As International Women’s Day gives us a chance to shine a light on women in the workplace and the challenges we all still continue to face, be it equal pay, childcare logistics or even just being taken seriously, it’s a good time to reflect on one woman in the wine industry who smashed it even before anyone knew what a glass ceiling was.
Written originally for Luxurious Magazine, March 11th 2020
With Lent now in full swing after Dry-January and as we slowly head up to Sober October, times of abstention from alcohol are so much easier to bear now thanks to a new wave of truly delicious, premium, non-alcoholic drinks. Some of these no and low beverages are simply lower alcohol versions of what we would like to drink anyway; some plant themselves clearly as alternatives to alcohol and others, cleverly, describe the enemy simply as ‘bad soft drinks’. Whether you can’t drink or are just trying to be more mindful of your alcohol intake, here are some delicious drinks that feel like a treat to taste.
Lucky Saint
Alcohol: 0.5%
This is a bubbly beer that actually tastes like a fully fledged, flavoursome full-alcohol beer. In a slow and meticulous process, Lucky Saint delicately extracts the fermentable sugars from the mash as temperatures increase and leave it unfiltered to keep all the flavour and complexity. The beer is then distilled in a vacuum, which avoids the burnt and oxidised flavours many other non alcoholic beers have. I tested it with a bunch of beer drinkers and we all thought it was the best ‘non alcoholic’ beer we’ve’ tried (0.5% is considered to be alcohol-free). Now available on draught too.
Find it on Amazon or luckysaint.co for £25 for 12 x 330ml
Small Beer Co.
Alcohol content: 1%-2.8%
The Small Beer company have ingeniously revived the lost tradition of creating ‘small beer’ that was popular in the 1700’s, when drinking water was dangerous. These are very low alcohol beers brewed between 0.5 and 2.8%. All under 3%, these beers are isotonic, so they are actually good for you! Tonnes of flavour without the hangover. There are four to choose from: Lager, Dark lager, Steam, and Session Pale. See our longer article on them here.
Find them on Ocado or theoriginalsmallbeer.com for £2.15 per bottle (350ml). £11.99 for 6.
Woodstar
Alcohol content: 1%
This unique tipple looks like a wine and definitely does the job of wine, but it’s made with açai berries, blackcurrant and blueberries infused with cocoa extract instead of grapes. The result is a moreish, grippy, wine-like red juice. The small amount of alcohol comes from the açai berries being steeped in macerated in alcohol for twelve weeks to help release colour and flavour.
Find it Fortnum & Mason and Sainsburys for £8.50 (75cl).
Aecorn Aromatic
Alcohol content: 0%
The three Aecorn drinks could be described as aperitifs and are made with wine grapes (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay). They are more silky and full-bodied than wine and you can drink them neat, chilled or with a splash of sparkling water as a spritzer. The most wine-like (and my favourite) is the ‘aromatic’, which is warm, woody and smoky. They also have a ‘bitter’, which reminds me of Campari and a ‘dry’, which is more for Sauvignon Blanc or Gin lovers.
£19.99 from aecorndrinks.com
Everleaf
Everleaf is the result of two passions for founder, Paul Mathew: bartending and botany. A conservationist biologist by trade, Paul wanted to create an aperitif that was plant-based and uplifting with warmth and aromatics. In Everleaf, you’ll find notes of vanilla, gentian, vetiver and orange blossom. There’s even the essence of voodoo lily in there. I’ve no idea what voodoo lily is, but I like the sound of it. Serve with Mediterranean tonic or use in cocktails like non-alcoholic negronis.
Find it on everleafdrinks.com and Sainsburys for £18
Hayman’s Small Gin
A great concept, this is a gin with a regular amount of alcohol in it BUT the botanical flavours are so concentrated, you only need - literally - one thimble full for your G&T to taste pucker. They even provide the thimble hanging around the bottle neck. It’s not the strongest, most powerfully flavoured gin, but it definitely does the job. What this means is that you can mix a normal gin and tonic but only consume 0.2 units of alcohol and 15 calories. A great, lower alcohol -and calorie- option.
Find it at Waitrose for £25 (20cl)
Caleño
A happy, tropical, non-alcoholic spirit, which is actually rather tasty by itself over ice, Caleño makes a stonking, more fruity version of something like a Gin and Tonic. Created by Ellie Webb and inspired by her Colombian heritage, this is an infusion of juniper and inca berry with spice and citrus. There are some fantastic mocktail recipes on the site too.
Find it at calenodrinks.com for £18.88 (50cl) £24.99 (70cl)
Seedlip Garden
The original, premium, non-alcoholic spirit, Seedlip Garden is the go-to herbaceous choice when you don’t want a Gin and Tonic and soft drinks are too dull. Have over ice with a spritz of any tonic, garnish with mint or basil and you’re away. It’s super refreshing and has that all important bitterness to kill any cravings for alcohol.
