The Cocktail Bar
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The Utterly Inessential Valentine's Shopping List Part II: Pink gin, heart-shaped earrings and a dog bed for the true love of your life
Every year, we round up the top gifts one could possibly give without going over-the-top-crazy for Valentine's Day. Fortunately, this year our Utterly Inessential columnist is in love. Unfortunately, her heart still belongs to gin. You can't win them all.
By Alexandra Fraser Published
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A drink for all seasons: Warming winter cocktails to bring back the feeling in your fingers and toes
How to make some of the best winter cocktails, from après ski drinks to the perfect fourth course for a dinner party
By Country Life Published
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A drink for all seasons: Why the British are more romantic than anyone about wine
In his final column, our outgoing wine columnist Harry Eyres celebrates the romance and splendour of national wine scene — and the British wine merchants who make it.
By Harry Eyres Published
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Curious Questions: Why are wine bottles all pretty much the same shape and colour?
We drink 36 billion bottles of wine a year — and almost all of them come in wine bottles that share essentially the same design. Martin Fone wonders why.
By Martin Fone Published
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A drink for all seasons: Dry January? Nope. It's actually Burgundy month
You wouldn't expect our wine correspondent Harry Eyres to swear off booze for January. And you'd be exactly right — after all, why would he when there's a new batch of Burgundy to be enjoyed?
By Harry Eyres Published
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A drink for all seasons: The whisky that costs more than a brand new car
The car in question, in case you're wondering about that headline, costs £23,340.
By Toby Keel Published
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A drink for all seasons: Drinks fit for royalty, including a Duchess's gin and the Queen's top tipple
If you're part of the Royal Family, chances are you could probably use a nice, stiff drink right about now. Alexandra Fraser is here to help.
By Alexandra Fraser Published
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A drink for all seaons: Dry January? Or a very wet January, featuring £1,000-a-bottle beer?
At this time of year, the decision is simple: do you cut back on the booze in the wake of the Christmas excesses, or double-down and drink your way through the cold, dark, damp month of January?
By Toby Keel Published
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The 'perfect whisky collection' is to go under the hammer — and it's expected to fetch £8 million
Almost 4,000 rare or unusual bottles, accumulated over the course of two decades by American businessman Richard Gooding, will go on sale next years and could fetch £8 million.
By Carla Passino Published
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A drink for all seasons: The Queen Mother's favourite £70-a-glass port, a 1970s party throwback and boozy Christmas baubles.
Our weekly round-up of the best new booze to try has it all.
By Toby Keel Published
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A drink for all seasons: Five drinks for any given mood this Friday
Not sure what tipple tips your fancy tonight? Read our guide.
By Alexandra Fraser Published
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Curious Questions: Who invented the gin and tonic?
Gin and tonic is arguably the greatest cocktail ever created — but who first mixed these two seemingly unlikely ingredients together? A new book seeks to tackle this curious question.
By Toby Keel Published
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Our five favourite gins of the moment, in honour of International G&T Day
In honour of an event which has been grievously overlooked by the (fictional) National Holiday Association Board, Alexandra Fraser rounds up the top gins we explored over the summer to warm us up for the coming winter.
By Alexandra Fraser Published
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The independent London wine merchants who manage to undercut the big names
These independent merchants offer intriguing wines and old-fashioned service, says Harry Eyres.
By Harry Eyres Published
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English Bacchus: How the 'English Sauvigon Blanc' is genuinely starting to live up to its billing
The winemakers of England and Wales have worked wonders with the incredible grape crop from the hot summer of 2018, as Harry Eyres explains.
By Harry Eyres Published
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Time to ditch Prosecco? Why Cava is 'deeper, more complex and far more interesting'
Our wine expert Harry Ayres is not a fan of the Italian bubbly which seems to be taking over the world – but he loves its Spanish cousin and has some fantastic recommendations.
By Country Life Published
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A beautiful house that comes with an award-winning wine estate which supplies Raymond Blanc
The Ancre Hill Estate in Monmouthshire produces 100,000 bottles per year — but it's a place which is ripe for an ambitious new owner. Annunciata Elwes reports.
By Country Life Published