Kékfrankos and Kadarka, or Zweigelt; and wines from Villány, Szekszárd, or Eger. You might also want to explore Austria, Greece, or even Cyprus.

Obtainable options are:

• Bolyki (Hungary) Egri Rosé. www.bestofhungary.co.uk, £12.50.

• Sauska (Hungary) Rosé. www.nywines.co.uk, £14.75.

• Lentsch (Austria) Zweigelt Rosé. Waitrose, £10. 

Red Wines

Red wine lovers will find no shortage of exceptional options throughout Central, Southern, and Eastern Europe. There are some great examples from Georgia, Greece, and even Ukraine. Further north, look for Mavrud from Bulgaria, Bordeaux blends from Slovenia, and fantastic Cabernet Francs from Hungary.

Examples include:

• Tbilvino Saperavi (Georgia), 2023. Majestic, £12.50.

• Dúzsi Tamás (Hungary) Cabernet Franc, 2018. www.hungarianwinehouse.co.uk, £14.99.

• Thymiopoulos (Greece) Xinomavro, 2021/22. Majestic, £15.

• Stakhovsky Ace Saperavi (Ukraine). Lokiwine, £23.99. 

Sweet Wine

It has to be Tokaj from Hungary for sweet wines. These are some of the most complex wines in the world, once described by King Louis XIV as “The Wine of Kings, the King of Wines.” The famous style here is Aszú, but also try late harvest (sweet), Szamorodni (dry and sweet), and Essencia (very sweet) wines.

Some examples are:

• Royal Tokaji (Hungary) Blue Label 5 Puttonyos Aszú. Waitrose, £16.50.

• Royal Tokaji (Hungary) Late Harvest 50cl 2018/19. Majestic, £13.50.

• Tokaji (Hungary) Aszú 6 Puttonyos 2014 – Pannon Tokaj. www.hungarianwinehouse.co.uk, £39.99.

Clearly, the above is just scratching the surface, with whole regions and countries not even mentioned. But as you can see, there is a whole treasure trove of discoveries to be made when you venture outside the staples of Western Europe. 

A Final Word on Ukrainian Wine

Ukrainian wine might not have the centuries-old heritage of its neighbours, but it’s quickly making a name for itself. I recently tasted the full range from the Ukrainian Wine Company and was genuinely impressed – the wines are full of personality, expression and heart.

Right now, supporting Ukrainian producers isn’t just about trying something new – it’s a small but meaningful way to stand with a country facing immense challenges.

So why not raise a glass for a good cause? Whether you’re curious to explore something different or just want to show your support, you can order a mixed case or individual bottles at uawines.co.uk.

DAVID’S TOP PICKS FOR SEPTEMBER 

Something Fresh and Fruity

Small and Small Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024. Naked Wines, £15.99.

Zingy, tropical, and citrusy with green apples, pear, melon, subtle peach, and minerality. It is medium bodied with high acidity and some slightly grassy notes. 

Something Sparkling:

Pol Roger Pure Extra Brut NV Champagne. Waitrose, £56.

The slightly drier style allows greater expression from the grapes to shine through with delicate, light, fresh and elegant flavours of citrus and white fruit which develop into breadcrumb and yeasty notes. This is complemented by hints of rose and clove on the nose. Pure by name, pure by nature. 

Something English:

Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs, 2016 (or 2017). £46.99, Loki Wines.

Nyetimber wines are all characterised by complexity and flavours from extended lees ageing and this one is no exception. The 2016 has had six years on lees and has beautiful brioche, biscuit and subtle nutty flavours as a result, which complement the delicate white and citrus fruit palate which has a touch of florality and minerality to it. 

Something big and bold:

Journey’s End, Griffin 2016. Ocado, £27.25.

This Syrah from Stellenboch packs a beautiful cherry nose with some hints of pepper. On the palette the use of oak gives it weight, which is balanced by a silky smooth texture with flavours of blackberries, ripe fruit and liquorice. 

Something classic:

Morrisons The Best Picpoul De Pinet. Morrisons, £10.50.

An easy drinking simple wine which represents great value bringing fresh flavours of citrus zest, lime, grapefruit along with some minerality and slightly floral notes of honeysuckle. 

Inspired by the beloved dessert, tangy lemon meets rich cream and the nostalgic warmth of a biscuit base, creating a cocktail that’s as dreamy as it is delicious and crafted to satisfy your sweet tooth. Cor Blimey! But please do enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients:

• 40ml – Tempus Two Pinot Gris White Wine
• 30ml – Limoncello
• 30ml – Frangelico
• 30ml – Fresh Lemon Juice
• 25ml – Cinamon syrup
• 25ml – Gingerbread syup
• 25ml – single cream

Method:

Shake all ingredients with ice and double strain into a glass rimmed with biscuit dusting. Garnish with an edible flower for a beautiful finishing touch.Box out:

It seems that Cava has gone out of fashion in the UK, eclipsed by the explosion of Prosecco into the UK market. Our perceptions of Cava are perhaps unfairly based on the belief that it is a cheap sparkling wine with all the connotations which go along with that. But despite these perceptions, Cava is in fact a premium sparkling wine.

Like Champagne, Cava is made using the traditional method, which involves a second fermentation in the bottle. Having had the bubbles imparted by the second fermentation, it is then also aged, which allows the development of additional flavours from contact with the yeast cells. Cava is made with similar strict conditions to champagne in terms of yields, quality control and production standards, and yet does not have the same status.

But let me share with you that there is a whole other world to Cava! A world of quality wines, in a wide variety of styles, some of which rivals the best champagnes. The key to finding quality Cava is understanding the four quality levels used by the Consejo Regulador del Cava (Cava Regulatory Council).

CHOOSE YOUR CAVA

Most of the Cava we see in supermarkets is entry level Cava categorised as Cava de Guarda. The three main grape varieties in most Cavas are the native Spanish varieties Macabeo, Xarello and Parellada, all of which you probably won’t recognise. Most wines in the UK will be a blend of these three grapes. Cava de Guarda is aged for a minimum of nine months, so develops some additional flavour in the bottle. A great example of a Cava de Guarda wine, which is a step above the entry level supermarket offerings is the Cune Cava Brut from Majestic for £13. However, in preparation for this article, I recently blind tasted the offerings from Sainsburys, Tesco, ALDI, Morrisons and ASDA, and I felt the Sainsburys Brut Cava at £5.79 was the best in this price category with more complex flavours from the ageing process.

Cava de Guarda Superior Reserva or Cava de Guarda Superior Gran Reserva wines are aged for a minimum of 18 or 30 months respectively. Grapes come from higher quality vineyards where the focus is more on quality than quantity. In both categories only 10,000kg per hectare of grapes are allowed, 2,000kg less than in Cava de Guarda. And these grapes are more lightly pressed releasing juice which is purer and more concentrated. Many Gran Reserva wines are aged for much longer than 30 months, some for 10+ years. A good Reserva option is the Vilarnau Brut Reserva Organic Cava for £12.80 from Ocado. For a great Gran Reserva, I recommend the Roger Goulart Gran Reserva Josep Valls Cava 2019 for £17.99 at drinksdirect.com

The best quality Cavas receive the category Cava de Guarda Superior Paraje de Calificado. This is an exclusive badge reserved for only the very best vineyards. Here only 8,000kg per hectare of grapes are allowed from vines which are at least 10 years old, all of which must be harvested by hand. Wines must be bottled on site, be only a single vintage and be aged for at least 36 months. In 2024, only 17,000 bottles of Paraje de Calificado were made, of which only 4,000 were exported outside of Spain. To get one of these, you can buy the Juvé & Camps La Capella Cava de Paraje Calificado from Decantalo for a very reasonable £86.77.

Many of these Gran Reserva and Paraje de Calificado bottles are single variety Cavas made from one of the three native Spanish varieties mentioned earlier, or one of the other two permitted white varieties or four permitted red varieties. Rosé Cava can be made in all four quality categories and can be outstanding. Categories can be identified by either a smallish rectangular label on the back of the bottle or a circular label on the top of the cork which will be green, silver, gold or have a letter ‘P’ in it for Guarda, Reserva, Gran Reserva and Paraje wines respectively. The category may also be indicated on the front label.

ORGANIC LEADERS

One of the most remarkable things about Cava, is that the producers are leading the world in organic production of wines. From 2025, all Superior level wines will need to be 100 per cent organic.
While Brut is the most widely sold style of sparkling wine, the warmer weather in Spain means that the grapes ripen to a level where it is possible to make a wine with no added sugar (Brut Nature) without it tasting overly acidic. These drier wines are the purest expressions of the grapes, where you are much more likely to be able to pick up subtle floral notes and minerality. There are also sweet Cava wines, which make great accompaniments to sweet dessert dishes and things like blue cheese.

So why not treat yourself to a Superior level Cava in celebration of International Cava Day? And if you want to learn more about Cava, head over to the alottowineabout.com website where there is a six-part series on Cava.

Something sparkling:

One of the Cavas above!

Something English:

Denbies Surrey Gold – £11, Waitrose.
Floral aromas and green fruit on the nose, with a slightly sweeter taste on the palate with flavours of melon, pear, grapefruit, elderflower and blossom. Uncomplicated, easy drinking and deceptively moreish! Given the sugar level, it might even pair well with some less-sweet desserts.

Something fresh and fruity:

Journey’s End Haystack Chardonnay – £13.50, Ocado.
Strong citrus on the nose, with a softer feel on the palate and some pear, green apple, riper tropical fruits (pineapple) and balanced creamy savoury notes and steely minerality. Not an oaky Chardonnay, but does have a decent finish.

Something classic:

Definition by Majestic Margaux 2020 – £29, Majestic.
A beautifully made Claret. Notes of red berries, violets, smoke and some spice. Medium body, with a satisfying finish with soft well integrated and smooth tannins. This would pair very nicely with chicken dishes.

Something big and bold:

Mouchăo Dom Raffael Tinto 2021 – £14.95, Wine Society.
A beautiful wine at a very accessible price point. Red and dark fruit combined on the palate with rich savoury notes and some spice on the prolonged finish. Smooth and subtle with some nice integrated tannins.

Something different:

Journey’s End The Huntsman – £13.50, Ocado.
A nice blend from South Africa. Medium bodied, with rich aromas of both red and black fruits, cassis and blackberries, as well as some slightly herbaceous notes of green bell pepper and some dried herbs. Complex, rich, smooth subtle tannins, a hint of liquorice and a decent length finish.

It’s the tenth Birmingham Rum Festival this month. The ticketed event will showcase some of the finest new rums on the market with live music, street food and a bumper new cocktail festival menu.  To celebrate, the Cuban Embassy in Moseley has created this cracking Spicy Margarita to get you in the party mood. Que comience la fiesta! But please continue to enjoy responsibly.

INGREDIENTS 

• 50ml Island Slice Scotch Bonnet Rum

• 1 Lime

• 15ml Agave/Simple Syrup

• 15ml Triple Sec/Cointreau

• 1 Chilli Pepper (optional but why wouldn’t you!)

• 1tsp Salt

METHOD

Rim the glass with lime juice and salt. In a shaker, combine Scotch Bonnet rum, the juice of half a lime, agave syrup and triple sec. Fill the shaker with ice and shake well for 15 seconds. Strain into the rimmed glass filled with ice. Garnish with a slice of Scotch bonnet pepper or a lime wheel.

Compared with the likes of France, Spanish-produced wines can often represent great value. This is certainly true of Rioja (prounounced ‘Ree-o-ha’) wines from Northern Spain. These wines are often compared with Côtes de Rhône red, which attract significantly higher prices. On 9 June, it’s International Rioja Day, so what better time to become familiar with the surprising variation in styles of wine from this region.

Each year approximately 343 million bottles of Rioja are sold, 41 per cent of which are exported. The UK is a key market accounting for just over 30 per cent of all exports, and for good reason. When we think of Rioja, we tend to think of big, bold, red wines available at a very affordable price. Typical Rioja wines are red, full bodied, fruity, oaky and great accompaniments to food. These wines are dominated by the Tempranillo grape, although often the wines are blends with other varieties. But did you know, Rioja is not just producing big bold red wines?

It is also possible to get white, rosé and sparkling Riojas. In fact, of the 14 grape varieties permitted within the Rioja region, nine of them are white varieties and only five are red. White wines account for around 10 per cent of production and rosés for around 5 per cent. White Rioja is typically a wine of good acidity, lemon curd and honeycomb flavours, with some minerally characteristics. ALDI’s Rioja Blanco (Barron Amarillo) at £6.49 is a very affordable easy-drinking example. You might look to try white Rioja if you tend to go for white Burgundy wines or even some more acidic pinot grigios, and your bank account will thank you for it!

The sparkling wines are surprisingly good! If you want to pick one up, Majestic has the Viña Pomal Reserva Blanc de Noirs Rioja Sparkling 2020 at £15 a bottle or £12 on mix six. It has a nice balance of red and white fruits, good citrus acidity and some light spice. 

Not all Riojas are created equal

Spain is one of the few countries in the world that classifies its wines by the amount of time they have spent maturing. Generally, the longer a wine has spent maturing the smoother, more rounded it will be, and the greater the complexity of flavour.

To grasp the categories of Rioja we have four levels to understand. Examples given below are for red Rioja, there are slightly different rules for other styles.

• Rioja without any ageing designation (sometimes referred to a Joven or young wines). These wines are usually wines with less than two years of age, which are likely to have had only very short or possibly no time aging in a barrel. These wines are fresh, sometimes quite acidic, with aromas which are primarily fruit based. Flavours are likely to be of strawberry, cherry, liquorice or violets. Sometimes a wine making technique known as carbonic maceration is used, which increases the fruit flavours and can sometimes add notes of ripe banana, strawberry bubble gum, cinnamon and kirsch. If you want to try one of these young wines, you could pick up a bottle of Campo Viejo Rioja Tempranillo from Tesco for £9 or from most other supermarkets. They are often available on mix 6 or cheaper with loyalty cards.

• Crianza Rioja. These wines must spend at least two years in the winery, of which at least 12 months must be in 225-litre oak barrels. These wines retain some floral and fruit aromas but pick up notes of vanilla, coconut, warming spice and some toasted wood. I recommend decanting these for 30 to 60 minutes to allow some air contact, which will significantly improve their drinking potential. If you are looking to pick up a typical example of a Crianza Rioja, then have a look at the Tesco Finest Vina Del Cura Crianza which you can purchase for £9.

• Reserva Rioja. These wines are selected due to having the right qualities to age and must spend at least three years ageing, including at least one year in a barrel. Aromas and flavours will become more complex over time, with some balsamic and spice notes. A great example of a reserva wine is the Cune Rioja Reserva 2019, it is a mix of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo varieties and has had 18 months in American and French Oak barrels. You can find it at Majestic or Sainsburys for around £14.

• Gran Reserva. The total maturation period here must be at least five years of, which at least two years must have been in oak and two in the bottle. These wines are much more complex with aromas of dried fruits, clove, nuts and toasty roasted notes. They can also take on aromas of leather, tobacco and forest floor. Decant to allow them to breathe a little before drinking. Majestic has the Viña Alarde Rioja Gran Reserva for around £13 a bottle which is great value. Morrisons also has The Best Marques de los Rios Rioja Gran Reserva at £15 a bottle.

DAVID’S TOP WINE PICKS FOR JUNE

Something sparkling:

Viña Pomal Reserva Blanc de Noirs Rioja Sparkling 2020 – £15 a bottle or £12 on mix six, Majestic. 

Something English:

Candover Brooke Brut NV – £37, https://www.candoverbrook.co.uk/

A beautiful, slightly floral, sparkling wine which has been aged in the bottle for 3.5 years so has developed flavours of vanilla, nuts and toast. The fruit is citrusy with some green apple and a hint of red apple coming through from the Pinot Noir. A lasting finish which is a little minerally/savoury. 

Something fresh and fruity:

Errazuriz Estate Reserva Pinot Grigio 2023 – £11, Ocado.

A special Pinot Grigio from Chile. Smooth, easy drinking, but with a bit of minerality and complexity. On the nose expect pear, apple, melon and citrus and some floral notes. On the palette this is smooth and refreshing, with some hints of tropical fruits (pineapple and passionfruit) but not tart. 

Something classic:

Boekenhoutskloof ‘The Chocolate Block’ – £24, Tesco.

Think dark fruit flavours, with very smooth tannins and a dark chocolate finish. This is a great wine for those who enjoy very deep flavourful wines. Great on its own, or with food.

Something different:

Invincible Numero Um Branco, 2021 – £16, Majestic.

A sophisticated and delicious wine from Portugal. Well balanced, with some passion fruit coming through as well as some very enjoyable oaky sensations. This wine has layers, which mean a long satisfying finish.

With the smashing recent warm weather we can all begin to feel that maybe – just maybe – summer’s really not so far away. So, how about celebrating the joy with this refreshing little number from Bethany Gaunt, the bar manager at the Speakeasy-inspired underground bar, Hush. As always, enjoy responsibly.

INGREDIENTS:

• 20ml Vanilla vodka

• 10ml Manzana verde

• 20ml homemade Madagascan vanilla and rose syrup

• 15ml fresh grapefruit juice

• Champagne

METHOD:

To make the vanilla and rose syrup:

Heat 300ml water in a saucepan, once simmering, add four rose tea bags. Let this steep for 10 minutes before taking the teabags out. Then add 600g white sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Now split a vanilla pod in half, scoop out the seeds and chop the remaining pod case into slices. Add all the vanilla to the rose syrup and pour into a vacuum bag and seal. Put the bag of syrup into a water bath and set the sous vide to 75 degrees for 3 hours.

Once finished, put the syrup into an ice bath. When cool, blend until the vanilla pieces and seeds are extremely fine. Then strain through a chinois.

To make the cocktail:

Add the vanilla vodka, Manzana verde, the rose and vanilla syrup and freshly squeezed grapefruit juice into a Boston shaker. Shake until cool and double strain into a Champagne flute. Top the cocktail with Champagne and gently stir. Express the peel of a grapefruit over the cocktail and garnish with the peel.

In Britain, we have a love affair with white wine. Three of the most popular choices have their very own celebration days in May – Sauvignon Blanc (2 May), Pinot Grigio (17 May) and Chardonnay (22 May) – giving the perfect excuse to make this month a celebration of white wines!

As we flirt with the idea of warmer summer temperatures, retire our winter coats for another year, and see the spring buds begin to flourish into summer flowers, we may also be thinking about transitioning to a lighter style of wine more in keeping with the early summer. So, many of us will be considering filling our shopping baskets with some refreshing white wines.

Sauvignon Blanc is by far the nation’s favourite white wine. This is a highly aromatic and acidic grape which oozes fresh, zingy, tongue-tingling flavours. Depending on how ripe the grapes are, we can expect flavours from citrus, green apple, grapefruit and the British speciality gooseberry, through stone-fruits and even tropical fruits such as pineapple and passionfruit. Many examples have aroma and taste qualities which are floral – elderflower or white blossom, but also slightly herbaceous notes such as grass, asparagus, and green bell pepper which are a result of the Methoxypyrazines contained in this variety. It is also not unusual for feline lovers to detect the familiar aroma of ‘cat pee’ in the wine, which comes from a sulphur bound compound known as 4MMP.

