I am holding a dinner party. Should I open the wines my guests bring along as gifts?How to Drink Better: On balance, I think this is probably not the best ideaSun Sept 01 2024 - 05:00
John Wilson: Two solid Italian wines for less than €9Wines for the Weekend: Aldi has a good offer on Italians that work well with food, but are also good on their ownFri Aug 30 2024 - 05:00
Why are so many wines higher in alcohol than before?How to Drink Better: A great deal of wine nowadays has 14% alcohol, when for years that figure was closer to 12.5% or 13%Sun Aug 25 2024 - 06:00
John Wilson: Time for a last blast of the summer wineLighter wines for a final festive flourish - indoors or out - before summer’s endSat Aug 24 2024 - 05:00
Wines from Italy and Portugal offering real bang per buckWines for the Weekend: O’Briens has found a replacement for its popular Porta 6 that’s likely to be just as successfulFri Aug 23 2024 - 05:00
We tried 33 alcohol-free wines. Many were disgusting and disappointing, but here’s seven worth tryingThe red wines are the least palatable, while the sparkling wines are the bestMon Aug 19 2024 - 05:00
Why don’t French wines put the grape variety on the label?How to Drink Better: Traditional producers often believe the grape is just one part of creating a good wineSun Aug 18 2024 - 05:00
Four Irish session beers perfect for the last few weeks of summerThese lower-alcohol beers are great thirst-quenchersSat Aug 17 2024 - 05:00
Two bottles from the Languedoc, a great source of inexpensive winesWines for the Weekend: While Languedoc has its own local varieties, producers have also planted all of the various well-known grapesFri Aug 16 2024 - 05:00
The best wines, beers and cocktails to drink with strawberriesHow to Drink Better: Ideally you need something with a little sweetness and light, refreshing fruitsSun Aug 11 2024 - 06:00
Good Champagne does not have to cost a fortune: three great value options and a very good alternativeLet the good times flow without haemorrhaging cashSat Aug 10 2024 - 05:00
Down-under prices: an Australian and a New Zealand wine for €10 apieceWines for the Weekend: Two southern hemisphere wines – one fresh and crisp, the other packing a punchFri Aug 09 2024 - 07:00
It’s salad season, what are the best wines to serve with cold plates?How to Drink Better: This is not the time to bring out your finest wines, but it is worth spending a little more on your wineSun Aug 04 2024 - 05:00
Pinot Noir: Where to find some fantastic and great-value winesYields are low and demand high for good Pinot Noir which means it can be pricey, but there are exceptionsSat Aug 03 2024 - 05:00
Supermarket wines: two old French reliables for €12Wines for the Weekend: Marks & Spencer’s prices may be a little higher compared with other supermarkets but in general quality is betterFri Aug 02 2024 - 05:00
Prosecco a fun and affordable fizz that’s perfect for celebratingIts sales outstrip Champagne and Cava, making Prosecco the world’s favourite sparkling wine and for good reasonWed Jul 31 2024 - 10:00
I’m cooking salmon for a large group of friends. What kind of wine should I serve?How to Drink Better: When it comes to salmon you can forget the old adage of white wine only with fishSun Jul 28 2024 - 07:00
When is a sherry not sherry? When it’s a delicious white wineJohn Wilson: There has always been another side to to this beverage — the glorious crisp finos and manzanillasSat Jul 27 2024 - 05:00
Two French wines for under €10 worth seeking outWines for the Weekend: a Provence rosé and a rounded red from Medoc available form LidlFri Jul 26 2024 - 05:00
How to discover the style of wine you likeHow to Drink Better: Rather than go by a country or producer, it’s useful to choose a wine by its style: light, medium or full-bodiedSun Jul 21 2024 - 05:00
Greek wine doesn’t only taste great on holidays. Here are four worth seeking out at home Forget about the cheap holiday wines of old, Greek grape varieties are complex and open up a new world of wine to exploreSat Jul 20 2024 - 05:00
I don’t usually recommend wines that cost less than €7, but this is an exceptionWines for the Weekend: Most of the time bottles selling for less than €7 don’t offer great value for moneyFri Jul 19 2024 - 05:00
What wines go best with a burger?How to Drink Better: A proper barbecued burger makes a good match for serious red wines. Don’t be afraid to open a good bottleSun Jul 14 2024 - 05:00
Four easy drinking Italian whites for summer eveningsSome lowish-alcohol Italians at affordable prices - though remember, the more you pay, the better the flavourSat Jul 13 2024 - 05:00
Two wines to try: A light white for fish and an organic Rioja are both good valueWines for the Weekend: Two wines on special offer at O’Briens this month offer value for moneyFri Jul 12 2024 - 05:00
