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Uncorked With Chlo

🤫 Shh! I’ve just found the best kept secret in London and here’s how it works:

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🍹 🌮 Cheers to saving big time!

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Did I just find an incredible value Burgundy that can take you from dinner to dessert? 🦐 🥭 🍦

🌞 Ok I’ll be honest - when I was sent this Moillard Le Duché Chardonnay to pair with tropical ice cream, I was… skeptical 🤨 I went out to get some ice cream just to try it out but deep down, I thought I was going to steer this post more towards how well it works with prawns and feta.

🍑 Happy to admit I was wrong! This Bourgogne Chardonnay was fresh, peachy and tropical, with grapes coming from the warmer Mâconnais region. A lovely bit of lees influence from bâttonage gave it a wonderful structure and a bit of oak gave it a hint of vanilla.

🍉 This all means it complemented my prawn, watermelon and feta salad with spicy potato wedges beautifully but also held its own with the ice cream - the flavours didn’t get lost at all.

✅ Pick this next time you just need one bottle to see you through from savoury to sweet.

Moillard Le Duché Bourgogne Blanc (£14.50) and Tropical Swirl ice creams (£1.60 for three), both available from Morrisons.

PR sample, kindly gifted

🙌🏼 I am here for this British Summertime weather and so is The Uncommon 🍓🎾🥂

Very excited to announce I’ve been selected to join @wearetheuncommon ‘s ‘The Uncommon Club’ - an exclusive little group of people who are going to get the inside scoop on The Uncommon’s new releases (and maybe even have a say in developing the ideas for them 👀) and to celebrate, they’ve kindly sent me some of their wines to try.

Couldn’t help but crack these open for a picnic in the sunshine yesterday with a cream tea - oh how British of me!

The Uncommon are out to do things differently - making tip-top English wines in gorgeous little cans. Worthy of a photoshoot on a picnic blanket near you.

My faves were the bubblies - a sparkling Pinot Noir rosé (known as Eleanor!) and a sparkling Bacchus/Chardonnay blend white (he’s called Gerald!)

Eyes peeled for some more updates!

Available in Waitrose and M&S (and more!)

PR package - kindly gifted.

Nothing fancy ��💁🏻‍♀️

#justalittlesomethingtotaketheedgeoff #cava #blinis #canapes #rosewine

Last bottle from my @wine52hq Southern Italy box

A Grillo from Sicily with zippy green apple and stone fruit notes. Was pleasantly surprised with the texture on this - was absolutely delicious!

www.wine52.com/uncorked or click the link in my bio for your free case (just pay for postage!)

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How about a little wine hack to speed up chilling time?

Have you tried this? Do you think it works any better than normal fridge/freezer time?

🌊 Villa Minuty at Daios Cove launch party last week 🌊

⚓️ Villa Minuty brings a taste of St Tropez to the world - this time at the stunning Daios Cove resort in Crete. Sun, sea and a glass of Minuty rosé… what more could you ask for?

🐚 The only question left to ask is… when are you booking your getaway?

PR invite - thank you so much for having me! #makeitmagic

@chateauminuty
@villaminuty
@daios_cove

#minuty #minutyrosé #daioscoveluxuryresort #daioscove #crete #sttropezlifestyle #provence #provencerose

@emmawellingspr

⚓️ Villa Minuty launch party at Daios Cove, Crete 🌊☀️

What an honour it was to be invited to the launch of the new Villa Minuty collaboration with Daios Cove resort in Crete.

Villa Minuty brings the vibes of St Tropez to different pockets of sunshine around the globe. Like their highly successful partnership with the Rosewood Hotel in London last year, their new residence at Daios Cove is a place to sip Minuty’s selection of rosés for all occasions, enjoyed on their own before dinner or paired with a delicious menu of snacks and the view of dreams 🌅

It’s easy to see how this view felt like the perfect environment for Minuty’s sunshine & rosé vibes - like a slice of Provence with a Cretan twist 🇬🇷 🇫🇷

After drinks on the terrace, we headed to dinner, where Minuty was paired with a six course menu, with some of the most incredible ingredients I’ve ever tasted - tuna tataki, saffron risotto with crayfish, fillet steak with truffle, hazelnut ice cream... I was in my foodie element! The structured Minuty 281 paired with the beef in Périgueux sauce was a surprising match made in heaven.

Thank you so much for having me @chateauminuty and @daios_cove - I can’t wait to come back someday!

#makeitmagic #villaminuty #daioscoveluxuryresort #daioscove #sttropezlifestyle #minuty #minutyrose

Thank you Wine52 for sending me this fab case of your Southern Italy wines to try! 🇮🇹🍷

Fancy a free case of wine just like this? All you have to do is cover the postage (£9.95) and you can get a case of three wines + snacks + ‘Glug’ magazine just like this for yourself. Pause or cancel at any time.

Head to www.wine52.com/uncorked or click the link in my bio!

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@wine52hq

#wine52 #winetasting #sicilianwine #sicilywine #sicily #italianwine #nerodavola #cataratto

Spent the day at Balfour Winery a couple of weekends ago 🍾 The grey skies didn’t stop us from having the sunniest day with their self-guided wine flight and food to die for 😚👌🏼

Had so much fun creating these pink port cocktails at the weekend 🦩

Pink port (aka rosé port) is technically a ruby port but fermented in the same way that a rosé would be - with limited skin contact to give more delicate colour and flavour. Whereas ruby port is normally served as a digestif or with cheese at the end of the meal, I’d recommend serving pink port as an apéritif and these cocktails and pairing suggestions really hit the spot for some al fresco entertaining 🫒 🍸 Sweet, ripe red fruits and a herby finish make this one 😚👌🏼 in the sun.