FLINTY QUALITY

As a rule, most Sauvignon Blanc wines are for immediate consumption, especially those from places like Marlborough in New Zealand and South Africa. However, a notable exception to this rule are Sancerre wines, which are more complex, have a minerally or flinty quality and which can age well. Generally, these wines are made in stainless steel tanks or old oak barrels and so have little to no characteristics of having been oak aged. It is, however, possible to find oaked Sauvignons, from places such as Bordeaux, the USA and Australia. Sancerre is a very marked contrast with New Zealand, so if you are not a big Marlborough fan, you might want to try a Sancerre instead. On the other hand, if you can’t get enough of that New Zealand Sauv, then just maybe you should look out for a Spanish Albariño as an alternative.

If the high acids in Sauvignon Blanc are too much for your constitution, you may well want to consider Pinot Grigio as an alternative. This Italian tipple is less aromatic and therefore tends to get more flavour from the winemaking process, than from the grape itself. Pinot Grigio is usually light, refreshing and dry in style, with characteristics of green or citrus fruits, and sometimes peach, some minerality and depending on where it was made and almond notes. All of this makes it the ideal patio wine: easy drinking, delicious and uncomplicated. Like Sauvignon Blancs, most Pinot Grigios are going to be produced for immediate consumption rather than ageing.

SUMMER MEALS

Pinot Grigio is a great wine for get togethers but also particularly pairs well with white meat, sea food dishes, as well as salads, making it the ideal wine to serve with light summer meals. It is also possible to make a more sophisticated style of wine from this grape, which is usually labelled Pinot Gris and even sweet wines made from grapes, which are harvested later. In terms of other varieties, you may want to try if you like this style, you may want to opt for Soave, another native Italian style made from the Garganega grape.

Chardonnay has an extraordinarily bad reputation in the UK, largely based on a lot of very heavily oaked cheap Chardonnays of the 80s and 90s, from places such as the USA and Australia. While there are certainly still a few cheap, overly oaky chardonnays out there, generally winemakers are now making much more subtle wines with these grapes. Many are now unoaked. Like Pinot Grigio Chardonnay, is non-aromatic, so tends to take on the flavours of the wine making process. Flavours can range from citrus and green fruits, through to peachy and even pineapple-like flavours. The grape usually produces much more golden coloured wines. Oaked wines may have toasty, vanilla and nutty notes as well.

SPARKLING FORM

Of course, if you prefer a different take on your chardonnay, you may want to consider consuming it in sparkling form. Chardonnay is one of the most popular grapes used in sparkling wine making and can be found in many Champagnes, English Sparklings, South African Cap Classiques, Crémants, and even in some Cava, Prosecco and Franciacorta. Chardonnay often contributes some floral notes, citrus flavours and enhances aging potential. If you like a little oak in your chardonnay, you may want to also try white Rioja for something similar.

So, with three options to celebrate in May which ones will you choose? As always, whether you celebrate one or all three, please drink responsibly.

DAVID’S TOP WINE PICKS FOR MAY

Something sparkling:

Krone ‘Borealis’ Cuvée Brut 2022/23, South Africa – £15, Majestic.

A nice refreshing and light sparkling from South Africa, which combines delicate fruit flavours of melon, stone fruit and pineapple, with subtle minerality and biscuit flavours on the finish.  

Something fresh and fruity:

M&S Garganega Pinot Grigio – £7, Marks & Spencer.

A good typical example of a Pinot Grigio with white fruit, subtle acids, notes of lime, peach and almonds. A nice easy drinking wine, which is very affordable. 

Something big and bold:

Paolo Leo Primitivo di Manduria, 2022 – £13, Waitrose.

A rich, full bodied and well-balanced wine with black fruit notes of blackcurrant, blackberry and black cherry. Strong oak influences of smoke, spice and earthiness to finish. 

Something classic:

Tesco Finest Pouilly Fume – £16.50, Tesco.

A Sauvignon Blanc with some character and complexity. Flavours of lime, gooseberry, and green apple meet minerality and cream, to create a very enjoyable mouthfeel. 

Something English:

Three Choirs Classic Cuvee Sparkling Wine – £18.69, Hay wines.

A sparkling wine from one of the lesser-known varieties – Seyval Blanc, with a touch of Pinot Noir. Think white and citrus fruits with some nice brioche, bread and biscuit notes. 

Something different:

Honey Drop Chenin Blanc 2023/4 – £14.99, Majestic.

Stone fruit, tropical fruit, and honied notes, give way to creamy layers of smoke, vanilla, and with complex coconut and butterscotch on the finish. This is a wine which seriously delivers and which deserves to be savoured.

As we begin to emerge from spring and begin thinking about the prospect of better weather in just a few months’ time, International Malbec Day on 17April offers a timely reminder that Malbec is the natural pairing for steak and other BBQ foods, when we eventually get outside again.

Malbec has small berries, which are dark in colour and have thick skins. The resulting wines tend to have a characteristic purple colour and bright magenta rim. And we Brits love them! The UK is the second biggest importer of Argentinian Malbec in the world.

A BRIEF HISTORY

It is thought that the Malbec grape was first widely adopted in France, where it had become famous as early as Medieval times. There are a number of stories around how Malbec was introduced to France, one of which was that it was introduced by a Hungarian peasant of the same name.

The British love affair with Malbec dates back to the 12th century. Imports of Malbec grew significantly around this time, as a consequence of new trading routes developing when Eleanor of Aquitaine married the English prince who would eventually become King Henry II.

Despite the popularity of the ‘black wines’ of Cahors and Bordeaux in Medieval times, production today is much more limited. The word Malbec is thought to be closely related to the French words ‘mal bouche’ or bad mouth, which reflects the somewhat negative views and lack of love the French have for the grape.

During the 1850s, almost all of the vines of Europe were affected by a pest known as phylloxera, which pretty much wiped Malbec out in South-West France. This, combined with significant frosts of 1956, largely sealed the grape’s fate and it fell out of fashion. Given it is quite a difficult grape to grow, and the French didn’t particularly like it anyway, most vines were replaced with other varieties. It is, however, still one of the red Bordeaux blend varieties, where it is used mostly to add colour.

Thanks to French botanist Michel Pouget transporting Malbec cuttings to South America in the 1850s, today the largest plantations of Malbec can be found in Argentina, where it is usually grown at altitude. Some vineyards are among the highest in the world, located at over 3,300m above sea level. At this altitude the intensity of the sunlight enhances the aromas and flavours of the resulting wines. It also helps create polymeric tannins, which are much softer and rounder, rather than astringent and bitter. The sun helps fully ripen the berries, allowing sugar levels to get very high, and this can result in some very high alcohol wines. Argentina now accounts for around three-quarters of the world’s Malbec plantations.

ABOUT THE WINES

Perhaps one of the reasons the Brits love Malbec is that it is possible to pick-up well-made wines for very good prices. Argentinian styles tend to be easy drinking and fruit dominated with black cherry, raspberry, plum and blackberry flavours depending on the climate in which it has been grown. They often have notes of vanilla, tobacco, cocoa and violet. There are of course still Cahors Malbecs, which tend to be more leathery, tart, and more acidic with black plum, black pepper and spicy notes. Both will benefit from serving just below room temperature, decanting and serving in a large glass to allow them to breathe. Of course, there are examples of rosé style Malbecs and even white and sparkling Malbecs as well.

Despite the obvious pairing with steak, Malbec can also match well with strong (especially blue) cheese, aubergine dishes, meaty fish, smoked foods, and French styles with duck. So, as you dust off the BBQ and prepare for summer, why not look for some International Malbec Day offers in preparation? And however you choose to enjoy your wine, please drink responsibly.

DAVID’S TOP WINE PICKS FOR APRIL

Something sparkling:

Codorniu Vintage Organic Cava Brut – £10, Tesco.

Cava is one of the most underrated sparkling wines and this Codorniu Vintage is a good example of a well-made entry-level Cava. Flavours of ripe white fruits, with good acidity, notes of brioche, dried fruit and nuts. A fine mousse and a long finish. 

Something fresh and fruity:

Chosen by Majestic Riesling 2023, Rheinhessen ­– £9.99, Majestic.

Rieslings have a fairly poor reputation, but this one is fresh, vibrant and has notes of stone fruits and honey which makes it the perfect pairing to Asian dishes. 

Something big and bold:

Abbotts & Delaunay ‘Les Fleurs Sauvages’ Malbec 2021/22, Languedoc – £11.99, Majestic.

An old vine French Malbec with concentrated and bold red and black fruit flavours and some liquorice and spice on the finish. 

Something classic:

Zuccardi Serie A Malbec 2022 ­– £15, Tesco.

A full-bodied Malbec with black cherry, plum and subtle raspberry aromas, plus some chocolate on the finish. Spicy notes, but very accessible smooth tannins making it deceptively easy drinking. 

Something English:

Chapel Down, A Touch of Sparkle – £15.99, Waitrose.

Tropical, citrus and floral aromas – think pineapple, grapefruit and elderflower. A nice mousse which is persistent. Nice earthy minerality and herbaceous nettle finish. 

Something different:

Sainsbury’s Sicilia Doc Grillo, Taste the Difference – £9, Sainsburys.

Fresh, fruit palette with strong citrus flavour, tropical fruit notes and mild floral aromas of jasmine. A great wine to pair with light pasta, chicken salads or sushi dishes.

This is one of our favourite spring cocktails from the guys at the Sky Bar & Restaurant, Resorts World. It’s a fruity little number and it’s a load of fun popping the mix in with a syringe! As always, please enjoy responsibly.

INGREDIENTS 

• 50ml Tanqueray gin
• 30ml lemon juice

For the Bramble Mix:

• 15ml cucumber syrup
• 10ml Crème de cassis
• 5ml blueberry liqueur

METHOD 

Fill an old-fashioned glass tumbler with ice. Pour in the gin and lemon juice. Prepare all Bramble Mix ingredients into a plastic syringe. Garnish with a skewer of blackberries, raspberries and a strip of cucumber. For added theatre, allow your guests to insert their own hit of the Bramble Mix, using the syringe upon serving.

This simple and delicious cocktail comes from the guys at the Warwickshire Gin Company, a local independent distillery that boasts a collection of award-winning spirits. Honeybee Cocktail uses one of our favourites – Pugilist Honey Rum – which is part of the range named in honour of Warwickshire’s own boxing legend Randolph Turpin. As always, please enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients 

• 50ml Pugilist Honey Rum

• 10ml lime juice.

• Sicilian lemonade to taste

Method 

Put two or three large ice cubes into a tall glass. Add the rum and lime juice then top up with the lemonade. Stir gently, garnish with a slice of dried lime and enjoy!

Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin is better known as Veuve (Widow) Clicquot. In 1805, French law prohibited women from running businesses, but it made an exception for widows. Despite the challenges of the Napoleonic Wars, Veuve Clicquot not only turned around her husband’s failing wine business by smuggling champagne into Russia but also persuaded Tsar Alexander I to drink only her champagne.

Barbe-Nicole’s most significant contribution to modern champagne was the creation of the process known as ‘riddling’. Champagne is a base wine, to which sugar and yeast are added, causing a secondary fermentation in the bottle, trapping carbon dioxide and producing bubbles. In the early 1800s, champagne producers removed the remaining sediment from the secondary fermentation by pouring the wine into a clean bottle. This was a wasteful process that often damaged the wine.

BREAKTHROUGH

Barbe-Nicole realized that if the bottle was slowly rotated and turned upright, the sediment would sink to the neck of the bottle and could then be removed using the natural pressure. This breakthrough transformed champagne production and significantly sped up the process. She was also likely the first to make rosé champagne using the process of blending, known as d’assemblage. Champagne is still one of the few wines regions which allow rosé wine to be created by blending red and white wine.

Another champagne widow, Louise Pommery, is credited with creating the ‘brut’ style of champagne. In 1874, she crafted a champagne with just eight grams of residual sugar – far less than the 300 grams typically used at the time – to appeal to the British market, who she observed favoured dry ciders. This innovation led to the creation of the ‘brut’ style that accounts for about 90 per cent of champagne sales today.

BRUT NATURE

Widow Mathilde Emilie Laurent-Perrier took this one step further, producing a completely dry champagne (Grand vin sans Sucre), what we now call ‘brut nature’. Like Barbe-Nicole and Louise Pommery, her strong business acumen turned her deceased husband’s failing champagne house around.

Lilly Bollinger is widely acknowledged as having transformed champagne into the more refined, complex wine we appreciate today. Her Récemment Dégorgé (‘Recently Disgorged’) champagne, made by allowing the wine to age in contact with the sediment (‘lees’) from the secondary fermentation, imparted the toasty, brioche, biscuity flavours that have become synonymous with quality champagne. Today, all genuine champagnes are aged at least 15 months before release, and at least 12 months on the lees.

HEROINES LEGACY

There are many more heroines of champagne we could mention: Jeanne Krug, a nurse for the Red Cross who established an infirmary, school, and Protestant temple in the Krug cellars during World War II; Camile Orly-Roederer who saved the Roederer champagne house from bankruptcy and launched the infamous ‘Cristal’ champagne in 1945; and Apolline Henriot who founded the Henriot champagne house, to name just three.

Today this legacy of remarkable, tenacious and innovative women lives on with the likes of Vitalie Taittinger (Tattinger), Séverine Frerson (Perrier-Jouët), Elise Losfelt (Charles Heidsieck), Julie Cavil (Krug), Charline Drappier (Drappier) and others who are producing some of the best prestige champagnes and driving carbon-neutral and organic wine production.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, it seems appropriate to raise a glass of champagne and toast the incredible women who have made, and continue to make, it the symbol of luxury it is today!

DAVID’S 6 OF THE BEST FROM FEMALE WINEMAKERS 

In honour of International Women’s Day, this month’s wine recommendations are all from female winemakers.

Something sparkling:

Drappier Premier Cru Champagne – £39, Majestic.

In celebration of modern women winemakers, this Drapper premier cru champagne showcases the very best of toasty, brioche flavours with a creamy mousse and aromas of pear and vanilla. 

Something fresh and fruity:

Emma Marris Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Marlborough – £11.99, Majestic.

Fresh and zingy with notes of lime, green apple, lemongrass and subtle florals. Refreshing, but with a degree of complexity. 

Something big and bold:

Finca Constancia Entre Lunas Organic Tempranillo – £13.95, Cheers Wine Merchants.

A nice blend of both red and dark fruits, with hints of chocolate, coffee and smooth tannins on the palette. 

Something classic:

Bread & Butter ‘Winemaker’s Selection’ Chardonnay 2022/23 – £16.99, Majestic.

Rich, fuller bodied, with a buttery, creamy mouth feel. Citrus fruit, apple and toast on the palette. 

Something English:

Nyetimber Classic Cuvee – £42, Sainsbury’s.

The best of British, Nyetimber is widely acclaimed as one of, if not the, best English wine producers. Expect a delicate mousse, flavours of yellow apple, melon, mayer lemon, honied notes, brioche and mild cooking spices.  

Something different:

Bread & Butter Pinot Noir – £16, Sainsbury’s.

A grape variety that tends to divide the crowd. Expect a lighter style of red wine which is fresh with cherry, raspberries and cranberries, with some subtle toasty oak.

Image by Dave Perry Photography

A new Speakeasy Bar has just opened its doors, immersing guests back in time to the Prohibition era of 1920/30s America. To celebrate, bar manager Bethany Gaunt of the awesome Hush in Leamington Spa has created this marvellous cocktail that’s inspired by and named after the slang term used at the time for feisty and fiery women. Please note the actual version of the cocktail made in the Hush bar is even better as the Ancho Reyes Verde is infused with Gochujang, but that requires a water bath and who has one of those at home! As always, please enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients:

• 40ml El Jimador Reposado Tequila
• 10ml Cointreau
• 10ml Ancho Reyes Verde
• 10ml Yuzu purée
• 15ml Lime juice
• Smoked sea salt rim

Method:

Before making the cocktail prepare the glass with Smoked Maldon sea salt for the rim. Use a freshly cut wedge of lime to run round the edge and push into the salt. Use a napkin to tidy the rim and remove any salt that has fallen into the glass.
Add all the wet ingredients to a Boston shaker, plus ice and give it a hard shake. Double strain the cocktail into the prepared glass and serve with a wedge of lime on the edge of the glass.

As far as I’m concerned, there are two important dates in February and they both occur within 48 hours of each other. On the 14th it’s Valentine’s Day, and just two days later is International Syrah day. And, while we typically associate Valentine’s Day with sparkling or Rosé wines, Syrah is actually a great choice to accompany your Valentine’s meal.

ABOUT SYRAH

The Syrah grape is likely a grandchild of Pinot Noir and has small egg-shaped deep purple berries and thick skins. It also has high levels of both sugar and acid. All this means that it is capable of producing rich fruity, bold, tannic wines with high levels of alcohol. Typical flavours/aromas tend to be of blueberries, blackcurrant, blackberries, black cherry, plum, violets, bacon, chocolate, pepper, liquorice, and tobacco.

Apparently, this grape is full of antioxidants and so may well be looking after our hearts when consumed in moderation. What else would you expect from a Valentine’s wine?! And depending on the style of the wine, it is usually a good choice to pair with game, red meat, mushrooms and cheeses. It can even handle a little spice. So, if your Valentine date includes steak frites, roasted meat, something with mild Asian spices or a cheese board, this might just be a great wine of choice.

BLENDING IN

There is a misconception which some people have that blended wines are lower quality ones. While it is true that many poor-quality wines are blends, some of the best quality wines in the world are in fact blends as well. Syrah is frequently blended with Grenache, Mourvèdre and other varieties to produce wines such as the infamous Châteauneuf du Pape, Côte-Rôtie, and Côtes du Rhône wines, as well as with Sangiovese and other varieties to produce the so-called ‘Super Tuscan’ Italian wines. In this context Syrah helps to add body and structure to the wine (or more weighty mouth feel), as well as black fruit flavours.

A GRAPE BY ANOTHER NAME

It might surprise you to learn that the Syrah and Shiraz grapes are in fact the same grape. Syrah tends to be more widely used in France, where the styles of wines are slightly acidic, medium bodied and slightly savoury. In contrast, due to the warmer climate, Shiraz wines tend to be rich, bold, fruity styles of wine. Generally, whether a wine is labelled Syrah or Shiraz will indicate which of the two styles it has been made in.

SURPRISING SPARKLE

Speaking of Shiraz wines, it is possible to get hold of sparkling Shiraz. These wines are usually from Australia and tend to have a fruity, full-bodied style and often have a slight sweetness (while still being dry in style) which balances out the tannin. These wines can be made using the champagne method or the prosecco (tank) method of wine making, which will give them slightly different flavour profiles.

