By: Libby Brodie

Wine Consultant - Bacchus & Brodie Recently named in the top 20 of the Top 100 Most Influential People In Drink list by Drinks Retailing, Libby Brodie is the founder of Bacchus & Brodie Wine Consultancy and City AM’s dedicated wine columnist, with her regular “Wine Without The Snobbery” pages. Published in Condé Nast Traveller, The Independent, the i Paper, Cosmopolitan, Club Oenologique, Harpers Wine & Spirit Magazine, The Buyer, Assemblage, Country Life magazine and the Daily Mail, Libby has presented online, on radio, podcasts and TV including teaching England Rugby Legend Joe Marler how to taste wine and as a regular wine expert on Bottom’s Up with Alan Carr and Lee Peart.

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Pairing wine with spicy food at London restaurants KOL and Gunpowder

Life&Style

Wine and spice make for a tricky duo. Traditionally we are taught that an off-dry white is an excellent pairing to soothe the heat, but this isn’t always the right call. I went to KOL and Gunpowder to find out how to best pair wine and spice. Pairing wine with spicy Mexican food at KOL KOL, [...]
Why Riesling is the most misunderstood grape – and how to drink it well

Life&Style

Riesling may be a mature 591 years old this year but it must have the insecurity complexes of a teenager. Despite doing all it can to show its diversity over centuries, many consumers still equate it with the sweet, cheap punchline that is Blue Nun. This reputation hasn’t come from nowhere, the late 20th Century [...]
This is low-key the best place to drink Italian wine in London…

Life&Style

Please put that Pinot Grigio down. I know you think this Italian wine is a safe bet, but you are missing out. Italian cooking traditions were recently added to the UNESCO World Heritage list and they deserve a more interesting dining companion. Sale e Pepe Mare is the most anticipated opening this week, with the [...]

Drinks disasters: Three top tips to avoid being a wine wally

February 24, 2026

Don’t be a wine wally. A lot of drinks etiquette seems antiquated but there are certain things that immediately show you up as being clueless. Here are three mistakes I often see people making in restaurants when ordering wine. 1) How you hold your glass says everything about how comfortable you are around wine, and [...]
Enjoy Chinese New Year in London with these great bottles of wine

February 16, 2026

Today marks the start of the Year of the Fire Horse and fifteen days of celebrations for the Chinese Lunar New Year. Red lanterns are hung and red, money-filled envelopes exchanged over dinners with friends and family. Never shy of a reason to celebrate, London’s hospitality scene is going all out. Restaurants including Hakkasan (a [...]
How to drink sake: A beginner’s guide

February 10, 2026

Have you heard the siren call of sake? This Japanese drink is everywhere and it’s the coolest thing to be quaffing (though you can enjoy it chilled, warm or hot). The problem is that it is quite complicated compared to wine, so I have compiled a brief beginner’s guide to make you a speedy sake [...]
Valentine’s Day: My top recommendations for the perfect date

January 29, 2026

Whether you’re treating your partner to a night on the town, whisking them out of the city for a weekend away or just cosying up together at home, here are my top recommendations for Valentine’s Day. For London lovers The Elizabeth on Ebury St, Belgravia will be serving a special three-course menu (£55pp) with an [...]
Pay now, drink later: A beginner’s guide to En Primeur wine

January 29, 2026

It’s Burgundy En Primeur season in London for the 2024 vintage. En Primeur means buying the wine before it is finished and bottled. You buy before you try. Sounds risky, so why would anyone do it? Well, it gives the buyer early access to the wines, ensuring themselves a few bottles before they hit the [...]
Why The Ivy is a bastion of hope and quality during a bleak month

January 19, 2026

The start of the year is an especially tough time for hospitality as people watch the pounds when it comes to both their wallets and weight. This kind of abstinence is even more of a travesty in London, a city packed with the most incredible restaurants, with a rich history of social eating and drinking. [...]
From Elton John to Kylie: 10 best alcohol free wines for Dry January

January 12, 2026

The best alcohol free wines to try this month Put down that sad glass of tap water. If you are taking a break from alcohol, I have some of the very best options out there, none of which involve pretending you enjoy drinking London’s chalky, limestone-heavy water. Spoil YourselfEven in the driest of months, there [...]

Sunak urges rethink on taxing jobs as AI begins to reshape hiring

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We road test RDR, Star Wars Outlaws and Fallout 4 on Switch 2

By: Libby Brodie

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