Wine

Start with the style of wine you enjoy rather than price, prestige or a brand name. Think about whether you prefer something light and fresh, rich and full-bodied, fruity, savoury or more unusual. A good independent wine shop can then help you find bottles from producers and regions that suit your taste, including wines you may not have considered before.

There isn’t one perfect wine for every dish, but a few simple principles help. Fresh, crisp wines work well with lighter dishes, seafood and salads, while richer whites suit creamy sauces and roast chicken. Lighter reds are versatile with charcuterie, mushrooms and poultry, while fuller-bodied reds work well with richer meat dishes. Most importantly, choose a wine you’ll enjoy drinking.

Not necessarily. Price can reflect factors such as where a wine is made, how it is produced, rarity and reputation, but a more expensive bottle isn’t automatically more enjoyable. Some of the best value comes from small independent producers and lesser-known regions, where you can find distinctive, characterful wines without paying for a famous name.

Small independent producers often work on a more personal scale, with greater focus on individual vineyards, local grape varieties and the character of where a wine comes from. For us, that often makes for more distinctive and interesting bottles. We seek out producers whose wines offer character, quality and individuality rather than simply choosing the biggest or most familiar names.