The M&S press tasting happened this week and here are a few wines that really stood out to me, all available now. They also have a fantastic new range of non-alcoholic drinks, liqueurs and to-die-for Irish creams that had me making inappropriate noises. More on those soon but until then, wine…

Sparkling Wines

Ribolla Gialla, Friuli, Italy, NV 10.5%, £8

Incredible value, this is a wonderful, dry Prosecco alternative in a very funky looking bottle. Ribolla Gialla is the grape, hailing from Italy’s far northeastern corner and here, the fizz is an easy-going and fruity fizz with notes of pear, herbs and bitter almonds.

Drink with: On its own aperitif style or salty snacks.

M&S Blanquette de Limoux, NV France, £12

Blanquette is an ancient method of making sparkling wines that predates Champagne using the local Mauzac grape and a splash of Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay. Concentrated and tangy with notes of baked rhubarb in a sea-salt crumble, this is wonderfully quirky.

Drink with: Smoked salmon, seafood and fried chicken.

White Wines

M&S Juanico Albariño, Uruguay, 2026, £10

Yes! Albariño (and Tannat for that matter) is a THING in Uruguay. Didn’t you know?! This one is lovely too. It has the peachiness the grape is known for but is rounder and riper, with more apricot notes and less salinity than the Spanish versions from Rías Baixas. Fabulous.

Drink with: Roast chicken, white fish and nutty cheeses.

M&S Collection Organic Chablis, 2024, £25

Ok this is expensive but at least it does what Chablis is meant to do, perhaps with a tad more fruit. Classic, concentrated, subtle marzipan, chalk and lemon with a moreish mineral core. It’s organic, made by a well-respected producer (Brocard) from old vines too. A great gifting wine.

Drink with: shellfish, delicate white fish, subtle cow cheese. A great gift wine.

Orange Wine

M&S Qvevris Kisi, Kakheti, Georgia, 2023 £12

From the original home of Orange wine, this Georgian sipper is made with 100% Kisi grapes, which are soaked with their skins for extra colour flavour and texture. This is a wonderful, super dry and textural wine with flavours of Earl Grey tea and ginger nuts! A proper foodie wine.

Drink with: Anything nutty, roast chicken, hard cheeses like comté.

Red Wines

M&S Palatia Pinot Noir, Pfalz, Germany, 2024, £10

A proper, cool climate Pinot that’s elegant, lean and very silky with notes of crunchy red cherry, raspberry and earth. With lots of fruit but dry with it, this really is a fabulous, very well-priced wine that can also take a slight chill.

Drink with: Cold cuts, duck and lamb.

M&S Yarri Karri Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, 2023, £14

From the ‘Bordeaux of Australia’, this western region produces some of the country’s finest wines and it’s very well suited to Bordeaux blends. This is full-bodied, silky and elegant with a gravelly minerality, tobacco and lots of cassis. A pro rugby player in black tie!
Drink with: Steak, beef… all the protein. Also, dark chocolate!

M&S Collection Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Bertrand Gonnet, 2022 (NEW SUPPLIER)

I often feel that Châteauneuf-du-Pape is overrated but thanks to Del Boy, it’s still seen as a shortcut to fine wine. This one, however, is a fantastic example of what a good version looks like. Think Christmas cake vibes with spirity currants, cinnamon spice and candied peel. Note that this picture shows the old supplier as this is brand new!

Drink with: Lamb roasts, turkey and all the trimmings, comté.

Like this? Try these:

10 Top Cabernet Sauvignon Wines from Around the World

10 Wines for Organic September

12 Top Pinot Noir Wines from Around the World

Fine Wine from… Essex!

LISTEN: The HelenaSips Podcast

September is widely celebrated as ‘Organic September’ in the wine industry as we hit the peak of wine harvesting in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s therefore a great time to celebrate regenerative, sustainable, biodynamic and organic viticulture. How can you do that? Support wineries all around the world that are making a difference by drinking a bottle!

Recently, I teamed up with one of my favourite places on the Isle of Wight, Ventnor Botanic Garden, for a Wine & Plant Pairing event. Curator Chris Kidd and I led 30 guests through the garden’s various international zones, with him describing the flora and fauna and me pairing them with special wines, each with their own eco-credentials. Here are those wines as well as some others that deserve your attention for the good they do:

Sparkling Wine

Graham Beck Sparkling Pinot Noir 2019, £25 (£20 mix 6) Majestic

With impressive eco-credentials, Graham Beck is the king of what’s known over in South Africa as the ‘Cap Classique method’ (like Champagne). This vintage wine is made with just under 90% Pinot Noir and a splash of Chardonnay, giving red berries on fresh, flaky pastry with a dollop of cream.

Hambledon Classic Cuvée, £32 - £36 Ocado, BBR, ND John

From the UK’s oldest commercial vineyard, this famously rich and biscuity, traditional method sparkling is a near-equal blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. Hambledon uses regenerative viticulture, 100% renewable energy and low-intervention winemaking. Stay tuned for their NEW ‘English Cuvée’, which we premiered last night, coming to Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and more early Oct.

White Wine

Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2025, £12.50 Tesco

The Yealands Reserve Sauvignon is a step up from the straight blend, using higher-grade fruit from their coastal Seaview Vineyard site. It’s a particularly zingy and citrusy, minerally white with lashings of passion fruit and cut grass. The winery is now carbon positive too. Big tick.

Florão Branco, Quinta da Fonte Souto, £15 VINVM, Ocado

An elegant white made from Arinto and Verdelho grapes grown within a National Park on the slopes of the São Mamede range, the highest point in Alentejano. It’s cooler here, which helps preserve the acidity and aromatics of this very pretty, citrusy wine with subtle, tropical flavours.

Paul Mas Reserve Marsanne 2024, £12 (£11 mix 6) Majestic

A wonderfully textural, foodie white with notes of apricot, peach, honey and herbs. Les Domaines Paul Mas ensure strict biodiversity and sustainable management, with around 40% of their vineyards being fully organic and the remaining vines using low-intervention, herbicide-free methods. They use integrated biodynamic principles on select sites too.

Subscribe now

Rosé Wine

Mirabeau One Day Rosé, £20 Ocado, Harrods, maisonmirabeau.com

‘One day, all wine will be made like this’, i.e. hailing exclusively from regeneratively farmed vineyards, so say Jeany and Stephen Cronk of Mirabeau. (B-Corp). A jewel in the Mirabeau portfolio, this is an elegant and subtly complex Provençal rosé with notes of red berry, white peach and quince with a twist of orange citrus. Stunning.

Château Galoupet, Cru Classé Organic Rosé 2023, £57 (£46 mix 6) Majestic

Galoupet is one of only 18 official Cru Classé estates (the most premium) in Provence, and it serves as a leading sustainability model, with rigorous regenerative viticulture, ecosystem restoration and packaging innovation across the 160-hectare estate. This exceptional rosé is wonderfully viscous and savoury, with notes of mango, lime, wild strawberry and a slick of salinity. It’ll age beautifully for another couple of years too.

Red Wine

Altano Rewilding Edition Douro Red Wine, £11.25 Tesco

Owned by the B-Corp Symington Family Estates, this is made with a blend of local Portuguese grapes: Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca (which you’ll find in the famous fortified wines of Port). It’s a silky, elegant red with notes of violet, bramble fruit with dark chocolate. It can even take a slight chill. Proceeds from every bottle go towards Rewilding Portugal’s pioneering conservation work.

Veramonte Pinot Noir, £11.75 (on offer) Ocado & £16.75 Amazon

Organic and sustainably made, this Chilean Pinot Noir from the cooler Casablanca Valley is a wonderfully easy-drinking, medium-bodied red that’s all about smoky, dark cherry spice, some crunchy raspberry and a little earthiness. A fantastic example of New World Pinot and made with respect for the land.

Domaine Bousquet, Virgen Vineyards Natural Malbec 2024, £14 Booths in store, Vintage Roots

From Argentina’s pioneering regenerative organic estate Domaine Bousquet (the first regenerative wine producer outside California to achieve this status), this Malbec is a no-sulphites-added, minimal-intervention red that offers an exceptionally pure expression of high-altitude Malbec. Now available in all Booths stores and online from the end of September!

Liked this? Try these:

Wine & Plant Pairings with Ventnor Botanic Garden

Fine Wine from Essex? Yes - and 10 to Try

10 Top Cabernet Sauvignon Wines from Around the World

LISTEN: The HelenaSips Podcast

Welcome to the inaugural Wine & Plant Pairing event at Ventnor Botanic Garden with me, Helena Nicklin, joined by Chris Kidd, the garden’s curator and paired canapés by chef Michael Jackson. Here’s a reminder of what we're tasting and where to find more information about the producers. Do subscribe if you’d like to hear about more events and get some wine recommendations and drinks wisdom into your inbox once a week!

Subscribe now

Welcome drink: England

Hambledon Vineyard, English Cuvée, Hampshire NV NEW! (Coming early Oct 2026 for circa £30 in Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and more)

Served on the lawn at the start of our tour, we’re tasting the brand new Hambledon English Cuvée! A blend of all three ‘Champagne’ grapes: 54% Chardonnay, 38% Pinot Noir, and 8% Meunier, with 5% barrel fermentation and 1% reserve wines, this is an easy-drinking, yet complex and creamy sparkling with a characteristic, brioche-like, biscuity note. Note the embossed floral pattern featuring ox-eye daisies, cornflowers, dandelions, willowherb and wild marjoram, all drawn from the cover crops that grow between the vines to enrich soil health and biodiversity across the estate.

Hambledon Vineyard is located in Hambledon in Hampshire, the home of cricket and cited as the birthplace of English wine! Founded in 1952 by Major-General Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones, Hambledon is one of the producers that put England on the map for fine wine. See more at hambledonvineyard.co.uk

Served with mushroom and truffle crostini.

