A Celebration of London’s Urban Wineries with Aidy Smith

The Urban Winery scene in London has exploded over recent years, first with London Cru, who were then joined by Renegade, Vagabond and Blackbook, who are now all combining for a first-of-its-kind collaboration event featuring fascinating winemaking insight, beautifully paired dishes, a charity raffle, our very own Aidy and of course, plenty of incredible wines.

If you’re not familiar with urban wineries, they’re probably not a million miles away from what you’re picturing; compact vineyards and wineries that occupy corners in a city as opposed to the rolling hills of the countryside. By their stand-out nature, they also tend to particularly entrepreneurial with a focus on embracing different methods of winemaking.

These four wineries are coming together for a celebration of this movement on Sunday 15th June with two different events suitable for novices, enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike. First, the Winemaker’s Lunch between 1PM and 3PM, hosted in the beautiful garden oasis of Renegade’s winery. Guests will enjoy a summer feast and of course, a wine pairing with each winemaker curating the perfect wine to match. 

And the best bit? Our own Aidy Smith will be hosting! Joined by the Evening Standard Food & Drinks Editor, Joanna Taylor, there will be a charity raffle for PrideWide and the ADHD Foundation with plenty of exquisite wines from the wineries going to the lucky winners.

The fun continues between 3:30PM and 8PM with a walkabout tasting where attendees can get up close and personal with the wines of the day and the people behind them, all in the perfect setting of Renegade’s stunning set-up. The bar and kitchen remain open all evening with a seasonal menu curated to complement the wines… which will be important for lining those stomachs if you want to get a real taste of every winery.

It's a great event at the heart of London’s dynamic urban wine scene, while also raising some money for great causes – particularly during Pride Month. If you want to be part of this exciting occasion, we’ll leave the key details and ticket links below!

Date: Saturday 15th June 2024
Time: Winemakers Lunch: 13:00–15:00 / Walkabout Tasting: 15:30 - 20:00
Location: Renegade Urban Winery Garden, Unit 7, Lockwood Way, E17 5RB
Travel: Nearest Tube - Blackhorse Road, Victoria Line (10min walk to event)
Tickets: Winemakers Lunch (£60-£65), Walkabout Tasting (£15-£20)

Celebrating Aidy as the Top 100 Most Influential People in Drinks Are Revealed!

As the UK’s number one magazine for everything off-trade drinks, Drinks Retailing is always worth keeping an eye on. Their annual list of the 100 Most Influential People has returned this year, with more industry voters than ever before looking across the entire drinks industry and putting names forward.

Be it through innovation, pushing the industry forward, combating injustices, raising issues, or generally using their voice to positively shape drinks retailing communities, voters were asked to pick the people they thought deserved a spot on the list.

All of this is why we’re so delighted and proud to reveal that our very own Aidy Smith came in 5th place in this year’s list! Woohoo! As the UK’s only television presenter with Tourette Syndrome and one of the few LGBTQIA+ personalities, championing fair representation and using his influence to break down barriers is close to his heart.

Not only has he raised these issues on television, radio, and social media, but he’s also launched DRINKLUSIVE, the results of which you can find all across our website and socials. The first of its kind, it’s an inclusivity mentorship and incubator programme that gives aspiring content creators the chance to shine in the drinks space. Alongside this, he’s also been busy exploring Cognac in a new Amazon series of The Three Drinkers and regularly entertaining us on Instagram. Whether they are from LGBTQIA+, ethnic-minority or disability groups, Aidy is at the forefront of diversifying the people writing and creating in our industry, and it’s amazing to see him recognised for this work in this list.

We'd like to send big congratulations to Helena, too, who also featured in this years list! To find out more about her new and exciting adventures, head over to Flock and Hive!

The full list and magazine are well worth a look to see the exciting work going on across the whole industry. You can find Drinks Retailing here, where it’s free to sign up and read the beautifully designed magazine.

Congratulations to Aidy, Helena and everyone building a better drinks industry for all - onwards and upwards!

Bring A Bottle Podcast: Episode 94

Greetings drinkers! We’re back with a brand new Bring a Bottle Podcast and Aidy is joined by a wine wizard and spirit sage to sip one of the most magical Speyside whiskies going. Also, the drinkers guess the most popular British pub name, plan the ultimate Halloween cocktail, and there’s even some juicy drinking confessions thrown in! Listen now for all that and more!

