Wine

The ultimate wine guide for pubs

Wine

The Wine Guide – your 101 to wine in pubs

By Nicholas Robinson

It shouldn’t really come as a great surprise that wine doesn’t have it all its own way in the setting of a pub, but growth is singularly lacking and the perceived wisdom is that it should be doing better. In our Wine Guide we take a good look at the on-trade’s...

Wine guidance: Greene King initiative

Wine

Greene King helps licensees ‘take the mystery out of wine’

By Nicholas Robinson

Pubco Greene King has launched a free wine and spirits tool kit to help operators drive sales in the categories, which it claims can be challenging for licensees who feel they “lack the expertise” to put together a strong offer.

Beer writer Roger Protz slams Chief Medical Officer's guidelines

Guidelines

Protz: Drinking guidelines 'bad science'

By Nikkie Sutton

Beer writer and editor of the Good Beer Guide Roger Protz has slammed guidance from the Chief Medical Officer that men and women should drink no more than 14 units a week.

Wine courses that will make bar staff wizards of wine

Training

Wine courses that will make bar staff wizards of wine

By Liam Coleman

Wine can be a daunting thing for bar staff if you don’t drink the stuff. When a customer asks for a full-bodied red or a fruity white, there is often panic in the eyes of the bar staff. We’ve found three companies that offer introductory wine training...

Trade failing consumers' wine expectations

Wine

Pubs’ wine offers ‘off the mark’

By Nicholas Robinson

Pubs are not hitting the mark when it comes to meeting consumers’ wine needs, but could easily boost sales by making simple changes to their offer, according to Crown Cellars’ first on-trade wine report.

Creating the perfect pub wine list

TOP 50 GASTROPUBS

Liquid assets: curating a perfect gastropub wine list

By Daniel Woolfson

Do you know your Chapelle-Chambertin from your Corton-Charlemagne? Daniel Woolfson sits down for a tipple with the gastropub operator whose passion for wine is propelling trade to new heights 

First time for Sake at LWF

London Wine Fair

Inaugural sake exhibition at LWF

By Nicholas Robinson

Sake will be exhibited at the London Wine Fair (LWF) for the first time later this year, reflecting the growing importance of the category in the capital, according to event organisers.

Checking for ID when buying drinks in pub

Legal

Advice: Adhere to age check routine

By Poppleston Allen

Now the busy Christmas period is out of the way, it is worth reminding your staff about their legal responsibilities in terms of selling alcohol to any person under the age of 18.

Back bar bulletin

Back bar bulletin

By Ben Winstanley

Spirits to softs and cocktails to cider, your essential round-up of what's hot on the back bar.

Noble Rot: the dynamic duo behind London's hottest new wine bar

Noble nerds: the dynamic duo behind London's hottest new wine bar

By Ben Winstanley

As wine begins to attract a younger, ‘cooler’ audience, the dynamic duo behind Noble Rot talk about the philosophy behind their new wine bar venture and how to encourage people to engage with what’s in their glass, Ben Winstanley reports.  

Taking all of the WSET courses back to back, Jessica Mason completes Level 3 after 6 weeks of study

Taking the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines

By Jessica Mason

The WSET Level 3 Award in Wines spanned six weeks of my life. Every Thursday for six weeks, that is.The course is ideal for anyone who has already passed the Level 2 and has an understanding of wine that goes beyond mere competence and, instead, works...

Food and beer pairing: golden rules...

Food and beer pairing: golden rules...

By Daniel Woolfson

Amber ale with that steak? IPA with your curry? Daniel Woolfson looks at the theory and science behind pairing food with beer and the opportunity it presents... 

Taking all of the WSET courses back to back while working full time can be achievable

Why should you do the WSET Level 2 Award?

By Jessica Mason

If you imagine that the WSET Level 1 award is your Scout badge for being able to identify different types of knots, Level 2 teaches you to tie them correctly.

Chefs on the top 50 list create dishes that are second to none

Top 50 Gastropubs Awards 2016

Win a Top 50 Gastropubs Award

You and your pub could be immortalised as a winner of one of the three specialist awards categories open to entry at next year’s Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs Awards.

How to create the perfect festive bar

Christmas Advice

How to create the perfect festive bar

By Laurie Macdonald

Christmas may seem to be in the distance, but planning is everything when approaching this critical time of year. Laurie MacDonald learns how to create the perfect festive bar.

Pub Awards: Best Wine Pub – Chequers, Bilton-in-Ainsty

Pub Awards: Best Wine Pub – Chequers, Bilton-in-Ainsty

By PMA

Moving from one side of the bar to the other may not work in all cases, but for Antony Pratt, taking over the reins of the Chequers proved to be a massive success and has since gone onto form a multi-pub empire.

Doing the WSET

Doing the WSET

By Jessica Mason

I’m learning about wine. It felt like time. It’s something I have resisted for ages. I’m on a quest to find out the business merits for people thinking of taking the WSET exams. So, I’m sitting them. All of them. From start to finish. Until my brain gives...

Back bar bulletin

Back bar bulletin

By Laurie Macdonald

Spirits to softs and cocktails to cider, your essential round-up of what's happened on the back bar.

Dining out at... the Anchor & Hope, Waterloo

Dining Out

Dining out at... the Anchor & Hope, Waterloo

By Daniel Woolfson

Sitting down to eat at the Anchor & Hope, one of South London’s oldest established gastropubs, I can’t help but feel like I’ve been teleported to Spain. 

Supermarket brands sweep the board at IWC

Supermarket brands sweep the board at IWC

By Laurie Macdonald

The licensed trade is facing increased opposition from the off-trade sector when it comes to wine, results from the 2015 International Wine Challenge (IWC) indicate.

WSTA general election 2015 manifesto published

WSTA calls on political parties to support wine and spirit industry

By Mike Berry

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has today published its general election manifesto, calling on the UK’s political parties to commit to policies that will help the wine and spirit industry to grow, tackle alcohol related harm and promote responsible...

Chef Claude Compton to open Fulham pub

Chef Claude Compton to open Fulham pub

By James Wallin, M&C Report

Former Petersham Nurseries chef Claude Compton has said he would look to open more pubs if his initial site in Fulham is a success.

Beer renaissance is good news for the UK on-trade

Beer renaissance is good news for the UK on-trade

By James Lousada

I have a confession to make: I am a beer person who loves wine. Not only have I spent some of my career working in the wine industry, but I even enjoy a glass every now and then. It was over a glass of wine that I paused to reflect on the wine and beer...

Alcohol Health Alliance Day of Action

Alcohol Health Alliance Day of Action is an ignorant move

By Robyn Black

At precisely 1.30pm tomorrow, Friday 5 September, a number of Twitter accounts - namely those belonging to what more and more resembles a modern temperance movement - will simultaneously tweet a message promoting the idea that alcohol harm costs the UK...

Not all lager tastes the same

Not all lager tastes the same

By Ian Moss

I wouldn’t say that lagers brewers were exactly shaken by the Daily Mail’s publication of a bit of Swedish research that demonstrated, so the authors said, that lager drinkers find it difficult to taste the difference between big name beer brands when...

New look for Fish Hoek wine

New look for Fish Hoek wine

By Robyn Black

South Africa wine brand Fish Hoek has been given a new look, including a “debossed” bottle – the first of its kind in the UK, according to brand owner Accolade Wines.