So, whether you are celebrating your Valentine’s Day with someone special or opt to celebrate Syrah day instead or as well, why not take a look at my Top Picks of the Month…

DAVID’S TOP PICKS OF THE MONTH

Something sparkling:
Morrisons The Best Crémant De Limoux ¬– £12, Morrisons.
Green apple, citrus notes of lemon curd, biscuit, honey and subtle floral notes of white blossom. Slightly creamy with a nice feel on the palette.

Something fresh and fruity:
Villa Maria Reserve Sauvignon Blanc – £11, ASDA.
This classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has notes of passionfruit, lemongrass, lime, guava and melon. Some well-balanced acidity, minerality, and a good length finish.

Something big and bold:
Penfolds ‘Koonunga Hill Seventy-Six’ Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon 2019/21 ¬– £16,99, Majestic.
Think dark fruits such as plum, blackberry, blackcurrant and blueberry, subtle red cherry, chocolate, vanilla, and spice. This will definitely tick the big and bold box.

Something classic:
Chapoutier Les Meysonniers Crozes-Hermitage 2022 – £22.99, Majestic.
If you’re looking to splash out on some classical Syrah, this is a good example from a great winemaker, without the very eye-watering prices of the Northern Rhone. Crozes-Hermitage wines tend to represent good quality to price ratio. This one has notes of black fruits – cherry, plum, blackberry, with white pepper and spice notes.

Something English:
Chapel Down Bacchus, 2023 – £13.50, The Wine Society.
Aromas of elderflower, herbaceous nettle notes, green apple, lime, melon, pineapple, grapefruit and gooseberry, fresh acidity, and a light delicate finish. Fans of crisp refreshing Sauvignon Blanc may well like this one.

Something different:
Jacob’s Creek Sparkling Shiraz NV – £8.99 Waitrose
For those who want to try a red sparkling Shiraz, this is a typical example of the style. This one is a prosecco (tank) method wine. Think red fruit flavours such as raspberry, citrus notes, hints of spice and pepper, with a slightly creamy flavour but with the sensation of bubbles and a berry flavour on the finish.

Like many people, you may have decided that after indulging and possibly overspending during Christmas and New Year, January is the time to cut back on wine. You may be reasoning that reducing your intake of fermented grapes will lead to both a healthier body and wallet. And like many, your New Year’s resolutions may include participating in dry January.

Research suggests that 88 per cent of New Year’s resolutions fail within the first two weeks of January. So, I’d like to present an alternative which might put you in the 12 per cent of people who actually make a resolution and stick to it. Let’s call it, ‘semi-dry January’ (pun intended!). My proposition is that instead of cutting out wine altogether, buy better wine, but less of it.

Let me clarify. What I am suggesting is instead of buying two bottles of your usual wine, buy one that costs a bit more. So, two-times the quality for one-and-a-half times the price!

Would it surprise you to know that the £10 of wine in your weekly shop only has around £2 worth of wine in it? Factoring in the bottle, cork, label, shipping, duty, the supermarket’s profit margin and VAT in January 2025 that is roughly what the wine in your bottle will have cost to produce. But in a £15 bottle of wine, the wine it worth about £4.54 – a 216 per cent increase in value. And in a £20 wine, a 300 per cent increase in value. Like chocolate, typically the better the quality the longer it will take to drink and the less you need. 

Drinking at the right temperature

However, some people often feel that they cannot really taste the quality difference. Often this is because it not at the right temperature. Generally, white wines tend to be served too cold and may need a little time to warm if they have been chilling in the fridge prior to serving. With red wines we tend assume ‘room temperature’ is best, but actually somewhere between 12 and 18 degrees is optimal, with fuller bodied wines being towards the higher end. 

Decanting the wine

Another reason, especially with red wines, is that we don’t allow the wine to ‘breathe’. Aerating the wine helps to release gasses built up in the bottle and to enhance the fruit flavours and soften the tannins. High quality wine tends to need a bit longer to allow this to happen. This is one the reasons that we decant wine.

This simply involves transferring the wine out of the bottle where there is little exposure to oxygen into a vessel with more space for air to come into contact with the wine. You don’t need an expensive decanter; you can use a glass jug and achieve pretty much the same effect. Thirty to 60 minutes decanting can make a world of difference.

If you get the temperature right and decant your red wines, you should taste the improvement in quality. Hopefully then, your wallet, waistline, liver and palette are all going to thank you for paying a little bit more but buying less when it comes to wine.

So, whether you decide on a dry, semi-dry or exuberant approach to wine in January, please drink responsibly and remember ultimately whatever the wine costs, the best wine is the one you enjoy drinking! If you do decide to drink, you may want to consider the wines below…

DAVID’S NEW YEAR TOP PICKS TO TRY

Something sparkling:

Graham Beck Rose Brut, £17 Waitrose

Expect red fruits, such as cherry, raspberry and other red berries, with a creamy and citrusy mouth feel.

Something Fresh and Fruity:

Babich Black Label Sauvignon Blanc, £18.99 Loki

A step up from a generic New Zealand Sauvignon, more complex, with lime, gooseberry, grassy and floral notes.

Something Big and Bold:

Tenuta Ulisse Masseri Primitivo 2022, from https://thewinerackni.co.uk/

An elegant Primitivo from Abruzzo with wild berry flavours, sour cherry, plum, blackberry, dark chocolate and smooth tannins.

Something Classic:

Clos Saint Vincent Saint Emilion Grand Cru, £20 Sainsburys

Expect dark fruit notes of blackberry, black plum, cherry, some tobacco, vanilla and some subtle earthy, leathery and smoky flavours.

Something British:

Alwick Estate Barrel Fermented Pinot Noir 2022, £22 from https://aldwickwine.com/

Not your typical light bodied pinot noir, this one is more medium bodied, with cherry and red fruit characteristics, earthy flavours and some vanilla from the barrels, and some subtle tannins.

Something Completely Different:

Navajas Rioja Crianza Blanco 2018, £13.29 from https://haywines.co.uk

Expect orchard fruits such as apple and pear as well as a good body and woody, nutty notes from oak ageing.

Try this cracking twist on the classic Cosmopolitan, incorporating a dash of the exotic with the sweet and tangy gorgeousness that is passion fruit! And not just because it’s January, please enjoy responsibly.

INGREDIENTS

• 25ml Absolut Citron
• 25ml Passoa Passionfruit Liqueur
• 12.5ml Lime
• 12.5ml Cranberry juice
• 12.5ml Passionfruit juice
• Garnish with orange peel

METHOD

Add ingredients into a shaker with Ice. Shake well. Double strain into a martini glass. Enjoy!

A delightful mix of chocolate and coffee liqueur with added notes of toasted almonds, apricot, vanilla and a hint of toffee – what could be more Christmassy. As always, please enjoy responsibly.

Photo credit: Picture by Harrison Charles Design

Ingredients

• Absolut Blue Vodka
• 50ml Mozart White Chocolate Liqueur
• 25ml Galliano Espresso Liqueur
• 25ml Disaronno Velvet

Method

Start by filling a martini glass with ice to chill. Next, fill a Boston shaker with ice, add all the ingredients and shake vigorously for 30 seconds, strain into the chilled martini glass, dust with cocoa powder – and enjoy.

As the festive season begins to get into full swing, it’s time to think about wines that will elevate our celebrations and bring joy to our tables. For both Christmas and New Year’s Eve, wine plays an integral role, not just as a celebratory tipple but as a complement to seasonal foods and traditions. So, whether you’re toasting to family on Christmas Day or ringing in the New Year, here are some fantastic wine options to enhance your festive gatherings.

Christmas Traditions and Wine

The classic Christmas meal is a lavish spread of roast turkey, stuffing, rich sides, and indulgent desserts, all of which pair beautifully with a range of wines. Reds with depth and character, such as a good Rioja or Bordeaux, are classic choices to match the weight of the meal. White wines with bright freshness, like a Sauvignon Blanc, can add a refreshing contrast to rich foods. And, of course, no Christmas feast is complete without a bottle of something sparkling to kick things off.

Wine Pairing Ideas for Christmas Dinner

To choose wines for a Christmas meal, consider both the flavours and the variety of dishes. Roast turkey, with its lean texture, pairs well with both medium-bodied reds and rich whites. If you fancy splashing out a bit then Burgundy Pinot Noir complements the turkey without overpowering it, while a Chardonnay can balance the creaminess of sauces or side dishes. For the festive puds and desserts, a sweet dessert wine like Sauternes or a rich, fortified wine like a Tawny Port is an excellent way to finish the meal.

New Year’s Eve: Ringing in 2025 with Style

New Year’s Eve calls for a bit of glamour and is often a celebration focused on quaffing and canapés rather than full meals. For New Year’s, think bubbles. Rosé Champagne is an excellent choice for pairing with snacky foods, particularly shellfish. If you are looking for a great value alternative, then pick up a bottle of Crémant – it’s basically Champagne but from a different region in France. My favourites are Crémant de Loire or Crémant de Jura.

KATIE’S 5 FESTIVE WINE RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Chablis ¬– £13 (Perfect for turkey, goose and creamy side dishes)

This Chablis is a classic choice that brings elegance and versatility to the table. Chablis, from the Burgundy region, is known for its crisp acidity and mineral-driven flavours, which make it an excellent pairing for lighter meats like turkey or goose, as well as creamy potato or root vegetable sides. The wine’s fresh citrus and green apple notes cut through rich flavours, keeping the palate refreshed throughout the meal. If you’re serving a traditional Christmas turkey, this Chablis will be a winning choice to balance the feast.

2. M&S Found Touriga Nacional – £8 (Perfect for roast beef with hearty sides or nut roast)

M&S’s Found range includes this excellent Touriga Nacional, a grape known as the backbone of Portuguese wines. It delivers excellent value and depth with flavours of dark berries, plum and subtle spices. The wine pairs beautifully with the stronger flavours of roast beef or a vegetarian nut roast, as well as side dishes like spiced red cabbage or roasted root vegetables. Touriga Nacional has a medium to full body, with soft tannins that bring warmth and depth to a winter meal, making it a stand-out choice for Christmas dinner.

3. Waitrose No.1 Côtes du Rhône Villages – £12 (Perfect for turkey, ham and root vegetables)

Côtes du Rhône Villages wines are celebrated for their versatility, and this one from Waitrose is a fantastic example. Rich yet well-balanced, this red combines notes of ripe red fruits with hints of herbs and spice. The soft tannins and medium body make it a lovely pairing with turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce, as well as gamier meats like ham or lamb.

4. Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Crémant de Loire – £12 (Perfect for your New Year’s Eve party)

An elegant blend of Chardonnay and the local Chenin Blanc variety, both grapes are well-suited for making traditional method sparkling wine. This wine has a zesty freshness combined with a complexity on the palate that will fool any of your guests into thinking it cost double the price!

5. Morrison’s The Best 10-Year-Old Tawny Port – £15 (Perfect for traditional Christmas pudding or cheese boards)

This is an own-brand steal made by one of the top Port-producing dynasties. Rich and sticky sweet with flavours of raisins and toffee, it’s fantastic chilled down in the fridge (although beware, it makes it much more quaffable at 20 per cent abv!) and a brilliant foil to puds and cheeses.

The awesome mixologists from 1565 Bar & Terrace at Park Regis Birmingham have created a unique new range of signature cocktails inspired by a love of Birmingham. From our glorious canals and rich history of chocolate to Ozzy the Bull at New Street Station, the new menu pays tribute to Brum’s most iconic spots.

So, from Platform One, why not check out this cheeky tequila-based number, with orange and fresh strawberry puree. But don’t go off the rails and get too carried away – always enjoy responsibly. Toot toot…

Ingredients

• 50ml Tequila Reposado
• 15ml Cointreau
• 15ml Simple syrup
• Freshly squeezed lime
• Strawberry puree
For the garnish you’ll need crushed strawberry powder, sugar and a strawberry

Method

Using a pint glass and a cocktail shaker, fill pint glass two-thirds with ice. Add all ingredients, cover with cocktail shaker and shake until mixed and smooth.
Create a mix of crushed strawberry powder with fine sugar. Dampen the rim of a short glass with lime juice and dip into the powder and sugar mix to cover the rim
Carefully pour the cocktail mix into the short glass using a strainer.
Make a single cut into a whole strawberry and add onto the rim as garnish

Beaujolais Nouveau Day is an annual event celebrated on the third Thursday of November, marking the release of the year’s first wine. The tradition began in the 1950s when winemakers in the Beaujolais region, eager to sell their newly harvested wine, promoted the release of a fresh, light red wine made using carbonic maceration—a winemaking technique that produces fruity, low-tannin wines, ready to drink soon after fermentation and has typical flavours of banana, candyfloss and bubble gum!

The event gained international attention as Georges Duboeuf, a key figure in promoting Beaujolais Nouveau, transformed the celebration into a worldwide race to get the first bottles to markets across the globe. Parties, parades, and celebrations accompany the release, especially in the UK, France, Japan, and parts of the United States. Despite remaining significant in Japan, it’s fair to say that the popularity of Beaujolais Nouveau has waned over the years and has somewhat damaged the reputation of the region, which produces some fantastic and affordable wines.

The trend nowadays has shifted toward more refined and expressive wines from the region, focusing on the higher quality appellations like Beaujolais Villages and the Beaujolais Crus. The star grape variety of the region is Gamay, which unusually for such a popular wine, has not made its way outside France like other grapes such as Merlot and Pinot Noir. It makes wines with fresh acidity and soft red fruit flavours but also has the potential to be age-worthy and complex. It also offers great value when compared to the wines of neighbouring Burgundy vineyards made from Pinot Noir.

QUALITY LEVELS

Beaujolais wines are categorised into three main quality levels, each representing a step up in complexity, terroir expression, and ageing potential.

1. Beaujolais AOC: This is the broadest appellation and accounts for the bulk of the region’s production. Beaujolais AOC wines are typically light, easy-drinking reds with fresh fruit flavours of strawberry, raspberry, and cherry. These wines are best consumed young and are often enjoyed slightly chilled, making them perfect for drinking as an aperitif and for social occasions.
2. Beaujolais Villages AOC: Representing a step up in quality, Beaujolais Villages wines are produced in 38 designated villages located in the northern part of the region, where the soils and climate provide more complexity and structure. The wines are still fruity and fresh but often exhibit deeper concentration and a longer finish. They can age for a few years, developing subtle earthy and spicy notes over time. Beaujolais Villages wines are a great middle ground for those looking for something more substantial than a simple Beaujolais AOC but not as demanding as a Cru.
3. The Crus of Beaujolais: At the top of the quality pyramid are the 10 Beaujolais Crus. These wines come from specific villages in the northernmost part of the region, each with its own unique terroir. The Crus are known for producing more complex, structured wines with significant ageing potential. Unlike Beaujolais AOC and Beaujolais Villages, the Crus do not include the word ‘Beaujolais’ on the label – just the name of the village. Here are a few of the cru labels to look out for and their styles…

• Saint-Amour: Often light and floral, Saint-Amour wines are approachable but can also show some spiciness and depth with a few years of aging.

• Moulin-à-Vent: Considered one of the most age-worthy Crus, Moulin-à-Vent wines are full-bodied and structured, with dark berry, spice, and mineral notes that develop complexity over time.

• Fleurie: One of the most popular Crus, Fleurie produces elegant, aromatic wines with floral notes of violets and roses, making it a quintessential expression of Beaujolais charm.

• Morgon: Known for its fuller body and earthy, mineral-driven profile, Morgon wines often have flavours of dark fruits, cherries, and plums. These wines can age well, developing more complexity with time.

• Brouilly: The largest of the Crus, Brouilly wines are light to medium-bodied, with juicy red fruit flavours and a lively acidity. They are perfect for early drinking.

KATIE’S 4 BEAUJOLAIS PICKS 

Jean Loron Beaujolais Nouveau – £13.95, Fraziers Wine Merchants

Partake in this year’s Nouveau tradition with this award-winning wine from a traditional producer.

Chosen by Majestic Beaujolais Villages – £11.99, Majestic

Part of Majestic’s updated own-brand range, this is a textbook example of the style, juicy and fruity with soft tannins.

Georges Duboeuf Fleurie – £13.50, Tesco

A classic and elegant floral style with aromas of violets, iris, roses and red berries.

Regnie Cuvee Tim – £14.99, Waitrose

A fuller-bodied fruity style from one of the lesser-known crus. Try with roasted meat or game.

Over the past few decades, Argentina has transformed its wine industry from one primarily focused on domestic consumption to an internationally recognised producer of high-quality wines. Central to this evolution is the Malbec grape, which has become synonymous with Argentine wine. But the story of Argentine winemaking goes beyond just Malbec. With a variety of other grapes like Torrontés, Pinot Noir, and Bonarda, Argentina offers a diverse wine landscape that reflects its rich terroirs and innovative winemaking spirit.

Malbec, originally from France, particularly the Cahors region, found a new lease on life in Argentina. While it struggled in France due to its sensitivity to frost and pests, Malbec thrived in Argentina’s high-altitude vineyards. Brought to Argentina by European emigrants in the mid-19th century, Malbec has since become the country’s flagship grape. The dry, sunny climate of Argentina, especially in Mendoza, allows Malbec to ripen fully, developing its characteristic dark, ripe fruit flavours, smooth velvety tannins, and spicy finish.

MAJESTIC BACKDROP

Mendoza is undoubtedly the heart of Argentina’s wine industry, producing nearly 70 per cent of the country’s wine. It provides ideal growing conditions for the Malbec grape. The backdrop of the majestic Andes mountains provides high altitude and wide temperature fluctuations between day and night. This helps to retain freshness and develop complex flavours in the grapes.
If you’re a real Malbec lover, you should look out for Mendoza’s sub-regions, such as Luján de Cuyo, Tupungato and the Uco Valley, as each offer unique microclimates that contribute to the diverse expressions of Argentine Malbec. In Tupungato, for example, higher altitudes and cooler temperatures lead to wines with more freshness and floral notes, while in Luján de Cuyo, Malbecs are often richer and more full-bodied.

In the UK, Malbec has surged in popularity over the last decade. British consumers have embraced Argentine Malbec for its bold flavours and versatility, which make it an excellent accompaniment to a variety of foods. A classic pairing is with Argentine steak, where the robust structure of Malbec complements the rich, savoury flavours of the meat. However, it also pairs wonderfully with grilled vegetables, hard cheeses, and even chocolate desserts with sweeter styles. While Malbec might be the star internationally, Argentina’s wine repertoire is diverse. The country boasts a range of climates and terroirs, allowing for the cultivation of various grape varieties.

SIGNATURE VARIETY

Torrontés is Argentina’s signature white grape variety, and it offers a refreshing contrast to the bold reds the country is known for. Grown primarily in the high-altitude vineyards of the Cafayate Valley in the Salta region (up to 3,000 metres above sea level!), Torrontés thrives in the warm, sunny days and cool nights. This grape is known for its aromatic profile, often drawing comparisons to Sauvignon Blanc or Gewürztraminer, with floral and fruity notes such as rose petals, jasmine, and citrus.