This Baronesa de Vilar rosé port is available from Laithwaites for £10.99 at the moment (usually £12.99). Gratefully received as a sample (but picked by me).

#aperitivo #aperitif #port #portcocktails #pinkport #cocktailsathome #canapeideas

A year ago I was sending my mum to Big Tesco to hunt for a bottle of Albariño with a disappearing blue boat on the label. Fast forward to this week - I was tasting the full Mar de Frades range at their ‘Atlantic & Albariño, Personality & Provenance’ event at The Oyster Shed in London.

The fantastic winemaker, Paula Fandiño, walked us through eight(!) still wines & a sparkling, all showcasing that signature saline quality from the Atlantic breeze. 🌊

Tasting notes:

✨ The 2024 Albariño: bright, floral, saline with pears and peaches and a lovely texture thanks to time on lees. Two samples of the same vintage aged in granite and concrete showed fascinating honeyed notes and flinty notes due to micro-oxygenation and protective winemaking respectively.

✨ Finca Monteveiga 2020: lush peaches & banana from a hot summer, plus nutty, nougat notes from bottle age.

✨ Finca Lobeira 2019: coastal herb garden vibes with dried apricot.

✨ A vertical of Finca Valiñas (2020, 2017, 2015): from thyme and lemon zest to orange blossom and creamy texture with seriously impressive acidity even at 10 years old.

✨ The first ever sparkling Albariño! Made in a Brut Nature style from specially selected plots, 24 months on lees - green apple, lemon, stone fruit & brioche.

We wrapped it up with an oyster shucking class (yes, they have tasting notes too!) 🦪

Absolutely loved feeling like I’d been whisked away to Galicia for this masterclass!

PR invite - thank you for having me @mardefrades !

🌸 Jeany Cronk, co-founder of the iconic Maison Mirabeau, has released a new book ‘At Home in Provence’ and I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch! 🌸

We enjoyed an ‘Endless Lunch’ - an idea that the book is centred around, which encapsulates everything that the South of France does best. Long lunches filled with delicious food made with love, the scent of fresh flowers and the coming together of friends over generously poured rosé.

We shared dishes inspired by Jeany’s recipes and drank Mirabeau’s Pure and La Réserve, as well as the most sublime dragonfruit cocktails using Mirabeau’s Dry Rosé Gin.

What really shone through was how this is more than just a cookbook - it offers a real insight into the Provençal way of living. From tablescaping to tips on how to select the best produce and ideas of games to play. Slow, effortless and joyful - with a real emphasis on coming together over great wine and delicious food.

The event was made even more special by the fact that it was hosted at one of my favourite restaurants in the world @seabirdlondon on the rooftop of The Hoxton Hotel, Southwark. This place really understands how to bring a slice of the Mediterranean to London.

PR invite - thank you so much for having me 💕

@maisonmirabeau
@provencejournals
@niki_downs_pr
@thehoxtonhotel

A few faves from the Drink Pink Wednesday tasting event back in June 💕

Bijou Éminence (Languedoc 🇫🇷). If you’re like me and regularly pick up a beautiful bottle of Bijou de Sophie Valrose (named after a French vineyard worker who challenged the exploitation of female workers in the wine industry) from Waitrose on your way to your friend’s house, you have to try Bijou Éminence next time. It’s got finesse and a red berry character - definitely one to have with food (think goats cheese or scallops 😚👌🏼)

Clos du Temple from Gérard Bertrand (Languedoc 🇫🇷). Couldn’t not mention this as it’s probably the most expensive wine I’ve ever had. Would I pay over £200 for it? Not sure because I can’t afford to pay that much for anything consumable… but it was stunning and showed beautifully integrated oak in a way I’d never had in a rosé. I refused to spit this one out 🥲

Acquarella from Novus Winery (Peloponnese 🇬🇷). Moschofilero is the predominant grape in this blend. A pink skinned white grape that brings pink grapefruit notes whilst Syrah and Assyrtiko bring blueberry and peach notes respectively.

Peplo from Domaine Skouras (Peloponnese 🇬🇷). Loved the label which shows how it’s been matured. 1/3 Agiorgitiko matured in acacia, 1/3 Syrah matured in stainless steel and 1/3 Mavrofilero (a rare, aromatic clone of Moschofilero) in amphoras. Floral rose, violet and white flowers with grapefruit and strawberry.

Domaine de Terrebrune 2019 and 2024 (Bandol 🇫🇷). Predominantly Mourvèdre, it was so cool to see how this same wine has aged over 5 years. The 2024 was still young, floral and fresh, and the 2019 had developed a beautiful elegance with a bit of dried lavender and pungent white pepper.

