Every Christmas meal deserves the perfect Christmas wine. So we’ve pulled together four ideal wines to pair with Christams Dinner. We’ve exceptional wines to go with goose, twin with turkey, marry with meat-free options or buddy up with beef. Straight out the blocks, we have one of the most unusual but compelling wines we’ve […]

Single Malt Whisky is arguably Scotland’s greatest export and this St. Andrew’s Day we want to celebrate that. Happily, these also make cracking Christmas drinks and perfect presents. We start by introducing a new addition to the hometipple family! Ardnamurchan (Ard-na-mur-kan). A standout, recently re-established distillery, resurrected by renowned bottlers, Adelphi. Your drinks cabinet won’t […]

Many assume Argentinian wine is all about Malbec, but what about other varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay? Well, we’re pleased to confirm that in Argentina, wine comes in many forms. Unlike many countries with no indigenous vines, wine was consumed by normal working people. During the 1970s when the UK’s average wine consumption was […]

The next great grape for our red wine monthly musings is the majestic Shiraz/ Syrah. Its origins were thought to be in either Syracuse in Sicily or the ancient capital of Persia, Shiraz. DNA profiling suggests nothing so exotic, however. Syrah, like so many varieties, hails from France with little known as to why it’s […]

When it comes to searching for the best value wine several questions arise, including ‘how much does wine price affect wine quality and does quality wine have to be expensive wine?’ Well, our friends over at Bibendum have helped us out. Below is a fantastic visual aid showing what we pay for when we buy […]

Bonfire Night puts us in the mood for Autumn and Winter drinks that warm the cockles. First up, Vecchia Romagna. An Italian brandy with a dedicated following, it makes for a seductively tasty Bonfire Night tipple. Next, Fair Belize Acacia Finish. It’s a Caribbean rum that may be a little unfamiliar but has excellent and […]

Tonic Water will always be synonymous with Gin and Tonic but it’s far more versatile than that. Quinine, which gives the tonic its distinctive bitter taste, was brought to Europe by Spanish conquistadors returning from South America. Later, colonialism continued to help spread Tonic Water far and wide, this time thanks to the British. In […]

In Italy wine is revered, with every one of its 20 regions claiming to have the best Italian vineyards, making the best Italian wine. And there’s a lot of competition! Italy produces more wine than any other country and almost certainly has more indigenous varieties too. Estimates of 2000 seem accurate with over 500 making […]

  What exactly is orange wine, is all orange wine natural wine and do you have to go to a natural wine shop to buy it? In essence, orange wine is a white wine where the skins have been left in contact with the juice during fermentation. Normally reserved for reds and rosés, this technique […]

  Late September means it’s party time! Nights draw in and night-life draws us out. Traditionally it’s a time for feasting, with crops being gathered and harvest-time making food abundant. It’s only natural then, that us temperate-climate-dwellers are hard-wired to desire a bit of celebration around now. And who are we to deny our instincts?! […]