Author Christine Austin

‘Have a mince pie’, I said to the gathering of neighbours clustered around my kitchen table as we discussed local issues ‘and would you like to try this?’ I poured small amounts of a dark, rich liquid...

It was a very grand do at the Argentine Ambassador’s residence in the smart area of London as a dozen Malbecs, were introduced by Master of Wine Tim Atkin. A small group of us swirled and sipped our way...

If there is one Spanish wine that everyone has heard of it is Rioja. Loved for its soft, round, warming flavours, raspberry fruit, maybe a touch of oak and supple tannins, it goes with almost any kind of food...

Our recent cold frosty evenings have, in effect, given me an ultimatum. Either I start wearing my thick woolly socks around the house again, or I open some of my bigger, gutsier wines to keep my toes warm.  ...

Having tasted my way through over a thousand wines in recent weeks, here are the most wallet friendly wines that will keep costs down in the build up to the festive season. All limbo under the £10 mark and...

Now that we are all one Europe, even with Brexit looming, it is odd to remember that less than 30 years ago, Hungary was still under Soviet rule. This had a massive effect on wine production in particular on...

If you are watching your weight but still want to enjoy a good glass of wine then three new wines on the shelves at Marks and Spencer might be of interest. Sumika Sauvignon Blanc, Sumika Shiraz and Sumika...

The wine department in a supermarket used to be referred to as the ‘husband’s playpen’. This was generally regarded as a safe place to leave men while the wife dashed around the rest of the store,...

There was total shock on the High Street as earlier this year Lidl gradually overhauled Waitrose in the supermarket stakes. It joined Aldi which had moved up the pecking order a year ago pushing Waitrose down...

As a retailer, the Northern chain of Booths, with just 28 stores is a minnow in a sea of sharks. Compared with the 6000 Tesco outlets, Aldi’s 700 and even Waitrose’s 355, Booths seems more like a chain of...