🍾Cune Cava. Preparing for International Cava Day (12th July) by doing some ‘research’ 👀 Cava is so underrated in my opinion - I loved the subtle toasted brioche notes on this but it’s still fresh and lively with apple and white flowers. £13.50 from Majestic or £12.50 on ‘mix six’.
🍏Ben Marco 2023 Sin Limites Gualtallary Chardonnay. Can you see how keen I was to get into this bottle? 😂 I defy any ABCs not to enjoy this. It’s bright and floral with refreshing acidity and minerality. The subtle new oak and lees elevate it to something incredibly refined - Ben Marco are wines to open when you want to impress.
😈Screaming Devil. We’ve all seen this everywhere over socials and for good reason - this tongue-in-cheek take on a much loved label is a very good dupe! Can confirm it pairs excellently with a tuna pizza enjoyed in the park. Don’t throw away the glass stopper! £12.97 from Asda.
🌹Lex Langmann Schilcher Klassik. I was new to Schilcher when I tried this - it’s a rosé produced in the Austrian state of Styria, from the indigenous Blauer Wildbacher grape. Lex Langmann is a highly regarded, sustainable, family-run winery in Austria and this onion skin-coloured rosé is rich in orange zest, ripe strawberries, zippy minerality - gorgeous with food.
🐦‍⬛Leonardslee Blanc de Blancs. Always exciting to try a new English sparkling. This creamy, slightly nutty sparkling with fresh apple and citrus notes was just what I wanted after a run through their beautiful grounds.
🥳Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux rosé. Fruity, fun and a good celebration wine (but at only £12 from Ocado, not one that you have to worry about finding *too* big of a celebration for. Something like you found your keys or you got a mini tax rebate will do). Had this as a little aperitif in the park before aforementioned pizza and my friend said ‘I LOVED that!’
🌸Mirabeau One Day. Sourced exclusively from organic and regeneratively farmed vineyards (something Mirabeau is leading the way for in France), Mirabeau hopes that ‘one day’, this is the sustainable standard to which all wine will be made. Elegant and refreshing, it transports you to sunny Provence.

🥂 Sparkling run at Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens 🥂

Rounding off English Wine Week in style! What a day for a 10K run through these beautiful grounds!

Have you been here? What did you think?

#vineyard #ukvineyard #englishwineweek #englishwineweek2025 #benguelacove #vineyardrun

Think you know about sustainable viticulture? You’ve heard the words ‘organic’ or ‘biodynamic’… but is there anything else producers can be doing? (Spoiler alert: there is - and they are!)

Rosés with a Cause was a celebration of rosé producers who are going above and beyond the sustainable call of duty. With an entirely vegetarian menu, each course was paired with a wine and notes from the producer.

🌷Rhonéa - aside from their efforts towards ecological farming and fair pay for growers, this co-operative supports local initiatives in social care, accessibility, culture and sport

🎀Bijou - honouring 19th century vineyard worker, Sophie Valrose, who stood up for women’s rights, Bijou continues to champion women in the wine industry today

💕Bastide de Blacailloux - the Sœurs cuvee, made in association with the Women’s Foundation, symbolises their support of women, the environment and the region

💐Rovinhud - committed to destroying barriers and ensuring the industry can be enjoyed by all, Rovinhud advocates for accessibility and supporting those in need. Tasting was Cramele Recaş’ The New Rosé

🌸Mirabeau - a certified B Corp, Mirabeau became the first Regenerative Organic Alliance certified winery in France. Having founded the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation, Stephen Cronk’s personal mission is to encourage adoption of regenerative farming

🍧Feudi di San Gregorio - also a certified B Corp, they invest in environmental, social, cultural and economical regeneration

🩰Chateau Galoupet - having planted 10,000 trees for reforestation efforts, they haven’t stopped there. Taking the risk to bottle rosé in a dark, lightweight, recycled glass bottle, has proved successful in reducing their carbon footprint

🌺Chêne Bleu - the fact that 1,400 species of butterfly have made the estate their home says a lot about the biodiversity efforts of this biodynamic vineyard

🍓Lex Langmann - the first winery in Western Styria to be awarded the sustainable Austria seal, they embrace sustainability as a way of life, not just a trend. Cover crops to create biodiversity, cotton paper labels, and farming without herbicide or insecticide are just some of the techniques they use

Learning from the best at a Minuty Rosé Masterclass 🌊⚓️

Had a wonderful time at Michelin starred The Ninth for the London Restaurant Festival with Minuty. I was very lucky to be sat next to our host for the evening, Samuel Le Douarin, who talked us through the Minuty pairings and I was just a little bit starstruck when chef Jun Tanaka came out to talk us through the food 🤩

🦀 Our amuse bouche was a crab and seaweed tartlet, inspired by chef Jun’s trip to San Sebastián. This was paired with Minuty Prestige Blanc 2024, a white wine made from Rolle (aka Vermentino). White flowers and a saline character was just perfect with the crab.

🍅 Starter was a heritage tomato salad with pickled green strawberries and a delicate tomato consommé, which was paired with Minuty Prestige Rosé 2024. Their flagship rosé, this was very easy to drink and the white and yellow peach notes were a delight.

🐟Red mullet tempura with carrots and aïoli was inspired by Portuguese sardines. The Château Minuty Rose et Or 2024, made from the three main terroirs on the estate, had complexity and tropical notes that worked well with the stronger flavours of garlic and fish.

🍑Finally, we enjoyed Château Minuty 281, so called because of the Pantone colour match to the blue on the bottle neck, which celebrates the Mediterranean Sea and way of life. Paired with poached apricots, almonds and yoghurt ice cream, this was structured and complex with those lovely saline notes that run through all Minuty wines. It’s made from free run juice, a wine with finesse made for celebration.

#invite #londonrestaurantfestival #minuty #rosewines #theninth #rosetasting #minutyrose

This month’s Aldi Winefluencer Club bottle is a scorcher 🔥

🇪🇸 Specially Selected Baron Amarillo White Island Spanish Rosé

🍓 This tastes like those squidgy dried strawberries you can get in health food shops. And strawberry laces. Elevated with pink peppercorns and a nice bit of body. It’s a lovely rosé for food as it really holds its own with lots of flavour.

