Pét-Nat is short for Pétillant Naturel, which is French for ‘naturally sparkling’ or if you’re a child like me ‘a little farty’. ‘Peter’ means to fart. And it’s a type of fizz that’s made in a simpler, more natural way than Champagne, which is arguably more important.

The Method

What this simpler way means is that, instead of going through two fermentations - one to turn the grape juice into wine and the other to make and capture the bubbles inside the bottle - with Pét-Nat, the juice is bottled while still fermenting the first time around, then fixed with a crown cap. This means the CO2 that’s produced at the same time as the alcohol can’t escape and dissolves into the bottles, making bubbles. It also means there’s not a chance to filter out the dead yeast cells from fermentation so it stays a bit cloudy with some sediment.

It’s a process known as the ancestral méthod, which, fun fact, actually predates Champagne! It started in the 16th century, down in Limoux not far from Carcassonne in southern France.

The Style

Pét Nat can be white, rosé or even red and it will always have a simple, rustic feel because unlike commercial wine, it is not filtered to make it star bright - but don’t let that scare you. The cloudiness is part of its unique charm and just means it’s less processed and flavoursome. And with fewer additives, lower alcohol and less sugar, Pét Nat on the whole is actually better for you than many commercial wines!

They’re made for easy, immediate drinking, offering a playful, more approachable alternative to more traditional sparklers. It also tends to be cheaper and has a less formal, much more modern look and feel too, with some really cool labels out there. It’s really trendy right now.

Most Pét Nat will come under the banner of Natural wines because the method fits the low-intervention approach, but not all of them do. Some winemakers may use pesticides, additives or non-organic grapes so they don’t meet the strict criteria to be considered officially natural.

This is a style that’s related to Natural wine, Organic and Biodynamic Wines but is not identical. Upgrade to paid to get full access to the HelenaSips wine course!

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Try these:

M&S Rosé Pét Nat Brut, £15 - M&S and Ocado

Alma 4 Phos Pét Nat, £12 Tesco

New Theory Pot Luck, £19 Amathus Wines

Have you listened to The HelenaSips Podcast yet?

Join me for some intimate conversations with well-loved creatives on their sensory memories and the rituals that bring them joy and keep them calm. Episodes so far:

Designer & Entrpreneur Cath Kidston

Actor & Winemaker Sam Neill

Chocolate author Joanne Harris

Gin Founder Alex Watson

Broadcaster & athlete Vassos Alexander

Cin cin!
Helena x

Sauvignon Blanc: The English Country Garden

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Here’s my VINALOGY for Sauvignon Blanc to make its personality easier to remember:

Imagine a cool, crisp, spring morning in Kent, the ‘Garden of England’, just after a light shower of rain. Strolling around you catch the aroma of freshly cut grass, nettles and ferns. Gooseberry bushes and pale yellow elderflower gracefully frame a wet stone pathway and the faint hint of classical music is just audible in the background. Ah, the peace and tranquillity. But what’s this? The rain has stopped and the clouds have parted. The garden has taken on a more tropical vibe and I swear the plants have grown bigger. Look what happens when you add some sun!

Sauvignon Blanc is arguably the most recognisable white grape variety around, which also means it can split the judges. This is because along with its zesty, grass and wet stone flavours come distinctive aromas that its fans describe as elderflower, its dissenters as cat pee. Now, you may prefer this pale yellow, green-tinged wine its more reserved, English garden mode, in which case you’d head straight for cool climate France. If you’re more of a party fiend however, digging the louder, more tropical vibe, then head somewhere with a little more sunshine in the New World.

SAUVIGNON BLANC SIPS SAFARI

Top get the measure of this grape, start by comapring three from the most famous regions for it globally:

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No 1: Loire Valley, France

France’s Loire Valley is Sauvignon’s first home and the appellation of Sancerre, which is Sauvignon but named after the village, is the most famous production area. Here you’ll find classic, country garden aromas in a subtle, refined style. For less expensive, more accessible Sauvignon in this still style however, seek out the wines from Touraine. Or, for a more complex, flinty, smoky savvy B, take a peek at the style made in Pouilly Fumé. That’s terroir for you!

Try: Sancerre ‘Les Marennes’, £18.50 om offer (Was £22.50) Waitrose

No 2: Marlborough, New Zealand

Sauvignon has a permanent holiday home in New Zealand, where Marlborough is its most famous region. Equally happy here as it is in France, the flavour volume is turned right up and someone has brought out the tinned asparagus and tropical fruit! You can’t do Sauvignon Blanc without trying one from Marlborough but it’s great all around both islands, especially Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa.

Try: Yealands Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2025, £8 Asda

Sauvignon Blanc 3: Bordeaux, France

Dry Sauvignon Blanc is also a staple in Bordeaux, though it’s often eclipsed by the red wines. It’s one half of the famous white Bordeaux blend and you can also find it here as a single varietal. Look to the Graves sub region for particularly fine white wines that Thomas Jefferson would adore as well as to local, simple and much cheaper, single varietal Sauvignons.

