The Three Drinkers Return for a Third Series on Amazon Prime!

Award-winning drinks duo Aidy Smith and Helena Nicklin return to our screens this May for the third series of their award-winning Amazon Prime travel show, The Three Drinkers, joined by special guest ‘Third Drinkers’ Eddy Temple-Morris and Eulanda Shead-Osagiede.

The Three Drinkers in Cognac follows Aidy and Helena as they embark on a cultural and gastronomic journey in and around the picturesque French region of Cognac.

With a lifestyle-focused approach, the duo takes an unpretentious look at the fabulous spirit of Cognac and other local delights, taking in the people, places and local attractions of the region along the way. In classic Three Drinkers style, they bust the misconceptions about cognac through their lighthearted, on-screen approach, helping the audience discover brand new ways of enjoying this world-class spirit from grape to glass. Ditching outdated balloon glasses and mundane tasting notes, this is a series for those who seek to be inspired and learn through humour, quirky facts and takeaway tidbits of drinks knowledge.

The 2-hour series is made up of 4 x 30 minute episodes in which the Drinkers discover the art of cognac with help from famed houses as Courvoisier and Remy Martin, alongside the world famous orange liqueur of the region, Grand Marnier. They also check out local, pioneering gin makers, Audemus Distillery while discovering the fascinating world of mixers, sodas and tonics with Franklin & Sons.

Throughout the series, the team takes a deep dive into highballs and cocktails based on occasion, discover the unique dishes of the region, try their hand at water sports, chocolate crafting, shoemaking, beekeeping, become hotel waiters/waitresses and even collect botanicals from deep within the Charentais wilderness for their own locally inspired gin.

“We like to look at drinks through a lifestyle lens, showcasing these stunning sips in a relaxed, unintimidating setting,” says Helena.

“One of the most important aspects of this series is to highlight that cognac doesn’t belong at the back of your grandparent’s cupboard and we’ll be exploring a number of simple serves and cocktails that the audience can create from the comfort of their homes or be inspired to order the next time they’re at a cocktail bar,” Aidy adds.

The Third Drinkers

This series welcomes Virgin Radio presenter and Persian foodie fanatic Eddy Temple-Morris alongside a returning appearance for travel presenter, journalist and influencer Eulanda Shead-Osagiede. While Aidy and Helena are tasked with inspiring spirit sceptic Eddy into falling in love with the liquid gold of cognac, Eulanda seeks out some of the hidden, lifestyle gems of the region, setting the duo amusing tasks along the way.

A more diverse representation in drinks

Aidy and Helena have been clear on their goals to enable more diversity and equity into the world of drinks. Aidy is a trailblazer for LGBTQIA+ and disability diversity representation as the only TV Presenter in the United Kingdom (and one of a small handful globally) with Tourette Syndrome, battling the stigmas of one of the most misrepresented disabilities in the world. Helena has been well known for her stance on female empowerment within the industry, removing the perception that women only enjoy certain spirits.

“It’s been an ongoing mission to showcase that diversity in drinks is possible and we’re delighted to stand with our partners who have helped us make that a reality in this latest series,” Aidy says.

“The importance of on-screen diverse talent amplifies the narrative that all of our voices matter. The Three Drinkers is a beautiful example of this, looking at the talent within the show and I’m so proud to be a part of that movement., says Eulanda, who is a leading voice within the travel entertainment sphere for BAME talent.

“Three series ago we set out with an aim to create a new travel show with a drinks hook,” Helena says, “Nearly six years on, we’re so happy to see how each project has evolved and we can’t wait to share this latest one with the world.”

This armchair series is packed with fun, memorable moments, helping viewers to create exactly what they see on screen at home while inspiring them to visit the region to see it first hand.

The Three Drinkers in Cognac will launch in mid-May on Amazon Prime in 120 countries and territories, in 9 languages. You can follow The Three Drinkers in the run-up to the show at @TheThreeDrinkers alongside Aidy (@Sypped) and Helena (@HelenaSips).

The World’s First Powdered Beer

We all know instant coffee, but how about instant beer? Well, a 500-year-old German brewery, ‘Neuzeller Klosterbräu’ has made just that. Beer lovers, rejoice.

It really is made in the same way as instant coffee or protein shakes. By simply adding water to 45g of powder, you create the same amount of beer as you would buying a 1kg bottle. Obviously, this could have incredible environmental benefits. Manager Stefan Fritsche says, “We have calculated that, if we now relate this to Germany, we can save about 3 to 5 percent of the CO2 emissions for Germany alone. And if you look at it globally, that would be about half a percent of CO2 emissions worldwide that we could reduce.”