Mediterranean Zone: Provence

Château Galoupet, Cru Classé Organic Rosé 2023, £57 (£46 mix 6) Majestic

Served amongst the rosemary and thyme, the rockrose and olive trees of the garden’s Mediterranean zone, we taste the flagship cuvée from Château Galoupet; one of only 18 official Cru Classé estates (the most premium) in Provence. This rosé vintage is wonderfully textural with subtly exotic notes of mango, wild strawberry and a slick of salinity and spice. It will age beautifully too for another couple of years.

Biodiversity and sustainability are at the heart of what Galoupet does. The current owners have restored this 18th-century property, its vineyards, and its lands to set an example for organic viticulture and regenerative agriculture in the industry. As much of the land here houses forest as it does vines and the Cru Classé ‘terroir’ for winemaking means the resulting wines are truly exceptional and ageworthy. See more at chateaugaloupet.com

Served with peach and goat's cheese crostini.

Citrus Grove: Portugal

Florão Branco, Quinta da Fonte Souto, £15 VINVM, Ocado

This elegant white is made from Arinto and Verdelho grapes grown near Portalegre on the slopes of the São Mamede range, the highest point in the Alentejano region. It’s cooler here, which helps preserve the acidity and aromatics of this very pretty, citrusy wine with its subtle, tropical flavours.

Quinta da Fonte Souto has a unique terroir with its own microclimate and diverse soil composition, which sets it apart from most of Alentejo. The entire 207-hectare estate sits inside the Serra de São Mamede Natural Park, a protected conservation area and here, eco-friendly winemaking is practised with minimal intervention. Symington Family Estates was also the first wine producer in Portugal to become a Certified B Corporation. See more at symington.com

Served with cucumber bites with dill and cream cheese.

Mediterranean Zone: Portugal

Altano Rewilding Edition Douro Red Wine, £11.25 Tesco

Owned by the Symington Family of Port fame and made with a blend of local Portuguese grapes Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca (which you’ll find in the famous Port fortified wines), this is a silky, elegant red that has substance and flavour. Think violet and bramble fruit with dark chocolate. It can even take a slight chill.

Find this wine by the distinctive viper’s-bugloss and the cork oak trees further into the Mediterranean zone. Proud to be B Corp and using minimum intervention viticulture, proceeds from every bottle of Altano Rewilding red wine goes towards Rewilding Portugal’s pioneering conservation work. See more at symington.com

Served with mini dark chocolate brownies with fresh raspberries.

Asian Zone: China

Saicho Sparkling Jasmine Tea, £19.99 Saichodrinks.com

Among the bamboo, we’ll taste an elegant alcohol (or hot tea!) alternative in the form of a sparkling Jasmine tea. Made with green tea grown in the mountains of Fuding in Fujian Province, China, this is intensely aromatic with notes of Blossom, pear and a subtle woodiness, sitting alongside the more usual green aromas and flavours.

Founders Charlie and Natalie created Saicho as a point where wine, tea, food and culture meet, redefining how it can be experienced in the modern world. They incorporate several sustainability and ethical practices into Saicho’s production and packaging, including sourcing single-origin tea leaves directly by working closely with small-scale tea farms and local growers and using recycled materials. Impressively, they also collaborate with educational foundations to promote sustainability awareness for future generations. See more at saichodrinks.com

Served with smoked salmon blinis.

New Zealand Zone

Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2025, £12.50 Tesco

Amongst the Olearia, Phormium and the tree ferns all native to New Zealand, we’ll taste this multi-award-winning, quintessentially Marlborough Reserve Sauvignon: a particularly fresh and citrusy, minerally white with lashings of passion fruit and cut grass, made by a fantastic female winemaker: Natalie Christensen. This reserve wine is a step up from the straight blend as it uses higher-grade fruit from their specific coastal Seaview Vineyard site.

Located near Blenheim in the Awatere Valley, Yealands was carbon neutral and sustainable from day one and today works hard to create nature positive - and now also carbon positive - beautifully biodiverse wines where the process actively removes carbon from the atmosphere. See more at yealands.co.nz

Served with smashed avocado with fresh basil and mint on cucumber rings.

South American Zone: Chile

Veramonte Pinot Noir, £16.75 Amazon & Ocado

The aptly named Chilean Wine Palm is where you’ll find your glass of this organic and sustainably made Chilean Pinot Noir, surrounded by lantern trees and hardy Mitique shrubs. A wonderfully easy-drinking, medium-bodied red, this is all about dark cherry spice, some crunchy raspberry and a little earthiness.

You’ll find Veramonte’s Pinot Noir vineyards in the cooler, Casablanca Valley region of Chile surrounded by 2,500 hectares of native forests. The estate is fully committed to organic agriculture, ensuring all of its vineyards are certified organic to promote biodiversity and soil health. See more at winesoftheworld.ie

Served with prosciutto and fig crostini.

South African Zone

Graham Beck Sparkling Pinot Noir 2019, £25 (£20 mix 6) Majestic

We’ll taste our final glass - a traditional method sparkling wine - amongst the Agapanthus, the Red Hot Pokers, Proteas and Birds of Paradise in the South African zone. Graham Beck are the kings of what’s known over there as the Cap Classique method (like Champagne) and this vintage wine is made with just under 90% Pinot Noir and the rest, Chardonnay. Think red berries on fresh, flakey pastry with a dollop of cream. It’s complex and classy yet so easy-drinking and unpretentious.

Graham and Rhona Beck, sadly no longer with us, have left an impressive legacy of sustainability credentials, including a pioneering programme that works alongside winemaking to nurture, protect and conserve the land, reducing and recycling water and using sunlight for power. The company has also set up a successful philanthropic trust to support their workforce and the wider community through education, skills development, sport and recreation as well as health and welfare. See more at grahambeck.com

Served with prosciutto, melon and strawberry bites.

It’s International Cabernet Sauvignon Day today, so time to get the measure of this grape with some classic examples from classic regions. If you want to know a little more about this grape and really get under its skin, I’ve also made my HelenaSips Wine Academy video and article live and FREE for a limited time. Check it out here: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pro Rugby Player of Wine! In the meantime, here’s your Cabernet Sauvignon Sips Safari:

Bordeaux, France

Start with the OG region for Cabernet and head straight to Bordeaux, France - specifically, the Left Bank of the river Gironde and the villages of Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Margaux and Saint-Estèphe. Try these:

Château Beau-Site, St Estèphe 2014, £25 Co-op

A very smart wine for the Co-op and, given the age on it, exceptionally well priced. This is classic left Bank Bordeaux: restrained and elegant with notes of graphite, blackcurrant and cedar.

Chateau Cantemerle 2020, £45 (£30 case price), Laithwaites

A fab, premium Claret made by the ex-consultant for Lafite and other First Growths. From a generous vintage that’s just showing some age, think spiced cassis, cedar and tobacco.

Coonawarra, Australia

Compare your Bordeaux with a New World Cabernet from Coonawarra in Australia for a fuller-bodied, less tannic and juicier version with tonnes of blackcurrant and a characteristic minty twang.

Deluxe Australian Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, Australia, £6.99 Lidl

For a cheap-as-chips version that gives a decent idea of a Coonawarra style, try this. It’s sweet and simple, like boozy Ribena with a hint of mint.

Little Giant Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, £13 Waitrose

With extra points for its eye-catching bottle, this bold and fruity, eucalyptus-scented wine is a perfect example of Cab from this specific region. It’s so easy to drink but has structure too.

Napa Valley, California

Napa wines will typically come with hefty price tag but they are serious, nuanced and concentrated. They’ll also need a few years to soften up with age.

*Finest Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, £16.50 Tesco

It’s unusual to find Napa Cabernet below, well £40 a bottle but Tesco have done a decent job with this. Full-bodied and grippy, this is a bold, concentrated wine. Decant it to soften it and release that cassis spice. Better with a steak and it’ll age well too.

Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Napa Valley, £70 Winedirect.co.uk

This Cab from an iconic, historic estate was part of the famous 1976 Judgement of Paris tasting where California took on France and won. This is a standout wine that’s drinking now but will be even better with time. Think black cherry and blueberry spice, dark chocolate, dried tobacco and coffee bean.

Also try these Cabernet Sauvignon wines

Veramonte Cabernet Sauvignon. Colchagua Valley, Chile

£12.90 Easywineshop.co.uk

Chile produces excellent, easy-drinking cabernets, especially from the warmer regions of the Colchagua and Maipo Valleys. Smooth, rich and spicy, this is very easy-going. A great ‘plug-and-play’ Cab that’s ideal with roast beef or a nut roast.

Robert Oatley Semaphore Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Australia

£14.25 Co-op

Known as the ‘Bordeaux of Australia’ thanks to its gravelly soils, Margaret River in Western Australia makes fabulous wines like this, somewhere in between the more restrained Bordeaux style and more exuberant wines of Coonawarra. This is elegant and perfumed, with structure yet still easy-drinking.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, Columbia Valley, USA

£19 (£13 mix 6) Majestic

A more acceptably priced alternative to Napa Valley Cabernets adn easy to drink earlier, this comes from Washington’s oldest winery. It’s bold and juicy with notes of vanilla fudge and plum jam.

Hickinbotham ‘Trueman’ Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale, Australia 2020

£68 VINVM

For a standout, new world Cabernet, the McLaren Vale is a great place to look and Hickinbotham is a name to know. This is showing its age nicely; like a posh Claret but with more generous fruit and gorgeous notes of mocha, rose petal and herbs. An excellent wine to gift - as long as you can drink it with them!

Did you know that Cabernet was the Pro Rugby Player of wine Grapes?

Watch the video!

Posh Pinot? The Only Way is Essex!