Find it at Waitrose for £26.50 (70cl)
Three Spirit
There is no category to put these in, but I love them. Three styles of plant-based alternatives to alcohol with a different attitude, that, as they say ‘celebrates what you put into a drink, rather than what you take out.’ Using plants traditionally used in potions and ceremonies around the world, these are non-alcoholic drinks 'with benefits’ such as the addition of ashwagandha to relax in Nightcap or guayusa, guava leaf and green tea in Livener. It’s alchemy, it’s different and delicious. You’ll want to keep the bottles too.
Memento
Somewhere between a non-alcoholic spirit and a flavoured water, Memento is super dry in taste, like pure water that’s been infused gently with rosemary, verbena and other botanical elements. Inspired by a publication from 1498 that tells of the benefits of blending botanical essences, Memento is very refreshing and pretty bitter. It fares better in cocktails than alone in my opinion, or even just with a spritz of lemonade.
FInd it at mementodrink.com for 30€
By Helena Nicklin
Watch The Three Drinkers do Scotch Whisky now streaming on Amazon Prime.
Aubert de Villaine, co-director of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
What is the most famous wine in the world? There are many answers to this question, be they the best-loved grape variety, a particularly expensive brand or simply the one who spends the most on advertising…
Written originally for Luxurious Magazine, January 30th 2020
England is producing some world class sparkling wines these days. Here’s why, with some names you need to know. Written for Luxurious Magazine by Helena.
If you’re set to impress this New Year’s Eve, here are some extraordinary champagnes that deserve your attention. Written for Luxurious Magazine by Helena.
Are you lucky enough to be spending Christmas on a yacht? Here’s a little piece I wrote for Princess Yachts about what to drink and space-saving gifts for wine lovers.
By Helena Nicklin
To celebrate the launch of Part Two of The Three Drinkers do Scotch Whisky, we’re giving away 12 drinky prizes to 12 winners, picked each day from 1st December. To enter and for all T&Cs, head over to our competition page here!
1st December: Uncle Nearest Bourbon Pair
Two very special Bourbon whiskies from exciting brand Uncle Nearest. The whiskey honours a former slave called Nathan ‘Nearest’ Green who was the first premium distiller in Tennessee and even taught a certain Mr Jack Daniels. These whiskies by Nearest Green Distillery honour ‘‘the best whiskey maker the world never knew... until now’. The 1856 RRP £55 & the 1884 small batch whiskey is RRP £45 but not yet available in the UK. Find out more here.
2nd December Old Bakery Gin & Rum
We’re loving this brand new, yet super old, small batch distillery gin that has made a big splash on the likes of Dragon’s Den. When owner Ian Puddick bought an old bakery in London’s Palmers Green, he discovered a centuries old illicit distillery on the premises and set about sourcing original recipes. They now have three gins and a rum, which has just been released. Yum! Gin RRP £38 Rum. RRP £43. Find out more here.
3rd December Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia 2015 MAGNUM
Our friends at Armit Wines have offered a magnum of red wine from one of Italy’s most famous Tuscan wine estates: Ornellaia. Le Serre Nuove is an elegant, silky blend of Bordeaux varietals. Drinking now but will keep! See more here.
4th December: Coravin Model One Black
The original Coravin gadget that allows you to have a glass of wine without pulling the cork! It works by sending a needle through the cork and replacing the wine with inert argon gas. Genius! RRP £199 See more here.
5th December Giant Glencairn Glass
Remember the oversized glass from our Loch Ness episode? Well, award-winning family business Glencairn Crystal - creators of the whisky industry’s favourite glass - is offering you the opportunity to win a limited-edition giant Glencairn Glass. The oversized version is 12 inches tall and can hold just over three bottles, or nearly 100 drams! Collectable, with only a small number made each year. This glass is worth is worth over £150. See more here.
6th December: 30 year old ‘Blue Flower’ Baijiu
Photo credit: Cheng International Co. Limited
Baijiu is the world’s most popular spirit but have you heard of it? This stunning, grain spirit from China has many guises, but we love this elegant, 30 year old ‘blue flower’ Baijiu from Fenjiu. It’s pretty rare and has an RRP of £150. See more @fenjiu_london
7th December: Ice Cool Luxury Wine Cooler
These compact Ice Cool Wine Coolers are beautiful and practical. They maintain the temperature of a wide range of bottles yet take up less space than an ice bucket and don’t get the label wet! Available in a variety of finishes and with a personal engraving. See more here.