From what we can gather right now, the beer is non-alcoholic but they are confident that they will soon be able to add alcohol and carbon dioxide in powdered form too. It’s worth saying that this isn’t only one type of beer either because Stefan says they can powderize any beer and are looking to share this method with other breweries… so your favourite beer could soon be bought from powder!

Of course, the taste has to be right, especially in Europe where beer is extremely popular and drinkers may be sceptical of its powdered form. But, with greener solutions always being searched out, could this be the future of beer?

To begin with, the brewery will target Asian and African markets where there is less of a traditionalist mindset over beer, and where the environmental transport benefits are even more relevant. It doesn’t look like a European arrival is any day now – the head requires a milk frother at the moment, and the alcohol isn’t ready to be added just yet, but with the taste pretty much there, it might not be far off.

So, what do you think? Would you give powdered beer a try? Or do you think it's sacrilege to mess with the traditional brewing process? Reach out on social media and let us know!

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Sunny D Launch their Vodka Seltzer

Sunny Delight is one of those drinks that’s etched into cultural history. It was created way back in 1963 in the US but arrived on the shores of the UK in 1998 with a huge promotional campaign that meant only a year later, it was the third best-selling drink after Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

However, sales slumped as the sugary reputation put parents off, and there was even a report of a four-year-old girl turning orange in 1999! How true that was is highly questionable, but it was enough to turn parents away.

Were you allowed to sip merrily on the orange tang? Or banned from drinking it because of concerns over it? Either way, Sunny Delight may just be the most nostalgic drink there is.

Now though, the childhood drink takes its steps into adulthood, with the launch of its Vodka Seltzer… and this time, there’s no added sugar, just real fruit juice!. As you might expect, it’s not the booziest of drinks at just 4.5% ABV, but it’s already been praised for its matured and unique taste by American drinkers.

And for now, that appears to be the only place you can pick it up. Priced at $9.99 for 4x 350ml cans, it’s rolling out across Walmart stores.

Who knows? If Sunny D Vodka Seltzer picks up the same momentum as the juice did in the 1990s, then maybe it will arrive on British soil soon!

Is it Paris? Is it New Orleans? No, it’s Louie London

The more you delve into Louie London, the more the expectation dials are ramped up, and frankly, the more it lives up to them.

Sitting among the Mousetrap and The Ivy among others, the Covent Garden site is a joint venture between Guillaume Glipa and Laurent de Gourcuff’s famed French restaurant group Paris Society. Sprawling foliage contrasts art-deco furnishings and glitter in a way that, if done badly, could result in travesty (if that’s not too strong a word). Instead, it’s pure alchemy.

The plan from the start was to evoke this varied global feel. More specifically, a culinary and décor blend of Paris, London, and New Orleans. As Louie puts it themselves, ‘American heart, a French palate, and a New Orleans soul’. Working from the beautiful base that is an already impressive Georgian town house, every floor is distinct and carefully curated. Topping the building is the magical Alligator Bar, an open lounge and 80-seat bar hosting live jazz piano and DJ sets that have become extremely sought after events, with guests spilling out onto the terrace gazing over the flickering lights of London. Trademark New Orleans cocktails, your Sazerac for example, are served here. Madame Laveau, Rockefeller Martini and Alligator Boogaloo are among the other eclectic options, with a sommelier on hand if you’d rather head wine-wards.

This gastronomic gem serves up incredible Atlantic-straddling dishes with primarily French fayre and Louisiana twists such as crab cake platters with squid ink tarma sauce, fresh oysters, French curried monkfish with port wine jus, and the signature pecan tart, reimagined with spice, white chocolate ganache and caramel. Guests can graze on little plates or indulge in the mains section and grill, being seated across the sophisticated ground and first floors.

It will come as no surprise that a night at Louie London is at lavish expense, but if you leave as chuffed as the portly alligator on the logo, and you will, then you’ll have no regrets.

Words by Aidy Smith

The Aubrey and The Yellow Book: Volume I

On the surface, The Aubrey London is the hotel bar of the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park. However, if you are to explore it, the history and culture baked into it and the launch of its brand-new cocktail book, ‘The Yellow Book’, it is a truly fascinating and charming world where art and cocktails intertwine.