🍔 Saw these burgers in a recent @guardianfeast recipe from @honeyandco and knew they’d be the perfect match. Chicken smash burgers (anyone else find it impossible to find chicken mince in the supermarket? So I used turkey, which I was lucky to find the last pack of in only one of the four supermarkets I visited today!) with harissa tahini sauce and fried tomatoes. I adapted it a bit to suit my taste with things like some red onion in the burgers and a pinch of sugar in the sauce. Went down a treat for Sunday evening dinner. I know they were meant to be made on the barbecue (quite honestly I’m glad I didn’t try, as all my additions made them fall apart a bit) but the English summer didn’t allow for it today and they were just as tasty done in a frying pan!

Hope everyone has had a lovely week x

@aldiuk
@clarioncomms

#aldiwinefluencerclub #spanishrose #rosewine #smashburgers #guardianfeast #bbqburger

Though the Balearic islands have been producing wine since 121 BC, its production lacks the fame that their neighbours on the mainland enjoy. So when I visited Bodegas Binifadet on a recent holiday to Menorca, I wanted to find out a little more about wine production in this part of the world and what makes it so unique.

Menorca has roughly 153 ha of vines, grown in calcareous subsoil of ‘marés’ sandstone, covered by a layer of clay loam. The former gives the wine vibrant acidity and minerality and the latter aids with complexity and depth. This sandstone is used to build the distinctive stone walls seen in these photos, which protect the vines from the strong Tramuntana wind, which in itself helps alleviate disease pressure in this humid climate. The stone is also perfect for carving out the cellars which keep the ageing wine cool. At Binifadet, we were shown these cellars, where the wine aged in 500 litre old French oak barrels and where the sparkling wine is riddled by hand on these frames.

My favourite that we tasted was their Foraster, made from Garnacha Blanca and the local variety Giró Ros - a highly aromatic, pink skinned grape, that suits skin contact and barrel ageing (this one was aged for three months). Usually not my sort of thing… but this style is made for food, with it’s savoury character and sweet spice notes, and the food at Binifadet is heavenly! Had an absolute feast of sticky, roasted leeks with stracciatella, confit cod omelette, richly savoury Menorcan mushroom rice and Mahón cheesecake with fig jam.

Highly recommend a visit if you’re in the area!

#menorca #binifadet #bodegasbinifadet #menorcanwine #balearicislandwine #menorcawinetasting #vineyardtour #vineydardvisit #vineyardsofinstagram

Wine Wednesday with @benmarcowines !

When I was asked what I would pair with this BenMarco 2022 Malbec from @susanabalbowines my mind immediately went to empanadas. And not just because we had some delicious ones at Gaucho the other day with @edydelpopolo

Basically, I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to make something smoky and cheesy, which would show how well the wine could stand up to strong flavours.. Or something spicy and meaty, which the black fruit notes and firm tannins would work well with… Or whether I wanted to make something rich and tomatoey which would work well with the high acid. So I decided to make all three!

Enjoy this video of me making three types of ‘rustic’ (😉) looking empanadas: sweet potato and smoked cheddar; tuna and olive; and spicy chorizo and potato. Served with a simple tomato and onion salad, some fried plantain and some lime and chipotle mayonnaise.

It was the perfect pairing for BenMarco 2022 Malbec, with its black fruit, pepper and violet notes and the smoothest tannins.

Thank you for the sample!

#winewednesday #susanabalbo #benmarco #argentina #ucovalley #empanadarecipe

@phillipshillwinepr
@enotriacoe
@analovagliobalbo
@gauchogroup

BenMarco wines from Susana Balbo are *made* for food like this.

On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of attending a very special dinner with Edy del Pópolo, General Manager at Susana Balbo, who is a pioneer in Argentinian viticulture (so much so, he won ‘Viticulturist of the year’ in 2022) and an expert in all-things Malbec. Hosted at Gaucho in Tower Bridge (hello gorgeous sunset over the Thames!), we dined on the most delicious six course meal with highlights of salmon tartare tacos, Argentinian steak and a decadent chocolate torte.

What became immediately apparent was how important terroir is to Edy. Rather than striving for a house style, he embraces vintage variation. Nestled in the foothills of the Andes, Susana Balbo vineyards benefit from a rich diversity of landscapes. Edy can tell you the intricacies of the make-up of the soil from each of his patches of vineyard, as well as exactly what that means for the resulting wine.

The Sin Limites Chardonnay 2018 was a standout for me. Enjoyed with a beef and olive empanada, this was remarkably bright and lean for its age. Beautiful now, yet exciting to think how much it will develop over time with this kind of ageing potential.

Edy mentioned that he loves working with Cabernet Franc - it’s a challenging variety to make quality wine from due to its high vigour and this, he said, is what makes it so exciting. The 2022 Cabernet Franc was bursting with blueberry, dried herbs and spice - a delicious pairing for the steak with chimichurri.

The Expresivo 2022 was the pièce de résistance. It was unbelievably smooth with ripe black fruit and violets - made beautifully complex through 14 months in French oak (70% new, 30% second-use). If you’re looking for a wine to impress - this is it.

I felt incredibly lucky to share the table with Edy as well Marina Diaz, Head Sommelier at Gaucho, the fantastic Oz Clarke and so many friends, both old and new.