Try: Sainsbury’s Bordeaux Sauvignon, Taste the Difference, £8.50, Sainsbury’s

Also try:

Happily for Savvy B lovers, you can find this grape all over the world now. For amazing value and smoky grapefruit notes, head to cool-climate Chile’s Casablanca and Leyda Valleys. For more powerful style, also look to Napa Valley in California and Elgin and Stellenbosch in South Africa.

Sauvignon Blanc is…

• Pale lemon-green in colour

• Body is usually elegant and light

• All about cut grass, wet stone, elderflower and, sometimes, guava

• The star grape of Sancerre, France and Marlborough, New Zealand

• The world’s greatest grape to pair with goats cheese

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.

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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

Look, I know that to some of us, ‘leftover’ red wine isn’t a thing but I’m told it does happen occasionally! And yes, it’s wonderful in gravy and stews but I saw this recipe while working with much-loved Spanish wine brand Toro Loco and it appealed even more. The best part? It’s super simple to make AND the wine works because it’s fruity and delicious but won’t break the bank. Here’s what you need and how to do it:

RED WINE CHOCOLATE CAKE (10 mins prep)

Ingredients:

300ml Fruity Red Wine ( I used Toro Loco Superior Red, £5.99 Tesco & £5.49 Aldi)

150g Plain Flour

100g Light Brown Sugar

100g Caster Sugar

60g Cocoa powder

60ml Vegetable or Coconut Oil

1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp Baking Powder

½ tsp Salt

Optional Cream Cheese Topping:

150g Cream Cheese

120g Icing Sugar

½ Tsp Vanilla Extract

Method:

Combine all dry ingredients, then slowly stir in the wine and oil. Grease the tin and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 25 minutes depending on your desired goo factor! If you’re going for a topping, wait for the cake to cool then combine the ingredients in a bowl, stir and spread. Super simple.

IN THE GLASS 🍷🇪🇸

Toro Loco Superior Tempranillo-Bobal Red, Spain.

£5.99 Tesco & £5.49 Aldi

Hailing from Spain’s Utiel-Requena region, not far from Valenca, this Tempranillo and Bobal blend is is the flagship wine from Toro Loco and shows of generous, fruity aromas of cherry, plum and blackberry, with soft tannins and a dry finish. It’s cheerfully uncomplicated and the perfect profile for this tasty pud.

For more on Toro Loco, see here!

For the latest episode of The HelenaSips Podcast, click here!

When it comes to official restaurant guides, the priority has always been food. This makes sense on many levels but for real wine lovers like us, it misses something - the main something!

For those unfamiliar, Star Wine List was born out of a very real gap in the industry: the need for a global, trusted way for wine lovers to discover genuinely great wine lists while shining a light on the people quietly curating the most exciting, thoughtful selections in the world. It is the wine lover’s shorthand for where to drink well; a guide to the finest restaurants and bars across 46 countries, assessed and recommended by wine professionals who actually know their stuff including Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers. The annual awards tour takes that mission on the road, shining a light on the teams behind the lists as much as the lists themselves.

A couple of weeks ago, the Star Wine List of the Year UK returned to London for its sixth UK edition and I was lucky enough to be in the room to celebrate the winners as they were announced. Results are below but firstly, here’s what the stars mean:

How the Stars Work

Star Wine List operates on two separate strands. The first is the guide: an ongoing global directory of great places to drink wine, where venues hold either a Red Star (personally visited and recommended by someone on the team) or a White Star (wine list reviewed and approved, but not yet visited in person).

The second strand is the annual awards competition, which is what the London ceremony was all about. Any restaurant or bar can enter their wine list to be judged. Finalists receive a Silver Star; winners get a Gold Star. These are entirely separate from the guide stars and a venue doesn’t need to be listed to compete.

This year, 13 Gold Stars were handed out across as many categories. All but one went to London venues with the Best Rosé Wine List coming home to the Isle of Wight for the second year running with my dear friends, Ashley & Tom at The Terrace, Ventnor. Huzzah!

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This Year’s Gold Stars

Seek out these venues for the most epic and imaginative of wine lists:

INTERNATIONAL CATEGORIES

Best Long List, presented by Bibendum ( lists with 600+ wines)

Doppo, London

Best Medium-Sized List, presented by Dreissigacker( 200-600 wines)

Trivet, London

Best Short List, presented by The Buyer (fewer than 200 wines)

DakaDaka, London

Best By-the-Glass List, presented by Lingua Franca

Row on 5, London

Best Sparkling Wine List, presented by Laurent-Perrier

Row on 5, London

Best Newcomer List

Labombe by Trivet, London

Sustainability Prize, presented by Esterházy

Restaurant St. Barts, London

Best Austrian Wine List, presented by Austrian Wine

Newcomer Wines, London

Best Italian Wine List

Doppo, London

Special Jury Prize (Rewards a place that does something out of the ordinary)

OMA, London

LOCAL CATEGORIES

Best Rosé Wine List, presented by Château Galoupet

The Terrace Rooms & Wine, Ventnor

Best Spanish Wine List, presented by Familia Torres

Mountain, London

Best Riesling Wine List, presented by Dr. Lippold

Claridge’s Restaurant, London

Want to know more about Star Wine List and the winners? Click here! Star Wine List is also available as an app.