How does wine become ‘corked’ and why are the best corks so expensive?How to Drink Better: Strips of thick bark can only be harvested every 10 years or so without damaging the treeSun Jul 07 2024 - 05:00
Chilean wines: four lesser-known bottles worth seeking outThere’s more to the wines of this South American stronghold than great valueSat Jul 06 2024 - 05:00
One wine to drink chilled on a warm day, and another to enjoy with cheeseWines for the Weekend: One to drink well chilled on a summer’s day, and another to enjoy with grilled red meatsFri Jul 05 2024 - 06:00
What does Grand Cru mean on a wine label?How to Drink Better: the categories Grand Cru and Premier Cru can provide an accurate guide to the best wines of the areaSun Jun 30 2024 - 05:00
Four Californian wines to try – including one the critics love to hateJohn Wilson: Napa Valley Cabernets are among the finest in the world. Cooler coastal regions produce excellent chardonnay, pinot noir and syrahSat Jun 29 2024 - 05:00
Two supermarket wines under €10 to get fired up forWines for the Weekend: Fresh aromatic white and a full-bodied red from Bordeaux are worth your timeFri Jun 28 2024 - 05:00
Could I grow my own grapes and make my own wine?How to Drink Better: All the celebrities are doing it, why can’t I?Sun Jun 23 2024 - 05:00
It may not be the largest producer, but Austria turns out world-class winesJohn Wilson: The native grüner veltliner grape is great to drink on its own, but also pairs excellently with foodSat Jun 22 2024 - 05:00
Two Italian wines at reduced prices to try — a classic Chianti and dry whiteWines for the Weekend: Orvieto is the best-known wine of the Umbria region and while Chianti is a reliable choiceFri Jun 21 2024 - 06:00
John Wilson’s top 20 summer wines to quench your thirstLighter wines with vibrant fruit should be the order of the day during the warmer monthsTue Jun 18 2024 - 05:00
What are the best wines to drink in summer?How to Drink Better: In warmer weather look for wines with less oomph and more aciditySun Jun 16 2024 - 06:00
What are Pét Nats wines, why are they so expensive and are they worth it?John Wilson: These effervescent, joyous and thirst-quenching wines have gone mainstreamSat Jun 15 2024 - 05:00
Two light Italian rosés to drink in the garden this summerWines for the Weekend: These light, fresh summery rosés are both from Aldi and are perfect for the warmer monthsFri Jun 14 2024 - 06:00
Did you know there are more than a dozen vineyards in Ireland?How to Drink Better: With climate change increasing temperatures, it seems likely that Irish wine production is set to increaseSun Jun 09 2024 - 06:00
Delicious Douro: four fine wines full of Portuguese promiseJohn Wilson: Producers from this port wine stronghold have started to make unfortified red and white winesSat Jun 08 2024 - 06:00
Try these very good value rosés for excellent summer drinkingWines for the Weekend: O’Briens’ summer rosé sale includes strong offerings from established red wine producersFri Jun 07 2024 - 06:00
John Wilson: Why do some wines taste better than others?How to Drink Better: Tastes differ but it depends on where wine is made, and where and how wine is consumedSun Jun 02 2024 - 06:00
From easy drinking to structured wines: Crozes-Hermitage has it allJohn Wilson: Wines from the Northern Rhône vary hugely in price and quality but the overall standard is impressiveSat Jun 01 2024 - 06:00
Supermarket wines: a white and a rosé on special offerWines for the Weekend: The two wines below will be on offer in Aldi from May 30th until June 12thFri May 31 2024 - 06:00
What does appellation contrôlée on French wine labels mean?How to Drink Better: The AC system gives a good indication of the style of wine you can expectSun May 26 2024 - 06:00
There’s more to Spanish wine than Rioja - here are four from very different regionsJohn Wilson: The best-known grapes are Tempranillo and Garnacha but there are plenty of others tooSat May 25 2024 - 05:00
Two New Zealand Marlborough wines to try: Classic sauvignon blanc and a light, fruity pinot noirWines for the Weekend: Both of these bottles are perfect for summer drinkingFri May 24 2024 - 06:00
How did Marlborough Sauvignon become a global wine favourite?How to Drink Better: The distinctive combination of green and exotic fruits took wine world by storm in the 1970sSun May 19 2024 - 05:00
Four Spanish wines to brighten a summer’s afternoonJohn Wilson: All are lighter in alcohol and will provide refreshment on sunny days – either here or in SpainSat May 18 2024 - 05:00
Two great-value Portuguese wines perfect for summer tablesWines for the Weekend: White wines from the higher altitude vineyards can be fresh, light and fruityFri May 17 2024 - 05:00