OUR GUEST DRINKERS

We’re lucky enough to be accompanied by two wonderful guests this week. Firstly, it’s Chris Dennis - a mixology mastermind and spirit sage. Two decades of industry experience mean his name is known at some of the finest bars in the world, like Zetter Town House, Calooh Callay, Milk & Honey, and Trailer Happiness. After co-founding Disrepute in Soho, his newest venture is Heads & Tails in West London where Chris has continued to work with tonnes of different spirit brands... so much so that since 2021, he’s been the Rum and Whiskies Brand Ambassador for Campari, representing some beautiful drinks like Glen Grant and Appleton Rum. Welcome!

Our second fantastic guest is Hannah Crosbie, a food and wine writer extraordinaire! Her understanding of wine is second to none and in sky high demand, so she can often be found curating wine lists for restaurants or hosting a plethora of events at the likes of Soho House and One Hundred Shoreditch. From Mob Kitchen to Refinery29, from Courier and the Evening Standard, Hannah has written for them all. In 2020, she set up the Dalston Wine Club, with the aim of making wine more accessible, inclusive, and welcoming to all. Bravo! We’re delighted to have you!

WHAT’S IN OUR GLASS?

In this episode we’re sipping on a 10-year-old Speyside single malt – Glen Grant because who better to introduce us to it than the official brand rep Chris? Beautifully amber on the eye, it has notes of green orchard, toffee and vanilla. It’s equally quaffable for a whisky beginner or a seasoned drinker and would sit perfectly in a long cocktail topped with Ginger ale.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £29.49

Glen Grant 10 Year Old Cocktail Discovery

The Glen Grant is used in a whisky sour style cocktail – The Brigadoon! Sour lemon intertwined with sweet apricot liqueur blends with the strong Speyside base to create an intense burst of flavour, settling down into complex layers with a subtle nuttiness from the orgeat. It’s incredible!

Ingredients
40ml Glen Grant 10YO
20ml apricot liqueur
20ml lemon juice
10ml orgeat (almond syrup)

Method:
Simply shake everything and serve over ice! Simply delicious.

DRINKS NEWS

From the ones seen in almost every village across Britain, to the weird and wonderful, we all love pub names. Did you know they date back to 1393 when King Richard II ordered every pub to be clearly signposted? Aidy has the list of most popular pub names, and Hannah and Chris get guessing! What’s your guess for top spot?

DRINKS CONFESSIONS

Drink related confessions always throw up something interesting, and this episode is no different. Is a 15k whisky wasted in porridge, or is it just a great start to the day? And find out why Chris was kicked out of a club for just opening a bottle of Champagne (we may have omitted a key detail there.)

Buy it or Bin it

The intriguingly named Tough Nut Moonshine is tried and tested in this episode! There are all kinds of smells going off with this, from Lotus biscoff to Belvita biscuits... but savoury also? It is indeed a tough nut to crack, but a dash of this hazelnut liqueur would really add to an Old Fashioned. It would also make a far more interesting cocktail balancer instead of sugar syrup! Their other flavours look just as alluring, from Sticky Toffee to Lemon Drizzle… a lovely Christmas gift.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 25%
Find here: £24.64

Mailbag

It’s the perfect October question this week, as the drinkers ponder, ‘What’s an easy Halloween cocktail to make at home?’ Their answer features one of the strangest ice ‘cubes’ we’ve ever heard of too – find out what we mean here.

The Bring a Bottle Podcast: Episode 85

Another week, another fun-filled podcast to listen to! This week we discover two gorgeous Californian wines from Talbott Vineyard, chat about why playing music to vines is important, taste test a Mastiha spirit distilled from the resin of the Mastic tree, and share with you some must-try canned wines for your summer picnics! 

What’s in our Glass?