‘Essex’ and ‘fine wine’ are not usually words you’ll see together in a sentence. But as a female wine professional who grew up in Essex during the 80s and 90s, with my formative years punctuated by misogynistic jokes about girls from my part of the world, nothing’s more pleasing than telling the world that this much-maligned county is currently the most exciting region for fine wine on the planet. Fact.

It’s no secret that England is a serious player in the wine industry nowadays, thanks to the posh sparkling wines coming from the Champagne-alike soils of Kent, Hampshire, Sussex and beyond. But as far as the next frontier goes, and certainly when it comes to fine, still wines, all eyes are on Essex. And for good reason, too. Results just in from this year’s WineGB Awards - the top national competition for English and Welsh wine - confirm a genuine shift. For the second year running, the ultimate national trophies have been dominated by wines made with grapes grown in Essex.

Indeed, there are now more than 55 vineyards in the county, making Essex one of the biggest wine-producing regions behind Sussex and Kent. So, where exactly is this exciting wine production happening and why is it different from elsewhere in England?

Which parts of Essex make great wine?

Of the three emerging sub-regions of Essex, it is the Crouch Valley on the Dengie Peninsula, which lies to the east of Chelmsford and south of the River Blackwater, that’s currently getting the most attention from wine buffs. None other than Jancis Robinson, the world’s most famous wine writer, has described it as ‘England’s Côte d’Or’, thanks to the rich and complex, ‘Burgundian’-style, still wines coming out of it made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Burgundy itself has now also got the memo, with producers from the famous French villages of Gevrey-Chambertin and Chassagne-Montrachet recently announcing joint ventures with two of Essex’s top players: Danbury Ridge and Missing Gate Vineyard. It did, after all, hit 40 degrees in ‘cool climate’ Burgundy this summer, which fine wine grapes struggle with.

It’s not just the French eyeing up Essex though: Jackson Family Wines, a major Californian-based wine company, founded Marbury in 2023 - another Crouch Valley operation - persuading celebrated English winemaker Charlie Holland to jump ship from Gusbourne in Kent to build a portfolio of still wines in Essex from scratch.

“I first sat up and noticed the wines coming out of the Crouch Valley in 2018,’ Charlie tells me. ‘Some were a significant step up from anything I had tasted in the UK before. Now I’m winemaking here, being able to consistently ripen grapes to produce still wines above 13% alcohol by volume (ABV) naturally, even in a difficult year, is a game changer for being able to make still wine. Elsewhere, they struggle to get about 11%, which is fine for sparkling - but I firmly believe this is the best place to grow grapes for still wine in this country.”

Being able to ripen grapes fully is more important for still wines. Riper grapes have more sugar, which means more alcohol, fruitiness and body. Sparkling wines, by contrast, actually need grapes to be less ripe, as they are more about crisp acidity than voluptuous ripe fruit.

For riper grapes, parts of Essex have the trump card compared to other parts of the UK. In the Crouch Valley, it’s all about the soils; the heat-retaining London Clay to be precise as well as a warmer, drier microclimate, keeping frost at bay and helping ripen grapes enough to make still wines that aren’t weedy and acidic. North-west Essex around Saffron Walden and out towards Colchester, between the Colne and Stour Valleys, are the two other hotspots for fine Essex wine, though here, there’s more chalk and the focus is largely on sparkling vino and more aromatic grapes like Bacchus and Pinot Gris. Saffron Grange, whose vines sit on chalk, is one to watch, having just won three awards for their sparkling wines at WineGB East 2026, with Bromley Brook, located near Manningtree, taking home ‘Best Pinot Noir’ at the same competition.

Essex knows it’s got a good thing going and happily for its growing number of international visitors, they’ve understood the importance of wine tourism too, with numerous wineries opening up restaurants and tasting rooms on site. Wine educator Paul Laurie, who is known as Essex Wine Man and is an ambassador for New Hall Estate in Purleigh near Maldon, is excited for what’s coming next.

‘We’ve hosted big corporate events with brands like BMW and Porsche recently,’ he reveals, ‘and with new Essex Wine Tour companies setting up as we speak, it’s all only going to get bigger.’

Keep an eye on crouchvalleywinetours.co.uk and many of the wineries offer their own tasting tours.

Thirsty yet? Get a taste of Essex with these ten top tipples:

New Hall Single Estate Pinot Précoce Rosé 2025, £14.95 The Wine Society

Made by Crouch Valley’s oldest winery founded in 1969, this wine is made with Pinot Précoce; a more early ripening relation to Pinot Noir and here, it gives a wonderfully crisp and crunchy, rosehip-scented pink. Sip this as an aperitif or pair it with prawns. Well-priced and interesting, this is a great wine to start your Essex wine journey with.

Bromley Brook, Bacchus 2023, £20 bromleybrookvineyard.com

A fantastic example of wine made with the Bacchus grape from an award-winning vineyard out near Stour Valley, with notes of grass, forest floor and citrus. One for Sauvignon Blanc fans and it will make a great pairing for goats cheese and most types of salad. A good choice for a lunchtime tipple.

London Clay Brut NV, £18.50 crushedandcured.co.uk

London Clay make delightfully fruity, easy-drinking fizzes, which are made like Prosecco but with Champagne grapes. This is an effortless, unpretentious and very modern tipple that’s ideal when paired with simple, salty nuts and snacks. A good choice for intimate gatherings with friends.

Riverview Pinot Noir Rosé 2025, £25 thegoodwineshop.co.uk

Made with 100% Pinot Noir, this is a laser-focussed, pure and lean pink with vibrant ripe berry fruit. Wonderful with smoked or baked salmon and a nice treat with cold cuts, this could also hold its own with lightly spiced Asian food. Try their still Chardonnays and Pinots too once they’re back in stock!

New Hall Sparkling Brut Rosé NV, £30 newhallwines.co.uk

If you’re after a decent Champagne method sparkling with an Essex accent, this sherbety pink is impressive. Think raspberry and strawberry leaf with a touch of biscuit and pretty, floral aroma. Kick off a fancy dinner with this or swap out the Champagne at celebrations. Watch their faces when you say it’s from Essex!

Blackbook Winery, NightJar Pinot Noir 2024, £30 blackbookwinery.com

Made by the brilliant Battersea Urban winery Blackbook using grapes from Clayhill Vineyard in Crouch Valley, this is a silky pinot with concentrated red and dark cherry, bramble fruit and a peppery spiciness. One for lamb or grilled beef and a superb choice to confuse the posh winos in your life when you serve it blind. They’ll think it’s French.

Saffron Grange, The Rebel, Blanc de Gris Sparkling 2023, £30 saffrongrage.com

A fun, new wine from the multi-award winning Saffron Grange, this is a generous, traditional-method Pinot Gris / Chardonnay blend with notes of melon, pear and brioche. A bit different and great for gifting thanks to its funky packaging and star-on-the-rise story. Pair it with pastry-based snacks and it can take a little chilli spice.

Blackbook Pygmalion Chardonnay 2022, £45 Highburyvintners.co.uk

The as yet unreleased 2023 vintage of the Pygmalion Chardonnay was the big WineGB winner this year but try the equally epic 2022 while you wait. Buttery and almost tropical with notes of brioche, lemon curd and hazelnut, this limited edition is crying out for roast chicken or mild curries. One for you ‘open that bottle’ night to be tasted with people who appreciate it.

Danbury Ridge Chardonnay 2023, £39, The Wine Society

Textured, complex and creamy with a lemon peel tang and a pinch of spice, this is a truly knockout Chardonnay, sitting somewhere style-wise between a fine Burgundy and coastal Californian. Pair with nutty cheese, chicken or a posh monkfish dish. Best served as a dinner for two where you don’t have to share it too widely. You might want to decant it too.

Marbury Pinot Noir 2024, £44, Elementarywine.co.uk

Soft and velvety with concentrated notes of dark cherry, baking spice and plum compote, this is an incredibly accomplished English Pinot for such a young estate. It’s like Burgundy but bolder and will love a leg of lamb or some cheeky duck pancakes. Stock up on a few of these to lay down as it will age beautifully too.

Liked this? Try these:

How to find REALLY good Prosecco

One Minute Wine Ace: Albariño from Rìas Baixas

One Minute Wine Ace: Pinot Noir

3 Alternative Spritz Recipes

Or listen to the HelenaSips Podcast!

Pick Your Episode

ONE MINUTE WINE ACE: Pinot Noir

It’s Pinot Noir Day and to celebrate, here’s my Vinalogy for the grape: If Pinot Noir were a character, it’d be a prima ballerina…

The lights are down in this beautiful ornate building as we watch the Royal Ballet perform Giselle. Swathes of lithe, professional dancers gracefully cross a floor obscured by soft smoke from the dry ice. Giselle appears, fine-boned and elegant in a flowing, cherry-red dress made of silk. She dances barefoot on the earth among the vines, her movements hauntingly beautiful. The way she can make the complex twists and turns seem so effortless is mesmerising.

***

Light-bodied and elegant, Pinot Noir can be a bit of a diva to work with thanks to its very thin skin, which is why it’s often called the heartbreak grape. When all conditions are perfect and the masters get hold of it however, then oh boy, it’s good! Pale cherry red in colour, with refreshingly high acidity and very low, silky tannins, Pinot can taste like a red wine but feel like a white, which is part of its universal charm. Couple this with an unrivalled complexity that comes with age and an ethereal, earthy perfume of spiced red fruit, lavender and raspberry compote and you’ll understand why people spend crazy amounts on the top bottles.

Geek Fact! Pinot Noir is also one of the three main grapes used in Champagne, along with Chardonnay and the red, third grape in the trilogy: Pinot Meunier. So if you have a ‘Blancs de Noir’ Champagne, it will have been made with these two red grapes only and sometimes, just Pinot Noir.

PINOT NOIR SIPS SAFARI

Below are the key places to compare Pinot Noir wines from to get a measure of its style. For a long list of world Pinot recommendations however, CLICK HERE!