PR invite - thank you so much for having me ❤️

@phillipshillwinepr
@benmarcowines
@susanabalbowines
@gauchogroup
@edydelpopolo
@analovagliobalbo
@enotriacoe

#susanabalbo #benmarco #susanabalbowines #benmarcowines #argentina #ucovalley #ucovalleywines

… and accidentally end up having one of the most delicious meals of the holiday (or maybe your life 👀)

Not one to waste a second of precious holiday time, I planned a trip to Binifadet straight after landing in Menorca and it was the best idea ever.

We started with a tour of the vineyard and a tasting of three of their wines, made from various local and international varieties. Followed up by lunch in their gorgeous terrace restaurant.

A must-visit next time you’re in Menorca!

#Menorca #menorcanwine #binifadet #bodegasbinifadet #binifadetwinery #binifadetmenorca #menorcatravel #balearics #balearicislands

Got a taste of Brazil last night with an incredible meal at @fazenda.group in Bishopsgate, paired with the stunning wines from esteemed Chilean winery @vik_wine

We were welcomed with Carménère cocktails and La Piu Belle rosé alongside some of the best canapés I’ve ever had (these little parcels had an entire runny egg yolk inside?!).

Gaston from VIK then talked us through the wines we were going to taste and it quickly became clear how important innovation is to them and they are constantly finding more ways to express the distinctive terroir of their Millahue Valley winery. Their barrels are toasted by burning fallen trees from their own 100 year old forests, their amphora are crafted using clay from their own land and wildflowers found on the property help introduce the native yeasts that ferment the must.

We were then absolutely spoilt with a wagyu tartare and bone marrow starter and a further two courses from Fazenda’s churrasco menu with rodizio service. Chicken thigh, wagyu, fillet steak, lamb… it was all here 😮‍💨 Paired with VIK’s Milla Calle, VIK 2019 and my favourite - the VIK 2021 (a beautifully smooth Cabernet Franc based blend which scored 100 points!)

The food, the wine and the company were absolutely top tier. I cannot wait to go back!

Thank you so much for the invite 😘
@fazenda.group
@vik_wine
@akacomms

Thrilled to share the next bottle from the Aldi Winefluencer Club with you all!

Don’t think I’ve had a Viognier from Mendoza before - a great one to try for something a little bit more intense and structured 🍑

#winereview #aldiwinefluencerclub #aldiwine #aldifinds #viognier #argentianwine

A few extras from the M&S Spring tasting that I couldn’t not mention! 🌼

This limoncello would make the perfect gift, if you can bear to part with it. Made by the limoncello pros at Pallini, so you know it’s the real deal. It’s sweet and almost creamy with that hit of lemon flavour that we all love.

Gone are the days of generic, sickly sweet tinnies. The bar has been raised!

Firstly, the limoncello spritz is a great on-the-go way to enjoy the aforementioned limoncello. Whisk yourself away to the Amalfi coast (without the airfare!).

My favourite pre-mixed cocktail I tried had to be the Marksologist Spicy Mexcal Margarita. No shyness here with the jalapeño - this is knock your socks off heat! Smoky mezcal adds a really fun dimension. I can see myself enjoying one of these during a cosy night in.

Finally, this saké spritz with lychee felt grown up and so on trend. Seeing more and more saké cocktails being served and this was a lovely way to enjoy it.

May-June is flowering and fruit set time in the Northern Hemisphere. 🌸🍇
Flowering usually takes place within eight weeks of budburst, with warm temperatures speeding up the process. In the best conditions, flowering may only last a few days but in lower temperatures, it can last a few weeks. A longer flowering period increases the risk of uneven ripening, since each grape could start forming at vastly different times. Grapevines are self pollinating and each little flower bud has the potential to become a grape berry, although usually only about 30% will.

Videos taken at @bodegasbinifadet

#grapevines #grapevine #grapes #vineyard #menorcanwine #menorca

I always associate Vermouth with Western Europe but after meeting @asterleybros at the @davysoflondon press tasting a couple of weeks ago, I learnt that we’re making some fantastic botanical blends right here in the UK!

Their ‘Estate’ English Vermouth celebrates British terroir by aromatising English Pinot Noir using a blend of nearly 30 botanicals found right here in Blighty, including fennel, English hops, thyme, rhubarb, cardamom and sultanas. Slightly sweetened with Demerara sugar. I enjoy mine over ice with a lemon/orange wedge.

Their modern British ‘Dispense’ Amaro is citrusy and bittersweet with smoky spice from vanilla, dates, ginger and liquorice. A taste of Sicily without leaving home.

Their Aperitivo was used to make this fab spritz using English sparkling wine. Bitter orange, rosemary and cinnamon work together to create a taste of the Med!

#vermouth #vermut #vermouthtime #vermouthlovers #fernet #amaro #aperitivo #aperitivotime

Happy International Sauvignon Blanc Day!

Tried this beautiful Calvet Sancerre to celebrate, with its tangy gooseberry and touch of smokiness, said to come from the ‘silex’ flinty soils that aid ripening in the region.

Sancerre is a renowned appellation with steep hillside slopes in the Loire Valley, known for its crisp, dry wines made from Sauvignon Blanc only.

£17.50 from Budgens

@fourteenten

I’m getting ready for Sauvignon Blanc Day (2nd May 2025) by brushing up on my knowledge of this popular grape. I was once taught this clever little way to remember the difference between our Fuissés and our Fumés, which I wanted to share on here to mark the occasion.