We’re not strangers to Talbott Vineyard, in fact, this time last year we were exploring the Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay (Episode 55). In Episode 85, however, we are sipping on Kali Hart Chardonnay from Monterey in California. It is a beautiful wine - not too oaky or tart, it has notes of vanilla and marshmallow on the nose and gentle peach, apricot, pear and vanilla to taste.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14%
Find here: £19 // $19.99 

Not wanting to leave out the other grape California is renowned for; we also sip on Talbott Vineyards Kali Hart Pinot Noir. Named after Rob Talbott’s daughter, this 2018 pinot noir is a delicious glass of strawberries, raspberries, hints of vanilla and a kiss of oak. It is amazing value for a premium Californian wine and would pair perfectly with pasta.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14.5%
Find here: £19.99 // $22.99

Drinks News

Did you ever wonder why some winemakers play music to their grapes? Well, this week we have the answer! Studies have shown that the baseline very subtly causes the wine to move in the barrel which increases its contact with oxygen making for a more complex and tastier wine! Music is also played in some vineyards as apparently there is a certain pitch that stops aphids from attacking the vines!

Drinkers Discovery

This week our drinkers’ discovery is wine in cans! Let’s face it, they used to be very mediocre with a bizarre smell and a sulphury taste, however, this is not the case anymore and in fact, there are so many tasty cans out there these days you are spoilt for choice! Listen in to see which Helena rates!

World Drinks

Have you tried Mastiha spirit?! Well, this week we popped open a bottle of Axia and did just that in the studio. Mastiha spirit is a clear spirit from Greece distilled from the resin of the mastic tree. On the nose, it’s smoky and spicy but in an elegant way that doesn’t jump out of the glass at you. To taste it is very aromatic, with savoury notes. It’s almost herbaceous with a slightly aniseedy flavour, liquorice spice and fennel. We reckon it would make a cracking variation of a Bloody Mary!

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £31.95

Mailbag

We love your mailbag questions and this week’s question did not disappoint as you asked us which rosé wine, other than those from Provence you should have in your glass. Listen in to find out what we recommend!

If you liked this you can find this episode as well as previous episodes via this link.

One Drink, Three Ways: Franklin and sons Mandarin and Ginger Soda

One Drink, Three Ways is the signature feature by The Three Drinkers. Join The Three Drinkers’ Helena, Aidy and Colin as they take one bottle and create a trio of phenomenal serves which you can enjoy anytime, anywhere. From rums and whiskies to gins and wine styles, the three help you get the most out of your glass. It’s time to get liquid on lips.

Franklin & Sons create tonic waters, soda, premixed cans and soft drinks. Founded in London in 1886 they are pioneers in the soft drinks space, seeking out only the best natural ingredients to create unique flavoured drinks. From Rosemary and Black olive tonic to Guava and Lime soda, there are tons of options to enjoy with your favourite mixers or to just sip neat. Today we are sharing with you three of our favourite mocktails/cocktails using Franklin & Sons Mandarin and Ginger soda.

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Helena’s Choice: The Lowball

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The Lowball

Ingredients

50ml Everleaf Forest

20ml Orange & Fennel Cordial

120ml Franklin & Sons Mandarin & Ginger Soda

We all love a cocktail but sometimes you want to drink something that’s tasty without the added alcohol and so I’m mixing things up a bit this time and going for a no-low option. This cocktail is zesty and refreshing with a beautiful warm spicy finish. The perfect drink for a warm summer night. 
Method: Pour all the ingredients (excluding the soda) into a highball glass and then add ice and top with the Mandarin & Ginger Soda. Gently stir to mix.

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Aidy’s Choice: The Northern Mule

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The Northern Mule

Ingredients

50ml Spirit of Manchester Gin

15ml Lime Juice

10ml Ginger Syrup

120ml Franklin & Sons Mandarin & Ginger Soda

Being from up North it would be wrong not to give this beauty a shout out! A twist on the classic Mule, this version uses gin instead of the traditional vodka making for a very light and refreshing Summer drink. 
Method: Pour all the ingredients (excluding the soda) into a mule mug, add ice, and top with the Mandarin & Ginger Soda. Gently stir to mix and garnish with a sprig of mint and crystallised ginger.

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Colin’s Choice: Old Fashioned Spritz

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Old Fashioned Spritz

Ingredients

50ml Woodford Reserve

15ml Demerara Syrup

3ml Angostura Bitters

150ml Franklin & Sons Mandarin & Ginger Soda

I love an Old Fashioned and would possibly go as far as to say it is one of the best whisky cocktails around. The addition of the Mandarin and Ginger soda in this spritz version transports this traditionally wintery drink into a cocktail that is a delight to sip on a balmy Summer evening. The bitterness of the cocktail works harmoniously with the soda giving it an edge of sweetness that will keep you coming back for more.
Method: Pour all the ingredients into a highball glass, stir and top with Franklin & Sons Mandarin & Ginger Soda. Garnish with orange peel and a cherry.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not check out One Drink, Three Ways: Wine Cocktails with Barefoot Wine, One Drink, Three Ways: The Macallan 12YO Double Cask or One Drink, Three Ways: Remy Martin VSOP Cognac?