Torrontés is often enjoyed on its own as a light, aromatic wine, perfect for sipping on a warm day. It also pairs well with spicy foods, making it an excellent match for dishes like Thai curry or spicy Mexican cuisine, where its crisp acidity and fruity flavours can stand up to bold spices.

In the cooler climate of Patagonia, particularly in the regions of Neuquén and Río Negro, Pinot Noir has found a comfortable home and is well worth seeking out. Patagonia’s cooler temperatures and long growing season allow Pinot Noir grapes to develop slowly, leading to wines with great balance, bright acidity, and a complex flavour profile that includes red berries, earth, and subtle spices. It pairs beautifully with dishes such as roasted chicken, mushroom risotto or even salmon.

Bonarda, originally from Italy, is Argentina’s second most widely planted red grape after Malbec. It is primarily grown in Mendoza and San Juan. For a long time, Bonarda was used mainly in blends, but it is now gaining appreciation as a varietal wine. Argentine Bonarda is characterised by its deep colour, medium body, and flavours of red fruits, herbs, and sometimes a hint of spice. It’s an incredibly versatile wine that pairs well with a wide range of dishes. It’s excellent with pasta in tomato sauce, pizza, or grilled sausages.

KATIE’S 4 ARGENTINE CORKERS

Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec – £16 from Sainsbury’s
From one of the top sub-regions in Mendoza, Lujan de Cuyo, this step up from the standard Trivento is well worth the extra pounds. It is aged for 12 months in oak barrels giving the wine a distinctive spicy character.

Tesco Finest Torrontes – £8.50 from Tesco
A great-value way to taste something different from Argentina, this is a crisp and zingy dry white with flavours of lychee, orange peel and citrus.

Pasarisa Patagonia Pinot Noir – £12.99 from allaboutwine.co.uk
A delicate, floral Pinot Noir with soft cherries and strawberries on the nose but plenty of body from ageing in French oak.

Santa Julia Reserve Valle de Uco Bonarda – £10.99 from Waitrose
Lighter and fresher in style than Malbec with flavours of black cherry and soft tannins.

It’s October, it’s Halloween, it’s time for something spicy. Check out this delightful rum cocktail from the mixologists at Shakespeare Distillery. It’s a simple but beautiful mixture of their award-winning Jester Spiced Rum, spicy ginger beer and zingy lime. As always, enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients

• 50ml Jester Spiced Rum
• 2 Lime wedges
• 100ml Ginger beer
• Angostura bitters

Method

Add a squeeze of lime to the glass and then fill with ice. Pour in the ginger beer, add 2-3 drops of the Angostura bitters, then slowly pour in the spiced rum to float. Add a lime wedge for garnish and enjoy!

For me there is something uplifting about tearing the foil, loosening the wire cage, then easing out the mushroom-shaped cork. Let the cork fly and you get a better pop, but please don’t point the bottle at your guests ¬– the cork leaves the bottle at about 40mph!

In the modern world of wine, you are spoilt for choice. There is Italian Prosecco, Spanish Cava, English Fizz and great new world options from places like South Africa and Australia. Of course, this leaves out one country that really knows what it is doing when it comes to making sparkling wines and that is France. Champagne, which is arguably the most famous fizz of all, is produced in huge amounts and is enjoyed all over the world. However, most Champagne is an expensive option so if you are looking for something less demanding on your pocket then look no further than Cremant.

LIGHTER

Cremant is a regional sparkling wine that is produced across no less than eight wine regions in France. It is bottle fermented in a very similar way to Champagne but with a couple of important differences. Firstly, the grapes used to make it vary depending on the region that it comes from and secondly it is not aged as long as Champagne before it is released. Whereas most Champagne is aged for at least two or three years, most Cremant is only aged for nine months.

Given the number of different regions and grapes used there is a large variety of styles of Cremant but the wines are generally lighter and fruitier with less of the bready and pastry like notes that you often find with Champagne. The earlier release, with the associated savings in storage costs also means the wines are in most cases less expensive.

There are four regions that lead the way when it comes to Cremant. Alsace, nestled on the Eastern side of the Vosges mountains, is the leading producer. More than 25 per cent of Alsace production is Cremant and over 38 million bottles were sold in 2022. Here the wines are made using Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris and are slightly fuller bodied.

VERSATILE

In close pursuit are Burgundy and the Loire. These two famous regions produce a similar amount of Cremant to each other. In Burgundy the wines are based on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and in the Loire on Chenin Blanc. Then finally there is Bordeaux. Yes, much better known for red wines, Bordeaux has however been producing sparkling wines for a long time. Here the wines are generally made using Semillon but other grapes, like Cabernet Franc, Muscadelle and even Merlot are sometimes blended for additional complexity.

Cremant is also as versatile as it is good value. It’s perfect on its own as an aperitif but even better alongside smoked salmon canapes. It’s brilliant with food too. Try Cremant alongside fish and goat’s cheese starters, salmon en croute or classic fish and chips. Then when it comes to cheese these wines are fabulous with soft and creamy options like Brie, Langres and for a truly indulgent treat try the triple cream Brillat-Savarin! You can also use Cremant in a range of sparkling wine cocktails.

FABULOUS 4 TO TRY

Cave de Tuckheim , Cremant d’Alsace – Made by one of the biggest producers in Alsace this is brilliant value for the quality. Like apple pie in a glass! £13.99 at Waitrose.

Simonnet Febvre , Cremant de Bourgogne Brut ¬ From the famous Chablis producer comes this Chardonnay dominant fizz. This has fine bubbles and heady citrus notes. £15 at Tesco.

Domaine de Landreau , Cremant de Loire Brut – An elegant bubbly made using a blend of Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. This is aged for a longer period of two years which adds nutty notes of hazelnut and almond to the base of apple and lemon balm. £17 at Tivoli Wines.

Etoile de Timberlay , Cremant de Bordeaux – This insanely good value fruit forward fizz is made with Merlot , Semillon and Cabernet Franc and at £10 from Marks & Spencer you just can’t go wrong.

Move over Aeprol, the latest spritz on everyone’s lips seems to be the Limoncello version. It’s the perfect summer cocktail – light, bubbly and reminiscent of the Italian southern coast – but just so you don’t embarrass yourself, Francesco Putignano, group bar development manager at leading Italian restaurant, San Carlo, shows us how it should be made.

Ingredients

• 60ml prosecco
• 50ml limoncello
• 30ml soda water
• Fresh thyme sprig

Method

Fill a wine glass with ice. Pour over the limoncello and top up with the prosecco and soda. Stir and garnish with the thyme sprig.

This version is vibrant blue with an elegant shimmer. At its heart there’s a dry touch from the gin coupled with a delicate and perfectly complementary sweet orange and lemon flavour. This is the way gin is supposed to be drunk!

INGREDIENTS:

• 60ml Tanqueray gin
• 25ml Blue curacao
• 50ml Aquafaba
• 25ml Lemon juice
• 15ml Sugar syrup
• 3 Saline drops (more accurate than a pinch of salt)
• Tsp of edible blue glitter

METHOD:

Add all the ingredients to a shaker filled with. Shake and then strain into a glass. Garnish with two flowers and enjoy responsibly.

This cheeky number come from the mixologists at the Verve Lounge, a new cocktail bar on Mailbox canal that opened last month in the home of the old Bobby Brown’s nightclub. The Venetian takes the Spritz to a whole new level by combining two key Italian spirits and showcasing how they can sing a song that will fill the streets of Venice. But as always, please enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients:

• 25ml Amaro Montenegro
• 15ml Italicus
• 10ml Lemon juice
• 10ml Earl Grey Tea syrup
• 50ml Prosecco

Method:

Mix together the Amaro Montenegro, Italicus, lemon juice and Earl Grey tea syrup into a mixing cup with ice. Stir to dilution and strain into an ice-filled wine glass. Top with Prosecco and garnish with orange peel.

We know it’s supposed to be spring but at the time of writing it’s bloomin’ cold and we fancied something warming. This rich and spicy rum cocktail from the mixologists at Shakespeare Distillery using their awesome Jester Spiced Rum did just the trick. Superb, but as always please enjoy responsibly.

INGREDIENTS: 

50ml Jester Spiced Rum

25ml Cointreau

25ml blood orange and ginger syrup

25ml pineapple juice

2-3 lime wedges

METHOD: 

Add 2 or 3 lime wedges into a small cocktail tin, followed by the syrup, and muddle together. Add the Jester Spiced Rum, Cointreau and pineapple juice then fill tin with ice and shake (we recommend 20 times). Finally, strain into a chilled coupe glass, garnish with orange peel, sit back… and enjoy!

Ingredients

• 50ml gin
• 25ml Triple Sec or Cointreau
• 25ml lemon juice, plus lemon zest twists to serve
• 15ml tsp sugar syrup
• ½ egg white (optional)

Method

Add all the ingredients, including egg white if using, and ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake until the outside of the shaker feels very cold. Fine strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass unless using egg white, in which case first discard the ice, then return the drink to the shaker and shake again until the egg white is frothy. Once poured, garnish with a twist of lemon zest and enjoy responsibly.

After all the excitement of Christmas feasts and New Year parties, January can feel like a bit of a downer for many. This Tiramisu cocktail has been specially created by the mixologists from Sky Bar at Resorts World and is guaranteed to put a spring back in your step. As always, please enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients: 

• 25ml Bacardi Carta Oro

• 25ml coffee (or a shot of espresso)

• 15ml Kahlua

• 15ml cocoa syrup

• 10ml sugar syrup (1:1 caster sugar and boiling water)

• 50g mascarpone

Method: 

Put all the ingredients in a shaker. Shake until chilled (30 seconds). Double strain carefully into a coupe glass and garnish with a dust of cocoa powder and a lady finger biscuit.

There are few things more refreshing than a Mojito and this awesome little number from the team at Sky Bar & Restaurant in Resorts World is no exception. The butterfly pea flower infused white rum is slightly sweetened with lychee and Italicus liqueur. Then, as the mint and fresh lime is introduced, the magic happens. Not just a pretty face, this drink tastes every bit as exquisite as it looks. Even though it’s Christmas, please enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients

• 30ml butterfly pea flower infused Bacardi Carta Blanca
• 10ml Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto
• 20ml lychee liqueur
• 20ml lychee syrup
• 20ml lime juice
• 6 mint leaves
• 50ml grapefruit peel infused butterfly pea flower tea

Method

First is the infusion of Bacardi Carta Blanca rum with butterfly pea flower tea. Simply add 2.5g of butterfly pea flower tea to one bottle of Bacardi and leave overnight.
Second is the prep for the butterfly pea tea infusion – 2.5g of butterfly pea flower tea is steeped with two medium size grapefruit peels and 2.5 grams of sugar in 600ml of near boiling water for 10 minutes.
Lastly is the drink. The first six ingredients are built in a Bravura Hiball glass over crushed ice, then top with grapefruit peel infused butterfly pea flower and garnish with a mint sprig, dehydrated lime wheel and rice paper butterfly.

The festive period is a time of celebration, filled with family traditions, delicious food, and, of course, wonderful wines. Whether you’re toasting with a glass of bubbly while opening presents or sipping a rich, red by the roaring fire, there’s a perfect wine to complement every moment of your Christmas celebrations. This month we’re giving you some recommendations for the perfect Christmas wine for every occasion.

Let’s kick things off with the humble mince pie

One of my favourite festive treats served warm with a delicious glass of sweet sherry. Leave the Harvey’s Bristol Cream to your gran and instead opt for the sweet and sticky Pedro Ximenez. It’s a naturally sweet style of sherry which is rich and unctuous with flavours of raisins, walnuts and caramel – the perfect accompaniment to mince pies!

Wines to pair with classic Christmas canapés

You’re hosting the annual Christmas party with friends and family. The guests are invited, the decorations are in place and the canapés are ordered. So which wine to pair? Something sparkling to get the party started of course! You could stick to the classic choice of Champagne but how about some English sparkling wine instead?
Our homegrown wines have gained global recognition for their quality, and though this is often reflected in the price, you can find excellent options that won’t break the bank. Look supermarket own-brand versions, such as Morrisons The Best English Sparkling Brut Vintage. It’s a cracking price for a vintage wine and rumoured to be made by one of England’s top producers. Its refreshing character and fine bubbles will pair beautifully with most nibbles, from smoked salmon blinis, salty crisps and mini quiches.

The main event

It’s Christmas Day, you’ve been slaving away at the stove since dawn and are ready to tuck into a delicious feast. Turkey and all the trimmings is a versatile option when it comes to wine pairing. You could opt for a red or white (or indeed both!). A classic choice would be a rich, buttery Chardonnay. You could venture off the beaten track a little with a top quality, cool, coastal Californian version. With notes of ripe stone fruits and a subtle oak influence, Wild Boy Chardonnay from Au Bon Climat in Santa Barbara would do just nicely and the psychedelic label is a good talking point for the table.
The old pairing rules state white wine with white meat but by the time you’ve added some roasted root veg and lashings of gravy, a lighter-style red like Pinot Noir could be just the ticket. Burgundy is the home of Pinot Noir, and some of the lesser-known villages like Rully can offer decent value for money.

Christmas pud or cheese board?

You’ve finished dinner and it’s time for dessert. Christmas pudding arguably is boozy enough by itself but if you do want to enjoy a tipple with it, you need to match its richness and complexity. A tawny port is a fantastic choice, and Tesco Finest’s 10-Year-Old Tawny Port is an affordable and delicious option made by one of the top port producers. This fortified wine has extra alcohol added to it during the fermentation process and boasts a luscious blend of caramel, dried fruits and nuts which harmonise perfectly with the flavours of Christmas pud. Serve the port slightly chilled to enhance its vibrancy and contrast with the warm pudding’s sweetness.
If you’re more of a cheese lover, you could stick to the fortified theme and pair with port. I enjoy a late-bottled vintage style as a good all-rounder with different types of cheese. You could also consider a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Australia. The wine has plenty of acidity to contrast the fat of the cheese and the structured tannins are melted away by the saltiness.

KATIE’S FESTIVE WINE PICKS

Morrisons The Best English Sparkling Brut Vintage 2010 – Morrisons £19
An absolute steal for a wine which has 13 years of ageing. Lovely creamy brioche notes with a crisp, citrus finish. The perfect crowd-pleaser for parties.

Au Bon Climat Wild Boy Chardonnay, Santa Barbara, California, USA – Nickolls & Perks £36
Christmas is the time to push the boat out and sample some delicious top-flight wines. This is a Burgundian-inspired Chardonnay with a lovely balance of stone fruits and a touch of toasty oak. Terrific with turkey!

Joseph Drouhin Rully, Burgundy, France – Waitrose £21.99
Textbook Burgundian Pinot Noir. Soft and juicy with aromas of raspberries and strawberries and a smooth finish. Goes well with duck, turkey or goose.

Triana Hidalgo Pedro Ximenez Sherry, Jerez, Spain – £15.99 (mix six price) Majestic
This gorgeous dessert wine is packed full of flavour, with raisins, molasses figs and nuts. Great with a mince pie or simply drizzled over good quality vanilla ice cream. It’s the perfect festive treat!

Tesco Finest 10-Year-Old Tawny Port, Tesco £14.50
My favourite style of port, best served lightly chilled with a cheese board to graze on. This own-brand version is great value for money.

For wine enthusiasts, the world of wine can be both captivating and overwhelming. With an array of options from different regions, grapes, and price points, it’s easy to get lost in the aisles of supermarkets, wine shops and online retailers. While big-name premium wines often steal the spotlight, there are hidden gems and budget-friendly alternatives that deserve recognition.

This month, we explore some of the best-kept secrets when buying wine, with a focus on affordable alternatives to some of the world’s top wines.

Explore Lesser-Known Regions
While Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Napa Valley may be synonymous with high-quality red wine, there are lesser-known wine regions producing exceptional bottles without the premium price tag. Consider exploring regions like Portugal’s Douro Valley, Spain’s Ribera del Duero wines, or Chile’s Colchagua Valley for excellent wines at a fraction of the cost.

Seek Out Lesser-Known Grapes
Instead of always opting for the usual suspects like Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay, venture into the world of lesser-known grape varieties. You might be pleasantly surprised by the unique flavours and affordability of wines made from grapes like Godello from Spain, Grillo from Sicily, or Carmenere from Chile. These wines often provide excellent value for money and get you out of your comfort zone trying new wines.

Opt for Second Labels
Many prestigious wineries produce second labels, offering wines made with the same care and attention to detail as their flagship counterparts but at a lower price point, perhaps using slightly younger vines, less concentrated grapes or using different wine-making techniques to their main wine. These wines can be an insider’s secret for those seeking exceptional quality without breaking the bank, particularly if you love Bordeaux wines.

IF YOU LIKE THIS… TRY THIS!
Let’s delve into seven wine recommendations that offer tremendous value compared to their premium counterparts:

1. Alternative to Champagne – Don’t dismiss Cava from Spain, which is made using the same traditional method as Champagne. It may have garnered a negative reputation in the past, but look beyond the two main brands and you can find some gems!
Try: Vilarnau Gaudi Organic Cava Brut Reserva, Penedes, Majestic £11.99 on mix six

2. Alternative to White Burgundy – A bottle of chardonnay from the prestigious region of Burgundy in France can set you back hundreds of pounds for a bottle. Margaret River in Western Australia is known for its premium, European-style wines at a snip of the price. Forget the heavily-oaked styles of the 90s, these wines are subtle and elegant.
Try: Howard Park Miamup Chardonnay, Sainsbury’s £12

3. Alternative to Red Burgundy – Pinot Noir from Burgundy’s Cote des Nuits sub-region is some of the most expensive wine in the world. It’s an enigmatic grape that can be tricky to grow and to get right. Instead take a trip further south to the region of Beaujolais. These delicious, light-bodied and fruity reds are made from the Gamay grape. Top tip: look for one of the 10 ‘cru’ villages for the best quality, such as Morgon, Fleurie and Brouilly.
Try: Georges Duboeuf Fleurie, Tesco £13.50

4. Alternative to Bordeaux – This is a region where the second labels of top producers can show off the magic of the left bank for excellent value for money. For the wine recommended below, see if you can find any 2010 vintage – it’s a corker!
Try: Chateau Citran ‘Moulins de Citran’, Haut Medoc, Majestic £16.99 mix six

5. Alternative to Chablis – Chablis is a classic wine, but depending on the vintage it can come with a hefty price tag. If you’re in search for an elegant, mineral-driven white, try some of the other cool-climate countries of northern Europe, such as this lovely native Austrian grape.
Try: Specially Selected Gruner Veltliner, Aldi £7.29

6. Alternative to Sancerre – Sancerre is a premium sub-region of the Loire Valley, and along with Pouilly-Fume, is the spiritual home of Sauvignon Blanc. Thousands of miles away in the Leyda Valley in Chile, cooling ocean breezes from the Pacific Ocean provide the grape with the perfect home away from home and the wine drinker with fantastic value.
Try: Leyda Single Vineyard Garuma Sauvignon Blanc, Tesco £11

7. Alternative to Amarone – Amarone is one of the top wines from Northern Italy, with big, blockbuster flavours and plenty of concentrated flavours, which all-to-often also comes with a hefty price tag. Travel the length of Italy all the way to the heel of the boot and find the rich, full-bodied wines of the South. Primitivo from Puglia is a particular favourite of ours!
Try: Morrisons The Best Primitivo £8.75

Shaky Pete’s Ginger Brew is a frosty, frothy beer cocktail described as a ‘turbo-shandy for the discerning drinker’. It’s boozy enough to give you a buzz, but tall enough to refresh – making it the autumn tipple that we’re loving right now! But of course, we’re enjoying responsibly, as should you.