Pinot Noir 1: Burgundy, France

You can’t do Pinot Noir without heading to Burgundy (Bourgogne), France, Pinot’s original home. Top-end red Burgundies are usually made with 100% Pinot Noir and are often best with a few years of age on them. Think spicy cherry and lavender flavours with a marzipan note. They’re delicate, earthy, understated and old school in style. It is here that they reach their most complex and elegant expressions.

Pinot Noir 2: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Willamette Valley in Oregon has recently taken the New World Pinot crown, gaining a distinct reputation for some of the most elegant and Burgundian-style Pinot Noirs outside of Burgundy itself. It’s the cool climate and long ripening season that gives it a similar high acidity with a focus on earthy savoury flavours.

Pinot Noir 3: Central Otago, New Zealand

Central Otago in New Zealand is one of the other, classic destinations for great ‘New World’ Pinot. Here, it’s easy drinking, yet serious with more concentrated notes of black cherry and spiced plum fruit, often with a cool minerality freshening everything up.

Also try:

Like many of the other especially famous grapes, Pinot Noir has certainly got around, finding favour in cool spots everywhere, from Sonoma and Santa Barbara in California, to Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley in Australia, Marlborough New Zealand, Pfalz, Germany and England, just to name a few!

See a list of 12 interntaional Pinot Noir wines to try here…

Pinot Noir Recommendations

Pinot Noir is…

🎨 Pale, cherry red

🏋️‍♂️ Light-bodied with fine, silky tannins

👃 All about red cherry and spiced raspberry

📍 A star grape in Burgundy, France but famous worldwide

🍴 Loves duck and lamb dishes as well as hard nutty cheese

Like this? See my One Minute Wine Ace guide to Chardonnay

Or my Vinalogy guide to Sauvignon Blanc

There’s also this piece on the wine icon that is Whispering Angel

Thanks for reading!

H x

With Pinot Noir Day on August 18th, it felt rude not to shout about some excellent bottles I’ve been trying recently. There’s something here for every budget and from most of the top regions around the world that make great Pinot.

Want to know a bit more about the grape and its key regions? Check out this ‘Pinot Noir is the Ballerina of wine‘ vinalogy video! Once you’ve done that, dive into these bottles below and remember, Pinot Noir is one of the few grapes that makes red wines that love a slight chill. Cin cin!

SPARKLING WINES

Graham Beck Pinot Noir Rosé, Roberson, SOUTH AFRICA, £24 (£21 mix 6) Majestic

I keep coming back to Graham Beck because for a traditional method sparklers (made like Champagne), they offer exceptional value. This Pinot is ripe and fruity with red berry and pastry notes.

Waitrose Blanc de Noirs Brut NV, Champagne, FRANCE, £28, Waitrose

With sparkling wine generally, Blanc de Noirs means ‘white made with black grapes’ which often translates as almost entirely Pinot Noir. This own-brand version is fab: biscuity and creamy yet fresh with it.

Balfour Blanc de Noirs 2022, Kent, ENGLAND, £50 Virgin Wines

A great example of what England can do with fizz, this showcases classic brioche and red apple skin notes with a lean, mineral core and a chalkiness on the finish, typical of Kent.

STILL WINES (£7-£17)

Blueprint Pinot Noir, ROMANIA, £7.50 Waitrose

Romania produces lots of accessibly priced Pinot Noir that’s easy drinking, lactic smooth, simple and fruity. Cramele Recas makes this - one of the country’s top producers.

Errazuriz Estate Reserva Pinot Noir, Aconcagua Valley, CHILE, £9.25 Tesco Asda, Waitrose, Ocado

While fairly light on colour, body and alcohol (12.5%) the flavour profile of this Chilean Pinot is more on the brooding, blackcurrant-spice side. Lovely with a slight chill too.

Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr ‘Cuvée Prestige’ Pinot Noir, Alsace, FRANCE, £14.50 (£12.50 mix 6) Majestic

Alsace is most famous for its whites but the Pinot Noirs are gaining momentum! This is a great example: round and creamy with baked strawberry and cedar notes.

Larry Cherubino, Ad Hoc Cruel Mistress Pinot Noir, Western AUSTRALIA, £14.50 Loki Wine ND John Cambridge Wine Merchants

This poised and crunchy Pinot comes from a top producer in one of Australia’s finest wine regions. Think black cherry and raspberry with a cool mineral core and a pencil lead finish.

Nanny Goat Pinot Noir, Central Otago, NEW ZEALAND

£17 on offer until 18th Aug (was £20), Waitrose

Central Otago is THE New Zealand region for elegant, cherry-scented Pinot Noirs and this little Nanny Goat is the perfect benchmark example of the regional style. Silky and perky!

STILL WINES (£20-£57)

Kendall-Jackson ‘Vintners Reserve’ Pinot Noir, California, USA, £20.50 (£18.50 mix 6) Majestic The Wine Press

Coastal California has long been praised for its languid, velvety Pinots like this that taste like strawberries in cream with a sprinkling of cinnamon spice. Still fine wine, but chilled out.

Meyer-Näkel, Spätburgunder Blauschiefer 2022, Ahr, GERMANY, £37.70 The Wine Barn

Spätburgunder is German for Pinot Noir and sets the benchmark nowadays for the cool climate Pinot style. This is lean, with redcurrant, cherry and a smoky, slate-mineral finish.

Marbury Pinot Noir 2024, Crouch Valley, Essex, ENGLAND, £44, elementarywine.co.uk, thefinewinecompany.co.uk

Crouch Valley in Essex is the newest, most exciting region for fine Pinot in the world and Marbury is leading the way! Rich and velvety with wild strawberry and baking spice notes.

Two Paddocks, Last Chance Pinot Noir, Central Otago, NEW ZEALAND, £57, VINVM

I had to include this ethereal wine as it was the late, great Sam Neill’s favourite vineyard of his own beloved Two Paddocks holdings. Nervy, mineral and lean, this needs time to come round but when it does, it is hauntingly beautiful just as fine Burgundy used to be.

Listen to my interview with Sam Neill here on the HelenaSips Podcast!

Read this: Wine Icons - Whispering Angel & its 6 Wine Siblings

Read this: Chilled red Wines: Rules of thumb and some to try

This year, the iconic Whispering Angel celebrates its 20th birthday - and what a twenty years they have been! When Bordeaux producer Sacha Lichine bought the Provençal property that would become Château D’Esclans back in 2006, not even he could have foreseen how one rosé would change the wine world in the way it has. Provence has a lot to thank him for - and he has a lot to thank the agency that helped him design the look! But did you know that Whispering Angel is just one of seven wines in the Esclans stable? They’re all pink and all offer something a little different. Here’s what you need to know:

Caves D’Esclans & Château D’Esclans

There are two tiers to the Esclans business: Caves D’Esclans and Château D’Esclans. Caves D’Esclans makes the more accessibly priced, commercially friendly wines in higher volumes, where grapes are sourced more widely from vineyards across the Esclans valley and Côtes de Provence appellation rather than being entirely estate-owned and grown. These are The Pale, The Beach, Rock Angel and the world’s bestselling Provençal rosé, Whispering Angel.

The Pale, £16.50 (£12.50 mix 6) Majestic

This is Esclan’s entry-level rosé and it’s still rather smart. A blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Rolle (aka Vermentino) and Syrah grown in the Var part of Provence, this is your aperitif pink: crisp and dry with subtle grapefruit and red fruit notes.

The Beach, £13.75 on offer (was £17.75) Waitrose

A slight step up in quality, the Beach hails from Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, where wines are a little more glacial and mineral than the plusher wines of Côtes de Provence. This cuvée made with Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah also boasts impressive sustainable credentials.

Whispering Angel, £23 Waitrose

A classic Côtes de Provence blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Rolle and Syrah, this famous cuvée is elegant and fresh, with riper notes of white peach and strawberry with a pleasing saline core.

Rock Angel, £24 on offer (was £28) Waitrose

The Angel’s big brother, Rock Angel is a slightly more complex and mineral rosé than Whispering Angel, though it still falls under the Côtes de Provence appellation. Made with the same blend, it is cool, crisp and lean - and a great pairing for food.

On the upper tier, we have the estate wines from Château D’Esclans: the Château d’Esclans cuvée itself, Les Clans and Garrus. Grapes for these wines come from the estate’s own vineyard, which features old-vine parcels (some Grenache vines over 100 years old) and are hand-harvested. These are lower-volume, more expensive and more serious, age-worthy rosés which are barrel-fermented in oak rather than just stainless steel. Garrus is generally considered to be one of the most expensive and ambitious rosés in the world!

Château d’Esclans, £41 (£36 mix 6) Majestic

Château d’Esclans is the first estate wine. Made from a blend of Grenache and Rolle, there’s some stainless steel and some barrel fermentation, which means it maintains freshness and some ripe pear and peach fruit while showcasing a lovely, creamy texture and a whiff of vanilla.

Les Clans, £53.99, Selfridges

A fantastic example of a complex and super concentrated Provençal rosé that has the potential to age for at least 6 or 7 years. Another blend of Grenache and Rolle with some barrel fermentation, the fruitiness here really pops. This is a serious, gastronomic style of rosé with a hint of spice.

Garrus 2022, £98 Fortnum & Mason

Garrus is top of the tree at Château d’Esclans. Made from grapes grown on nearly 100-year-old vines, this blend of Grenache and Rolle is entirely fermented and aged in new, large French oak barrels. It is full-bodied and rich with notes of red fruit, white peach and baking spice. A stunning, truly iconic wine that can age for a decade.

Like this article? Try these:

One Minute Wine Ace: Picpoul de Pinet

Chardonnay: ’Kate’ of wine grapes

Chilled Red Wines to Try

LISTEN to the HelenaSip Podcast!