One Drink, Three Ways: Wine Cocktails with Barefoot Wine

One Drink, Three Ways is the signature feature by The Three Drinkers. Join The Three Drinkers’ Helena, Aidy and Colin as they take one bottle and create a trio of phenomenal serves which you can enjoy anytime, anywhere. From rums and whiskies to gins and wine styles, the three help you get the most out of your glass. It’s time to get liquid on lips.

Barefoot believes that wine should never be taken too seriously and that no one should ever be judged by the flavours they prefer. A truly inclusive wine brand, Barefoot prides itself on supporting good people and good causes, giving back to marginalised communities through charity events and creative partnerships. With their large choice of red, white, pink, bubbly and even canned wines, there is something in the range for everyone, so grab a glass, taste and experiment! Who says you can’t substitute spirits for wine?

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Helena’s Choice: The Pinot-Colada

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The Pinot-Colada

Ingredients

250ml Barefoot Pinot Grigio

40ml Coconut rum (or rum liqueur)

100ml Pineapple juice

Pineapple slices to garnish

Large wine glass

Nothing says summer more to me than a kiss of rum in a long drink and this Pinot-Colada recipe (see what we did there) brings together the refreshing, pear and baked apple notes of Pinot Grigio with tropical pineapple and rum vibes. It’s a fiesta in a glass! Method: Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add all the liquid ingredients together for a long, wet shake. Next, pour everything into the glass, including the ice. Garnish with a slice of pineapple and a stripey straw. Cheers! Cocktail umbrella optional.

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Aidy’s Choice: The Barefoot Paloma

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The Barefoot Paloma

Ingredients

90ml Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc

75ml Fresh grapefruit juice or Grapefruit soda

15ml Fresh lime juice

Sugar syrup to taste

Salt & lime wedge (optional)

Highball glass

You know how much I love a Paloma and this wine-based version has knocked my socks off. Traditionally made with Tequila, this version replaces that tang of Mexico’s iconic spirit with the grassy, citrus vibes of Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc with the grapefruit juice. Perfect for those less keen on spirits but searching for a long cocktail. Method: Cut a lime and rub the juice around the rim of the glass. Next, fill it to the top with ice, then pour in the Sauvignon Blanc, grapefruit juice, lime juice and sugar syrup. Stir well, then garnish with a lime wedge. Ta-da! A great alternative for Cinco de Mayo or any time of the year. 

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Colin’s Choice: Summer Sangria

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Summer Sangria

Ingredients

1 x 750ml Bottle of chilled Barefoot Jammy Red

225ml Pomegranate juice

60ml White Rum

50g Pomegranate seeds

1 x Sliced apple

1 x Sliced orange

2 x Cinnamon sticks

Jugs

There’s not much more fun than a jug of sangria on a hot day at a party and this version is sensational in the sunshine, combing real, fresh fruit and spices with one of Barefoot’s unashamedly bold and beautiful, soft and fruity reds. Simply double up the recipe to batch this sangria by the jug! Method: Ridiculously quick and simple, pour the whole bottle of chilled Barefoot Jammy Red wine into the jug along with the rum and pomegranate juice and stir. Next, throw in the sliced fruit and seeds before stirring again. Pour into a highball or wine glass and enjoy!

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not check out One Drink, Three Ways: Tanqueray Gin, One Drink, Three Ways: Glenturret Triple Wood or One Drink, Three Ways: Cocchi Vermouth di Torino?

Thursday Club with talkRADIO: Martini Three Ways!

Shaken, stirred, dirty, wet, dry, with a twist or something totally bonkers with onions, nothing says class like a Martini. What though actually is the difference between all these styles?

These days, there are over 200 variations on a theme of Martini with some barely resembling the ‘original’ version at all. Let’s go back to basics though and try make sense of some of the more classic recipes. 

