My Nana is 95 and she loves a drink, years of routine has her body clock set for a tipple at 6pm every day. She has varied her favourites over the years, sherry, rum and coke, brandy on ice, but as far as aperitifs go she’s never enjoyed sparkling wine. It’s just too bubbly.

I know what she means, gulping down a glass of liquid and gas can make you, well… burpy, and that’s not very ladylike. So I was interested to hear about a new trend in France to decant Champagne which calms the sometimes aggressive bubbles. ………

If you’re looking for a last minute stocking filler for the wine drinker lover in your life then look no further than the second volume of Every Wine Tells a Story. A collection of the most memorable, provocative and emotive wines as experienced by 39 international wine lovers, including yours truly!

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Every January London’s streets become a training track for the Christmas over indulgers and crazy London marathon runners. After April the pavements are cut some slack but come May a swathe of women take to the streets. Have you noticed? They’re all a similar age, all desperate to tone up & lose some weight and all sporting a diamond or three on their left hand. Beware the Bridezilla’s!

It’s a horrible term isn’t it? Bridezilla. A cross between a bride and an oversized gorilla, ………

The last time there was a Royal wedding I was two. My parents and all the neighbours held a full on street party, the kind you were allowed to throw in those days without sending off for a pack on health and safety guidelines or gain permission from the council to have a good time. Twenty-nine years on and I’m not only old enough to throw my own street party but I find myself recently engaged and planning a wedding of my own.

It’s all been a bit over whelming so far. Having never really indulged in the dream of a big wedding Mr B was a bit shocked when I said ‘yes’ and then failed to produce a wedding scrap book containing images of our perfect day. In hindsight a bit of time spent thinking about the sort of wedding I’d like wouldn’t have been time misspent as without it every decision so far has been filled with doubt. The venue, the stationary, the dress, the photographer. Each decision has come with an equal dose of sleepless nights and compromise. ………

It’s not very en vogue to boast about indulging in wine of the bubbly variety, especially when most of its Champagne. But given the circumstances I think you’ll forgive me. And besides it doesn’t count as frivolous if someone else buys it for you, does it?? You see there’s been some big news chez Miss Bouquet ….. last week Mr B and I got engaged!! Now then, before you log off and vow never to return to my site again please be assured that I’m not the kind of girl that will let the wedding take over every conversation. And to prove it I’ll get straight to the point. The sparkling list so far reads:

Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvee NV (x 2!)
Champagne Perrier Jouët Grand Brut NV*
Champagne Mumm Brut NV
Champagne Veuve Clicquot Brut NV
Champagne Piper-Heidseick Brut NV
and…. Anna de Codornui Cava Brut NV

Its like a who’s-who from the Champagne Information Bureau’s annual trade tasting, with a Cava thrown in to keep a girl level-headed. ………

We’re still a couple of weeks away from Halloween but as I’ll be at a wedding (surprise surprise) on the ghostly night of the 31st Clarky kindly extended her invite to The London Dungeon’s Scare Witch Trials last night to me and Mrs H so I didn’t miss out. The promise of wine and canapes had me intrigued from the start; what spooky wine would the organisers choose to serve to their guests?

I dutifully arrived on time with my thirst at the ready and we were bustled into the ‘Horrifying Halloween Forest’ and subsequently the pitch black – I hadn’t prepared myself for a blind tasting! ………