Series 1 is in the bag! In case you missed them, tune in to listen to how these successful creatives keep themselves sane and happy, all over a glass of something delicious: Actor Sam Neill (RIP), Designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Entrepreneur Cath Kidston, Olympian Jess Ennis-Hill, Plant Geek Michael Perry, Drinks founder Alex Watson, Super athlete Vassos Alexander, Author Joanne Harris, perfumer Sarah McCartney and Wine expert Tom Gilbey.

See All Episodes

Chilled Red Wines

Chilled red wines are trending, but which styles work best straight from the fridge?

Read Post

Rìas Baixas: Home of the Albariño Grape

A snapshot of the various styles of Albariño from its spiritual home…

Read Post

Alternative Spritz Recipes

Three spritz recipes and two cheeky RTDs to try…

Read Post

English Wines for the Win!

My pick of some lesser-known English wines to try…

Read Post

Thank you for all your support this month!

Spritz Season seems to be a thing, thanks to the success of classic recipes like Aperol Spritz and last summer’s favourite, the trendy Hugo Spritz. It even has its own celebration day now: National Spritz Day on August 1st, so it feels like a good time to try some new things. Here are some alternative spritz recipes that I think you’ll love:

Lemon Aperitivo Recipe

A super simple and particularly refreshing variation on a theme, this spritz uses Allora Lemon Aperitivo al Limone as its base. Inspired by limoncello but offering a more natural, bittersweet flavour without any nasties or tons of sugar, this is a lemon aperitivo that hails from the tiny, sun-drenched isle of Procidan in the bay of Naples near Capri. It’s known locally as the ‘Isola dei limoni’, the ‘isle of lemons’ because of its unique bread lemons, which have thicker white pulp and pith. In Allora, pulp, juice, peel and lemon tree leaves are used to make this uniquely refreshing tipple.

Ingredients & Method

• 125ml Allora Aperitivo Al Limone, £25 alloradrinks.com

• 125ml Sparkling Water

All you need here is equal parts Allora to Soda water, keeping this lighter on the booze and calories and high in refreshment and drinkability. Serve with a slice of lemon and maybe even a cheeky basil or mint leaf.

The Ultimate Rosé Spritz Recipe

I’ve always loved a simple rosé wine spritz, either with sparkling water and fresh fruit as garnish or if I’m feeling more decadent, a fragrant, peach or raspberry tonic. The added zhuzh of a little home-made purée though, adds a delicious upgrade. Here’s the peachy version, though you can swap the peaches for raspberries and use this fever tree Raspberry & Rhubarb tonic instead.

Ingredients & Method

• 100ml Fruity Rosé. (For this, I love Mirabeau X, £10 on offer at Sainsburys until 11/08)

• 75ml London Essence Peach & Jasmine Tonic (£24 for 24 x 20cl, Amathus)

• Pulp of one peach

• Peach slice and sprig of thyme for garnish.

• Pretty straw to stir

Blend your peach flesh until it’s as liquid as possible then place two spoonfuls carefully into the bottom of a large wine glass. Fill to the top with ice then slowly pour the rosé wine in down the side of the glass. Gently do the same with the tonic and marvel at the different layers of colour. You can leave them like that or if they’ve gone wonky. Very carefully mix together to not lose all the bubbles. Garnish and serve.

If you want the cheat version, the Mirabeau X Fever Tree Rosé Spritz mash up is excellent. Find it at Tesco for £12

Golden Hugo Spritz Recipe

(A functional, non-alcoholic spritz)

For those wanting a gentle buzz without any booze, GABA drinks are the way forward and professor David Nutt put these on the map with his brand his brand Sentia. The Sentia GABA Gold is specifically designed for a gentle uplift using a functional botanical blend, which includes ashwagandha, schisandra, damiana, ginseng and lemon balm. The Gold is great choice to mix with the leafy florals of elderflower and cooling mint in this spritz.

Ingredients & Method

• 50ml SENTIA GABA Gold

• 150ml soda water

• 12.5ml elderflower syrup or cordial

• 15ml fresh lime juice

• Fresh mint leaves

• Mint sprig and lime wheel, to garnish

Clap a small handful of fresh mint leaves and add them to a large wine glass. Fill it with ice, then add the Sentia GABA Gold, elderflower syrup and lime juice. Top with soda water and stir gently to combine. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig and lime wheel.

Another functional drinks brand that I love, Smiling Wolf, has brought out some new ready to drink, non-alcoholic, function cocktails in cans, including an Aperol Spritz -and they’re ace! I can barely tell this one is not booze. If you’re not into mixing your own, give these a try.

Want more summer sipping recommendations? Check out these articles:

One Minute WIne Ace: Picpoul de Pinet

How to find really good Prosecco

The Assyrtiko Grape: Among Greek Ruins

Want to listen to something? Discover the HelenaSips Podcast!

It may be scorching hot in the UK at the moment, but not everyone wants to drink white, rosé and sparkling all the time. Here are some rules of thumb for picking the right RED wines to chill and some great, affordable ones to try:

Chilled Red Wine - Rules of Thumb

Newsflash: It is perfectly fine to chill red wine down BUT some react better than others to cooler temperatures. The best styles of red wine for chilling tend to be lighter-bodied with minimal tooth-drying tannins and a generous dollop of fruitness. This is because cooler temperatures mute aromas and flavours so you need more of those in the first place. A bit of chill also exacerbates tannins, making a wine feel very dry in the mouth so go for something that’s silky smooth to start with. Here are some go-to styles that will take well to a good chilling:

Red Grapes & Styles That Chill Well:

• Beaujolais (made with the Gamay grape)

• Gamay from anywhere

• Pinot Noir from anywhere

• Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley

• Grenache aka Garnacha from anywhere

• Bobal

• Red Lambrusco

• Some Tempranillo (Not Rioja)

TRY THESE REDS CHILLED

Al Fresco Red, 11% ABV, £8.75 Co-op

The winemaker describes Al Fresco as a ‘smashable’ red, which is a perfect description for this light and tangy, cherry-scented, slightly herbaceous vino. Made with juicy Garnacha grapes from Spain, as its name suggests, this needs nothing but a slight chill, a comfy deckhair and some good conversation. At 11% too, it defines easy drinking. Not sweet either. Fab - and the label is pretty.

ViñaSol Fruity Red, Torres, £8.20 Ocado

Spanish winemaking family Torres are legendary in the trade and this new, lighter style of Tempranillo was made to be put in the fridge so I was expecting it to be sweeter for some reason. It’s dry and classy, with characteristic notes of savoury strawberry, a bit of herbaceousness and just enough grip to give it structure. No flabby wine here. I’m taking this to the beach to watch the sun go down.

Lambrusco Secco Reggiano, £8 M&S and Ocado

Lambrusco is back - and it’s a million miles from the sugar-fuelled commercial style of the past. This food-friendly, sparkling Italian tipple is an excellent version of ‘proper’ Lambrusco: deliciously rustic, dry and yeasty with lots of dark cherry and crunchy raspberry flavours and a moreish, balsamic-in-a-good-way kick. Serve it chilled with burgers and it’s highly smashable.

Toro Loco Red, £5.99 Tesco / £5.49 Aldi

With all the price rises we’ve seen in the past couple of years, it’s a wonder we can still find value vino that actually tastes as good as this one. Made with a blend of the Rioja grape Tempranillo and a large splash of fruity Bobal, this new-look Spanish sipper is rustic and savoury but not so heavy you feel the need for a big steak. Perfect if you love a bit of savoury fruit and are not into full-on jammy styles. 5/5

Blueprint Pinot Noir, £7.50, Waitrose

This exceptionally well-priced Pinot hails from Romania; a country which is producing some really lovely, light, aromatic and highly gluggable Pinot Noir wines under £10. Made by top producer Cramele Recas, this has all the ripe berry hallmarks of a cooler climate Pinot with a moreish, savoury spice note on the finish. Fabulous after a 20 minute chill and a plate of cold cuts as the sun goes down.

Where in the world are we?

The wine making area of Rías Baixas sits up in Galicia on Spain’s wild and wet, north-west corner. It gets its name from the many, long and thin fjord-like inlets (‘rias’) that funnel cool sea air straight into the vineyards. Baixas means lower, as this area is lower down the coast than another set of inlets: ‘Rias Alta’.

The Star Grape: Albariño

The white Albariño grape is the star of the show here. Think ripening lemons, wet rocks and salty sea spray with a peachy fleshiness and a bitter kick on the finish. Style-wise, most Albarino you’ll find is fresh and unoaked, made to be drunk young but keep an eye out for ‘sobre lías’ versions (aged on the lees for extra texture and roundness) and increasingly, some gorgeous barrel-aged and skin-contact bottlings that are wonderful with food. A teeny tiny amount of sparkling (‘espumoso’) Albariño is made too, though it’s hard to find.

The Subzones

Within Rìas Baixas there are 5 official sub regions that offer different Albariño moods:

Val do Salnés is the coolest and wettest, most coastal spot and Albariño’s historic heartland. Wines from here are nervy, saline and lemony.

O Rosal hugs the Miño River right where it meets the Atlantic on the Portuguese border. Wines here are a touch softer, often blended with Loureiro and Caíño Blanco for more perfumed and floral, peachier styles.

Condado do Tea is inland and mountainous, making it the warmest and driest subzone. These wines are ripe and round with softer acidity with classic notes of nectarine and pink grapefruit.

Soutomaior is tiny and hilly with sandy, granitic soils. These wines are especially taut and mineral-driven.

Ribeira do Ulla is the newest and most landlocked subzone, up near Santiago de Compostela. Alluvial soils here give softer, fruitier, more easier-drinking Albariño.

Food Pairings

Albariño was born for seafood - anything from octopus, oysters and prawns to simple, grilled fish. The lees aged, skin contact and oaked version can take heavier dishes too, including pork, poultry and many types of cheese.

