The Grape & The Good

02/06/2026

The 2026 Summer Tasting is coming! The usual format and venue. Around 50 wines to try plus non-alcoholic aperitifs from The Drinks Kitchen. Numbers are limited so get in touch if you’re up for it!

22/05/2026

Kopke 2024 Vintage release! The first full vintage declaration since 2020 and this is my favourite, and the oldest, port house.
Details of the launch offer have been sent to all mailing list contacts- if you’re not on the list (why?) get in touch for details. Offer ends 22nd June

22/05/2026

Special Case offer for the next week or so. Perfect for a sunny long weekend! Take one of each or select your own 6 bottles, even 6 of the same!

20/05/2026

The results are in from the Wine Merchant Top 100 competition 2026. I was fortunate to be asked to join the judging panel this year and it was a great experience. The completion aims to find the top 100 wines available exclusively to the independent trade from pool of over 1200 wines. Tasted blind and judged solely by independent wine merchants, this has to be one of the very best indicators of quality and a competition you can truly trust as a genuine indication of a great wine. The results were released this week and I’m pleased to already stock many winners including these. Shop favourite ‘Andica Carmenere’ picked up the Best Value Red Trophy following in the footsteps of another firm favourite, Perdido Tempranillo!

16/05/2026

The perfect wines to get you through Eurovision tonight- Funkstille from Austria. White, Orange and Red- 2 for £24 today only!

08/05/2026

Thanks to all who came along last night and helped make it such a great evening. Great wine, beautiful food and fun company- is there a better combination? Massive thanks to for following your passion, making such good wines and talking about them so enthusiastically, for the always amazing food which matched the wines brilliantly and for the photos as I forgot to take any! Also to for the ill advised after drinks!

05/05/2026

The wines have arrived ready for Thursday night with and - a few tables still available so feel free to get in touch with me if you have questions or book directly with Root [email protected] . See you there!

27/04/2026

24/04/2026

Judging by today’s activity there are going to be a lot of BBQs and a lot of rosé consumed in this weekend! It’s been a busy week, starting with judging for the - more of which later. It was a great day and imposter syndrome soon blew off leading to a memorable experience. A great friend of mine used to say wine only gets made in nice places and the same applies to people who sell wine in, the independent sector at least! Don’t forget the upcoming wine maker evening which will also prove, mostly, only nice people make wine!

22/04/2026

Reservations are now open for our upcoming collaboration with on May 7th. Charlie O’Brien from will join us to introduce and tell the stories of six wines accompanied by five dishes prepared by the amazing team at Root! This should be a good one! Contact Root to book now