*****

#ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)

• The HelenaSips Podcast is now live! Check here to see who’s on…

• Côtes du Rhône: Boyband of Wine Styles. Read it here.

• Get Midweek French Bistro Vibes with this Croque Monsieur Recipe & Wine Pairing. Read it here.

LISTEN HERE!

In episode 4 of The HelenaSips Podcast, Helena meets Alex Watson, co-founder of Renais Gin with his actor sister, Emma Watson.

This is a conversation about creating a unique spirit made from ‘upcycled’ Chablis grapes that looks as good as it tastes. We hear about what growing up in France has taught him about the French concept of the Art of Living and what makes for a good life. Along the way, we touch on glassware and cocktails, the family winery and how to make and epic ‘terroir-tini’.

Oh, and the Charles Spence phrase we were looking for was the ‘Provençal Rosé Effect.’ Intrigued? Have a listen!

In the glass

The Terroir Martini

60ml Renais Gin

15ml Chablis Wine

2 Dashes Lemon Bitters

Chilled Martini Glass

Method: Add all your ingredients into a mixing glass, then fill to the brim with large chunks of clear, quality ice. Stir for 20 seconds to chill and dilute. Pour into the chilled glass and garnish with a twist of lemon if desired.

Find Alex & Renais Gin

Instagram @Alex.s.watson and @RenaisGin

Website: Renais.co.uk

In episode 4 of The HelenaSips Podcast, Helena meets Alex Watson, co-founder of Renais Gin with his actor sister, Emma Watson.

This is a conversation about creating a unique spirit made from ‘upcycled’ Chablis grapes that looks as good as it tastes. We hear about what growing up in France has taught him about the French concept of the Art of Living and what makes for a good life. Along the way, we touch on glassware and cocktails, the family winery and how to make and epic ‘terroir-tini’.

In the glass

The Terroir Martini

60ml Renais Gin

15ml Chablis Wine

2 Dashes Lemon Bitters

Chilled Martini Glass

Method: Add all your ingredients into a mixing glass, then fill to the brim with large chunks of clear, quality ice. Stir for 20 seconds to chill and dilute. Pour into the chilled glass and garnish with a twist of lemon if desired.

Find Alex & Renais Gin

Instagram @Alex.s.watson and @RenaisGin

Website: Renais.co.uk

Subscribe to be the first to hear about new episodes!

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I’ve been doing some work with one of my favourite French wine brands Les Dauphins and I wanted to share the love as I always forget how good the wines are AND how Côtes du Rhône wines generally are a brilliant go-to when you want to zhuzh up a simple dish in the middle of the week - or take a bottle to someone’s house for dinner.

There’s full overview of the various quality levels of Côtes du Rhône on my website over here, but for now, here’s a cheeky little midweek recipe, which goes brilliantly with red, white or even rosé from Les Dauphins, depending on your vibe and whether it’s lunch or dinner. Here’s what I went for:

IN THE GLASS

Les Dauphins, Côtes du Rhône Villages ‘Grand Réserve’, *£12 Waitrose

With a bottle that looks like it’s come straight out of a 1920’s Parisian bistro (I want a poster of the label!), this is a silky, concentrated red packed full of brooding damson fruit and licorice spice with a waft of fresh herbs and a touch of grilled meat.

The ‘villages’ on the label means it’s a step up in quality from a simpler Côtes du Rhône. These wines come from a more tightly defined group of communes, mostly in the Southern Rhône, where soils, exposure and vine age tend to give greater concentration and character. With stricter rules around yields and ripeness, they are still largely red (around 85–90%), but show riper fruit, more depth and a touch more polish than the more generic Côtes du Rhône wines.

* NOTE! Price £9 for a special Dine In offer from 8^th to 29^th April *

ALSO TRY:

Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône White, £10, Waitrose

A great example of a white blend, featuring Grenache Blanc and Viognier. This is a fruity and aromatic white with generous notes of acacia blossom and white peach.

Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône Rosé, £8.75 (was £9.75), Ocado

A vibrant and perky pink made from soft Grenache and dark berried Syrah, showing off notes of summer berries with a refreshing slick of citrus.

Subscribe now

ON THE PLATE

A Classic Croque Monsieur

Ingredients:

• 4 Slices white sourdough

• 20g Melted Butter

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 100g Grated Gruyère

• 4 Slices Smoked Ham

For the Béchamel sauce

• 125ml Whole Milk

• 125ml Cream

• 1 Crushed Garlic Clove

• 2 Bay Leaves

• 1 Chopped Small Onion

• 20g Butter

• 20g Plain flour

• 1 heaped tsp Dijon mustard

• Freshly Grated Nutmeg

Method: Start by making a classic béchamel. Gently heat the milk and cream with garlic, bay leaves and onion until just below boiling, then take off the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes before straining. In a separate pan, melt the butter and stir in the flour, cooking until it smells lightly biscuity. Gradually whisk in the infused milk, bring to a gentle boil, then stir in Dijon mustard, a little freshly grated nutmeg and seasoning until you have a thick, creamy, deeply flavoured sauce.