Let’s time travel back to the tail end of the 19th century briefly, because The Yellow Book was a hugely influential illustrated magazine circulating in Britain through the 1890s, devoted to decadence, eroticism and occasionally macabre black ink drawings. Taking inspiration from Japanese techniques, the man behind it was Aubrey Beardsley who established a name for himself illustrating the work of Edgar Allan Poe, Oscar Wilde and Henry James.

Aubrey wanted a progressive journal of the arts. One that was completely open to avant-garde ideas. From the off, his aim was subversion of the norm which obviously caught the eye of certain critics, not least the Times which described the cover’s, ‘repulsiveness and insolence’. Illicit French novels of the time often used the bright yellow cover so Aubrey took that and filled the content with the extraordinary and titillating. The publishers were far from happy to be associated with this and Aubrey was dismissed, but the influence of The Yellow Book was already set in stone.

Named after the progressive illustrator, The Aubrey is a cosy but elaborate restaurant also offering an eccentric Japanese izakaya experience. Food-wise, the menu draws on edomae sushi, tempura and robata and as darkness falls, drinks take centre stage with a focus on Sake and emerging breweries with unusual releases.

The labyrinth continues with areas like The Library, The Curio, The Salon, Omakase cocktail bar and a private Dining Room. Vintage Japanese art is everywhere, as are subtle hints at the literary associations of Aubrey.

The Yellow Book, reimagined as a cocktail book but with the same beautiful illustrative style, brings together this past and present through three chapters representing influences on Aubrey Beardsley’s work.

Chapter One’s Art Nouveau explores his work blurring gender lines, societal contradictions and unspoken vices, for example. Various Japanese painting styles, stories, and imagery feature as well as references to work he illustrated through cocktails like Salome (sake, rice shochu, etsu ocean water, tomato liqueur, umami) and The Black Cat (teeda rum, umeshu, Port Charlotte whisky, Okinawa sugar).

Further exploration of Aubrey’s life and work, Japonisme art, literary homage and izakaya culture will be explored with release of The Yellow Book: Volume II on the horizon.

Words by Aidy Smith

The M Restaurant Canary Wharf

With two restaurants in Threadneedle Street and Victoria Street, M Canary Wharf is the newest gastro playground of the mysteriously named, ‘M’. The jewel in the crown of the waterside Newfoundland Quay tower, this particular space is Provençal-inspired and includes private dining rooms, an exclusive members club and a cocktail bar.

Though it is impeccably designed, the distinct point of interest comes from the sourcing of its ingredients. Vegans are growing in numbers, and many of us will have at least explored the idea or at the very least, the impact of the food we eat and where it comes from.

M Restaurant is for those who love meat too much to experiment with Veganism or Vegetarianism, but still want to eat sustainably. You’ve heard of Craft Beer, but this is Craft Beef, spotlighting regenerative farming and providing carbon-neutral British beef to diners. Partnering with The Ethical Butcher and farmer Neil Harley, M delivers a ‘conscious dining’ experience that uses ethically sourced ingredients for more of a ‘Regenuary’ than ‘Veganuary’.

Neil Harley was the first ever farmer to have a certified regenerative farm, and the Ethical Butcher is a leading light in the craft meat revolution world using the practices of farmers like Neil.  These are farms that don’t just produce but look to actively improve the land by using their animals to restore nutrition to the soil, rebuild ecosystems and if done effectively, more carbon can be locked away than the animals’ release themselves.

To promote this food industry frontier, M is offering a set lunch in February priced at £25 for two courses, and £30 for three, featuring rum steak as the main event using cattle that roam for up to 30 months which is almost twice the lifespan of standard UK cattle. They’re also 100% pasture fed which benefits biodiversity and plant growth. The Provençal specials include burrata de grasse with confit tomatoes, tomato gel, lavender, and perfume of Provence, as well as the intriguing duck & watermelon.

This style of regenerative agriculture is ideal for meat eaters that wish to continue whilst making an increased effort to eat more sustainable, healthier, and tastier meat. Although steak and particularly wagyu cuts take the limelight, sustainable efforts can be found across the wider menu. M works with Crate to Plate to produce vegetables that use nutrient-rich soil and much less water. Lastly and most surprisingly considering it’s London, the chefs can even collect their fresh produce on foot because Crate to Plate are only around the corner.

If you want to hear more about the work M Canary Wharf is doing, or delve into their mouth-watering menu visit their website here.