Ingredients:
• 35ml gin
• 50ml homemade ginger syrup
• 50ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 100ml quality ale

Method:
Place the ginger syrup, lemon juice and gin in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain through a sieve into a frozen beer stein and top up with your favourite ale.

In recent years, the wine world has witnessed a remarkable shift in preferences, with a surge in popularity of orange wines and a broader embrace of the natural wine movement. This shift represents a departure from conventional, often heavily processed, wines to a more ancient and holistic approach to winemaking that emphasises minimal intervention, a return to traditional techniques, and a celebration of authenticity.

Orange wines, also known as skin-contact wines or amber wines, are not wines made from oranges but are essentially white wines made like red wines. What sets them apart is the extended contact between the grape skins and the juice during fermentation. The duration of skin contact varies but can range from a few days to several months, depending on the winemaker’s preferences. This process not only adds colour but also imparts flavours and aromas that are absent in conventionally made white wines. Expect notes of dried fruits, tea leaves, and exotic spices, along with a pleasantly grippy texture from the tannins found in the skins.

MAKING HISTORY

The practice of making orange wines harks back to ancient winemaking traditions. In fact, before the advent of modern winemaking techniques, this was the standard approach. Before the arrival of temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats, fermenting white grapes with their skins was common practice in regions like Georgia and Armenia, where the wine was buried in clay vessels called ‘qvevri’ for extended periods. This process allowed the wine to develop a tannic structure and an amber hue.

Orange wines form part of a larger movement towards natural winemaking, which essentially means intervening with the winemaking process as little as possible. One of the defining characteristics of natural wines, including some orange wines, is their minimal use of sulphites. Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is a common additive in winemaking, used as a preservative to prevent oxidation and microbial spoilage.

However, many natural winemakers choose to minimise or eliminate its use. This decision aligns with the desire to create wines that are more authentic and less manipulated. While low sulphite levels can make natural wines more approachable for those sensitive to sulphur, they also mean that these wines should be consumed relatively quickly.

CLOUDY OUTLOOK

Another distinctive feature of natural wines is their lack of filtration. Conventionally produced wines are often subjected to heavy filtration to achieve clarity and stability. Natural wines, however, embrace a certain cloudiness or haze, which is a result of not filtering out the tiny particles and sediment. This minimal intervention approach preserves more of the wine’s character and can even enhance the overall drinking experience, but it is certainly an acquired taste!

Natural wines are often closely linked to biodynamics. This is a holistic approach to wine which follows the teachings of an agriculturalist called Rudolph Steiner. Biodynamic winemakers believe in pruning and harvesting their grapes by the phases of the moon and burying cow horns filled with manure to use as fertiliser!

So how about some food pairings? Orange wine is certainly an unusual tasting experience, but the flavours and textures can work brilliantly when paired with food. Try with autumnal root vegetables like roasted butternut squash, pumpkin or parsnips to complement the earthy flavours of an orange wine. It can also work well with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-inspired dishes such as moussaka, tagine, houmous and falafel. For cheeses, try with a creamy Brie as a contrast or a strong blue, as orange wines tend to have good acidity to balance out the saltiness.

KATIE’S 4 ORANGE/NATURAL WINES TO TRY 

Forza della Natura Orange Wine, Sicily, Italy – Waitrose, £9.99

A great entry into both orange wine and natural wine with this skin contact, unfiltered wine from Sicily. It’s made from organic Cataratto grapes which are native to the region and has flavours of melon, peach and nectarine.

Tbilvino Qvevris Rkatsitelli, Georgia – Majestic, £13.99 or £11.99 on mix six

Want a taste of history? This wine takes us back to the ancient way of fermenting in clay pots. The grape variety Rkatsiteli is one of the oldest in the world. It’s an amber style wine with notes of apricot and pear.

Heinrich Naked Red, Burgenland, Austria – The Sourcing Table, £17

The best types of natural red wines in my opinion are fruity and easy drinking. This biodynamic wine is a blend of three local grapes, Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch and St Laurent and is bright, light and juicy!

Macerao Naranjo Orange Wine, Chile – Waitrose, £8.99

Want to dip your toe in first? This is a “not-too-funky” skin-contact wine made from Moscato grapes. It has a lovely bit of texture and a hint of honey without being too complicated or heavy.

The Shakespeare Distillery in Stratford-upon-Avon has just launched a new Raspberry and Hibiscus Vodka that has a light, refreshing citrus base. To celebrate, the distillery’s expert mixologist, Sam, has created this fresh and fruity cocktail. As always, please enjoy responsibly.

INGREDIENTS 

• 50ml Raspberry and Hibiscus Vodka

• 20ml peach schnapps

• 100ml canberry juice

METHOD 

Fill a highball or rocks glass with ice. Add vodka, peach schnapps and cranberry juice. Garnish with fresh raspberries or a lime wedge and a sprig of mint.Boxout:

As summer officially draws to a close we’re ever hopeful for some late seasonal sun – and we think this delightful, refreshing little number is a perfect end of day sun-downer. It’s delicious and non-alcoholic so everyone can enjoy it together. With thanks from the team at Aluna in the Mailbox for this recipe for their Mixed Berry Mojito.

INGREDIENTS
• 3 blackberries
• 3 raspberries
• 3 blueberries
• 8 to 10 mint leaves
• 30ml lime juice
• 30ml strawberry syrup
• apple juice

METHOD
Place the berries into a sling glass. Add the mint leaves. Muddle berries and mint together – you can use a spoon to do this. Add lime juice and strawberry syrup. Add crushed ice. And churn – again, you can use a spoon to do this. Top with apple juice. Garnish with a raspberry, blueberry, blackberry and mint sprig.

Wine, with its rich history and complex flavours, has always held a certain allure. However, certain misconceptions surrounding this beloved beverage persist, leading to confusion and missed opportunities for wine enthusiasts. Let’s bust some myths and enhance your enjoyment of the good stuff!

Myth 1 – I’m allergic to sulphites
One common myth is that people are allergic to sulphites, often blaming them for headaches and allergic reactions. Sulphites, which occur naturally in wine, serve as a preservative, preventing oxidation and maintaining wine’s freshness. While some individuals are sensitive to sulphites, wine contains far fewer sulphites than other everyday foods like dried fruits or processed foods.
In reality, reactions to wine are more likely related to histamines or other compounds present in the wine. If you experience adverse reactions, consider taking an anti-allergy tablet with a pint of water before drinking. If you are polishing off the bottle though, nothing can help you with that hangover!

Myth 2 – Serve red wine at room temperature
Do you keep your wine in your kitchen? With all the bright spotlights and temperature fluctuations when cooking, it’s probably the worst place for it. Serving wine at the appropriate temperature significantly impacts its taste and aroma. For red wines, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, an ideal service temperature is between 15 and 18°C. This range allows the wine’s bold flavours and tannins to shine without overwhelming the palate.
You don’t need a wine cellar to store your wines, just somewhere cool and dark like a garage or cupboard is ideal. We tend to serve our white wines too cold. If you drink straight from the fridge, your wine will just taste of ‘cold’, which is perfectly fine for a glass of plonk after a long day but if you are spending a little more or drinking something more full-bodied like a Chardonnay then wait 15 minutes or so to allow it to warm up a little before drinking. You will find that the flavours are greatly enhanced! Experts recommend between 6 and 10°C to serve your white wine.

Myth 3 – This wine has great legs!
The question of ‘legs’ comes up time and time again at our wine school tastings. You may have noticed when swirling your wine around the glass that you see drips or tears falling around the sides. This is often referred to as the ‘legs’ of the wine, and some people think that if a wine has thicker legs then it is of higher quality. The reality is that it is simply down to the higher sugar or alcohol content of the wine in question. All wines have legs and you can’t measure quality by them!

Myth 4 – You should always decant red wine
Decanting wine serves two primary purposes: separating sediment in old wines and more importantly, aerating the wine. Not all wines benefit from decanting for long periods of time, particularly old wines which are very delicate and unstable but most bold red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz tend to benefit the most. To decant, stand the bottle upright for a few hours before pouring it gently into a decanter, leaving any sediment behind. You don’t need any fancy equipment for this, you could just use a carafe or even a Pyrex jug! The process allows the wine to breathe – react with the oxygen in the air to fully develop its flavours, enhancing your overall wine experience.

Myth 5 – More expensive wine tastes better
Wine tasting is such a personal, subjective experience and if you like a cheaper wine more than a than an expensive one, enjoy it!

KATIE’S 4 TO TRY THIS MONTH

Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Discovery Colletion Lugana, Lake Garda, Italy (Sainsbury’s, £12 a bottle)
A delicious, easy-drinking and refreshing white wine from the beautiful Lake Garda in northern Italy. It goes great with creamy risottos or fish dishes.

Honey Drop Chenin Blanc, Swartland, South Africa (Majestic, £13.99 or £9.99 mix six)
Creamy tropical fruit notes and touch of vanilla from oak ageing, this is a top-notch white wine from one of South Africa’s most exciting wine regions. Try it with roast pork.

Specially Selected Ribera del Duero, Spain (Aldi, £7.49 a bottle)
This cracking red wine is from one of Spain’s best up-and-coming wine regions. Made from the same grape as they use in Rioja but more deep and powerful in style due to the harsher, desert-like conditions of the Ribera region.

Wynns The Siding Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, Australia (Tesco, £15 a bottle)
Full of ripe blackberry and cherry fruit with a touch of smoky spice and great structure from the tannins. Ideal for your roast dinner or a steak.

The Belfry Hotel & Resort recently launched its own signature gin, 1960, named after the year that the Belfry was founded. It’s a lovely blend of home-grown botanicals and flowery notes from the roses and lavender in the resort’s courtyard and honey from their very own Belfry Bees. To celebrate, the top mixologist to Jen Burton, the resort’s Brabazon Bar manager, has created this cheeky little cocktail, called the Perfect Serve. As always, please enjoy responsibly.

INGREDIENTS

• 50ml 1960 Belfry Gin
• 25ml Rose syrup
• 25ml Lemon juice
• Elderflower tonic
• Sprig of fresh lavender
• Slice of lemon

METHOD

Fill a gin glass with plenty of ice, add in the gin, the rose syrup, and lemon juice and stir.
Top up with elderflower tonic and garnish with fresh lavender and a slice of lemon

When it comes to pairing wine with your BBQ food there are a few general rules to keep in mind. Firstly, consider the intensity of the dish. If you’re grilling a rich, fatty cut of meat, such as a rib-eye steak, then a full-bodied wine like Malbec is a great option. If you’re grilling lighter meats such as chicken, or fish, then a crisp, fresh white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling, may be a better choice.

Also consider the seasoning or rub. If your flavours are spicy, you might want to go for a wine with a touch of sweetness to balance it. If you have aromatic flavours then you need a wine that will match up to it. If you’re a fan of red meat, then a Malbec is an excellent choice. This wine is full-bodied and has plenty of tannins, making it a great pairing for rich, smoky flavours. Malbec is also a versatile wine that can complement a variety of different meats, including beef, lamb, and even pork.

RED OR WHITE?

Not all Malbec wines were created equally however. It started in the southwest of France in a region called Cahors, and is also used as a minor blending grape in the red wines of Bordeaux. It made its way over to Argentina and is now one of the country’s most famous exports (well, maybe after Messi!). The warm, dry climate of Mendoza is perfectly suited to the Malbec grape and the altitude of the Andes helps to keep the grapes cool for balance.

For those who prefer white wine, Sauvignon Blanc is a great option for a summer BBQ. It’s a crisp and refreshing style with plenty of acidity that can help cut through the richness of grilled meats like chicken and pork as well as summer salads. It is also a very aromatic style which can work well with Thai-inspired flavours like sweet chilli, ginger and coriander. The Loire Valley in France is home to some of the most prestigious wines made from this grape, including Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, but you can also pick up some better-priced examples from Touraine. Try a glass with some grilled halloumi skewers for a match made in heaven!

ROSÉ DELIGHT

Rosé is the quintessential summer wine, and there’s no better pairing for a summer BBQ than a Provence Rosé. This wine is light and refreshing, with plenty of fruit flavours that can complement a variety of different dishes and most importantly, dry! When it comes to pairing Provence Rosé with food, think pink.

It’s a perfect pairing for grilled seafood, such as prawns or salmon but it can also work just as well with grilled veggies and salads. Look for a bottle from the Côtes de Provence region of France, which is the birthplace of this iconic wine, but there are some bargain copycat styles to be found as well from the broader Mediterranean region.

If you’re looking for a red wine that’s a bit lighter than a Malbec, then Pinot Noir is an excellent choice for your summer BBQ. You can lightly chill it down to between 10-15C to bring out the fruity flavours and highlight the fresh acidity of the wine. New World examples are more medium-bodied and have a silky texture that can complement grilled chicken or pork ribs. Pinot Noir has a bright juicy red fruit flavours that pair well with grilled vegetables and salads.

KATIE’S 4 TO TRY

Catena Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina – £13.99 or £9.99 mix six, Majestic

A textbook Malbec from the legendary Catena family. Rich soft plum flavours and smooth tannins. Perfect with a juicy burger!

Taste The Difference Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley, France – £9, Sainsburys

Vibrant green apple, lime and gooseberry flavours with a twist of acidity. The perfect foil to lighter meats or a salad with some vinaigrette.

Mirabeau Pure Rosé, Provence, France – £15.99, Waitrose

Dry with strawberry and raspberry notes and a hint of rhubarb. This wine has a lovely texture which will go perfectly with seafood.

Tesco Finest Central Otago Pinot Noir, New Zealand – £13, Tesco

Possibly the most powerful expression of Pinot Noir from some of the world’s most southerly vineyards. Bright, juicy cherry flavours with a balanced acidity and smooth tannins. Lightly chill and serve with BBQ ribs.

As the UK goes Coronation crazy this month, this cheeky little red, white and blue cocktail from the chaps behind That Gin Company seems more than appropriate. A refreshing summer drink that’s perfect for the May bank holiday, you can always replace the lemonade with soda if you fancy something a little less sweet. To properly impress with a dramatic layered effect, remember the golden rule that the liquid with the highest sugar content will always sink to the bottom.

Happy Coronation day everyone, and as always, please enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients:

• 30ml grenadine
• 90ml lemonade
• 30ml vodka
• 30ml blue curacao

Method:

Pour the grenadine syrup over ice. Add the vodka to the lemonade and slowly pour on top of the grenadine then slowly pour the blue curacao to finish – then simply enjoy!

Apparently, this cocktail got its name because it was as powerful as the French 75-millimetre light field gun, known for its accuracy and speed and popular in World War 1. It’s certainly got a kick and it’s bloomin’ delicious, so remember to enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients 

• 20ml lemon juice

• 10ml sugar syrup

• 50ml gin

• Champagne

Method 

Pour the lemon juice, sugar syrup and gin into a cocktail shaker then fill up with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled Champagne flute. Top with a little Champagne, leave to settle, then fill up with more bubbly. Stir gently and garnish with a strip of lemon zest.

So, why not maintain your impressive health drive by cutting down the booze in February too. We’re making it a bit easier with this spicy little number from the mixologists at Andalusian-inspired tapas bar, Alioli. You’ll need to make a mulled spiced syrup first but it’s well worth the effort.

Ingredients 

For the Mulled Spiced Syrup 

Mix up the following and pop to one side

• 150ml pomegranate juice

• 25ml cinnamon syrup

• 200ml cane sugar syrup

• 25g pomegranate molasses

For the Main Event 

• 50ml Lyre’s dark cane non-alcoholic rum

• 25ml spiced wine syrup

• 15ml lime juice

• 50ml cloudy apple juice

Method

Pour ingredients into a shaker with cubed ice. Shake and double strain into an old-fashioned glass full of ice. Garnish with an orange wedge and two green olives.

You don’t have to be committed to absolute abstinence or a dry January to enjoy this delicious non-alcoholic take on a whiskey sour. Made with Assam tea leaf, the infusion has a strong character with woody, caramel notes – so you might just trick the senses that you’re tucking into the real thing…

Ingredients 

For the infusion:

• 1 tsp Assam tea leaves

• ¼ tsp vanilla extract

The rest:

• 25ml lemon juice

• ½ egg white

• Sugar syrup to taste 

Method

To make the tea infusion, pop the tea leaves into a jug and then add 150ml of boiling water, stir and then strain through a fine mesh sieve into a second heatproof jug. Add the vanilla and leave to cool.

Pour 50ml of the cooled tea infusion into a cocktail shaker, add the lemon juice, egg white, sugar syrup and a handful of ice and shake vigorously.

Strain into an ice-filled tumbler, then garnish with a slice of lemon and a cocktail cherry to serve.

This Christmas no one will remember the gin and tonic. But they will remember the Partridge and Pear Sour cocktail you made with St Maur elderflower liqueur and your favourite gin. A sweet and sour, beautifully balanced silky Christmas classic, it’s easy to make and pairs nicely with savoury canapés and those hot, herby sausage rolls.

The partridge is provided by Percy, St Maur’s partridge brand mascot. For the pear puree used in this recipe either make your own, purchase an expensive specialised cocktail ingredient, or as we have done here, nip down to the supermarket and buy a pouch of 100 per cent pureed pear baby food. Cheers! (And remember to enjoy responsibly.)

Ingredients: 

• 35ml elderflower liqueur
• 35ml dry gin
• Freshly squeezed juice from half a lemon
• 1 egg white
• 7.5ml pear puree

Method:

Put all the ingredients in a shaker and dry shake. Add ice and shake again, then strain into a chilled martini glass. That should be enough for two. Garnish to decorate and serve.

The holidays are coming… whoop, whoop! You don’t want to peak too soon but my-oh-my it’s worth trying this delicious little number from those talented mixologists at Sky By The Water, Resorts World. It’s a gorgeous take on the fruity little classic Sex on the Beach. As always, please enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients 

• 25ml peach and orange bloom vodka

• 20ml Ketel One vodka

• 10ml myrtle liqueur

• 5ml Cointreau

• 30ml cranberry juice

• 20ml orange juice

• 10ml grenadine syrup

• 10ml rose syrup

• 15ml lemon juice

• Top London Essence Pineapple soda (1/3 of a btl)

Method 

Fill a long glass with cubed ice, add all ingredients other than the pineapple soda. Stir to quickly mix the ingredients and top with pineapple soda. If you’re really going for it, finish by garnishing with one black and one red tuille, a raspberry and a flower.