Meanwhile, butter the bread and toast one side under the grill until golden. Turn the slices over, spread with Dijon, then a layer of béchamel, top with grated Gruyère and ham, and sandwich together. Finish with a little more béchamel and cheese on top, then bake in a hot oven (220°C/200°C fan) for 10–15 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve with a simple mix of mustard and mayo on the side. Serve with chips and a side salad. Enjoy!

Want to know more about Les Dauphins? Look here!

Want an overview of Côtes du Rhône wines? Read here!

The Rhône Valley as a whole is a large wine region that runs for over 200km down through France following the Rhône river, from Lyon to Avignon and beyond. Given the vastly different landscapes from North to South, Rhône Valley wines are split stylistically into two:

• The North, from Vienne to Valence, focussing mainly on Syrah for the reds and Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne for the whites. Here, there’s more focus on wines made from single grape varieties, especially with the reds.

• The South, broadly from Montélimar to Avignon and much wider than the North, its focus is more on blends: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre largely for the reds and Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Marsanne for the whites.

Where does Côtes du Rhône sit here?

Côtes du Rhône is essentially the Rhône Valley’s calling card: the broad, regional expression that gives you a feel for the house style without zooming in too closely. While the appellation technically stretches across the whole valley north to south, most wines lean towards the warmer, sun-soaked character of the south, built on generous blends rather than single varietal wines or single sites. The real step up comes with the named ‘crus’, places like Hermitage in the north or Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the south however, which are not Côtes du Rhône at all, but standalone appellations. These wines are more specific, more structured and often more age-worthy, expressing individual vineyards and terroirs rather than a broader regional style. More on those another time.

The Key Rhône Grapes (for the BOY BAND of wine styles!)

The star grapes of the Rhône Valley are Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre for the reds and Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne for the whites. In the North, the reds are dominated by smoky, savoury Syrah, whereas in the South, wines are usually blends, led by juicy Grenache, then Syrah and Mourvèdre, though there are several other red and white grapes permitted.

Put another way, you could look at these Rhône blends a bit like a boy band, where each key member has been carefully chosen for their particular qualities (and there may be some backing singers on certain tracks). Grenache comes first: the cute, approachable one. Think homemade strawberry jam dripping from a liquorice spoon. Syrah comes next: he’s the complex, brooding type who probably writes all the lyrics. Think of grilled meat with fresh herbs, pepper and violets. Mourvèdre is the party animal of the group. He’s a Pepperami in liquid form: full-on and full-bodied, juicy, unsubtle and savoury but instantly appealing!

Côtes du Rhône Wines: The Hierarchy

Côtes du Rhône AOC: This first level is the largest and covers the whole of the Rhône Valley as I mentioned, though around 90% of production comes from the South. It produces almost as much wine as Bordeaux and is focussed on reds, though there are also whites and rosés (still a relatively small share, roughly 10-15% combined depending on the vintage). “Côte” means ‘slope’, referring to vineyards planted on hillsides rather than directly on the riverbanks.

Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC: While basic Côtes du Rhône can be sourced from across the entire Rhône Valley (with a heavy southern bias), ‘Villages’ wines must come from a more tightly defined selection of communes, largely in the Southern Rhône, where soils, exposure and vine age tend to deliver greater concentration and character. The rules are stricter too, particularly around yields and minimum alcohol levels, resulting in more structured, expressive wines. Production is still dominated by reds (around 85–90%), with whites and rosés making up a much smaller share. In the glass, you’ll generally find a step up in intensity: riper fruit, more depth and a touch more polish - a bit like the band, but now playing a slightly bigger stage with better sound.

Côtes du Rhône Villages ‘Crus’ (+ named village) AOC: A step above the straight ‘villages’ level are the Côtes du Rhône Villages wines with a named village on the label. Think places like Séguret or Visan, where quality and identity tighten further. These wines must come not just from the wider Villages zone, but from specific recognised communes with consistently strong track records. Rules are stricter again, particularly around yields, ripeness and blending, and in many cases the grapes must be grown within the boundaries of that named village. The result is an even more defined expression of place, with greater depth, structure and ageing potential - usually combined with a high price tag. Production remains heavily focused on reds, with whites and rosés still in the minority. In the glass, these wines tend to feel more composed and characterful, like the band starting to develop a signature sound rather than just playing a bigger stage.

Côtes du Rhône Red Wine SIPS SAFARI

If you want to taste what the three levels mean in the glass, seek out these red wines:

Côtes du Rhône, Chassaux et Fils, £5.29 Aldi

Cheap and very cheerful, this is an easy drinking, juicy example that still has a good amount of classic Côtes du Rhône character. Think earthy strawberry with a touch of spice and a savoury finish. Not the most complex but a bargain for the price

Les Dauphins, Côtes du Rhône Villages RED, £12 (£9 on offer now!) Waitrose

A big step up in quality, this gives you your brooding, dark plum fruit with baking spice, a touch of grilled meat and a hint of herbiness. It’s full-bodied and concentrated but velvety with it. A great all-rounder and versatile with food. (try this midweek recipe for a croque monsieur)

Morrisons The Best Côtes du Rhône Villages ‘‘Sablet’, £9.75 Morrisons

Morrisons have pulled a blinder with this wine, which delivers a cracking example of a Sablet ‘cru’ wine for not much cash at all. Silky smooth and savoury, this has a classic, brooding black bramble fruit profile but with a slick of something more stony and mineral. Definitely a food wine.