Fun Fact!

There’s a bit of red wine in Rias Baixas too! It’s less than 5% of production and they’re usually a blend of local grapes like Caíño Tinto, Espadeiro, Loureiro Tinto, and Mencía. Style-wise, these are usually pale and light-bodied with high-acidity and a moreish, rustic funkiness. They’re often served chilled as well.

Subscribe now

Try these:

Pazo de Señorans 2024, £23.99 Virgin Wines, BBR,

A bang on, classic example of a top notch, young Albariño from Val do Salnès, Rias Baixas.

Pazo de Señorans Selección de Añada 2015, £54 VINVM £60 BBR

Did you know Albariño can age elegantly? Try this premium version from an older vintage.

Granbazán, Etiqueta Ambar, 2024, £18.95 N.D John on offer, Solent Cellar, £24

A complex, gastronomic Albariño made with hand-harvested, estate-grown grapes. This shows the weight and texture that lees ageing and long skin contact can add.

Santiago Ruiz O Rosal Rias Baixas 2025, £20.50 VINVM

A classic O Rosal blend, this is a blend of Albariño with local Loureiro, Treixadura, Godello and Caíño Blanco to give a quite a different style of white from the region.

Picpoul de Pinet AOC with Ormarine

The Vinalogy: Picpoul is the Surfer Girl of Wine Grapes!

Picpoul de Pinet is a crisp, refreshing white wine that tastes of lemon blossom, citrus peel, salt and herbs and it hails from the Languedoc on the Mediterranean coast of southern France. The grape is officially known as Piquepoul in this area, which translates roughly as ‘lip-stinger’ - fairly accurate, given the acidity, although ‘Picpoul’ is the spelling that seems to have stuck. The Picpoul grape can be found in a few places around the world now but the OG place for it is the appellation (designated production area) of Picpoul de Pinet, which wraps around the Étang de Thau lagoon between Montpellier and Béziers. Look out for that tall, green, embossed bottle and see more on the appellation and the Vinalogy here.

Read more About Picpoul de Pinet

What we tasted:

Villemarin Picpoul de Pinet 2025, £12.50 (£8.50 mix 6), Majestic

A beautiful, benchmark example of a young Picpoul de Pinet.

Ormarine ‘Cuvée Estela’ Picpoul de Pinet 2024, £15.50 (£14 mix 6) Majestic

The more savoury, gastronomic style, with a creamy texture from fine lees ageing, hence ‘Élevée sur Lies Fines’.

Ormarine ‘Acaciae’ 2020

A premium, richer, gastronomic and aromatic expression of Picpoul de Pinet where the wine was aged in acacia barrels.

Ormarine Extra Brut Sparkling Picpoul, £17.95 ND John

A lesser spotted, sparkling Picpoul made in a very dry style, hence ‘extra brut’. Note that sparkling Picpouls are not part of the AOC!

DO Rias Baixas: Albariño

The Vinalogy: Albariño is the Mermaid of Wine Grapes!

Albariño is the grape taking the summer and all its seafood delights by storm! You may know it in its lighter, spritzier, Portuguese guise as Vinho Verde but it’s the Rías Baixas region in Galicia, northwestern Spain on the Atlantic coast where we find the version that’s grabbing the headlines. The area here is cool, damp and pretty green and there’s a maritime climate with granite-rich soils that the grape loves. These Albariño wines are substantial, food friendly white wines packed with waxy citrus and peach with a distinct briny note and a bitter kick on the finish. They are generally unoaked and make perfect pairings for the region’s own seafood and shellfish. See more about the grape here and the region here!

Read More About Rias Baixas

What we tasted:

Pazo de Señorans 2024, £23.99 Virgin Wines, BBR,

A bang on, classic example of a top notch, young Albariño from Rias Baixas.

Pazo de Señorans Selección de Añada 2015, £54 VINVM £60 BBR

Did you know Albariño can age elegantly? Try this premium version from an older vintage.

Granbazán, Etiqueta Ambar, 2024, £18.95 N.D John on offer, Solent Cellar, £24

A complex, gastronomic Albariño made with hand-harvested, estate-grown grapes. This shows the weight and texture that lees ageing and long skin contact can add.

Santiago Ruiz O Rosal Rias Baixas 2025, £20.50 VINVM

Our sneaky extra, this is a blend of Albariño with local Loureiro, Treixadura, Godello and Caíño Blanco to give a quite a different style of white from the region.

A Sparkling Wine Sips Safari

A journey through three key methods of making sparkling wine with a bit of an Old World Vs New World comparison while we’re at it.

La Gioiosa Prosecco Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG 2025, £12 on offer (was £14) Ocado & Amazon

Charmat method - But make it premium! Here we look at the tank method that makes Prosecco and taste the difference that location, vintage and lower sugar levels can make.

Hattingley Valley Classic Reserve, Brut NV, Hampshire £26 on offer Waitrose was £38 hattingleyvalley.com

Traditional Method - From Hampshire, England. A blend of the three champagne grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

(Sat) Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs MCC 2020, South Africa, £24 (£21 mix 6) Majestic

Traditional Method - From South Africa. 100% Chardonnay and vintage.

(Sun) Graham Beck Rosé MCC 2019, South Africa, £24 (£21 mix 6) Majestic

Traditional Method - From South Africa. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Pét Nat Brut Rosé, £15 M&S and Ocado

Pétillant Naturel method - From Kent, England. Where the wine finishes a single fermentation in the bottle, leaving the yeast sediment to add flavours and creaminess. Made from Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay.

Meet the Chef

Chef Amaresh Nandan from The White Hart

Dish: Provencale-crusted Devon Scallops, datterino tomato fondue, grilled courgette, new potatoes.

Wine: Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs 2020, £65 Gusbourne.co.uk

This is Gusbourne’s signature wine. Made with 100% Chardonnay from a warm vintage in Kent, this is complex and elegant, with a touch of brioche and toasted nut, freshened up by a saline core and a twist of lemon peel.

Chef Dylan James from Cambium at Careys Manor

Dish: Whole plaice, crab gnocchi, summer bean cassoulet & mussel flatbreads with fennel.

Wine: Trouble Organic Rosé by Gérard Bertrand, £12 from Ocado and M&S

A cloudy, biodynamic, minimal intervention rosé (‘troublé’ in French!) which tastes lean and mineral with notes of rose and underripe strawberry. The creamy texture makes it very much a foodie wine.

Suki Pantal Indian chef and food writer

Dish: Keralan monkfish curry with coconut

Drink: Chorus Sparkling Beer, £19.95 chorusbeer.com

A beer for wine lovers! With fine bubbles and an ABV of 12%, served in a 750ml bottle, this beer combines much of what wine lovers want in a sparkling with the caramel richness of a tasting beer. brewed in teh New Forest, it’s local, too!

Tom Gilbey has spent over 30 years in the wine trade, but you’ll probably know him best as that guy on social media who is brutally and hilariously honest about every wine he tastes, rating them CLASS, PASS or absolute ARSE.

He’s tasted a different bottle at every mile of the London Marathon, demonstrated wine temperature by sitting in an ice bath at 3 degrees, he has a book, a new wine club and is about to take his live show Absolute Filth on tour around the UK and Ireland. In a world of stuffy tasting notes, he’s a real breath of fresh air.

In this conversation, we talk about his long family history in booze, a joint love of unpretentious wine places, the bottle that ‘did it’ for him, ice baths, sensory memories, TikTok, Jam Shed wine and his upcoming tour, Absolute Filth.

Find Tom Gilbey

Instagram: @tomgilbeywine

For all things tour, book and info: tomgilbey.com

In the glass…

A Chilli Martini from Sophie’s Soho

Make it yourself? Here’s how:

• Vodka: 50 ml (or 1.75 oz) premium or vanilla-infused vodka

• Passionfruit Puree: 25 ml (or 0.8 oz)

• Vanilla Syrup: 15–20 ml (or 0.5–0.75 oz) depending on sweetness preference

• Red Chilli: 1/2 to 1 sliced red chilli (adjust to your preferred heat

  Chill a martini glass, then muddle fresh red chilli slices with vanilla syrup in a shaker to release the heat. Add vodka and passionfruit puree, fill with ice and shake hard for 15-20 seconds. Double strain into the chilled glass to keep out seeds, and float a chilli slice on top to garnish.

*******

Liked this? Listen to more episodes:

Olympian Legend, Dame Jess Ennis-Hill

Designer & entrepreneur, Cath Kidston

‘Chocolat’ author, Joanne Harris

Actor & Winemaker Sam Neill

Designer & Artist Laurence Llewellyn Bowen

Broadcaster & super athlete, Vassos Alexander

Co-Founder of Renais Gin, Alex Watson

Artisan perfumer, Sarah McCartney

Mr Plant Geek, Michael Perry

This week, I wrote about English Sparkling wine in the Daily Mail but if you missed it and are not a Mail+ subscriber, here it is:

For decades, you’d have been laughed out of any bar or wine shop for suggesting that the English could beat the French at their own game with sparkling wine - and for good reason. Early English vino tended to be on the weedy side: thin and astringent, made with obscure Germanic grapes and pumped full of sugar in a desperate bid to balance eye-watering acidity. Not any more, though - nor has it been that way for about twenty years. Anyone writing off English wine as a joke in 2026 isn’t being discerning; they’re simply not paying attention.

The numbers alone tell a story. According to WineGB, the national trade body for the English and Welsh wine industry, there are now 1,158 vineyards, nearly 260 registered wineries and sales have rocketed by around 200% in six years, making viticulture the fastest-growing agricultural sector in the United Kingdom. Waitrose has seen sales of English fizz jump 15%; Ocado says searches for English sparkling wine have doubled since last year and their BWS Trading Manager Vanessa Pearson is unequivocal: “It’s a category that’s firmly earned its place alongside some of the world’s most established sparkling wines, driven by high quality and a real sense of identity. It’s time to see English sparkling not as an alternative, but as a first choice.” Hear, hear.