 Among the many little joys of our sadly departed Queen was this simple, two-ingredient cocktail – gin and Dubonnet. Dubonnet is a ruby-red fortified red wine infused with herbs and spices and quinine, a very bitter ingredient that gives the drink a bit of an edge.

So, join us as we raise a glass to a life well lived and a monarch the like of which we will never see again. 

To make:

Pour one part gin and two parts Dubonnet over lots of ice. Stir. Add a lemon or orange twist, if you wish.

As summer draws to a close are you missing that cocktail by the pool? Extend the denial for a little bit longer and knock yourself up a little splash of holiday in a glass with this cheeky little frozen number. It’s one of the simplest cocktails to make using white rum and as with all cocktails use the finest ingredients that you can get your hands on and drink responsibly.

Ingredients:

• 2 measures of rum
• 1 measure strawberry liqueur
• 1 measure of lime juice
• 6 strawberries
• Ice cubes

Method:

Prepare a Martini glass by rubbing the rim with a lime wedge and then with granulated sugar.

Add all ingredients in a blender. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar if you like your drinks extra sweet.

Blend until smooth. Pour in the prepared glass.

INGREDIENTS 

• 50ml Olmeca Tequila Reposado
• 15ml Cointreau
• 15ml Grand Marnier
• 30ml Agave Syrup
• Squeeze of fresh lime

METHOD 

Begin by traditionally salting the rim of the glass. Pop all the ingredients apart from the Grand Marnier into a cocktail shaker, shake and then strain over ice. Pour and float the Grand Marnier over the drink to finish. Add a slice of lime and orange to garnish and enhance the citrus aroma.

A Sidecar is a sour, cognac-based drink, served in a martini or gimlet style glass. The original recipe calls for equal parts brandy, triple sec and lemon juice, but these days mixologists have upped the content of brandy. The original recipe also calls for a sugar rim around the glass, but again this is less common nowadays.

INGREDIENTS 

• 50ml cognac

• 25ml triple sec

• 25ml lemon juice

• Handful of ice

• Dash of Angostura bitters (optional)

METHOD 

Put a coupe glass in the fridge to chill. Tip all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake well until the outside of the shaker feels cold, then strain the cocktail into the chilled glass. If the lemon juice is too sharp, add the bitters to taste. You can sugar the rim of your glass if you like. Serve.

This month’s top cocktail offering is a sophisticated treat from the drinks team at Harvey Nichols Birmingham. Featuring rich chocolate and fruity orange bitters stirred together, they’ve created a perfect post-Easter tipple. As always, enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients: 

• 60ml Mount Gay rum

• 7.5ml demerara sugar

• 2 dashes of chocolate bitters

• 2 dashes orange bitters

Method: 

Stir together and serve in rocks glass with an ice ball and a slice of orange peel.

This gorgeous concoction from Pushkar Cocktail Bar & Dining features fresh watermelon and lime, mixed with vodka – try a vodka such as absolut from Sweden or Grey Goose made in France. As always, drink responsibly.

Ingredients 

• 50ml vodka
• 12.5ml lemon juice
• 12.5ml sugar syrup
• 4 chunks of watermelon (roughly one-inch cubes)
• Watermelon slice for garnish

Method

Chill your glass in the freezer or fill it with ice. Take a Boston glass or small tin and add the watermelon chunks. Using a muddler, muddle the watermelon until it is mostly liquidised. Add the vodka, sugar syrup and lemon juice with lots of ice and shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds or until your tin is very cold. Double strain into your chilled Martini glass or coupette. Garnish with a thin wedge of watermelon, cut so it sits on the edge of the glass.

It’s good to be back socialising again and not least because we got treated to this little number recently. It reminded us that spring is just around the corner and there’s no better way to celebrate than with this rhubarb-inspired delight.

Ingredients

• 25ml rhubarb liqueur

• 25ml gin

• 10ml rhubarb syrup

• 10ml sage syrup

• 15ml lemon juice

• Ginger ale

• Thyme and sage for garnish

Method

Pour the rhubarb liquor, gin, both syrups and the lemon juice into a mixer over ice and shake thoroughly. Top up with ginger ale then pour into a glass, add more ice, garnish like a pro and then enjoy, responsibly, of course.

Legend has it that the Camellia represents the union between two lovers. The delicate petals of the flower represent the woman while the green leaves that hold the petals together represent the man who protects her. It is said that even after death, the two components stay intact and fall away together, representing eternal love.⁠ Aaahhh…makes you feel all warm inside, doesn’t it!

Ingredients: 

• 30ml vodka

• 15ml rose liqueur

• 15ml blue Curacao

• 20ml lychee juice

• 15ml lemon juice

• 10ml vanilla syrup

Method: 

Combine all ingredients into a shaker, top your shaker with fresh cubed ice, seal the shaker and shake vigorously to ensure all the ingredients are mixed properly. Open your shaker with care and using a Hawthorne strainer; strain into an old-fashioned tumbler filled with fresh ice. You’ll then top your drink with a crushed ice cap for presentation and garnish with edibles or gold leaf and an edible viola flower.

Eggnog is not just for Christmas, it’s also a great way to raise a glass to the New Year – and what’s more as it’s got egg in it, it also delivers a wee bit of goodness too. We realise it’s a bit ‘Marmite’ for some, but for us this creamy little tipple is a slug of heaven that deserves drinking long after Santa has packed away his sleigh and put his feet up. Some people are twitchy about the health risks associated with raw eggs so you can either use pasteurised eggs or if in doubt, serve up something else. We rather like this recipe though.

Ingredients 

• 6 eggs
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 500ml whole milk
• 400ml double cream
• 350ml rum or brandy
• Freshly grated nutmeg

Method

Separate the eggs, then whisk the yolks in a bowl with 100g of caster sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and thick. Stir in the milk, double cream, the booze and a little grated nutmeg and pour into a punchbowl.

Next, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Add the remaining 50g of sugar and whisk until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture until well combined then ladle the eggnog into glass tumblers and serve with a little freshly grated nutmeg.

Enjoy responsibly and a Happy and Healthy New Year!

It’s Chrrrristmassss! Why not celebrate with something just a little fancy like this sexy little number from the mixologists that head up Birmingham’s newest cocktail bar, Nude Bar & Grill, tucked away on Bennetts Hill. But please make sure you enjoy responsibly this festive season.

THE ZOMBIE 

Ingredients 

• 25ml Havana Club 3

• 25ml Old J Spiced Rum

• 25ml Plantation Overproof

• 75ml Pineapple juice

• Dash of Mrs Betters Bitters

• Dash of Angostora Bitters

• 25ml Sugar syrup

Garnish

• 2 x Pineapple leaves

• Passion fruit shell

• Brown sugar

Method 

• Combine all the ingredients in a Boston Shaker (only 12.5ml of Overproof).
• Add cubed ice, wet shake. Fill a tikki cactus glass with cubed ice, and double strain into the glass.
• Add the straw and pineapple leaves. Balance a pineapple shell on top of the foam. Add some brown sugar and 12.5ml of Overproof. Light the passion fruit using a blow torch. Excite the flames with some cinnamon.

The beat of New York has arrived in Brum with the arrival of our latest swanky cocktail bar. Complete with neon signs, disco balls and plush booths, Manhatta is well known for creating Instagrammable havens with stunning cocktails at the ready.  To whet your appetite, here’s the recipe for their Queen of Hearts – a twist on a Clover Club, the classic raspberry gin cocktail that originated in Philadelphia during pre-prohibition times. It’s slightly tart with a fresh fruit finish and it’s utterly delicious. As always, please enjoy responsibly.

INGREDIENTS 

• 30ml Bombay Bramble
• 15ml Martini Rosso
• 15ml Raspberry syrup
• 22.5ml Lemon juice

METHOD 

Shake and strain the Bombay Bramble, Martini Rosso, raspberry syrup and lemon juice in a Boston shaker then fine strain into a coup glass. If you want to really go for it, top with a hibiscus foam, but you might need to pop into the bar to get tips on how to make it!

Local independent artisan spirit producer and gin specialist Shakespeare Distillery has added another cracking spirit to its award-winning range with the recent launch of Jester Spiced Rum. The 100 per cent British-made white rum has been distilled with Tudor-inspired fruits and spices. Sweet mace and cinnamon, aromatic nutmeg and warming clove make for a light-bodied dry rum boasting fruity notes. It’s great on its own but why not try it with Shakespeare Distillery’s recipe for a delicious spiced rum twist on the classic mojito!

INGREDIENTS 

• 3 Lime wedges

• 2tsp Caster sugar

• 50ml Jester Spiced Rum

• 25ml Pineapple juice

• 4cm Fresh ginger

• 8 Mint leaves

• Soda water

• Ground nutmeg

• 2 Pineapple slices

METHOD 

Muddle the lime wedges, fresh ginger and sugar in a julep cup. Bash the mint against the top of the cup (to release oils) and add into the cup with the spiced rum and pineapple juice. Add crushed ice and stir. Top with soda. Garnish the mojito with caramelised pineapple slices* and mint. Enjoy responsibly!

*To make the caramelised pineapple garnish, brush slices with ground nutmeg and fry on both sides in a pan until golden.

Those of us ‘of a certain age’ can vaguely recall when wine culture first arrived in the UK. Historically, due to our climate most Brits drank beer rather than wine, and not being a significant wine producer ourselves, many wine-producing countries started to promote their wares in the 1970s and 1980s to the unsuspecting British drinker.

However, today’s choice of styles and quality is light-years away from the ‘first wave’ of wine to wash up on our shores, where the novelty of wine – any wine at all – took preference over quality. Anyone under 50 will not remember this, but when venturing out to places like a Berni Inn to enjoy your prawn cocktail, steak, and Black Forest gateau, the wine list to go with it wasn’t something that would be recognisable today.

BLUE NUN

As well as a selection of very basic wines from behind the Iron Curtain from countries such as Bulgaria and Romania, we had mass-produced semi-sweet German wines with labels such as Blue Nun and Black Tower. Many German wines are indeed off-dry or medium-dry, but the great wines of Germany are made with the Riesling grape, have a beautiful floral and fruit nose and combine racy acidity with the sweetness to create a beautiful balance.

German Riesling is a unique style of wine, made nowhere else in the world. Because of the history of German wine in the UK, it is a very difficult sell and many retailers have either given up or stock only a very small range. The good news is that because it’s a hard sell, it’s amazingly good value. Seek out those long-tapered bottles, but make sure the word Riesling is on the label to avoid revisiting the 1980s!

Moving on down the list, we also had some semi-sweet rosé wines such as Mateus Rosé. This wine is from Portugal, is produced in huge quantities and was allegedly the favourite tipple of Saddam Hussein. The finest rosé wine is produced in Provence in France, is bone dry and is today incredibly popular.

OLD VINE

South Africa in the 1970-80s was still an isolated apartheid regime, desperate for international trade.  The country’s winemaking business suffered from obsolete equipment and a focus on quantity rather than quality. Today, South Africa is one of the most dynamic of wine-producing countries and their Old Vine Chenin Blanc can be truly stunning.

Finally, Beaujolais Noveau, a wine made from the fruity Gamay variety, is made and bottled by the middle of November. It was accompanied by a huge amount of hype but was almost undrinkable.  Beaujolais suffers from association with the Nouveau style to this day. However, a well-kept secret is that certain specific villages in the Beaujolais region produce a very different style of wine indeed. Still using the fruity Gamay grape but treated with real respect, wines from Fleurie, Brouilly, Morgon and most especially Moulin-a-Vent are like mini Burgundies but without the price tag. These wines are some of the best-value French red wines available.

If you want to revisit the 1980s, but with MUCH better wines, I’ve picked out four great choices for you to try… Enjoy!

GARY’S 4 TO TRY 

Doctor L Riesling (Germany) – This wine embodies the elegant and racy style of the steep, slate-soil vineyards in the Mosel valley. It is fruity and low in alcohol with a refreshingly crisp taste that cools the palate. Drink on its own or with lightly spiced Asian dishes. Available from Asda for £7. 

Château Pigoudet ‘La Chapelle’ Rosé 2020 Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence AC – Super-light and the colour of bright pink petals, the nose boasts red apples and ripe cherries and flower petals. Fresh and citrussy, this aromatic rosé lingers on a beautiful mineral finish. Enjoy with Salade Niçoise. Available from Majestic for £12.99 

Darling Cellars Old Bush Vine Chenin Blanc, Darling, South Africa, 2019 – This dry Chenin Blanc displays a medium light straw hue in the glass. It’s made in a ripe style; elegant, serious and bold. Tropical flavours of ripe yellow peaches, white pear, a touch of vanilla blossoms, toast, butterscotch, orange skin and pineapple. Great with rich fish or cream-based chicken dishes. Available from Frazier’s wines for £16.99. 

Chateau Des Jacques, Moulin-a-Vent AC – A very different style of Beaujolais. It is barrel aged to create a wine with rich and succulent red Gamay fruit as well as having the concentration and structure to develop in bottle. Enjoy with grilled and roasted meats. Available from Sainsbury’s for £16.

You may not have been able to get to France this summer so why not bring some tasty gallic flair to blighty! This delicious, simple cocktail is an elegant blend of raspberry liqueur, pineapple juice and vodka. You can always mix it up with vanilla vodka instead but, as always, please drink responsibly.

INGREDIENTS

• 50ml vodka
• 15ml Chambord liqueur
• 40ml pressed pineapple juice
• Optional fresh raspberries to garnish

METHOD

Put everything in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously (this creates a foamy layer on top of the drink). Strain into a chilled martini glass.

The Italians call it ‘sunshine in a glass’. So, what better cocktail for the perfect summer drink than Aperol Spritz? This Mediterranean favourite is a combination of Aperol, sparkling wine and soda water. Hot stuff… but, as always, be sure you chill out by drinking responsibly.

INGREDIENTS 

• Handful of ice
• 50ml/2fl oz Aperol
• 100ml/3½fl oz of sparkling wine (such as Prosecco)
• 25ml/1fl oz soda water
• Orange slices, to garnish (optional)

METHOD 

Fill a wine glass with ice. Pour the Aperol and sparkling wine over the ice, then top with the soda water. Gently stir the drink to combine all the ingredients and garnish with an orange slice or two.

Local independent artisan spirit producer and gin specialists, the Shakespeare Distillery, has launched its first British white rum, named Jester after the famous sculpture on Stratford’s Henley Street, just yards from the Bard’s birthplace.

The twice-distilled 40 per cent ABV spirit combines tropical fruits with a hint of citrus while buttery smooth sugar cane molasses make for a rich, yet mildly sweet finish. The rum can be enjoyed neat or as a cocktail – the master distillers at Shakespeare recommend this classic Caipirinha cocktail to showcase the spirit’s natural smoothness and complexity. Easy to drink and very refreshing. As always, consume responsibly.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 lime wedges
• 25ml sugar syrup
• 50ml Jester rum

TO MAKE

Muddle the lime wedges and sugar syrup in a rocks glass. Add in the Jester rum and fill the glass with crushed ice. Churn, top with a little more crushed ice and garnish with a lime wedge.

Throughout lockdown it’s the little things that we’ve been so thankful for. Zoom calls, hand-written letters, Netflix… and our latest guilty pleasure, Teen First Dates! It’s adorable watching the fresh-faced teenagers making their first tentative steps into real-life dating. And if you’re avid fans like us you may have noticed more than a few opt to calm their nerves with an intriguingly named Prom Star Martini. It’s the non-alcoholic version of its big sister, the omnipresent Porn Star Martini, so has all the stunning passion fruit flavours without the post-session headache. Why not treat the whole family with this simple delicious recipe.

Ingredients 

• One passion fruit (plus an optional extra half to garnish)

• 50ml quality apple juice

• 15ml passion fruit syrup

• 15ml fresh lime juice

• Few drops of vanilla extract

Method 

Slice open the passion fruit and scoop out all the seeds into a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the rest of the ingredients and shake well. Strain into a coupe or martini glass and garnish with the passion fruit half.

Spring is coming and it feels like we could be returning to some normality which is rather wonderful and definitely worth celebrating. But celebrating doesn’t necessarily mean that we have to forget to be healthy, so why not raise a glass to the easing of restrictions with this fruity little number that has all the taste but none of the alcohol.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Blackberries
• 3 Raspberries
• 3 Blueberries
• 8 to 10 mint leaves
• 30ml Lime juice
• 30ml Strawberry syrup
• Apple juice

METHOD

Place the berries into a sling glass. Add the mint leaves. Muddle berries and mint together – you can use a spoon to do this. Add lime juice and strawberry syrup. Add crushed ice. And Churn – again, you can use a spoon to do this. Top with apple juice. Garnish with a raspberry, blueberry, blackberry and mint sprig

January might be the month where we get properly healthy but we all need a little treat – and this refreshing little number from the guys at Stag Digbeth is well worth being a little naughty. Apparently, it’s one of their most popular cocktails due to its reference to the liquid used in barbershops for hygiene and sanitisation. And if it makes you feel better, there is some cranberry juice in there too which is jolly good for you! As always, please enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients:

• • 30ml Tiki Fire vanilla and lime rum
• • 12.5ml lime juice
• • 2 dashes orange bitters
• • 30ml cranberry juice
• • 12.5ml vanilla syrup
• • 25ml Blue Curacao

Method:

Shake all the ingredients together and pour over ice in a tall sling glass, finished with a lime wedge.

So, you may not be spending much time in your favourite swanky bar this December but there’s no reason why you should deny yourself your favourite swanky cocktail. Pimp up your Christmas with this now legendary fruit and vanilla crowd-pleaser. But enjoy responsibly and make sure you have a healthy festive season.

Ingredients 

• 2 ripe passion fruit
• 60ml vanilla vodka
• 15ml Passoa liqueur
• 15ml vanilla syrup
• 15ml lime juice
• Champagne

Method 

Cut the passion fruits in half and scoop out the seeds and flesh (if you’re feeling proper flash, keep one half untouched to use later as a garnish).

Add the passion fruit along with your vodka, Passoa liqueur, syrup and lime into a Boston shaker with plenty of ice and shake until the shaker feels ice cold.  Strain into a chilled martini glass and add the garnish if you’re showing off.

Legend suggests that you should serve with a shot of Brut Champagne on the side but we won’t tell if you choose prosecco instead…

Deliciosa!

We may not be able to travel very far at the moment, so why not transport yourself to a tropical Asian island with this cheeky little number from the guys at Chung Ying Central. The Koh Samui features vodka and apricot brandy in a truly delicious offering with a nice little kick thrown in. As always, drink responsibly.

Ingredients 

• 25ml vodka
• 25ml apricot brandy
• 25ml orange juice
• 25ml white peach puree
• 12.5ml lemon juice

Method 

Shake with ice and strain into a hiball glass. Top with lemonade. Garnish with tropical fruit. Slip on a bathing suit and enjoy…

So, we may be back to limited get-togethers again but that’s no reason why you and your significant other can’t have a thumpingly good time. Creamy, rich and definitely hyper-indulgent, the Espresso Martini is a lively cocktail that delivers a nice little kick just when your lockdown energy levels might be dipping. As always, please enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients 

25ml Smirnoff Black Vodka

25ml Tia Maria

15ml sugar syrup

15ml espresso liqueur

Method

Pour ingredients into a Boston shaker with ice. Give it a good shake for three minutes before slowly straining straight into a chilled Martini glass. Be sure to do this slowly because then you’ll get that lovely foam texture on the surface. To finish garnish with three or four fresh coffee beans.