Want an easy midweek recipe featuring a Côtes du Rhône Villages red? Click here!

The HelenaSips Podcast is now LIVE!

Yes folks, it’s finally here! Join me every fortnight as I meet special guests over a virtual drink to find what makes their creative minds tick.

It may come as a shock that this is NOT a drinks podcast - although wine and spirits may feature more strongly in some episodes rather than others (I’m looking at you, actor and winemaker Sam Neil and you, Champagen president Vitalie Taittinger!) Instead, this is a series of intimate conversations exploring how successful creatives structure their lives for joy through the lens of their senses and personal rituals. From scent and memory, culinary pleasures and music that moves them, to the hobbies that replenish their creative wells and how they stay grounded when the world feels chaotic.

This is the Art of Living for 2026 and beyond.

Listen Now!

You can listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or via Helenasips.com. A new episode will be out every fortnight from now on but we’re launching with a bang with these three legends…

Want to know what it’s all about? You can give the trailer a listen too here…

Listen to the Trailer

If you like what you hear, please do spread to word to help me bump this up the charts and get more exciting guests in for a chat.

Thank you for all your support. It means the world.

Helena

In this episode, Helena Nicklin talks to Vassos Alexander, a much-loved broadcaster and endurance athlete, about his journey from an ordinary, self-described “regular bloke” to someone who thrives on pushing the limits of human capability. The conversation explores how running, swimming and extreme physical challenges have reshaped his relationship with his body, alcohol and daily rituals, replacing old habits with a deeper sense of purpose, discipline, and connection to both nature and self.

For Vassos, joy and contentment come not from comfort, but from stepping beyond it, testing boundaries and embracing the discomfort that ultimately makes life feel more vivid and meaningful. Ultimately, we hear about his simple but powerful philosophy: to seek out challenges, savour everyday pleasures and consciously “squeeze the juice” out of life, finding playfulness and joy in even the most ordinary moments.

Find Vassos Alexander

Instagram:

@vassos.alexander

Books:

Swimmingly, by Vassos Alexander

Running Up That Hill, by Vassos Alexander

Don’t Stop Me Now, by Vassos Alexander

In the glass…

A crisp, light red wine. Try Frappato: a native red wine grape from Sicily, that’s all about earthy strawberry with a bit of spice.

In this first ever episode of the HelenaSips Podcast, Helena Nicklin interviews Joanne Harris, a globally renowned storyteller and author of Chocolat, amongst many other novels.

In this conversation, Joanne discusses her new book, Vianne, which is a prequel to Chocolat and her use of scent in her writing process. She also describes her writing shed and shares thoughts about her synesthesia, a sensory condition that influences her writing, emphasizing the importance of small, consistent writing habits and the joy in the creative process. We hear about her band ‘Storytime’, which performs musical illustrations of her stories and discuss her upcoming projects, including a children's book and a new novel.

In The Glass

Floc de Gascogne

Floc is a traditional French fortified wine (a.k.a. mistelle) from the Gascony region, made by blending two-thirds fresh grape juice with one-third young Armagnac. Dating back to the 16th century, this 16–17% ABV sweet, aromatic aperitif comes in white, red and rosé and is made using local grapes such as Colombard, Ugni Blanc, and Gros Manseng; for the whites and Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Tannat for the pinks and reds.

The word “Floc” comes from the southwestern French Occitan language, meaning “bouquet of flowers”. It is often served chilled with foie gras.

Find Joanne Harris

joanne-harris.co.uk

Instagram: @joannechocolat

Buy the book Vianne HERE

In this episode, Helena Nicklin chats to Cath Kidston MBE, a much-loved creative founder based in the UK. Known for her eponymous, global lifestyle brand, we discuss her new venture, C. Atherley, which was inspired by nature and scented geraniums.

Hear about her journey from the early 90s vintage market to building a brand rooted in nostalgia and everyday pleasure as well as her transition from homewares to body care and home fragrance. Along the way, we’ll hear Cath’s thoughts on the importance of creating a welcoming home and the influence of her father’s legacy on her work.

Find Cath Kidston

C-atherley.com

Instagram:

@c.atherleylondon

@cathkidstonpagham

In the glass…

Fresh Lemon & Ginger Tea

I am your host: Helena Nicklin, a drinks and lifestyle writer and broadcaster with a love of all things sensory.

This podcast is all about intimate conversations with creative people I admire to find out what makes them tick, their rituals for joy and their favourite sensory memories. I also want to know what they like to eat and drink, how they host what they do in their free time all to see what we can learn from them about the Art of Living in this crazy modern world.

Coming up: Actor Sam Neill, author Joanne Harris, designer Cath Kidston and more…

You can always find the show notes here and watch clips on my YouTube and generally keep up to date by following my instagram @HelenaSips

Please subscribe if you enjoy these chats and let me know who I should talk to next!

