Here are our top tips and handy hints to store and serve wine like a professional. Firstly, let’s look at where it’s stored. Big fluctuations in temperature, as well as direct sunlight, can damage wine and make it undrinkable even after just a few weeks. Avoid kitchens where possible (they get hot) and stay away […]

  It’s National Picnic Week from 18th – 26th June! Who amongst us can honestly say they don’t love a picnic? Originating in pre-revolutionary France amongst the aristocracy, they were a kind of bring-your-own-dish dinner. These were always hosted indoors followed by singing, gambling, dancing and general carousing. It wasn’t until the French Revolution that […]

  This week we’ll be focussing on the hidden wonders of Hungarian wine. Here at hometipple we only have two criteria for choosing drinks. Is it delicious? Is it value for money? Our small, dedicated tasting team has spent many hours researching and tasting thousands of products. We aim to give everyone the chance to […]

National BBQ Week is upon us from 6th – 12th June and it’s something we simply cannot let pass us by. Alfresco dining may be a treat on these shores, but Alfresco cooking is something to revel in. It’s not all about comedy aprons and carbonised sausages though. What to drink with flame-grilled food is always a […]

What a rare and glorious thing an extra British bank holiday is! 70 years on the throne is an incredible achievement and Her Maj. deserves to be celebrated in the best way possible. On Friday 3rd June we’re lucky enough to have a whole extra day off to mark this marvellous milestone. Here we’ve lined […]

We’ve spoken of the wonderfully adaptable grape variety Chardonnay previously in these pages. When we discussed when the term ‘Anything but Chardonnay’ came to prominence several years ago. So rather than cover old ground, we’re going to celebrate the incredible adaptability of the world’s second most widely planted white grape and take a good look […]

While our nation’s ten favourite sandwiches may not carry the weight of certain current affairs, it’s a brilliant excuse to indulge in a pastime we love here at hometipple HQ – What wine goes with that? British Sandwich Week is upon us from 22nd May. So we’ve divided Britain’s ten favourite sandwiches between four wines […]

It’s World Fair Trade Day on Saturday 14th May and that got us thinking. Does the fact that drinks are made ethically make them taste better? Here we focus on ethical drinks and their credentials. From Fair Trade supply chains to supporting ecological causes. From sustainable certification to Organic or Biodynamic farming practices. How do […]

First up, International Sauvignon Blanc Day. On Friday 6th May the world pays homage to one of the white wine success stories of the last 20+ years. Marlborough, New Zealand may well be the capital of Sauvignon blanc but what else is out there? We look beyond this fabled region to explore the past, present […]

Our final theme of April takes inspiration from International Jazz Day, celebrated on 30th April. A style of music spanning many decades, jazz refuses to be pigeonholed and forms the basis of inspiration for many modern music genres. Notable for its free-form style and the virtuosity of its musicians, jazz offers us some of the […]