Words by Aidy Smith

Rosewood London + Glenfiddich Present: THE TIME:CAPSULE

You only need another birthday to roll around to realise how quickly time can fly by and let’s face it, we can all be guilty of not slowing down to appreciate things more. Whether it’s waiting at a drive-thru or following your lost Deliveroo driver on the map with despair, it’s the age of convenience and whilst that has benefits, it also makes the idea of slowing down very appealing.

Encouraging people to do just that are Scotch icons Glenfiddich and luxury 5-star hotel Rosewood London, with Time:Capsule, a stylish terrace transformed into a fully immersive cocktail dining space. This is a place to saviour Glenfiddich whisky as it should be savoured and that’s by taking your time with it. The cosy interior welcomes you in, and visual projections paint the walls whilst you peruse a specialist menu created by Yann Bouvignies, the renowned head of mixology at Rosewood.

The versatility of Glenfiddich’s range is masterfully utilised in inventive concoctions like the 12-year-old blend with tonka and coffee, and roasted bee pollen, aloe vera and oloroso sherry. At the higher end of the whisky menu you’ll find the Time Re:Imagined collection including the 30-Year-Old Suspended Time and 40-Year-Old Cumulative Time boasting decades of flavour in one blissful sip. If anything displays the benefit of taking your time, it’s these drams. Order a glass from the Glenfidich Grand Series, and you’re in with the chance of winning a bottle of the 30-Year-Old alongside a stay at the Rosewood!

There’s even the Holborn Dining Room on hand to provide comforting dishes like Loch Duart smoked salmon rillettes with Exmoor caviar, hearty Game Pie and the ridiculously seductive blackberry and apple crumble with Glenfiddich infused custard.

The idyllic urban escape gives you all the time to relax in stunning sensory-stimulating surroundings and explore the world’s most awarded single malt Scotch neat, or at the heart of exquisite cocktails. Every detail has been considered to create the, ‘step in and slow down’ feeling, from the illuminated tunnel opening up into the courtyard to the evolving visuals.

The unique retreat will be open until the Spring so if you want to eye up the enticing menu already take a look here.

Words by Aidy Smith

The Wonderful Women Of Wine

For far too long, winemaking was a male-dominated industry, partly because of the male inheritance of vineyards in days of old and the culture that this set in place. Happily, attitudes have changed, thanks in no small part to some fantastic, trailblazing, female winemakers like these women below.

This International Woman’s Day, let’s raise a glass to all inspirational and innovative women in wine wherever they are!

Amandla - Praisy Dlamini

Heading up their stunning winemaking team in the Western Cape is one of the industry’s brightest stars, Praisy Dlamini who handpicks the grapes herself. To get to this point, she became proficient in Afrikaans, completed a degree in Agricultural Management, landed a 3 year internship at the Cape Winemakers Guild and became the first woman CWG Protégée, before rising through the ranks at Distell and Anchor Yeast. Alongside the drive and talent of Praisy, Amandla is very much a group endeavour with an all-female, all-black workforce from winemaker to accountant to stock controller.

Amandla Shiraz Zinfandel

This blend is so juicy and jammy without being overbearingly sweet with plum and ripe blackberry notes dominating the palate. With its silky smooth texture, it would work well with loads of foods, especially grilled meats, so fire up the braai!

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14%
Find here: £7.49 (usually more!)

Domaine Jones – Katie Jones

Katie Jones moved to Languedoc in 2000, taking up a role with Mont Tauch Co-op but when the recession hit, it became less about wine and more about money. Disenchanted, she turned to the cut-price vineyard she had bought a couple of years before in an area they call, ‘the land of great hope and early graves’ – ominous! With the hard work done to get it up and running, her early wines were an overnight success picking up award after award. She’s expanded since then, working three small and charming vineyards and has even overcome a tragedy in 2013, when vandals poured her entire year’s vintage down the drain, with the help of Naked Wines who clubbed together to support her, ‘the Queen of the Languedoc!’ The awards have continued coming and Katie is perfect proof of where persistence can get you.

Me & Monsieur Jones Rose 2021

A gorgeous rosé blend of Carignan and aromatic Muscat from Katie’s ‘Monsieur Jones’ vines, that’s brimming with vibrant red berries and a touch of aromatic elderflower. Super refreshing but with enough weight to stand up to hearty meals served alongside it.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12.5%
Find here: £10.99

Ramón Bilbao - Sara Bañuelo

Ramón Bilbao was Drinks International’s Most Admired Wine Brand in The World in 2022, one of many prestigious awards it’s picked up in its long history. Leading the winery for the last few years as Technical Director of Rueda is Sara Bañuelos, rooted in the world of wine from her family in Rioja. She studied agricultural engineering as well as working in oenology and viticulture and since finishing, she has worked in La Rioja and now Ramón Bilbao!