Subscribe now

Happy listening!

Helena

There was a lot to love at the Tesco press tasting last week but I thought for this note it would be good to highlight some white, single grape variety sippers that are excellent examples of their type.

Aiosa Lucido 2025, £8 NEW

This lesser-known, ancient Sicilian grape is a different clone of Catarrato and gets its name from its shiny ‘lucid’ skin. Fresh, savoury-mineral and saline with a touch of creamy lemon and apricot, this is the kind of wine that’s going to take the summer by storm! New to Tesco and so well priced, stock up on this for your barbecues.

Tesco Finest Pecorino, Terre d’Abruzzo IGT 2025, £8.25

Pecorino is never going to be a grape that sets the world on fire with its personality but that’s often why people like it. This one has always been ‘fine’ but the 2025 vintage is showing more character with its subtle pear and guava nose and fleshier texture. Simple, smashable and affordable. A good example of the grape.

Tesco Finest Viñas del Rey Albariño 2025, £12

This has always been a great benchmark Albariño (that’s the grape) for the price and this new vintage is a corker. Lots of lovely, zesty lemon with ripe peach and a thirst-slaking saltiness on the finish. It’s a tad rounder and riper than previous vintages, which just makes it even more drinkable.

Piccozza Alto Adige Pinot Bianco 2024, £12.75

Every time I taste the Pinot Blanc (Bianco in Italy) grape, especially from this premium Italian region for white wines, I wonder why I don’t drink more of it. Textured, creamy and aromatic, with anotes of ripe pear, yellow apple and almond this is a substantial white but doeasn’t shout too loudly. A great food wine with chicken or pasta.

DATES FOR THE DIARY

In May, I’m back at the Cowes Fringe on the Isle of Wight together with the Chocolate Detective herself, Chantal Coady OBE to host two delicious chocoalte pairing events: one with wine and one with spirits. Join us for a Chocolate and Spirits pairing at 5pm on Sat 23rd May and Wine & Chocolate at 2.30pm on Sunday 24th May.

Tickets now on sale!

More Info & Tickets

The HelenaSips Podcast - Launches THIS THURSDAY!

Thursday April 2nd sees the launch of my all new, lifestyle podcast, where I talk to successful creatives about the sensory rituals that make them tick. If you’re subscribed to my newslatter already, you’ll see these fortnightly updates with links in your emails but you can also listen on Spotify, Apple or wherever you normally listen.

If this is not for you, feel free to manage your updates from so you only see this bits you want.

See Who's Coming Up...

Have a wonderful week and let me know what you’ve been sipping over on my Instagram @helenasips !

Cin cin x

Join me with Chantal Coady OBE, founder of The Chocolate Detective, for TWO ridiculously delicious, fine chocolate and drinks tastings as part of the Cowes Fringe Festival 2026! Come and taste what real chocolate actually means and learn how to pair it to drinks like pro.

Premium Chocolate & Spirits Pairing

When? Sat 23rd May, 5-6pm

Where? Bar 46 in Cowes, Isle of Wight

Price? £26.35 (inc booking fee)

Buy Tickets!

*****

Fine Wine & Chocolate Pairing

When? Sun 24th May, 2.30-3pm

Where? Bar 46 in Cowes, Isle of Wight

Price? £26.35 (inc booking fee)

Buy Tickets!

Want to see what else is one? take a look here: cowesfringe.com

If you’ve been a subscriber for a while, you may have seen that I’ve recently added a paid subscription option, so I thought I should tell you what that means. If you’re keen specifically to learn about wine, this is for you…

Full Access to the HelenaSips Video Wine Course

Your paid subscription gets you over 5 hours worth of bite-sized films that work together as a beginner’s wine course, showing you where to start when you want to learn about wine then taking you through the personalities of the key grapes and blends in an entertaining, memorable way and onto sparkling, sweet wines and a ton of FAQs. All videos are under 5 minutes long, so it’s super easy to do in your own time. Here’s what’s covered in detail and the videos can be found in the Video Resources hub on my Substack. Want a taster? Here’s the vibe:

• Where to start with wine?

• Albarino: The Mermaid of Wine Grapes

Extra ‘Sips Safari’ Recommendations

I’ll send paid subscribers extra emails for easy-to-find wines that I feel will help you learn about a grape or a style.

New Videos

As new videos go live, you’ll have access all areas.

Discounts & Giveaways

Paid subscribers can get special HelenaSips Wine Academy discounts on wine gadgets such as the Coravin by-the-glass system and Partner in Wine journals and goods as well as stays in gorgeous places such as the Terrace Wine & Rooms in Ventnor, Isle of Wight. There will also be occasional giveaways too featuring anything from hangover cures to sexy wine beauty products.

NEWS!

Something has been brewing in my world and very soon, It’ll be live for your listening pleasure. At the end of the month, I’ll be launching The HelenaSips Podcast!

