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.

All 211 Articles

Pinot Noir: Why this classy grape should be your christmas wine

December 15, 2022

There is something special about Pinot Noir. Beloved the world over, it has been referred to as “the heart break grape” due to its exacting demands on those growing it. It was immortalised in the film Sideways by the lead character’s impassioned speech: “Pinot needs constant care and attention, you know? And in fact, it [...]
Leonardslee House is the UK hotel producing South African wine

December 12, 2022

THE WEEKEND: Wanting to rusticate in luxurious splendour, we paid a visit to the newly launched accommodation at Leonardslee House. Owner Penny Streeter OBE has brought back a hefty slice of South Africa to rural England and filled the Grade I listed grounds with things to do and art to gawp at for all ages [...]
It’s truly the best of British to dine at Restaurant St. Barts Smithfield

November 30, 2022

Stepping into Restaurant St Bart’s is like walking into the most luxurious Shepherd’s hut you could imagine. With an emphasis on stone and wood, the space is so calm I half expected to be ushered to the spa for a massage. We began the meal on cosy, candlelit sheep-skin covered chairs with a wax-sealed menu [...]
Fabulous Christmas cheese and wine to stun dinner party guests

November 30, 2022

How to perfect your Christmas cheese and wine servings this year Flavour is fine, but when selecting items for a cheeseboard, the key is to think about weight, texture, and intensity. A creamy bloom cheese such as a brie or camembert, for instance, is perfectly paired with the effervescent bubbles and acidity of a champagne [...]
How Instagram is changing the way people think about wine

November 18, 2022

Though a few of the old guard may prefer wine to remain solely in the cellar (preferably theirs) or the members club tasting room, savvy wine brands have been working with social media to expand their reach, diversify their client base and make the industry, essentially, more enjoyable. “The wine trade was late to the [...]
How neuroscience can make your wine taste better

November 4, 2022

Neuroscience and wine may not seem like immediate bedfellows, but some producers are putting the time in to find out how drinkers are affected by things like our surroundings and assumptions. This in turn offers some insights into how to make the wine you serve taste better. Dr Qian Janice Wang, on behalf of Ramón [...]
How neuroscience can make your wine taste better

November 3, 2022

Neuroscience and wine may not seem like immediate bedfellows, but some producers are putting the time in to find out how drinkers are affected by things like our surroundings and assumptions. This in turn offers some insights into how to make the wine you serve taste better. At risk of putting us wine communicators out [...]
Firebird Soho has some of the best service in the capital – and great wine too

November 2, 2022

Unassumingly nestled on a bustling Soho street, Firebird greets you as a cool oasis of relaxed good taste. Almost all of its dishes, as the name implies, have been licked by flame. The true charm of this place lies in the warmth and attentiveness of the staff, who carry their impeccable knowledge with a casual [...]
Ormer Mayfair by Sofian Msetfi is worth the hype

October 19, 2022

When the AA Hospitality Awards bestow four AA Rosettes on a restaurant for the first time, it is probably worth taking notice. Especially when it is only one of three awarded the honour in London and the chef, Sofian Msetfi, is only 30. Welcome to Ormer. A stone’s throw from Green Park, this old-school, art-deco beauty [...]
Old vines: Why you should care

October 19, 2022

You may have seen the term “old vine” or “vieille vignes” on your wine label and wondered why it matters. Though there’s no legal definition, it usually means the vines are older than 25 years, but preferably over 50 or even 100. These wines are rarer because the older a vine gets, the less fruit [...]

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By: Libby Brodie

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