Pouilly-Fumé is an AOC in the Central Vineyards of the Loire Valley, making premium wines from Sauvignon Blanc only. There are various theories on where the ‘fumé’ part of the name came from but the main two concern variety and terroir. Firstly, the local nickname for Sauvignon Blanc is ‘Blanc Fumé’, so-called due to the greyish bloom on the skins that resembles smoke. Secondly, the limestone, Kimmeridgian marl and flint clay soils of the area help give it that distinctive ‘flinty’ aroma that we associate with Sauvignon Blanc. This one is an affordable and typical example from Calvet for £20 at Ocado (usually £23.50).

Pouilly-Fuissé, on the other hand, is a named village appellation with premier cru status in the Mâconnais region of Bourgogne. It is dedicated to Chardonnay and commands premium prices.

Gifted sample @fourteenten

#sauvignonblanc #sauvignonblancday #pouillyfume #pouillyfumé #pouillyfuissé #pouillyfuisse #loirevalley #bourgogne #frenchwine #premiumwines

😱 ‘Jaw Drop’ moment! Very excited to announce I’ve been selected as a member of Aldi’s Winefluencer Club, which means I’ll be sent some of their most exciting wines in their Spring/Summer collection to review over the next few months. 🍷🍾

First up is this fantastic ‘Jaw Drop’ Syrah from Washington State. If you’re looking for a bank holiday barbecue wine, look no further! Bold, full bodied reds like this really sing when paired with rich, smoky meats and should definitely not be reserved just for winter. We enjoyed this paired with some veggie cheeseburgers, sticky slow cooked onions, spiced sweet potato wedges and lashings of BBQ sauce.

On the palate, it’s bursting with juicy mulberries, blackberries and floral violet. A savoury character in the form of black olives and cured meats gives it the robustness needed to pair with meaty dishes and everything is rounded off with peppery spice and heaps of vanilla from oak influence.

Columbia Valley is the largest wine growing region in Washington, with 99% of the state’s vineyard plantings, and Syrah is one of the region’s most popular grapes. I’m always keen to try US wines because, with the exception of Californian ones, you don’t tend to see them so often, except in more specialist stores. At £9.99, it’s incredible value and a fun way to try something a bit different!

#AldiWinefluencerClub
@aldiuk
@clarioncomms

Pop quiz! Why are bottles of wine 750ml?

And after all that history, I’m going to crack open this @aldiuk Saperavi from Coonawarra. Cheers!

Edit: my audio cutting out is stressing me out! Any tips please comment below - I swear it was fine before I posted!

#aldi #aldiwine #winehistory #wsetdiploma #winetasting #aldiwinefluencerclub

It’s not all fancy wine tastings and food pairings. It’s maps. A truckload of maps.

#wsetdiploma

A wonderful afternoon last week spent sampling the wines of East Anglia at the stunning Spencer House. Here’s a selection of my faves:

Burn Valley
A pleasure to have a good chat with Mat again, who is the fantastic winemaker at Burn Valley. I tasted their white label and black label (reserve) Solaris. The white label is fermented in stainless steel for a clean, fresh floral and stone fruit forward wine, whereas the black label is fermented and aged in Hungarian oak with some malo for depth and richness.

Saffron Grange
Love the branding with the mammoth on the bottle which is a nod to the fact woolly mammoth bones were found on site! Tried their Blanc de Blancs made from Chardonnay only, which was picked as late as November! 26 months on lees gives a hint of pastry which complements the fresh and zesty citrus notes.

Chet Valley
So nice to see John again and sample his Cabernet Noir - a grape I hadn’t had before but apparently has some controversial parentage! This was bursting with fruit, low and soft tannins and would be a great served slightly chilled at summer picnics.

Giffords Hall
I love trying new grapes so this Madeleine Angevine rosé was a standout for me. Blended with Pinot Noir, this wine is definitely one to consider if you need to buy a gift for anyone (mother’s day perhaps?) - I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t adore it.

New Hall
Railway Barn sparkling rosé is like all the best bits of your childhood but all grown up - it tastes like raspberry ripple ice cream and strawberry petit filous. I want to take this on a picnic and pack a frisbee.

Toppesfield Vineyard
Currently working out the earliest availability I have to go and visit these guys (and their gorgeous dog!) because I imagine they are the best hosts! Particularly enjoyed their Bacchus Reserve, which was exactly how I like my Bacchus. Crisp acidity and gooseberry notes.

Huge congratulations to @wineswithashley and her new venture @palatecomms for an outstanding inaugural event.

🎀 Calvet Cap D’Adge Côtes De Thau 🎀

This and an evening in with your bestie 🤝

A region that curves around the Étang de Thau lagoon and the Mediterranean port town of Sète in the Languedoc, Côtes de Thau is an IGP covering still red, white and rosé wines. Its soils are diverse, ranging from clay-limestone to sand and pebbly, as the region connects Mediterranean coastal and lake landscapes.

This was a beautifully fruity blend of Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache and Merlot varieties with vibrant grapefruit and lime notes. Just the thing to see us into spring!

Side note - the bottle is sealed with a glass stopper. I always keep these as they’re so useful for keeping bottles with a cork fresh!