If proof were needed, the silverware is seriously piling up. Nyetimber in West Sussex has been racking up gold medals since 1997 and last year, made history as the first ever non-Champagne producer to claim the International Wine Challenge’s Champion Sparkling trophy; an award the French had taken home 34 years in a row. Ridgeview in Sussex beat five champagnes in 2010 to win the International Sparkling trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards and the same competition opened the magnum category to non-Champagne sparklers for the first time last year too - and English winemaker Dermot Sugrue walked straight in and claimed the top prize for Sugrue South Downs.

Producers like these, alongside Hambledon, Gusbourne and others now routinely beat Champagne in blind tastings judged by sommeliers and other experts. Kent’s Chapel Down took this a step further still recently, having the genius idea - and sheer audacity - to take its bottles to the streets of Champagne under the alias ‘Chapelle en Bas’. They found that six out of ten French consumers tasting blind said they preferred the English sparkling. Très embarrassant. And while fizz has been the headline act of the last two decades, English still wines are catching up fast: WineGB’s 2026 awards saw more medals go to still wines than sparkling for the first time.

So what’s changed? Climate, for one thing. Average temperatures in southern England have risen by two degrees since the 1970s, with acceleration in the last ten years. That difference, when coupled with chalky landscapes that perfectly echo the Champagne region, a decision en masse to double down on Champagne-style wines using Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier and the runaway early successes of Nyetimber amongst others, has been enough for producers to invest in viticulture here - including two major Champagne houses: Taittinger and Pommery. A 2023 report stated that nearly £480m had been invested in England’s vineyards and wineries over the previous five years; a figure that will have increased substantially by now. And while Kent, Dorset and the southern mainland coast have been getting much of the glory, eyes are now turning further north to the midlands and Yorkshire, east to Essex and across the Solent to the sunny Isle of Wight, where boutique producers like Pinkmead Estate and Gatcombe Estate are quietly laying the foundations for something sustainable and serious.

Subscribe now

A Wine Tourism App

Wine tourism is booming, helping breed brand loyalty and chunky sales, with restaurants and guest houses springing up at wineries seemingly every week. Middle-class Brits are lapping it up, pleased to be buying British and buying local. And happily, doing that just got easier: a new app, the UK Vineyard Guide (ukvineyardguide.co.uk), launched this spring to help wine tourists find, plan and enjoy vineyard visits across England and Wales. There has never been a better time to explore the vineyards on our doorsteps.

England may have come late to the world’s winemaking party - but it has absolutely no intention of leaving early. Let’s raise a glass to that!

Try these English Sparkling Wines

The Trouble With Dreams 2020, Sugrue South Downs, Sussex, £50 Swig

Made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, this is a stunning, fruit-forward, generous fizz from a gloriously warm vintage, delivering lemon peel, apple and biscuit with a chalky mineral streak.

Squerryes Brut 2022, Kent, £40.99 House of Decant, squerryes.co.uk

Made from all three Champagne grapes, this is a full and flavoursome, sophisticated fizz with complex notes of tangy red apple, peach and pastry with a touch of spice on the finish.

Dancing Duchess, £42 dancingduchess.com

This elegant, yet playful sparkling rosé from a new, boutique producer is made with 100% Meunier: something rarely seen in the UK! Think pale, dry and crisp with bright red fruit and a delicate, brioche toastiness.

New Hall Wine Estate, Classic Cuvée, Crouch Valley, Essex. £29.50 newhallwines.com

From the most exciting new region for fine wine in the country - Crouch Valley, Essex - this classic fizz is all about fleshy, golden delicious apples and white peach with textural, brioche-like notes.

Flint Vineyard Charmat Rose, Norfolk, £20 on offer at Ocado, Cambridge Wine Merchants

‘Charmat’ is the method used to make Prosecco so expect an easy drinking, fruity, fizz that’s dark pink and packed full of strawberry bon bon flavours, a subtle nuttiness and a pretty whiff of rose.

This episode is a little different in format, as I managed to grab some time with Sam Neill while on a recent wine press trip to New Zealand before I knew The HelenaSips Podcast would exist!

In this intimate chat, we hear about Sam’s philosophy on wine and the character of each of the Central Otago subregions where he grows his grapes for Two Paddocks. We hear what he drinks when it’s not Pinot, get an explanation of each of his cuvées as songs, discover his favourite role to play and learn why he will never put his wine under a cork again!

Please subscribe if you enjoy these conversations - and tell your friends.

Subscribe now

Find Sam Neill

Instagram: @samneilltheprop

In the glass…

Two Paddocks Estate Pinot Noir 2024

Silky, elegant and aromatic with notes of wild herbs and bright red cherry. A delight!

twopaddocks.com

*******

Liked this? Listen to more episodes:

Designer & entrepreneur, Cath Kidston

Chocolate author, Joanne Harris

Broadcaster & super athlete, Vassos Alexander

Co-Founder of Renais Gin, Alex Watson

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is an interior designer turned TV icon who’s now reclaiming his roots as a fine artist. Classically trained at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts, he spent years adorning everything from oligarchs’ boudoirs to West End theatre ceilings before the cameras showed up.

He then spent the best part of a decade transforming other people’s living rooms on national television with Changing Rooms, watched by 12 million Brits at its peak and since then has been a regular feature on all sorts of shows, from being thrown around a jungle on celebrity bear hunt to playing pictionary live on air. But somewhere between the leather trousers and the velvet curtains, the painter got quietly sidelined by the tvs star. Now, in his 61st year, he’s picking the brushes back up and touring the country with his third solo show, Drawn to Adorn, and by his own admission, hitting a technical peak most pensioners don’t get to brag about…

We talk gin as an antiseptic, simple food habits, his upbringing in Kensington and southeast London and his journey from art school to television and back to artist again. Along the way, we touch on his mother’s influence, the importance of arty careers, confidence, genitals and some pretty solid advice for life.

Subscribe for episode updates!

Find Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

Instagram: @llewelynbowen

LLB Design Website: llb.co.uk

Drawn to Adorn show with Buckingham Fine Art:

• Sat 27th June in Brighton

• 11th July in Stratford-upon-Avon

Get tickets and more information HERE.

Buy the art here: cotswoldcontemporary.co.uk

In the glass…

Gin. Any Gin. And sometimes, with tonic!

*******

Liked this? Listen to more episodes:

Olympian Legend, Dame Jess Ennis-Hill

Designer & entrepreneur, Cath Kidston

‘Chocolat’ author, Joanne Harris

Actor & Winemaker Sam Neill

Broadcaster & super athlete, Vassos Alexander

Co-Founder of Renais Gin, Alex Watson

Artisan perfumer, Sarah McCartney

Mr Plant Geeek, Michael Perry

Toro Loco hails from Utiel-Requena, a high altitude wine region east of Valencia. Here, Mediterranean breezes and a wide swing between warm days and cool nights give the grapes plenty of time to ripen slowly while holding onto their acidity giving wines freshness and fruitiness in equal measure. The brand works with 3,000 winegrower families across the appellation and has built a reputation for genuinely fantastic value, picking up more than 100 medals over the past decade.

Within this region is a ‘superior’ zone, known for vineyards that produce low yields from ancient vines and where traditional growing methods are used. The ‘Superior’ red, our focus for tonight, is built around Bobal, the appellation’s signature grape. It’s blended with Tempranillo, giving you juicy spiced cherry and strawberry compote character with a touch of damson skin grip on the palate. It’s an unfussy, food-friendly red that doesn’t ask much of you beyond a Wednesday night and some simple tapas, which is exactly the point.

See more about Toro Loco and all their wines here.

Tonight’s Wines

Toro Loco White

95% Viura, 5% Sauvignon Blanc

Made largely with the Viura grape and a splash of Sauvignon for zestiness, this white is crisp and refreshing, with bright citrus notes, crunchy green apple and a pretty, floral lift. THE VINALOGY: Antonio Banderas, younger, in Zorro: bright. vibrant, fresh and uncomplicated.

Toro Loco Rosado

100% Bobal

This is an elegant, pale and dry rosé with delicate notes of raspberry and cherry with hints of zesty citrus. Immensely refreshing and vibrant, this will cover a lot of food bases. The VINALOGY: Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona: sun-warmed and playful, still carrying that same Mediterranean heat as the red but worn lightly, nothing weighing it down.

Toro Loco ‘Superior’ Fruity & Juicy Red

60% Tempranillo, 40% Bobal

A deceptively complex wine for its style, this red is immensely fresh, juicy and easy to drink, with aromas of wild strawberry, red cherries and a thirst-slaking mineral tang. THE VINALOGY: Clint Eastwood in The Dollars Trilogy: Young, vibrant, soft leather and spice, smooth talking with licorice whips and a little grippiness.

Find it for £5.79 at Tesco and Aldi in store.

THE TORO LOCO MENU - by Alex Forsyth

Jamon with sweet paprika nuts

Avocado gazpacho shots

Empanadas

Padon peppers

Grilled chorizo

White bean stew with clams

Potato Tortilla

***

BBQ pork flank

Watermelon and cured goats cheese salad

Baby potatoes with saffron aioli

Green salad

Toasted sourdough

***

Asturian apple tart

Manchego and pears

Make sure you’re on the list to hear about future wine masterclass, Supper Club events on the Isle of Wight by subscribing! You’ll also get weekly wine wisdom and recommendations and links to the HelenaSips Podcast.