Bobo is a distinctively elegant, fruity and flavoursome cocktail that is perfect for sipping in the garden in the lazy, late days of summer. To make, you’ll need One Gin’s new Sage & Apple gin which is available at Tesco.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY

INGREDIENTS 

• 40ml One Sage & Apple Gin
• 25ml ruby port
• 25ml plum saké
• 10ml berry cordial
• 10ml honey syrup
• 10ml Verjus
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 edible flower for garnish
• Beetroot powder and icing sugar for dusting

METHOD

Add the first seven ingredients to a cocktail shaker with fresh ice and shake well. Double strain the mixture into a chilled cocktail glass, dust the glass with the beetroot powder and icing sugar and garnish with an edible flower. Enjoy… and as always, drink responsibly.

Using One Gin’s new Sage & Apple gin that’s now available at Tesco, this delightfully tangy cocktail is lovely as an early evening sundowner or equally gorgeous when served at a lazy Sunday brunch. And because One Gin donates 10 per cent of its profit to fund life-changing water projects in the world’s poorest communities, you can feel good about yourself too, although do continue to drink responsibly.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

Ingredients: 

• 50ml One Sage & Apple Gin
• 25ml lemon juice
• 1 heaped teaspoon of orange marmalade
• Orange twist for garnish

Method: 

Add all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with fresh ice and shake well. Double strain into a Martini or coupette glass and garnish with an orange twist

OK, hands up we’ve been getting through lockdown with a combination of Joe Wicks, jigsaws and some serious movie binge watching. And while indulging in the classic Meet the Parents trilogy, we were drawn to Robert De Niro’s favourite tipple, the Tom Collins. This timeless and iconic gin cocktail is simple, refreshing and utterly delicious – but as always please enjoy responsibly.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY

Ingredients: 

• 60ml gin

• 60ml lemon juice

• 30ml sugar syrup

• soda water

• lemon slices and maraschino cherries for garnish

Method:

Fill a large glass (preferably a Tom Collins, of course) with ice. Add the gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup and stir. Top up with soda water to taste and garnish with a slice of lemon and a maraschino cherry. For an alcohol-free alternative try swapping the gin for elderflower.

Essentially an upside-down cappuccino with the frothy coffee on top and the milk underneath, Dalgona coffee looks and tastes fab. You can serve either hot or cold and pimp it up as an adult treat with a drop or two of coffee liqueur. It’s sweet, velvety soft – and damn delicious.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp Instant coffee
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp Very hot water
• Milk

Method: 

Add the instant coffee, sugar and hot water to a medium mixing bowl. Using a whisk or electric hand-held mixer, whip the coffee mixture until it is light brown, fluffy and holds stiff peaks when the whisk is removed. We like to whip it by hand which takes around 10 minutes to get the right consistency. If having hot, heat the milk and divide between two heat-proof glasses. If cold, add an ice cube or two to your milk. Add dollops of the frothed coffee mixture on top and smooth out with a spoon. Enjoy!

Spring has sprung and with it the hope of warmer weather heading into – fingers crossed – a sparkling summer. We don’t want to peak too soon but we’re ready to embrace fairer times with this lively little number from Andrew Marsh, mixologist and the F&B (food and beverage) man at Hilton Garden Inn, Brindleyplace. Please join us as we sip his delicious Summatini. As always, enjoy responsibly.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

INGREDIENTS 

• 50ml Raspberry vodka
• 50ml Apple juice
• 25ml Fresh strawberry juice
• Fresh lemon juice

METHOD 

Chill a coupe glass with ice. Add the raspberry vodka, apple juice, fresh strawberry juice and half a squeezed lemon juice into a cocktail shaker. Shake until the shaker is too cold to hold. Then double strain into the chilled coupe glass.

Apparently, spring is coming… not sure we’re totally convinced just yet but, hey, why not welcome in some warmer weather with this cheeky little number from the talented mixologists at Sky By The Water.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY

Ingredients:

• 50ml Lychee juice
• 25ml Pineapple juice
• 15ml Gingerbread syrup
• 15ml Lime juice
• 10ml Brown sugar syrup

Method:

Put all the ingredients in a shaker and shake without ice first. Fill the shake with ice and shake it again (for maximum foam). Double strain in a coupe glass. Garnish with a dehydrated pineapple semi-wheel. For an alcoholic version, our recommendation is to add 50ml of Kraken Spiced Rum.

Who doesn’t want a little slug of passion on Valentine’s Day? A twist on the classic Cosmopolitan, using passion fruit which is delicious and is abundant in South East Asia, this cheeky little cocktail from the mixologists at Chung Ying Central could help spread the love this February. But before you start firing off those Cupid arrows, remember as always to please enjoy responsibly.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

INGREDIENTS:

• 25ml Absolut Citron
• 25ml Passoa passionfruit liqueur
• 12.5ml Lime
• 12.5ml Cranberry juice
• 12.5ml Passionfruit juice
• Garnish with orange peel

METHOD:

Add ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake well. Double strain into a martini glass.

December can be a month of over indulgence with too many Christmas parties, the main event itself and then of course New Year’s Eve. So why not kick-start 2020 by being a little kinder to yourself and your body, lock up the booze cabinet and ease back on the alcohol intake. But that doesn’t mean you should compromise on a good party, decadence and enjoying a delicious, sophisticated cocktail or two. Why not try this little number – called Husk – from the chaps at Seedlip, providers of top quality non-alcoholic spirits.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY

INGREDIENTS:

• 60ml Seedlip Garden 108
• 85ml Sweetcorn soda (see method)
• 10ml Æcorn Dry (a floral, crisp non-alcoholic apertif)
• Sweetcorn leaf to garnish

METHOD:

To make the sweetcorn soda mix 125ml of cold press apple juice with 125ml of water, the juice of one lime and 20ml of organic sweetcorn juice. Chill until very cold and then carbonate. Combine all the sweetcorn soda with the rest of the ingredients and then pour into a highball glass full of ice. Garnish with the sweetcorn leaf and enjoy!

Taking its name from a Chinese civil war of the 11th Century, Rebellion of the Three Guards is a winter warmer from the clever mixers at Chung Ying Central. The drink takes the lead from Hibiki which utilises whisky from Chita, Yamazaki and Hakushu distilleries to make its blend. This drink takes these three whiskies and blends them into an Old Fashioned using maple syrup. Unlike the combatants in the Chinese war, act responsibly when you drink…

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

INGREDIENTS:

• 30ml Chita whisky
• 20ml Hakushu whisky
• 10ml Yamazaki whisky
• 5 dashes cherry bitters
• 10ml maple syrup
• Garnish with a cherry

METHOD:

Stir the ingredients in a mixing glass. Pour into rocks glass with an ice block.

Brrr! It’s getting cold outside! Time for the perfect winter warmer – but with a bit of a kick. Step forward this brilliant cocktail, Spiced Rum Hot Chocolate, using locally produced craft Burning Barn Spiced Rum, strong dark chocolate, honey and a nice dash of cinnamon. Perfect! As always, drink responsibly.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

INGREDIENTS

(Will make four cups)

• 4 tsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 100g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa content)
• 500ml milk
• Brown sugar/honey to taste
• 100ml rum
• Marshmallows (optional)

METHOD:

Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, add the chocolate and cinnamon. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted. Add cocoa powder, sugar and rum. Simmer for a further minute or two before turning off the heat. Pour into mugs and top with an indecent amount of marshmallows/whipped cream/chocolate sauce.

Here’s a special cocktail to warm the cockles this autumn from the mixologists at Chung Ying Central. Taking the translation of Hibiki – Echo is an adapted whisky sour. The name describes the recurrence of the flavours throughout the drink. As always, please enjoy responsibly.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

INGREDIENTS 

• 50ml Hibiki whisky
• 25ml lemon juice
• 15ml maple syrup
• Egg white
• Garnish with dried orange slice

METHOD 

Add ingredients into a shaker. Dry shake without ice, then wet shake with ice. Double strain into a martini glass.

Back in October 2018 we featured the story of Katherine Jenner and her husband Harry who plucked success from disaster after their family’s toffee apple business was destroyed by a terrible fire. Together they launched Burning Barn Rum in Eastcote and the brand’s success continues to grow apace.

This month they’ve come up with this great cocktail which delivers a perfect twist on an old time favourite by using their brilliant smoked rum. Try it and you’ll love it. As always, enjoy responsibly.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 parts BBR Smoked Rum
• 4 parts tomato juice
• ½ part fresh lime juice
• 4 dashes of Worcester Sauce, 4 dashes Tabasco (or to taste)
• Twist of black pepper
• Garnish? Go big or go home!

METHOD:

Mix all the ingredients together, serve over ice and wait for the lip-smacking to commence.

A heady blend of pineapple, peach and bourbon…. this awesome cocktail might take a bit of committed preparation but it’s well worth the effort. Or you can always go and ask the clever stick mixologists at Sky By The Water to rustle one up for you. Perfect as the summer sun gently sets over Birmingham. This little number was specially created by Aaron. As always, drink responsibly.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

INGREDIENTS 

• 50ml seven-day infused Bulleit Bourbon (method below)
• ¼ of a pineapple
• 100ml peach syrup
• 5ml brown sugar syrup (1:1 brown sugar and boiling water)
• Angostura bitters

METHOD

Infuse a bottle of Bulleit Bourbon with the ¼ pineapple and the peach syrup. After three days, strain and age in a (small) wooden barrel for at least seven days. Once infused and ready for serving, pour 50ml in a mixing glass with the brown sugar syrup and a dash of Angostura bitters. Stir for 30 to 45 seconds with ice. Strain in an old-fashioned glass (tumbler) filled with cubed ice (or a block of ice).

Garnish with orange zest around the rim of the glass.

The wonderfully-titled Picnic Smash is a truly refreshing little number that’s the perfect, grown-up non-alcoholic cocktail to enjoy in the sun. And we think the jam jar helps give it a nice little festival vibe too! Tasty but not tipsy, there’s no need to worry about drinking responsibly with this one. Have as many as you like…

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY

INGREDIENTS:

• 50ml Seedlip spice 94
• 20ml pink grapefruit juice
• 3tsps strawberry jam
• 2 basil leaves

METHOD: 

Fill a jam jar with ice (or just a nice big glass if a jar doesn’t appeal). Add all the ingredients, close the lid and shake. Open and garnish with another basil leaf.

Welcome flaming June – the month when summer really gets into full swing. With a bit of luck and a fair wind, we’ll enjoy one of those Junes when we can relax with a barbecue and laze the time away in the garden or park. You’ll be needing a cool cocktail by your side to complete the picture of course… and we’ve the perfect summer tipple with a Strawberry and Basil Margarita from the mixologists at the award-winning Gentleman & Scholar bar in the Hyatt Regency. As always, enjoy responsibly.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

INGREDIENTS:

• 50ml Chase vodka
• 15ml Fraise des Bois strawberry liqueur
• 2/3 fresh strawberries
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 2/3 fresh basil leaves

METHOD:

In a Boston tin, muddle the strawberries, sugar and sugar syrup. Add the basil leaves and lightly muddle. Add the Fraise des Bois liqueur and vodka and half fill with ice. Shake and then double strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with fresh basil and a strawberry ball.

Don’t know about you, but we’re in need a proper pick-me-up right now! We put it down to Brexit – after all, who doesn’t need a stiff drink or three after seeing the chaotic shenanigans of MPs in Parliament? We’ve found the perfect Brexit antidote, courtesy of this exclusive and indulgent tiramisu cocktail created by Daniele Vignali, head mixologist at Sky By The Water, Resorts World.

Mix it up yourself and we promise you’ll forget all about Article 50 and backstops. Just enjoy responsibly…

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

INGREDIENTS:

• 25ml Bacardi Carta Oro
• 25ml coffee (or a shot of espresso)
• 15ml Kahlua
• 15ml cocoa syrup
• 10ml sugar syrup (1:1 caster sugar and boiling water)
• 50g mascarpone

METHOD:

Put all the ingredients in a shaker and shake until chilled (30 seconds). Double strain carefully into a coupe glass. Garnish with a dust of cocoa powder and a lady finger biscuit

The Edgbaston’s award-winning mixologist, Tommy Matthews, has created a bespoke new cocktail recipe inspired by Birmingham. The Lassi 5 cocktail celebrates Brum’s multi-culturalism and heritage as the UK’s curry capital.

Fusing iconic Indian ingredients, including mango puree and rose water, with Label 5 Classic Black Scotch Whisky makes for a fragrant cocktail that nods to the classic curry flavours. The recipe is named after Lassi, a popular drink in India, and also combines iconic notes of British Earl Grey tea.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

INGREDIENTS 

• 60ml Label 5 Classic Black Scotch Whisky
• 25ml mango puree
• 25ml lemon juice
• 20ml cream
• 15ml Earl Grey Cordial*
• 1/2 egg white

METHOD

Dry shake and strain into a glass. Garnish with two drops of Rose Water

*Earl Grey Cordial: Brew 200ml of Earl Grey tea for 5 minutes, then combine with 100g white sugar. Allow to cool and bottle.

February is a big month for celebrations this year with both Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day marked on the calendar. The clever sticks at Chung Ying Central have knocked up this creamy, indulgent Tiramisu Float that’ll help celebrate both events in some style. As always, please enjoy responsibly.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

INGREDIENTS:

• 25ml Disoronno
• 25ml Baileys
• 12.5ml Vanilla syrup
• 25ml Expresso
• 50ml Half cream

METHOD: 

Shake with ice and strain into a Hurricane glass. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Garnish with biscuit and cocoa powder.

Don’t know about you but we’re looking for something a bit special to add to the alcoholic mix this Christmas. And we think we’ve found just the thing – the Bramble. This festival tipple comes from Jack Lawless, head barman at the award-winning Gentleman & Scholar bar at Birmingham’s Hyatt Regency. The Bramble looks and tastes awesome – try it yourself and you’ll see what we mean. As always, enjoy responsibly.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY

INGREDIENTS:

• 25ml fresh lemon juice
• 50ml gin
• 15ml sugar syrup
• Crème de cassis
• Lemon, blackberries and raspberries for garnish

METHOD:

Add the lemon juice, gin and sugar syrup to a glass.

Fill with ice and shake.

Strain mixture into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice.

Top with crème de cassis.

Garnish with lemon, blackberries and raspberries.

The Old Fashioned is a true cocktail that’ll warm the cockles in the darkest, coldest winter nights. This cracking little number comes courtesy of Jack Lawless, head barman at the award-winning Gentleman & Scholar bar at Birmingham’s Hyatt Regency.

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 spoonful of caster sugar
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters
• Club soda
• 50ml of bourbon
• Orange peel to garnish

METHOD

Add the sugar and Angostura bitters to a glass. Add a short splash of club soda and stir. Add ice and then the bourbon and stir again. Strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube. Cut a small piece of orange peel and bend so the oil from the skin settles on the surface of the drink. Garnish with orange peel and serve.

The mixologists at Chung Ying Central have come up with this lovely little autumn cocktail that’s inspired by the ultimate summer fruit, the lychee. The sweet floral tastes works beautifully with the rose syrup and lemon juice and the hit of vodka makes it strictly for grown-ups, so enjoy responsibly.

INGREDIENTS

• 25ml vodka
• 25ml Kwai Fei Lychee Liqueur
• 25ml lychee juice
• 12.5ml rose syrup
• 12.5ml lemon juice

METHOD 

Shake and strain in a martini glass. Garnish with a dry rose bud

METHOD

First you need to make a Rooibos & Tumeric cordial…

Ingredients:

• 25g/2tbsp Rooibos Tea
• Pinch ground Turmeric
• 500g caster sugar
• 250ml hot water

Method:

Add the ingredients to a bowl and stir well. Leave to infuse until cold. Strain and bottle.

Now for the cocktail…

NB: This recipe makes a big batch which you can bottle and store for up to a week. Amend the measurements if you want to try a small one first

Ingredients:

• 700ml Seedlip Grove
• 42 125ml almond milk
• 125ml whole milk
• 190ml Rooibos & turmeric cordial
• 60ml fresh lemon juice
• 50ml grapefruit juice

Method:

Bring almond and whole milk to a simmer over medium heat then pour into a large pitcher. Separately mix Grove 42, cordial and juices. Slowly add this mix to the milk and allow it to curdle. Leave for 30 minutes, then strain through a coffee filter. Serve 90ml over ice and garnish with a blood orange twist.

Rum is bang on trend right now – and few things are more refreshing in the warmth of summer than a classic mojito. So, let’s get mixing!

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY

Ingredients:

• 2 parts good quality white rum
• ½ fresh lime
• 12 fresh mint leaves
• 2 heaped bar spoons of caster sugar
• Dash of soda water
• Cubed ice
• Crushed ice
• To garnish: sprig of fresh mint

To make:

• Put the four lime wedges into a glass, then add the sugar and muddle.
• Bruise the mint leaves then add to the muddle lime juice and gently press down.
• Half fill the glass with crushed ice and pour in rum. Stir the mix together until the sugar dissolves.
• Top up with crushed ice, a splash of soda water and garnish it with a sprig of mint

As anyone who has visited the Caribbean will tell you, the people of these glorious islands know and love their cocktails. Amdi Browne, Amplify’s hospitality bar supervisor and unofficial mixologist at the Genting Arena’s Lakeside Lounge, was inspired by his Caribbean roots to develop a new cocktail menu. Amdi’s Sunset Cocktail is one of his favourite concoctions from the menu, entitled the Little Book of Cocktails. Its super tasty and super easy to make, too…

ALL YOU NEED TO MIX IT UP BEAUTIFULLY 

Ingredients: 

• 75ml Orange juice
• 30ml Grapefruit juice
• 25ml Passion fruit juice
• 50ml Amdi’s special spiced brandy (but any brand will work)
• 10ml Almond syrup
• 25ml Dash of grenadine (to finish)

To make:

Pour the ingredients – excluding the grenadine – over a glass of ice and gently stir to combine the flavours. Add a grapefruit piece to garnish. Finish with a 25ml dash of grenadine.

Royal wedding hysteria may have calmed down and you may be feeling lost after months of pre-nuptial excitement. The clever chaps at Aluna have come up with a Meghan-inspired tipple to help ease those post-wedding blues.

Ingredients:

• Brugal Anejo (dark rum), 22.5ml
• Mandarine liqeuer, 22.5ml
• Blood orange syrup, 22.5ml
• Edible Pearl Dust, 2g

To make:

Shake all liquid ingredients with ice and pour into bottle. Add Edible Pearl Dust and shake. Serve into a coupe and enjoy.