Ramón Bilbao Sauvignon Blanc Rueda 2019

This crisp, dry Sauvignon Blanc is experimental in Rueda, with aromas of cut grass, zingy citrus, and exotic fruits such as lychee. It goes brilliantly with seafood and it’s also what Sara drinks herself ,so it must be good!

Size: 750ml
ABV: 13%
Find here: £11 in Booths

Houghton Wines - Courtney Treacher

Nestled in the heart of the renowned Margaret River region in Australia, with its colourful history of Scots, bandits and winemaking craftspeople since 1836, is Houghton Wines. Leading the charge since 2020 is Courtney Treacher, who began with Houghton as a cellar hand back in 2004. With only 14 winemakers in its entire history, Houghton relies on generational talent and makes wines that nod to iconic Western Australian styles, often with Bordeaux varietals, but modern varietal expression.

Houghton Heritage White 2021

70% Chenin Blanc, 23% Muscadelle, 5% Chardonnay and 2% Pinot Grigio, this Heritage White boasts an inviting, floral nose, a fleshy rich palate and would sit perfectly beside carbonara, seafood and most white meats.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 13.5%
Find here: £11.99

Domaine d’Arbousset - Julie Rouffignac

Alongside fellow oenologist Gérard Lafont, Julie unearths some of the most beautiful wines of Provence and the Rhône Valley. Domaine d’Arbousset is an organic, independent family-run vineyard, handed down through the generations that focuses its effort and expertise on a select few wines each year with respect for the environment they’re made in.

Arbousset Tavel Rosé

Tavel is a Cru in the southern Rhône Valley that produces only rosé wines that tend to be quite dark and dry. This one is deliciously full-bodied with a gorgeous, deep pink colour and notes of grapefruit, raspberries and spices. Try it with grilled meat, spicy cuisine, cheese and fruity desserts.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 13.5%
Find here: £12

Bird in Hand - Sarah Burvill

Sarah is the senior winemaker at Bird in Hand but she has made wine in Australia, New Zealand and France. The Adelaide Hills have always been her home and is where Sarah developed her passion for sparkling wine in particular. The Bird in Hand winery sits on some of the world’s oldest soils and makes some absolutely spectacular, elegant wines!

Bird In Hand Two In The Bush Chardonnay

Simply an exceptionally pure and elegant, super rounded cool-climate Chardonnay. Nectarine, peach and cashews ride on a delicately textured mouthfeel. Think Chablis with a splash more fruit.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12.5%
Find here: £14

Mar de Frades - Paula Fandiño

Paula has been drawn to the countryside since a young age and more specifically, the vines that grow in them. She specialised in Technical Agricultural Engineering at University before specialising in viticulture and oenology. Under her guidance and inspired by the nearby Atlantic Ocean, Mar de Frades is now one of Spain’s leading wineries and she was recently named one of the most influential female enologists in the country by Drinks Business.

Mar de Frades Albariño

The blue bottle is stand-out for all the right reasons, and the same can be said for the classic Albariño wine inside. With notes of ripe lemon, wet rocks and sea spray, this bottle serves as a benchmark for the region.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12.5%
Find here: £16

McPherson - Jo Nash

Jo Nash has been Chief Winemaker at McPherson since 2012 when she became pregnant with her fourth child, but she’s been part of the Australian winery for decades. Jo’s relentless belief in beautiful wine led her to buy a 20 year old vineyard in Victoria’s remote Grampians without running it by the accountant first... that accountant’s name was Gary, hence the name of the bottle below!

Don't Tell Gary Shiraz 2019

100% Shiraz from the mountainous Grampians vineyard, this silky red wine is fermented in open vats followed by ageing in new French oak barrels for 12 months, producing a full-bodied wine with silky smooth tannins and notes of plush, oak spice, sweet blackberries and cherries.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14.5%
Find here: £16.49 (£13.99 Mix 12)

Textura - Mariana Salvador

Part of a flourishing Portuguese wine scene, Textura is a relatively new winery on the slopes of Serra de Estrela in the Dão appellation. Overseeing the ‘low intervention, contemporary and fresh’ approach to winemaking is Mariana Salvador. With a trio of degrees in Food Engineering, Winemaking & Viticulture and Oenology, she has focused on varietals from the beginning, her favourite being Jaen which gives an amazing cool-fruited profile to their Tinto.

