Sparkling wine bargains for Christmas

A bit about what I’ve been up to recently, some shameless Yuletide book pluggery and sparkling wine bargains for paid subscribers.

The first episode of Intoxicating History looking at port and the long Anglo-Portuguese alliance is up! Please listen, subscribe, like, rate, review and share. The internet is exhausting, isn’t it? It’s not enough just to read or listen to something, you’re exhorted to be actively involved in its promotion. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. There will be two more episodes tomorrow and one next week. We will be recording more episodes after Christmas when Tom has recovered from his gruelling book tour.

Speaking of which. I would highly recommend Cooking and the Crown. Not only is it a lovely-looking

thing, such heavy paper!, but it’s a pleasure to read and full of recipes that I want to cook. I made the kedgeree last week and the girls agreed it was the best they’d had outside the Wolseley in London. We’re going to make it again for Christmas Eve.

I can’t think of a better sparkling wine for the money, under £30

I currently have two books in paperback both of which won a Fortnum & Mason award and come garlanded with all kinds of praise: Empire of Booze: British history through the bottom of a glass and Vines in a Cold Climate: the people behind the English wine revolution. Please buy multiple copies.

Right, let's get on with some sparkling wine recommendations.

The big British supermarkets all have 25% off six bottles offers at this time of year making some of their wines absurdly cheap. I appreciate this isn’t good for independent retailers or indeed the wine business overall but when money is this tight, I’m not going to not tell you about an English sparkling wine from the Nyetimber stable available for under £14.