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 224 Articles

The Old Course Hotel is bringing a modern twist to a classic

December 8, 2025

St Andrews is known for three things: being the third oldest university in the English-speaking world; sparking the love affair between Prince William and Kate; and being the home of golf. If you’re thinking of checking it out, the famous The Old Course Hotel has teamed up with some impressive experts to create a variety [...]
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 [...]
Inside the French festival serving incredible wine in a beautiful setting

November 4, 2025

Typing this up on Eurostar, I am having to completely rethink what I had planned to include in this week’s column. Rather than writing from my London home and grimacing at the grey outdoors, I had been invited by Alex Watson, part of the Domaine Watson family and co-founder of Renais gin, to escape the [...]
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 [...]
The British vineyards that welcome families for fun activities beyond the wine

October 16, 2025

Wine isn’t thought of as something for the whole family, but these British vineyard are inviting the whole brood As much as I adore spending time with my son, I take umbrage that I am expected to relegate myself to child-focused establishments over the holidays. No shade thrown at Pizza Express, those dough balls have [...]
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 [...]
Why South African wine is the GOAT

September 8, 2025

South African wine is eternally exciting. It’s a country bursting with maverick winemakers, swaggering onto the wine scene with innovative ideas, original designs and their treasure trove of old vines – a forgotten leftover from the country’s brandy making days. The once blend-relegated Cinsault is now gaining popularity as a refreshing, rustic, red-fruited easy-quaffer from [...]
Beyond Barolo: The crisp joy of Italian white wine

September 1, 2025

Though the reds are arguably more famous – the revered Barolos, the bold Super Tuscans, the classic Chiantis – the white wines of Italy are quickly on the rise. Often refreshing with notes of sun-ripened citrus and wild herbs, they are the orderable crowd-pleasers on any wine list. Who doesn’t like a Gavi? Everyone likes [...]

‘I’ll be standing’: Streeting gears up to join leadership race

London Marathon’s staggering popularity isn’t about running at all

Why now is the perfect time to visit Cyprus

By: Libby Brodie

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