As the days start to draw out, the sun becomes our friend again and the temperatures rise, what taste combo better sums up summer than passion fruit and lychees? To give the tropical twosome a bit of a kick you might like to add a drop of vodka and a dash of coconut – and make yourself (and your friends) this great, heady cocktail…

VODKA, LYCHEE AND PASSION FRUIT COCKTAIL 

Ingredients:

• 25ml Premium vodka
• 25ml Japanese sake
• 2 teaspoons of coconut extract
• 20ml passion fruit juice
• 25ml lychee juice
• The juice and seeds of half a fresh passion fruit

Method:

• Squeeze the juice and seeds of the passion fruit into a shaker.
• Add all the other ingredients with cubed ice and shake.
• Strain over crushed ice and garnish with half a passion fruit and a lychee

Ok, hands up we love gin! So this month we thought we’d seek out something special in honour of our little juniper berry-inspired friend. Who better to ask than the mixologists at 40 St Pauls where they offer no fewer than 140 gins in their award-winning menu.

CHAMPION COBBLER

Ingredients:

• 35ml Slingsby Spirit of Harrogate Gin
• 20ml fino Sherry
• 15ml Rhubarb & Rosehip cordial
• 20ml cold press Yorkshire Tea
• 10ml lemon juice
• 10ml apple juice

Method:

Place all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake short and sharp. Serve in a short stem cocktail glass, or in a trophy as 40 St Paul’s does.

There was a choice of Beauty and the Beast and although we plumped for the Beast – a heady mix of whiskey, chocolate and cream – you may prefer a beauty-inspired tipple so here’s the recipe for both.

BEAST COCKTAIL

Ingredients:

• 50ml whiskey (Henry Wong recommend hibiki)
• 10ml brown sugar syrup
• 2 dashes angostura bitters
• 30ml chocolate syrup
• Whipped cream.

Method:

Add chocolate syrup to bottom of martini glass straight away. Stir whiskey, sugar and bitters in separate glass (like an olda) and pour on top of chocolate sauce in martini glass. Proceed to layer whipped cream on top of the whiskey, then add three thin orange zests to top of the drink.

BEAUTY COCKTAIL

Ingredients:

• 25ml hibiscus liqueur
• 10ml rose
• 15ml lemon juice
• 75ml Laurent Perrier Rose

Method:

Add ingredients to mixing glass and stir over ice. Then proceed to double strain contents into a champagne glass. Wrap champagne glass with spiced rum soaked strawberry lace from bottom to top. Add swirled lemon zests to pre- cut strawberry attached to side of glass.

It may not be enormously healthy but there is some tropical fruit in it! Mixed with the warm notes of ginger and vanilla it’s a perfect antidote to a cold and snowy night.

PINEAPPLE & GINGER MARTINI

Ingredients:

• 50ml vodka
• Two fresh pineapple wedges
• Two strips of fresh peeled ginger
• 10ml vanilla syrup
• 50ml pineapple juice

Method:

Muddle the ginger and pineapple in the base of a shaker. Add all the other ingredients. Shake well with ice and fine strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.

The My Fair Lady cocktail is a delicious little number from the chaps at Tom’s Kitchen Birmingham. Always use the best ingredients and a top quality liquor – the guys at Tom’s are rather partial to FAIR.

Ingredients:

• 25ml FAIR pomegranate liqueur
• 25ml sugar syrup
• 25ml Citric Acid
• 25ml FAIR kumquat liqueur
• 25ml FAIR quinoa vodka

Method: 

Pour the pomegranate liqueur and sugar syrup into a martini glass. Shake the citric acid, kumquat liqueur and quinoa vodka in a cocktail shaker, then fine strain and layer onto the pomegranate and sugar syrup mix. Enjoy responsibly!

In celebration of the opening of South American-inspired restaurant Las Iguanas in Temple Street, our COTM is Brazil’s national cocktail, Caipirinha, made with cachaça, sugar and lime. The Caipirinha originated around 1918 in the state of São Paulo, deriving from a popular recipe made with lemon, garlic and honey designed to cure Spanish flu. Today the drink is enjoyed in restaurants, bars and households throughout the country.

Ingredients:

• 35ml cachaça
• 1 lime
• 3 teaspoons of crystal or refined sugar

Method:

Cut the lime into eight chunks. Add the sugar and muddle, pushing and twisting. Half fill the glass with crushed ice. Add the cachaça. Mix all the ingredients together gently with a spoon and top with crushed ice. Delicioso!

The guys behind the Botanist have just opened a new concept bar on Bridge Street overlooking the canal. The Canal House promises a cocktail menu that will take customers on a ‘revolutionary journey’ so here’s a little taster of what to expect… This sexy little number uses Pisco which is a colourless or yellowish-to-amber coloured brandy produced in winemaking regions of Peru and Chile. As always, enjoy responsibly.

EARLY SIGNS OF GREATNESS

Ingredients:

• 15ml monin mango syrup
• 22.5ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 25ml of egg white
• 45ml of Pisco
• 50ml of pineapple juice

Method:

Add the mango syrup, freshly squeezed lemon juice, egg white, Pisco and pineapple juice to an empty Boston glass. Shake vigorously with cubed ice. Strain into glass through Hawthorne strainer. Garnish with viola flower

One of the world’s most-iconic cocktails has just celebrated its own special week of celebrations across the UK’s top bars and restaurants to help raise money for charitable causes. Negroni Week was launched in honour of the marvellous Italian classic created in 1919 at Café Casoni in Milan.

Elaborated upon by the bartender from the Milano Torino and named after its most regular drinker, Count Camille Negroni, it’s simple to make, delicious to drink and packs a fair punch. There is a version where you substitute the gin with Prosecco – this version is called the Negroni Sbagliato’ (literally translated as the ‘wrong Negroni’). So here’s a way to make the right Negroni, which we suggest you try first. (As always, drink responsibly.)

THE NEGRONI

Ingredients:

• 30ml Oxley Classic English Dry Gin
• 30ml Cocchi Vermouth de Torino Italian Vermouth
• 30ml Campari Bitters

Method:

Combine all the ingredients over ice in a rocks glass and stir. Garnish with an orange slice.

To celebrate the Royal Shakespeare Company’s current Rome season, the master mixologists at the Rooftop Restaurant have rustled up a marvellous Roman-inspired cocktail. Fittingly called Cocktail of War, the heady concoction of spirits and orange juice is inspired by Shakespeare’s Coriolanus and has a real kick. It’s guaranteed to spark anyone into action – but as always, drink responsibly…

COCKTAIL OF WAR

Ingredients:

• 40ml Grappa
• 25ml Martini Rosso
• Spoon of Fernet Branca
• 25ml orange juice
• 12.5ml Blue Curacao syrup

Method:

Shake all the ingredients together except the syrup, then strain the mixture plus the syrup into a tumbler over crushed ice. Relax and enjoy.

The mixologists at Indico have launched this new cocktail especially for Ladies’ Night. Called Dilwale which means Big Hearted in Hindi and inspired by the romantic movie of the same name, this fruity delight is a heady mix of passion fruit, rum and lemonade. Just remember to enjoy responsibly ladies!

Ingredients:

• 25ml Cachaca
• 25ml Passoa
• 1 passion fruit
• 50ml passion fruit puree
• Lemonade

Method:

Put the Cachaca, the passion fruit puree and a passion fruit inside a tall glass. Add crushed ice and stir until the seeds of the passion fruit are perfectly mixed with the ice. Top up with lemonade, then slowly pour the Passoa to get a pink layer on the top. Garnish with half a passion fruit.

If you’re Irish, you won’t need a second invitation to sample the nectar of the emerald isle, Guinness – especially this month as it’s St Patrick’s Day on 17 March. What started out way back when as a religious feast day to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland has become a reason across the globe for one big party. Whether your Irish or not, join us in saying cheers with this great St Patrick’s cocktail. And, just in case you’re wondering… other stouts will work just as well.

GUINNESS MARTINI

Ingredients:

• 50ml dark rum
• 25ml espresso
• 25ml vodka
• 25ml crème de cacao
• 100ml stout

Method:

Pour the rum, cold espresso, vodka, crème de cacao and stout into a shaker and stir. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Best served with a wee Irish jig…

We’ll soon be celebrating Chinese New Year (28 January) and to welcome in the Year of the Rooster the talented mixologists at Chung Ying Central have developed this cheeky little number. With a heady mix of vodka, Baileys and gingerbread syrup it also works rather well for Valentine’s Day.

Ingredients:

• 25ml Stolichnaya Vodka
• 25ml Baileys
• 50ml Half and Half
• 25ml Gingerbread Syrup

Method:

• Shake with ice and strain into Martini Glass
• Garnish with a crushed cinnamon stick sprinkled on the top

Healthy doesn’t have to be dull and boring. It can be naughty and nice – just like this New Year kick-starter of a cocktail from those pound-shavers at Weightwatchers. They gave us this totally sexy little number in a glass which is perfect after all the indulgence over the festive period… and only 109 calories per cocktail. Magic! Please remember to enjoy responsibly

Ingredients:

• 75g frozen cranberries
• 35g granulated sugar
• Orange peel
• 125ml water
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 100ml gin
• 200ml slimline tonic water

Method:

Put the cranberries, sugar and orange peel in a small pan set over a low heat. Cover with the water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes then add the thyme sprigs and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside for 20 minutes to infuse. Strain through a sieve and leave to cool completely.

To serve, add the gin and tonic to the syrup and divide four chilled coupe glasses. Add ice cubes, stir and serve garnished with a sprig of fresh thyme.

Those top mixers from Chaophraya Birmingham, Damon Davis and James Poyner, have created a stunningly good cocktail to ease the pain of waving goodbye to another summer. A lovely combination of white spirits, passion fruit, lemon juice and Coke, it slips down a treat.

Ingredients

• 10ml Absolut vodka
• 10ml gin
• 10ml Cointreau
• 10ml Cazcabel tequila
• 10ml El Dorado 3-year-old rum
• 25ml lemon juice
• 30ml passion fruit syrup
• 12.5ml egg white
• Garnish with half passion fruit and banana leaf on the bottom of the glass.

Method:

Add all ingredients together. Dry Shake. Wet Shake. Add 1/3 post-mix of Coke. Layer mix on the highest ice cube. Enjoy responsibly.

In celebration of World Gin Day on 11 June, we’re giving you lucky lovers of the juniper based nectar a treat for the senses. We asked chief mixologist of Henry Wong Harborne, Shine to rustle up a fragrant cocktail apt for the occasion and here it is – a fiery citrus number that hits the spot.

Ingredients:

• 25ml gin (Shine uses Greenhook Ginsmiths American dry gin)
• 15ml Square One basil vodka
• 10ml pineapple juice
• 10ml sugar syrup
• 5ml lemon
• 5ml lime
• 5ml orange
• 1 pepper chilli
• Coriander leaves to taste
• One fresh hot red chilli

Method:

Squeeze the fresh lemon and lime into a Boston shaker glass. Add a small handful of freshly cut coriander leaves, a chopped red pepper chilli, the freshly squeezed orange, pineapple juice, sugar syrup and gin and top the shaker with ice cubes. Shake all of the ingredients and pour the contents into a Champagne Saucer using a 4 prong strainer. Garnish with a fresh red chilli.

Tea has come back with a bang thanks the explosion of varieties and blends you’ll find on every supermarket shelf. You’ll find tea too in our bars and restaurants – Absolut Wild Tea, a vodka from Sweden flavoured with black tea and elderflower.

Top mixers Damon Davis and James Poyner from Chaophraya Birmingham have created this glorious cocktail combining Absolut with elderflower cordial, pressed apple juice, egg white and fresh lemon juice, all served in a chilled Martini glass. Cheers boys!

Ingredients:

• 37.5ml Absolut Wild Tea
• 37.5ml freshly pressed apple juice
• 20ml lemon juice
• 1 egg white
• 12.5ml Vanilla Gomme
• 12.5 elderflower cordial

Method:

Add all ingredients to a shaker and shake. Add cubed iced and shake again. Double strain and garnish with a pinch of green tea and dress with star anise.

Paloma Faith is currently cooking up a storm on The Voice, so in honour of the bubbly popster here’s a recipe for a delightfully refreshing and sophisticated cocktail. OK, so tequila isn’t to everyone’s taste and you may not have been able to stomach the stuff since that horrendous evening at the student union over a decade ago. But, trust us, this is a lovely little cocktail that works brilliantly with spicy food – so go on, give it a go! Most commonly prepared by mixing tequila, grapefruit juice and soda water, the trick is to use the highest quality tequila you can find – avoid the paint stripper and seek out the 100 per cent agave spirit and you can’t go wrong.

Ingredients

• 35ml of good quality blanco or reposado tequila
• Juice of half a ruby grape fruit
• 15ml shot of agave syrup or sugar syrup
• 75ml club soda
• Squirt of fresh lime juice (optional)

Method

Mix well the tequila, grapefruit juice and sugar syrup. Pour over a tall glass filled with ice and top up with the soda water. Add an optional squirt of fresh lime and then garnish with a lime wedge. Simple!

In hot anticipation of the new James Bond movie, the team at Sabai Sabai has gone 007 crazy and created a new cocktail in time for the launch of the blockbuster. Owner Torquil Chidwick dreamed up The Spectre – a vodka Martini with an apple twist. And in keeping with the Best of British theme, the recipe uses home-grown Cox apples.

Ingredients

• 50ml Mamont vodka
• 10ml Vermouth
• Cox apples
• Cinnamon stick

Method

Line the inside of a Martini glass with a dash of Vermouth and pour away the excess. Add the apple twist. Shake two shots of Mamont vodka over ice, then strain and sieve into a the Martini glass. Taste the hint of apple and you’re ready to sweep Moneypenny off her feet!

Inspired by stories of travelling Asia, sipping cool cocktails on sunny white beaches to soothing music, She Sells Seashells has been created by the mixologists at the Edgbaston. A long, refreshing cocktail, it features a house blend of white rums to which is added sake for dryness and salinity, enhanced with a sea salt solution. Lime is matched with yuzu, an Asian fruit that tastes a little like lime and mandarin. Finally, there’s fragrant shiso and kaffir lime leaf.

Ingredients (per person):

• 30ml Plantation 3 Stars
• 15ml La Mauny Blanco
• 15ml sake
• 15ml fresh lime
• 20ml Tenzan Yuzu Llqueur
• 10ml distilled shiso and kaffir leaf sake

To make:

Build all ingredients in a shaker. Add lots of ice and shake as hard as you can for 15 seconds. Strain into the seashell using a Hawthorne strainer. Fill the seashell quickly with crushed ice to minimise dilution. Garnish with edible flowers (such as violas and nasturtium), one straw per person, a scattering of shiso and shiso lime leaves.

Finish with a small dusting of matcha tea powder and edible gold flakes, if you’re feeling glamorous!

As always they will be some celebrations going on across Birmingham including the Chung Ying “Moon Walk” in Aid of the Birmingham Big Art Project. We’ve asked Boroka Keresztes, the chief mixologist at Chung Ying Central for a special cocktail to help get you in the mood. Always remember to drink responsibly.

Ingredients:

• 40 ml Archers
• 25 ml Chambord
• 2 Strawberries and 3 Blueberries
• 15 ml Strawberry Liqueur
• 15 ml Orange Juice
• 15 ml Cranberry Juice

Method:

Muddle the strawberries and blue berries together. Then place all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and fill with cubed ice. Shake hard and then strain into a frozen hurricane glass. Garnish with fresh strawberry.

This great cocktail has been designed by the head bartender at the Gentleman & Scholars bar in the Hyatt Regency Birmingham as part of the Big Art Cocktail competition – £1 is donated to the Birmingham Big Art Project for every cocktail sold. It’s a drink inspired by British culture that’s classical in preparation but with a modern twist. Perfect at any time of day, but especially good as a teatime treat!

Ingredients

• 5cl homemade Earl Grey Infused Langley’s Gin
• Bar spoon (approx 5ml) orange marmalade
• 3cl fresh lemon juice
• 2cl homemade sugar syrup
• The white of 1 egg
• ½ tspn dried Earl Grey tea leaves
• Orange zest

Method

Mix all the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker. Dry shake (without ice) so that the fresh lemon juice and egg white emulsify. Then wet shake (with ice) to finish the cocktail off. Double strain over fresh ice cubes. Garnish with orange zest and dried Earl Grey tea leaves

Not all great cocktails have to be packed with exotic spirits. It’s nice sometimes to relax with a really refreshing non-alcoholic mix of summer freshness that keeps your head clear to enjoy the sun. This recipe is a perfect and simple cocktail from the mixologists at East Z East on Broad Street. Amend volumes according to your personal taste.

Ingredients:

• Fresh mango
• Mango juice
• Lime juice
• Orange juice
• Cranberry juice

To make:

Puree the mango by skinning and de-stoning and add the remaining mango flesh to a blender. Blend to a puree. Add to a shaker with some mango juice, a small squirt of lime juice and orange juice. Shake and pour over ice in a tall glass. Top with cranberry juice, garnish with an orange slice.

Spring is just around the corner and there’s no better way to celebrate than with this colourific concoction created by Arron Smallman from The Botanist in Temple Street. Arron says it’s best served in a short goblet glass over crushed ice.

Ingredients:

• 1 Portion of tarragon
• 15ml Monin Gomme
• 25ml Apple juice
• 15ml Fresh lime juice
• 37.5ml Agwa De Bolivia
• 7.5ml Green Chartreuse

Method:

Grab one portion of fresh tarragon, drop into a Boston glass. Add Gomme and apple juice and muddle the ingredients, applying firm pressure with a twist of the wrist to release the flavour of the tarragon. Add in freshly squeezed lime juice, apple juice, Agwa De Bolivia and Green Chartreuse Liqueur. Fill the glass to the brim with cubed ice and seal using a cocktail tin. Shake the drink in long circular motions to chill and dilute the drink. Break apart the cocktail glass and tin and fine strain the drink over crushed ice into a goblet glass. Use a sprig of fresh tarragon to garnish.

There are loads of variations of Carrie’s favourite tipple, made famous by Sex and the City, but our preference is this heady mix of vodka and Cointreau with a splash of cranberry juice. Just make sure you use the highest quality ingredients available and don’t forget to pre-freeze the Martini glasses first.

Ingredients:

• 35ml vodka
• 15ml Cointreau
• Splash of cranberry juice to taste
• Squeeze fresh lime juice
• Twist of orange peel to garnish

Method:

Place the vodka, Cointreau, lime and cranberry juice into a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake hard and then strain into a frozen Martini glass. Hold the piece of orange peel over the glass and carefully flame with a match. Garnish the cocktail with the flamed orange peel and serve.

Ingredients:

• 25ml Limoncello
• 25ml Sugar Syrup
• 25ml Lemon Juice
• 25ml Cream
• 15ml Old J Rum

Method:

Add Limoncello, Lemon Juice, and Syrup to a Boston Tin and fill with Cubed Ice and Proceed to Shake.  Fine Strain into a Martini Glass. Add Cream and Old J into a Boston Tin and Dry Shake. Pour remaining into the Martini Glass and Serve. Garnish with Crumbled Biscuit on Surface