Textura da Estrela, Tinto, Dao, 2018

35% Field Blend, 30% Touriga Nacional, 20% Jaen and 15% Alfrochiero, the wine ages in used French oak vats and barriques for 15 months, and offers delicious, floral and berry notes alongside airy pine and cocoa flavours.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 13%
Find here: 6 Bottles - £80 (£13.33 per bottle)

SUSANA BALBO - Susana Balbo

Simply put, Susana Balbo is a certified legend of winemaking. Graduating in the early 80s, the first female winemaker in Argentina, she has gone on to evolve her namesake brand into one of the most successful and respected wineries not just in Mendoza, but in the world. She also keeps it in the family, as her daughter Ana Lovaglio Balbo is now working with her as they expand into wellness and hospitality. In an industry run by men, she had to work twice as hard and still managed to completely redefine her trademark Torrontes as an elegant and classy wine. Three times President of Wines of Argentina, Susana is a true pioneer of Argentinian wine. Salud to the Queen of Torrontes!

Susana Balbo Barrel Fermented Torrontes 2021

Susan’s Torrontes is barrel-fermentated, with every drop then aged in new French oak for half a year with weekly batonage (lees stirring) to add a creamy texture. The end product is not only a mesmerising golden hue, but offers rounded, rich fruit with a crisp acidity and elegant complexity that feels exotic, floral and nitty, all at the same time.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 11.5%
Find here: £21.50

Cambria – Jill Russell

Jill was one of the first to enroll in the Wine and Viticulture major at California Polytechnic putting the ‘learn by doing’ motto into practice and getting to grips with all things Californian wine. Broadening her horizons, she studied in Adelaide too before taking on Assistant Winemaker duties at Stephen Ross Wine Cellars. Building her experience in the Loire Valley and with Paul Lato Wines, Jill took on the dream role of winemaker at Cambria. Working closely with the Manager and her predecessor Denise Shurtleff (another female wine icon), she continues to develop an encyclopaedic knowledge of the industry and produces spellbinding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay

The hit of fresh fruit is instant and carries over into the palate. Think white peach, zesty lemon, Granny Smith apples and pear. The oak is soft and the acidity is poised in this masterful, Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14%
Find here: £22.65

Giant Steps - Melanie Chester

Loved for the region’s expressive wines, Yarra Valley, northeast of Melbourne is home to Giant Steps, who specialise in low-intervention, cool climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Leading the way there since 2021 is the experienced Melanie Chester. After winning prizes at the University of Adelaide, she went on to cover diverse estates like d’Arenberg, Charles Melton and Quinta do Crasto in Portugal’s Douro Valley. She’s also panel chair at the Royal Melbourne Wine Awards and has three major winemaking awards of her own under her belt. What a career already!

Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir 2020

The single vineyard Pinot Noir is her brainchild and more than justifies its punchy price tag. A lauded Aussie Pinot, this wine boasts complex notes of sour cherry and cranberry on the nose, moving to softer, spicy plum and cherry, with a hint of coffee bean on the finish. Glorious.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 13.5%
Find here: £40

Penner-Ash - Kate Ayres

Continuing the tradition of Penner-Ash working with Willamette Valley growers is Kate Ayres. They have a gloriously diverse and high-quality portfolio made up of premier vineyards from the community, sourcing the most distinguished grapes. Kate’s first love was animals, but once she encountered the winemaking department at her University there was no going back. Oregon, New Zealand, Portugal, Australia – Kate explored the world learning about wine before returning back to near where she started, Penner-Ash in Oregon.

Penner-Ash Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2021

This Pinot Noir has a plush, rosy nose with wild strawberries, cherry and a combination of lofty floral notes and a slight earthiness. Easy-drinking and supple, the berry flavours really stand out in the most moreish way.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 13.5%
Find here: £59.41

Freemark Abbey – Kristy Melton

Building a reputation for making finessed and structured wines across Napa Valley and Sonoma County, Kristy approaches wine from a scientific background, having earned a Masters in Viticulture from the University of California in 2007. She’s been on many a ‘one to watch’ list and for good reason when you taste the vintages released under her watch.

Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Indulgent and rich, this deep garnet coloured wine completely fills the mouth with notes of dark chocolate, sweet oak, black fruits, mocha and a touch of earthiness. Velvety smooth, delightfully complex and with a satisfying drying finish, get this lots of air and have it with food. Sublime.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 13.5%
Find here: £45.93

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