Over time, the Martini as we know it has become progressively drier, having morphed from sweeter drinks, namely the Martinez or the Marguerite. The dry Martini as we know it is most likely to have gained traction at the end of the 19th century and start of the 20th, when London Dry Gin became a thing and there was a huge advertising campaign by the Martini & Rosso vermouth company who created a strap line saying ‘It's not a  Martini unless you use Martini”. Genius. It worked though. 

Shaken or Stirred

The point of shaking and stirring the Martini ingredients before serving is to cool and dilute the drink. Shaking does this faster than stirring but it also changes the texture slightly, creating tiny air bubbles that are held in suspension in the liquid, giving it a slightly cloudy look. Choosing which you prefer is a satisfying element of bespoking your own Martini.

Key styles of Martini

Classic Martini

The classic is a combination of London dry gin (2 parts) and dry vermouth (1 part), stirred with ice, then strained straight up into a chilled Martini glass and garnished with an unstuffed Spanish olive. If you use vodka instead of gin, this is simply a classic vodka Martini. Many prefer the classic ‘with a twist’, however, which is simply a slim twist of lemon peel.

Dry Martini

A less vermouth, the drier the Martini. A classic dry version will see the glass have a vermouth rinse before being topped up with gin, but it is still known as dry if there’s more like a splash of vermouth in there.

Wet Martini

A wet Martini is when you are upping the vermouth from more than a small splash, so that it can even be half gin (or vodka), half vermouth. This is also known sometimes as a 50:50.

Dirty Martini

A dirty Martini is when a splash of brine from the olive jar is added to the drink and is served with a stuffed olive. 

Perfect Martini

A perfect Martini means the drink includes equal parts of dry and sweet vermouth.

The Gibson

Fun fact! If you swap out the olives for cocktail onions, the drink becomes a Gibson! Named after the famous London bar of the same name.

Other Styles of Martini

Really, you can substitute the gin or vodka for any spirit. You can also substitute the vermouth! One example is the saketini, where vermouth is replaced by sake, or the tequini, where the gin or vodka is substituted for un-aged tequila!

Tequini Recipe

90ml Tequila Blanco

15ml Dry Vermouth

1 dash Angustura bitters

Twist of lemon or olive as preferred.

Follow us on instagram @TheThreeDrinkers!

Thursday Club with TalkRadio: Tequila Special

This week it’s all about Tequila! We’ll be discovering some top serves to get the very most out of your bottle. Forget shots, this week it’s all about smooth sipping and appreciating some of the finest liquid known to mankind!

Tequila Dobel Diamante

Made with 100% pure agave and formulated using a blend of Extra-Añejo, Añejo and Reposado tequilas. This complex spirit gives you a mix of sweet flavours – caramel, honey and maple alongside a nutty vanilla finish. An indescribable smoothness and a long finish that leaves you wanting more.

ABV: 40% // Size: 700ml // Find here: £54.95

Spicy Margarita

50ml Tequila Dobel Diamante
25ml Lime
4 Slices of Chilli
10ml Agave Syrup

Herradura Reposado

The Original Reposado. Tequila Herradura introduced the world to Reposado in 1974 and has been setting the standard ever since. Aged longer than industry standard for 11 months, Reposado has a rich amber color with notes of cooked agave, vanilla and butter. This additional time spent resting in charred American White Oak barrels creates a smooth, sweet finish with a slight taste of spice.

ABV: 40% // Size: 700ml // Find here: £43.64

Chocolate Orange Margarita

50ml Herradura Reposado
15ml Grand Marnier
20ml Lime
1 Dash Chocoalte Bitters
1 Dash Vanilla Bitters

Storywood 14 Year Speyside Añejo

Bottled at cask strength, Storywood Double Oak is at the top of the range of their Cask Strength Limited Editions. Raised over 14 months in single malt Scotch whisky casks and Oloroso Sherry casks. Honey and caramel merge with cherry and dark fruit notes for a radically rare tequila. Limited to around 500 cases a year.

ABV: 40% // Size: 700ml // Find here: £53.20

Tequila Old Fashioned

50ml Storywood Double Oak Anejo
15ml Agave Nectar
1 Dash Angosturra Bitters
1 Dash Orange Bitters

Top Tip: When making margaritas, use Grand Marnier to hit that cocktail up a notch!

To see more of the bottles we’ve featured on Thursday Club click here!