British wine is flying high: Here are some of the best November 3, 2021 It is time to drink patriotically because business is booming for British wines. The pandemic did little to slow the growth; in fact wine sales went up by 30 per cent and last year we planted 1.4m new vines. This green, little island of ours now boasts around 800 vineyards and 178 wineries, though England [...]
The wine diaries: How I swooned over Frerejean Frères October 28, 2021 Champagne brand Frerejean Frères hosted a dinner at Michelin-starred Hide on Piccadilly, pairing four sensational courses with a stunning range of wines including, as a special surprise, the last two magnums of its 2006 Premier Cru in the UK. Rodolphe Frerejean-Taittinger, the youngest of the three “Frères” and great grandson to one of the founders [...]
Ve vant to drink your… Pinot: Top Romanian wine for Halloween October 28, 2021 Halloween is fast approaching and what says ‘ghouls in a glass’ better than wine from the headquarters of Count Dracula himself, Transylvania, or at least the surrounding area in its parent country Romania. The wines produced here offer sensational value for money and are swiftly appearing on savvy London wine lists; particularly the Pinot Noir. [...]
Working Lunch: BiBi serves traditional Indian food with a twist October 27, 2021 What Is It? Debuting last month, BiBi serves up traditional Indian cuisine with a modern twist. Located in Mayfair, just a skip away from Oxford Street, the restaurant is a quiet haven from the city bustle. Who’s responsible? It’s is the culinary baby of Chet Sharma, former development chef at the award-winning restaurants Moor [...]
Where to go to enjoy National Mezcal Day this Thursday October 20, 2021 As the days shorten, and the wind howls through London’s streets, why not head down to one of the city’s bustling bars for a warming glass of mezcal. This Thursday, to honour National Mezcal Day, bars throughout the city will be at the ready to introduce you to the many charms of Mexico’s second most [...]
Deliveroo keeps going strong in quarter results October 20, 2021 Deliveroo has registered a 58 per cent increase in gross transaction value in the third quarter of 2021, while the growth in active consumers and orders has continued to improve, going up 56 and 64 per cent respectively. “We have continued to make good progress executing against our strategy, resulting in strong performance in the [...]
The whisky-maker putting the ‘fun’ in Non-Fungible October 13, 2021 Glenfiddich is putting the “fun” into non-fungible, with NFTs you can drink. The pioneering single malt whisky brand is partnering with BlockBar, a new platform for buying, collecting and trading non-fungible tokens (NFTs) related to luxury wines and spirits. The service will launch next week, with the sale of limited edition Glenfiddich NFTs: fifteen unique [...]
An exclusive tasting of the new Penfold’s collection October 7, 2021 Today Penfold’s launches its new 2021 Collection. I was invited to 67 Pall Mall to taste it with the charismatic Peter Gago, the brand’s Chief Winemaker, via zoom. But before I get to the tasting notes, a spot of history. Penfolds began in 1844 when Dr Christopher and Mary Penfold planted the fledgling vines, which [...]
Working Lunch: The Game Bird is perfect for a languorous meal October 7, 2021 We sampled the menu of The Game Bird and enjoyed a calming lunch suitable for a long business catchup What is it? It’s a gem of a restaurant hidden within The Stafford Hotel. Reached via a narrow alleyway just off the park, it can be quite easy to miss. The decor is eclectic, with nods [...]
Scotland may be famous for whisky but its gin is on the rise October 6, 2021 When you think of Scottish spirits, there really isn’t any competition. The ‘water of life’ is an international brand, and even fierce competition from Japan to the East and the US to the West have not shaken Scotland’s place as the one true home of whisky. But there is another spirits industry quietly gaining international [...]