Subscribe now

Prosecco is arguably the most carelessly bought wine on the supermarket shelf, in my opinion. Most people grab whatever’s on offer with no idea that there’s a quality hierarchy hiding in plain sight on the label. The fix is simple: look for the G - and trade up a bit in price. This is what I mean and crucially, why it’s worth it:

DOC vs DOCG

The best Proseccos I have tasted (and last week, I was out in Italy judging A LOT of them blind for an international wine competition, so I should know!), tend to be much drier than most we get in the UK and showcase a gorgeous, subtle complexity with a real sense of place. I’m not talking simple, saccharine, frothy, pear-scented fizz here; I mean verbena, gentian and wild jasmine with notes of rose, white peach, lemon cream and apricot, all freshened up by a slick of salty minerality. I’m talking seriously classy sparkling wines where you can actually tell the difference between them - and they all have one thing in common: The ‘G’.

What’s the ‘G?’

In the UK, around 94% of all the Prosecco we import is of a DOC quality level, which simply assures the area of production and the methods used. Only a tiny sliver, around 6%, of what’s imported is DOCG level, where the ‘G’ stands for ‘Garantita’: ‘guaranteed’. This means extra layers of rules, quality and therefore, prestige. It’s the difference between Prosecco as a category and Prosecco as a place. This is not to throw shade on Prosecco DOC; it has its place, it’s reliable can be excellent in its category. If you’re learning about nuance and heirarchy though, look a little higher up. Literally.

The Prosecco DOC area covers a whopping 89,000 acres of farmland between the Dolomites and the Adriatic and here, the land is largely flat and open with widely spaced rows of vines that make mechanical harvesting easy. This is why yields of grapes and therefore volumes can be so high - rarely a marker of super high quality wine. The tendency with DOC is to make a slightly sweeter style too, which is unhelpfully known as ‘Extra Dry’. Don’t get me started on that. In any case, all these things are why most of us assume that all Prosecco is sweet, simple and cheap as chips, with very little distinction between bottles - even though some are definitely better than others.

Why DOCG wines are ‘Superiore’ (and earn the G!)

DOCG wines are a big step up in quality and helpfully, labels will usually, though not always, state ‘Superiore’ on them somewhere to make us more aware of their superior status. There are many reasons why they are so good:

Hillside Vineyards: Unlike the vast flatlands of the DOC, here, the steep slopes between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene are too steep for machines. This means every bunch is hand harvested. Massive quality tick! The same goes for Asolo, the smaller, lesser known DOCG to the southwest.

Tiny Production Zone: Quality beats quantity every time. Conegliano Valdobbiadene covers around 21,500 acres against the DOC’s 89,000. Asolo is small too at just 4,400 acres.

Lower Grape Yields: The slopes naturally limit how much fruit the vines can carry, and less fruit means more flavour packed into what’s left.

Altitude: Vines climbing up to 500 metres above sea level experience cooler nights, which means slower ripening and a freshness that gives these wines a real lift.

The ‘Rive’ System: The Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG recognises 43 individually named hillside parcels known as ‘rive’ (pronounced ‘ree-vay’), each with its own soil type and microclimate. This means subtle differences in the glass based on where the grapes were grown. With practice, you can pick out what each rive brings. On the label, you’ll see ‘Rive di…’ and the name, such as ‘Rive di Soligo’. Also, Rive wines MUST be ‘vintage’, i.e. made from grapes grown in one year only.

Often Drier: Serious DOCG producers have been moving toward drier ‘Brut’ and ‘Extra Brut’ styles over the last decade, while basic DOC still leans more heavily on sweeter, Extra Dry and Dry styles, which are handy for flattering less interesting fruit. These drier styles tend to be more nuanced, in my experience. Having said that, it’s worth trying some properly sweet Dry styles (don’t even..!) when they’re a ‘Cartizze’ (see below) or a top producer - preferably both!

A UNESCO site: The Conegliano Valdobbiadene hills became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019 - official recognition of just how special this landscape is.

Cartizze: Within the Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG sits a tiny sub-zone called ‘Cartizze’. At just over 100 hectares in size, Cartizze is considered to be the finest hillside within the whole appellation. Wines from here carry the designation ‘Superiore di Cartizze’; the most prestigious DOCG label you can find. The jewel in the crown!

GEEK FACT!

The full name for what the pros are now calling ConVal is Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. It’s quite the mouthful but so satisfying when it rolls off the tongue! Sometimes, you’ll see just ‘Valdobbiadene’ on its own, which usually signals that the producer is emphasising the western, higher altitude end of the zone, closer to Cartizze, but you might also see just ‘Conegliano’. Both are allowed; the former is a hint towards a more prestigious style whereas the latter is more about where the vineyards lie physically.

Your Quality Prosecco Cheatsheet

Here’s a summary of what to look for in order to find a seriously delicious Prosecco:

• Look for the G: DOCG

• Look for Conegliano Valdobbiadene or Asolo somewhere on the label.

• If you see Valdobbiadene alone, it points toward the posher zone near Cartizze.

• Look for a Rive di + name if you want a genuine sense of place.

• Choose Brut or Extra Brut over Extra Dry or Dry (ironically) for a drier, more nuanced style unless you want a posh wine for cheese or pudding.

• Look for Millesimato and/ or a year if you want vintage character.

• Choose Cartizze if you are celebrating something special and really see what top notch Prosecco looks like.

  Some DOCG Prosecco Wines to Try

La Gioiosa Brut Prosecco Valdobbiadene DOCG Superiore Millesimato, £14.50 Ocado

A great, easy going example of a vintage DOCG with notes of golden delcicious apples, white peach and jasmine. An Extra Dry style so expect lots of fruit ripeness.

Ruggeri ‘Orizzonti’ Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut NV, £15 (£13.50 mix 6) Majestic

The Ruggeri family go back generations in the area and this DOCG is a good example of a drier ‘Brut’ style with real citrus freshness, though there’s still ripeness there.

Biancavigna Prosecco DOCG Extra Brut, Rive di Soligo, £21.80 Amathus

One of the driest styles, this vintage, Extra Brut shows the terroir of Soligo beautifully with fine bubbles and notes of acacia, wisteria, white peach and a mineral core.

Biancavigna Prosecco DOCG Brut Nature ‘Sui Lieviti’ 2020, £22.20 Amathus

‘Sui Lieviti’ means ‘on lees’ and this style is essentially Prosecco’s Pét Nat. Naturally cloudy and savoury with notes of peach skin and nuts, this is a textural, foodie wine.

Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze DOCG ‘Le Colture’, £24.50 Corney & Barrow

Cartizze wines suit a Dry style which ironically, is the sweetest - but it’s never cloying here! This is round and ripe with notes of caramelised peach and jasmine, lifted by verbena. It’s perfect with cheese and salty snacks as well as less sugary desserts like tarte tatin.

Picpoul de Pinet now has its own dedicated celebration day on the second Friday of June (tomorrow!) Here’s your One Minute Wine Ace Guide to help you make the most of it. Grab a bottle and raise a glass!

What is Picpoul de Pinet?

Picpoul de Pinet is a crisp white wine from the Languedoc on the Mediterranean coast of southern France. Piquepoul is the official, older name of the grape variety in this area, which translates roughly as ‘lip-stinger’ - fairly accurate, given the acidity you’re in for, although ‘Picpoul’ is the spelling that seems to have stuck and the one virtually everyone recognises. Even the official appellation itself uses it!

Picpoul de Pinet became its own appellation in 2013, which for a wine this unpretentious is a relatively recent badge of honour. Look out for the bottle shape too. Many producers use a tall, slender, slightly tapered green bottle with embossing reminiscent of an old French perfume bottle. It’s a useful shortcut when you’re scanning the wine aisles in a hurry.

Where is it?

Picpoul de Pinet wraps around the Étang de Thau, a vast saltwater lagoon separated from the sea by a narrow strip of land. This is serious oyster and mussel territory and one of France’s most important shellfish farming areas. The vineyards sit on a plateau of clay and limestone overlooking the lagoon, catching cooling sea breezes that keep the grapes fresh. The nearest city is Montpellier, about 30 minutes away by car, with the village of Pinet itself giving the wine its name.

What does Picpoul de Pinet taste like?

Bone dry, bracingly acidic and coastal in the most literal sense. Think green apple, lemon and lime, white flowers and a distinct salinity that tastes almost like sea spray. There’s often a faint bitterness on the finish, almost like grapefruit pith, which is part of its charm. It’s best served properly cold.

If it had a character, it would be windsurfer on the lagoon with wind in her hair…

Watch The Video

Picpoul de Pinet Food Pairing

This is, quite simply, one of the great oyster wines of the world. The acidity cuts straight through the brininess and the wine’s own salinity makes it feel like an extension of the dish, sweetening up the fleshiness.

Beyond oysters, it’s brilliant with any shellfish. It handles fried food surprisingly well too, the acidity cutting through any oiliness. Goat’s cheese is another classic match, and it’s a reliable partner for anything with citrus, herbs or a touch of chilli.

Try These!

Ormarine ‘Villemarin’ Picpoul de Pinet 2025, £12.50 (£10 mix 6) Majestic Wines

Ormarine is the leading brand of the region. The Villemarin now comes in a much lighter, more environmentally friendly eco bottle and it is your benchmark Picpoul de Pinet: zesty and crisp with intense notes of lemon peel, green apple and a slick of salinity. Stunning with fresh oysters and prawns.

Ormarine ‘Cuvée Estela’ Sur Lies Fines, Picpoul de Pinet 2024, £15.50 (£14 mix 6) Majestic Wine

A more gastronimic style of Picpoul de Pinet from Ormarine, this wine has had time ageing on its spent yeast cells, or fine ‘lees’, hence ‘sur lies’. This gives the wine more complex flavours of nectarine and peach skin as well as more texture, so it can handle more weighty, flavoursome dishes such as scallops in creamy sauces or garlicky chicken.

Want the full, global Picpoul Wine Grape Sips Safari? Watch the Vinalogy Video !