The Traitors winner Alan Carr on his new approach to drinking January 5, 2026 On Christmas Eve I was on The Celebrity Traitors winner Alan Carr and Lee Peart’s new podcast Bottom’s Up!, a hilarious series all about friendship and wine, which, as you are reading this ‘Wine Without the Snobbery’ column, may be right up your decanter. Carr clearly has celebrations in mind. “As I approach a milestone [...]
Who made the naughty list in the wine world in 2025? December 23, 2025 This was another fascinating year in the world of wine, with some great initiatives and events celebrating the people who make this vital and brilliant industry tick. But there were also some things on my naughty list… read on to find out who made the cut. Nice List – Aldi Aldi’s wine department is fantastic, [...]
Where to drink wine in London with a touch of old-fashioned glamour December 8, 2025 It is a pattern we see repeatedly. At times of austerity and economic hardship: people crave luxury, colour and escapism. During the Great Depression we saw the rise of jazz, dancehalls and art deco glamour, while the World War II ushered in an era of escapist, technicolour movies filled with flights of fancy. Now in the [...]
Why Sicily’s wine is some of Italy’s best – and which bottles to buy November 18, 2025 A sun soaked tour of Sicily’s vibrant reds, zesty whites and a wine-making culture shaped by centuries of shifting influences Sicily is known for its dazzling coastlines, romantic ruins and for Europe’s tallest and most active volcano, Mount Etna. The largest island in the Mediterranean, it has been ruled by Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans and [...]
Sexism is still rife in the wine industry – problematic men are the real ghouls this Halloween October 31, 2025 Forget the ghosts and apparitions, the real terrors this Halloween season are the wine industry’s bigots and sexists Halloween may be on the way, but the scariest thing in wine is that snobbery and bigotry still exists. Recently, after a very good lunch in London Bridge, some friends and I popped into a nearby wine [...]
Fabulous! Pop these bottles this World Champagne Day October 20, 2025 A day worth celebrating, 24th October is World Champagne Day, as if anyone needs an excuse to pop a bottle! Hundreds of years ago the wine in Champagne was still and pinky-red – a world away from what we associate with the region now. Bubbles were considered a fault, exploding the weaker bottles made for [...]
South American wine is booming – try these bottles for the best experience October 7, 2025 South American wine is booming for us Brits. An Argentinian Malbec has long been a gateway, converting consumers with broodingly smooth glasses of dark fruits and spice at a good price. Last year the UK overtook China as the largest importer (by value) of Chilean wine with their lithe Sauvignon Blancs and traditional Carmère. Even [...]
Humble Grape wine bar founder on his favourite Square Mile spots September 30, 2025 Ahead of our Toast the City awards taking place this October, Humble Grape wine bar founder James Dawson tells us why his venue deserves to take home a coveted prize Why does Humble Grape deserve to win a coveted Slice of Toast at the inaugural Toast the City Awards?Humble Grape deserves to win because we’ve built [...]
Cold Palmer: What footballer’s wine row tells us about trade mark protection September 28, 2025 The recent “Cold Palmer” trade mark case, which saw Chelsea and England footballer Cole Palmer’s application challenged by a vineyard, is a reminder that, whatever walk of business you are in, trade mark registrations are an essential part of business planning. Being a sports personality does not grant you extra rights in your name, likeness [...]
The best wine pairings for Spanish tapas September 16, 2025 How do you pair a meal that consists of a dozen little dishes? Here’s Libby’s guide to the best wine to serve alongside sensational Spanish produce Pairing wine to food is all very well but what about tapas, when dinner is a dozen or more little dishes? A wine that suits whitebait is not necessarily [...]