£9.25 from @morrisons

Thank you @fourteenten for the sample ❤️

@morrisonsprteam
@calvet_wines

PSA: Get yourself down to Aldi for the most mouth-wateringly, high acid, floral, tropical Bacchus for just a tenner 😱

England has been building its reputation for decades as THE place to find high quality wine. However, our rather unreliable weather results in lots of vintage variation, which in turn means we can rarely build up high volumes of reserve wines and this contributes to relatively high price points compared to the rest of Europe. I fell in love with Bacchus last year after making it my mission to sample as many English wines as I could. It’s a variety that has become synonymous with high quality English wine and this is such a stunning example at a price which caused me no hesitation.

Have you tried this bottle? Let me know what you think in the comments below. 👇🏼

Looking for a Valentine’s Day bottle? Look no further! 😍

Fell in love with this label and thought the way it went with my beautiful flowers was a match made in heaven 🌹

An IGT Méditerranée made with Merlot, Grenache and Syrah, this rosé is light, dry and fresh with an impressive amount of structure.

Your date will think you’ve got the fancy stuff in… but it’s an absolute steal at £7.25 from @morrisons

Thanks for the sample @fourteenten
@morrisonsprteam

#rosewine #morrisonswine #valentinesdaywine #nectarandnature #roseforvalentines #wineclub #supermarketwine

In a month of important celebrations, it was vital I was suitably equipped - despite taking part in Dry January this year.

Recent exam results, my dog’s 15th birthday (the *most* important!) and finally making that big commitment of booking on to classes to study the second half of my diploma were all occasions that warranted a bit of sparkle this January. But I didn’t have to miss out!

Nozeco’s sparkling alcohol-free wine saved the day. This was full of bright apple notes and a bit of sweetness. And when sharing with friends, I really didn’t notice I wasn’t drinking alcohol. Except when I woke up with a totally clear head the next morning!

Thanks @fourteenten for the sample!

How’s everyone’s Dry Jan going?

Spent Christmas Eve making Italian canapés to serve with my two of my favourite Italian sparkling styles🍷🍾

This Franciacorta (£12, Ocado) is made from Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Nero. 🤔 Note: the Ocado listing for this incorrectly states it’s made from Chambourcin - which would be near impossible seeing as that’s a teinturier grape (red juice) and this was a white wine. Bright and floral, the wine benefits from subtle toastiness from 20-26 months sui lieviti (on lees).

We also enjoyed this frothy Lambrusco, made from 70% Lambrusco Salamino (so called because the berries resemble salami!). Wines from Ca’ de’ Medici are well respected for their authenticity and this was a beautiful example with some fuller body and black fruits.

Snacks included bruschettini topped with sherry vinegar-doused mushrooms and sundried tomato tapenade 🍞, fried ravioli with tomato sauce 🍝, veggie meatball bites on garlic flatbread 🧆 and hand stretched pizzas topped with Mediterranean vegetables 🍕. Obviously snaffled before photos were taken 😅

Happy New Year, everyone! 🥳

Looking for the perfect tipple for NYE? 🥂

I picked up this bottle of Vignoble Guillaume’s Flûte Enchantée from Franche-Comté, which is near Burgundy. As there’s no specific designation for crémant within this region, it’s not labelled as one but it follows the traditional Champagne method, using the same grapes and an average of 2 years on lees.

The colour is golden and gorgeous, and the palate was full of roasty, toasty notes and ripe apple flavours.

We opened this on Christmas Day and enjoyed comparing it to the other sparkling wines from around the world we had over the last few days.

Available from @theatreofwine for £19.10 - an absolute bargain if you ask me!

Merry Christmas Eve! 🔔 🎄

Enjoying this @calvet_wines Crémant de Bordeaux with a mini seafood feast of smoked salmon blinis, chilli & garlic prawns and coquilles St Jacques.

Made with 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, it’s bubbling with fresh berries and toastiness. The perfect accompaniment to these decadent canapés. Delicious! 😋

Kindly gifted @fourteenten

#cremant #cremantdebordeaux #merlot #cabernetfranc #sparklingwine #blinis #canapes #christmaswine

Crémant tasting 🥂🍾

Was lucky enough to be sent these three fantastic bottles of crémant, all from different regions in France - Loire, Alsace and Bordeaux - and enjoyed them side by side at a Christmas party yesterday.

First up:
LaCheteau Crémant de Loire (£16, Ocado) 🥭🍞
Made from 70% Chenin Blanc, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Chardonnay, this blend is a well balanced expression of the Loire Valley’s grapes. Chenin brings tropical notes whilst Cabernet Franc brings berries - all rounded off with subtle autolysis. We enjoyed this first (and it got a good few votes for overall favourite!) with smoked salmon and egg mayo blinis.

Next up:
Calvet Crémant de Bordeaux Blanc (£11, Ocado) 🍏🍋
Calvet is one of the oldest merchants in the Bordeaux region - a trusted name for still wine as well as bubbles. This blend is 70% Sémillon and 30% Cabernet Franc, with refreshing notes of yellow and green apple, citrus and light brioche.

Finally:
Arthur Metz Crémant d’Alsace Organic (£15, Ocado) 🍐🥐
Offering toasty biscuit notes alongside pear, apple and peach, this crémant is made from organically grown grapes and is aged on lees for 18-24 months. Pinot Blanc based, with Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir and Riesling in the blend as well. Suitable for vegans.

Would highly recommend this as a fun tasting to do when you next have people round - everyone enjoyed picking their favourite from the line-up.

Bonus video of me not being ready for the shot before the cork popped 🍾

Merry crémant Christmas, everyone!