Join me weekly for a series of intimate conversations with successful creatives, exploring how they structure their lives for joy through the lens of their personal rituals. Each episode starts with a drink (not always booze) and becomes our entry point into deeper territory: the role of scent and memory, culinary pleasures and hosting, music that moves them, the hobbies and practices that replenish their creative wells and how they stay grounded when the world feels chaotic. I’ll tell you when and how you can subscribe to hear from gorgeous humans like actor Sam Neill, author Joanne Harris, designer Cath Kidston, perfumer Sarah McCartney and comedians Alan Carr & Lee Peart…

Wine of the Week

Babylonstoren Mourvèdre Rosé 2025, £15 on offer (was £18) at Waitrose

You may have spotted this South African beauty in the Special Sips email last week, but I wanted to highlight this stunning rosé as my wine of the week as I showcased it last night at the launch of C.Atherley’s No. 4 product and it went down an absolute storm. Dry and mineral but full-bodied with it, this pink looks elegant and pretty but it has substance too, bringing with it a moreish, savoury complexity and lovely round mouthfeel balancing up those red fruit and rose petal notes. It’as also the official rosé of the Chelsea Flower Show again this year, so look out for it if you’re going!

In Case You Missed It #IKYMI

Helena guest stars on Alan Carr & Lee Peart’s wine podcast Bottom’s Up!

Why booze hits harder in midlife

Special Weekend Wines

Whether you’re celebrating Mother’s Day or just looking for a really good bottle to cheer you up in this shitey English weather, here are seven seriously special wines that I’ve really loved trying recently - and that remind me that sometimes, it pays to trade up.

COSY REDS

Little Giant Barossa Shiraz, £10 until 24th March (was £13) Waitrose

If you’ve watched the newest episode of Alan Carr’s Bottoms Up video podcast (with moi!), you’ll have seen Alan go properly gooey over this comforting red - and it’s easy to see why. Hailing from Australia’s Barossa valley, this is a classic, classy Aussie Shiraz, packed full of damson compote, cocoa and pepper notes and silky smooth with it. Try this with anything beefy or a square of dark chocolate.

Vergelegen ‘Mill Race’ Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot 2022, £14 (mix 6 price) Majestic

This iconic South African producer makes many different reds and this one is an absolute steal for the price. It’s a Bordeaux blend, so largely Merlot and Cabernet and shows off some serious blackcurrant fruitiness, balanced up by cedar and spice. It’s a hug in a glass and will adore roast lamb or steak or even a hunk of hard cheese.

La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Red Wine 2020 California, £28 The Champagne Company

I described this recently as ‘satin sheets, spice and salt’ and that’s exactly how it makes me feel. There’s something really sensual about a Californian pinot and this one oozes all the charm of its cool, coastal home. There’s some smoky, dark cherry compote in there too. This is crying out for duck or a leg of lamb - or even just a cuddle on the sofa.

SERIOUS ROSÉ

Babylonstoren Mourvedre Rosé 2025, £13 until 24th March (was £18) Waitrose

Babylonstoren is another iconic name to know in wine. Based out in South Africa’s cooler Franschoek Valley, it makes wines of all colours and styles. This rosé has been the official wine of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the past five years and it deserves to be noticed. Made with the meaty, Mourvèdre grape, this fuller-bodied and textural pink gives serious Bandol vibes if you’re into that, but with a laid back, South African charm. Drink alone or it’ll love cold cuts - and a BBQ if it’s warm out.

TEXTURAL WHITES

Taste the Difference,Languedoc White Wine, £9.50 Sainsburys

White blends from France’s Rhône Valley are going to be big these year as many of us move away from crisp and light whites to seek out something with more creaminess and complexity. This one is a real grower, with subtle notes of pear and baked apple, cream and a squeeze of lime. Wonderful with anything chicken or a slice of comté.

‘Le Arenarie’, Vermentino di Gallura, £15.50 Waitrose

Another wine I’ve completely fallen back in love with is Sardinian Vermentino (that’s the grape) from the Gallura area, where it shines the brightest. Think baked apple pie with a citrussy lift, a sprinkle of salt and a subtle, herbaceous finish. It’s extraordinary - and great value because it’s not very well known. Wonderful with fish, cows milk cheese or a roast chicken.

Clos de la Vierge, Jurançon Sec, £19 Laithwaites

I showcased this recently for Laithwaites and now cannot get enough of it. Hailing from a teensy 3 hectare estate in southwest France, this is a fab example of the Gros Manseng grape done properly with a hint of oak. Think deep green gold with a floral nose and concentrated notes of greengage, white peach and spice, all balanced by a cool mineral core. This will love fleshy monkfish, white fish, chicken and your entire cheese plate.

Dates For Your Diary

If you fancy joining a wine or spirits masterclass with me sometime soon, I’ve just added some new events to my diary: Wine & Chocolate and Spirits & Chocolate tasting events at Cowes Fringe, a Seafood Fine wine & Food Story with top chef Robert Thompson in Ryde and several wine masterclasses as the Lymington Seafood Festival. See helenanicklin.com and ‘Upcoming Events’.

Bottoms Up! With Alan Carr & Lee Peart

Episode 15 of the Bottoms Up video podcast is out now! It features me and a riduclous amount of laughter adn bad behaviour, largely from Alan. See more for how to watch HERE!

Cin Cin!