8th December: Master of Malt 6 Month Whisky Dram Club Subscription
Our friends at Master of Malt are offering six months worth of their Dram Club subscription to one lucky winner! You’ll receive five carefully selected whiskies worth up to £100 a bottle, right to your door. Read more about them here.
9th December: Eto wine decanter
The decanter reinvented, Eto is a work of art that works as a decanter and a wine preserver at the same time. It works by displacing air thus not allowing wine to spoil for up to 2 weeks. Perfect for that one (!) glass in the evening and keeping the rest. RRP £125-145. See more here.
10th December: Frapin 1270 Cognac and Cocktail Kit
Frapin 1270 is a versatile cognac which can be enjoyed neat or mixed, thanks to its great aromatic richness. Win a full size 70cl bottle, two cocktail glasses and a cocktail mixing kit with all the essentials you need to start mixing like a pro and impress your friends with classic Cognac cocktails such as Mint Julep, Side Car and Old Fashioned. Prize worth over £100. See more at @cognacfrapinofficial
11th December: Armand de Brignac Brut Gold Champagne
Gold Brut is the most iconic cuvée in the Champagne Armand de Brignac range and is created using the old world traditions of champagne blending. This prestige cuvée is a trio of vintages from some of the most highly-praised terroirs in the region and expresses vibrant fresh fruit character, and layers of complexity. RRP £300. See more here.
12th December: Personalised bottle of 18 year old Highland Park
A rich and fruity 18 year old Highland single malt bottled in 2019, this whisky from The Whisky Exchange is limited edition (only 276 bottles) and will arrive personalised with a message of your choice. Prize worth £99.95. See more at @whiskyexchange
In every bottle of wine there is a story. Sometimes it reads like a comic book and other times like War and Peace, yet there is a time and place for every single glass. Wouldn’t it be lovely to capture these moments forever?
Despite our increasingly hectic world we are thankfully, albeit slowly, coming back to the notion of experiences over ownership of ‘things’ when it comes to downtime or even gifting. Moments matter more than material goods. Anyone who loves wine will be familiar with its powers to bring people together; to bond, to celebrate successes and to commiserate lost challenges, but there’s another reason many of us love the world of wine that may not be immediately obvious.
Wine engages the senses like nothing else. The pop of the cork (or the crack of the screw cap), the glug glug into the glass, the swirl, the sniff, the taste… Those of us who taste wine for a living look forward to the sea of wines at a press tasting where we can do nothing else but engage our senses for a couple of hours. We emerge refreshed from a truly meditative experience, alive with all the new stories we’ve experienced. It can be the same with a single bottle; a unique moment shared that you’ll want to find a way to remember forever. How do we do that?
Studies have proved that our sensory human brains remember images, sounds and smells much more easily than dry facts and figures. How often has an aroma taken you straight back to a time and place, for example? Or a music track evoked the memory of a loved one? Art, music, perfume, film, literature all punctuate our lives on the most basic, beautiful human levels. Doesn’t it make so much sense then, to use the arts to capture the moments created with a glass of wine, not just to remember them better, but to enhance the whole experience? Perhaps a meditative Mozart aria made you stop and savour your quietly complex Burgundian Pinot Noir a little more? Or that earthy, Southern Italian red brought an extra dimension to the last few chapters of your book by Elena Ferrante? Wine can enhance a precious human moment, as can a piece of music a film or a book. Put all these things together and the result is far greater than the sum of its parts. We know a place where you can keep these moments together and so much more besides.
At the forefront of wine technology, the people at Coravin, the ultimate gadget for wine appreciation, have always understood the power of wine to create unique moments and the links between wine and the Arts. (Want an overview of Coravin? Read our article here). It was with this in mind that they created the Coravin Moments App; a one stop shop for wine lovers looking to capture and visualise their own wine moments as well as their own collections. You can create your own ‘moments’ or see those that others have made and edit them to make them your own. These moments inspire unique wine pairings for any occasion. Burt Bacharach, bolognese and Bordeaux, anyone? Surely the ultimate Friday night in! There is more you can do with the App too.
With the App, you can log your own wine collection as well as those you have tasted and have them presented visually by flavour profile. You’ll also never again forget a great bottle with the App’s ability to take a photo of a wine label, the wizardry to read it and even give you more information about the wine itself. Those lucky enough to own the epic Coravin Model Eleven (a fully automated version of the Coravin, which allows a glass of wine to be poured without having to pull the cork, read more here), can do more with the Moments app. It can be connected wirelessly via bluetooth to monitor levels in the argon gas canisters, battery levels and receive reminders for when to clean it. You can even shop for Coravin products through the App too.
Have you tried the app yet? Let us know your favourite wine pairing moments via social media (handles below)! If not, you can download the App from the Apple Store or directly from the Coravin website here. Currently only available for iPhone. Android, watch this space...