PR samples - thank you @fourteenten

#christmaswine #christmaswinetasting #cremant #cremantdeloire #cremantdalsace #cremantdebordeaux #champagnealternatives #christmasfizz #sparklingwine

💐 Fleurs De Prairie Sparkling Rose 🌸

A bottle so pretty, it deserved pretty glasses to serve it in. 🥂

I was inspired by the name of this wine to invite my friends round for a girly afternoon of painting floral wine glasses, which we then enjoyed it from!

This dry, sparkling rosé is a delicate and fruity blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Muscat with notes of white flowers, melon and pear as well as raspberries and strawberries. A real delight and the perfect wine to share with friends.

Available from Morrisons for £8.75

Would highly recommend this as a chill pre-Christmas activity too as they make the most thoughtful gifts.

Thank you @fourteenten for the sample!

@fleursdeprairie

#prsample #wineglasses #sparklingrose #paintedglasses #paintedwineglasses #crafts #winetasting #frenchwine #winevalue #winereview #morrisons

Norfolk wine ✨🍷

Monday evening was a fantastic celebration of the wines of East Anglia. When we think of winemaking in the UK, many of us will immediately think of Kent and Sussex but did you realise how much fantastic wine was being produced in Norfolk?

Such a lovely evening meeting the winemakers and directors of these wineries. My favourites from each are below:

1. Chet Valley Vineyard - Skylark
Made from a blend of Phoenix and Seyval Blanc, this sparkling white wine has melon, peach and tropical notes. Traditional method, but feels like it’s got characteristics of the charmat method too with its bright and recognisable fruit.

2. Winbirri Vineyard - Bacchus 2023
Fast becoming one of my favourite grapes, Bacchus is elegant and clean, with lip-smackingly bright acidity and delicious grapefruit notes. This wine is highly regarded and awarded and I can see why!

3. Walsingham Estate Vineyard
Couldn’t pick a favourite here because I enjoyed making my way through the flight so much! I tried their Bacchus, their Bacchus Reserve (harvested just two weeks later but what a difference it makes to the concentration!), their Solaris and their Pinot Noir. Just delightful - as was my conversation with one of its wonderful founders, Clovis.

4. Burn Valley Vineyard - Chardonnay 2022
Shortly before tasting this, I was chatting with someone who loved Chardonnay. I replied that I get it, it’s versatile, but I rarely pick it for myself. We tried this together, looked at each other and both exclaimed ‘I LOVE it!’ in unison. A Chardonnay that can bring together Chardonnay lovers and cynics - need I say more? Was fascinating chatting to their expert winemaker, Mathew Abbey, who is just bursting with knowledge.

5. Hawkers Hill - Pinot Noir (Precoce) 2023
This smelled of cherries and crisp dark chocolate - like a cherry liqueur you’d stolen from your parents’ box of grown up chocolates at Christmas. Dark and spicy and deep with soft tannins, making it perfect for these winter evenings.

Thank you for such a beautiful evening @chalkcomms
@wineswithashley @endofthewine @viningstreetwineclub

#prinvite #winebarlondon #englishwine #norfolkwine #norfolk

Gingerbread house decorating with Yealands! 🎄🧁

We had the most perfect festive evening with @yealands and @ladyberrycupcakes
Wine and gingerbread - what could be better?

We sampled their 2023 vintage whilst decorating (which was so much harder than it looked 😂 we shortly realised it’s allll about the reinforcement!) and learnt about the Awatere Valley where the vineyard is located. Famous for their sustainability efforts, the bottles are decorated with the flora and fauna found in the vineyards 🐝 🌷 🦋 The southernmost of Marlborough’s growing regions, the Awatere Valley’s cool, dry climate is essential for making these wines with bright acidity and an unmistakable saline quality.

1. Yealands Sauvignon Blanc 2023
So crisp and fresh with that minerality we all know and love from NZ Sauvignon.

2. Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Definitely bolder in style with a long finish - this paired beautifully with a delicious wild mushroom risotto we had.

3. Yealands Sauvignon Blanc Blush 2023
My personal fave - and no, it’s not Pinot Noir! Merlot gives this rosé its colour and blackcurrant notes.

Thank you so much @jothompsonwine and @phillipshillwinepr for such a fab evening with wonderful company ❤️

P.S. I know my little cat looks very sad and wet outside my gingerbread house - don’t worry, he was let in and warmed up by the fire shortly after.

@swanlondon_

#prinvite #winetasting #newzealandsauvignonblanc #sustainablewinemaking #veganwine

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My name is Chloe Bargery and ever since I was a little girl, I have loved words. I understand how a meaningful description can brighten your day just as easily as it can bring you to tears. I collect books that explain the origins of language and I have built up a lexicon of broken sentences from foreign tongues. I like the feeling in my vocal apparatus when it forms certain words (melancholic, breadth) and I am fascinated by how an ugly word can make me despise its subject (yoghurt, spider).

My early career involved writing copy for advertisements in major fashion magazines, before I moved into a fast paced advertising sales role at the UK's leading national newspaper. In 2020, I had a lot of spare time for new hobbies and decided to learn a little more about wine. Wine was something I drank regularly and I had been to a few tastings but I didn't realise how much I didn't yet know. I began my journey in wine education with the WSET Level 1 exam and over the next five years, worked my way up to the WSET Diploma. I guess you could say I caught the bug!

I created my platform, Uncorked with Chlo, in a bid to marry up a few of my many interests in life; a way to dive deeper into the language used around wine and endeavour to make sense of it all (what makes tannins 'grippy'?); a way to create engaging content for impactful campaigns and a way to share my wine knowledge with like-minded readers. Cheers!