H x

This week, my second appearance on the Bottoms Up! podcast with Alan Carr and Lee Peart went live. It was the most unhinged episode to date, thanks largely to a very non-spitty epsiode filmed just before mine with Alex James. What can I say? It’s all a Blur.

You can listen to it AND watch it live on Spotify and Youtube as well as other pltforms. My entrance is at 30 mins :) If you liked it, please leave a comment saying you think I should come back on!

The full name of this episode is Alan Gatecrashes Judi Dench’s Party?! The Oscars, A Guinness Challenge & Wine That Made Alan Cry.

You can watch my first appearance in episode 3, here. That one’s Dating App Disasters, Dinner Ladies and Celebrity Lookalikes.

Bottoms Up!

H x

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. That woman was Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, the lady who would become the legendary Veuve (widow) Clicquot and helped turn her champagne business into the global brand that we all know and love today – and all while wearing a corset.

“The world will always change. We must invent things for tomorrow. We must go ahead before others; be determined and challenging. Act audaciously.”

Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin

Who was La Veuve Clicquot?

Born in the winter of 1777 in the city of Reims, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin’s parents, while wealthy, were in the business of textiles rather than wine. Her father’s friend Phillip Clicquot also worked in this realm, so they arranged the marriage of their children to help consolidate the two businesses. As such, Barbe-Nicole married François Clicquot in 1798 at the age of twenty-one and began a life with him at a time when the Napoleonic Code prohibited women from working, earning money, voting or even going to university without their husband or father’s consent. Life as a dutiful wife had begun.

As well as wool trading and banking, François’ family had a small wine-making concern of which he became a partner in the event of his marriage. In 1801, he took over as sole owner and gradually, wine became a larger part of the family’s affairs. On his watch and fuelled by a genuine passion for the business, sales grew from 8,000 bottles a year in 1796 to 60,000 bottles by 1804. Their champagne business was beginning to show potential, and François shared his love for winemaking with his wife, explaining all the various techniques, something that brought the two much closer. Frustratingly for them, the Napoleonic wars (1803-1815) were beginning to take their toll, making it harder and harder to gain traction selling wine. In October of 2005, not helped by the stress of a struggling business, François got very ill and tragically died. There was only one solution as far as François’ father, Philippe, was concerned: to liquidate the business. Widowed Barbe-Nicole, however, at the age of 27, had other plans.

The First Woman in Wine

A woman at the helm. Tenacious and instinctive, as well as a single mother to a three-year-old, Barbe-Nicole was determined to keep her champagne business alive. While French society women were not allowed to work, widows were free to run their own businesses and she intended to make the most out of this tragic twist of fate. Convincing her father-in-law to assist with funds on the proviso that she took more formal training and honed her craft, Barbe-Nicole made champagne the sole family business. François’ passion had translated into genuine winemaking skill for her, and she shrewdly made bold choices and invented processes that are still used in champagne production today.

Three Major Inventions

On 21 July 1810, Barbe-Nicole launched her own company: Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin. By 1811, she was the first to make a ‘vintage champagne’; wine from a single harvest instead of a blend of many (non-vintage). Naval blockades were stopping shipments from France to her biggest clients abroad, but she persisted and together with an old friend of the business to whom she turned for regular advice, she devised a way to sneak a ship through the blockades, sending it to Russia, despite Czar Alexander having banned all French exports. From her society life, she knew the Russian palate would fall for her style of wine. It was a huge gamble, but one that paid off because as soon as the bans were lifted, the courts of Russia began to order large shipments of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin champagne. Ever forward-thinking and keen to continue to increase the quality of her wine, Barbe-Nicole set her mind to finding a way to create more elegant bubbles. In 1816, she invented riddling, a process used to clarify wine, where dead yeast cells are collected in the necks of bottles and then removed, giving a beautiful, clear liquid rather than a cloudy one like her competitors. This was game-changing for the sparkling wine industry, both in terms of increasing quality and the speed with which it could be made. It was with this element of winemaking that Barbe-Nicole helped to make the region of Champagne the most famous in the world for sparkling wine.

In perhaps the best-known part of her legacy, however, the year 1818 saw La Veuve create the very first rosé champagne by blending red and white wine together. Champagne is still now the only official region where this process is officially allowed to make pink wine. In a letter to her granddaughter in later years, Barbe-Nicole, La Grande Dame of Veuve Clicquot champagne, wrote, “The world will always change. We must invent things for tomorrow. We must go ahead before others; be determined and challenging. Act audaciously.”

Here’s a woman who could have comfortably been kept by her family but refused to conform, ignoring the pitying looks and the scoffing as she, a woman, dared to build a truly international business. To mark their 200 year anniversary back in 1972, the house now simply called Veuve Clicquot, launched a new cuvée at the very top of their range: La Grande Dame. With a rosé version and a white, La Grande Dame is made only in exceptional vintages with grapes from the house’s Grand Cru vineyards. It is a style of champagne that blends elegance with exuberance seamlessly, just like the lady herself – the ultimate homage to everything Barbe-Nicole had done not just for the business but for the whole story of Champagne.

This piece was originally written by me for Luxurious Magazine