"Keep clear of wine I tell you, white or red, especially Spanish wines which they provide and have on sale in Fish Street and Cheapside. That wine mysteriously finds its way to mix itself with others." Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales (14... Read more

Ah, the moment many people dread. Whether it's taking an important client out, choosing wine for your team, or even just selecting a bottle for your Bon Viveur father in law, the wine list in a restaurant can give even seasoned wine drinkers... Read more

"Cocktail" is indeed a curious name for a drink. There are dozens of stories in contemporary culture hypothesizing over the origins of the term.

One of the first written references to the cocktail (as a drin... Read more

As with wine, the world of cocktails has its very own vocabulary, often confusing to the outsider. Below is a lowdown of some of the key terms and their meanings.

COLLINS - Tall cool punch-like drinks. Any basic liquor with the... Read more

Many moons ago, I remember standing at the back of a Johnnie Walker Whisky tasting session in Harrods wine department. Believe it or not this tasting, like most of the other staff tastings we organised at Harrods, took place ... Read more

I've lost count of the amount of times people bewail the state of our collective beer drinking - seemingly we're a nation of insipid lager lovers, and have little interest in the finer points of a pint.

T... Read more