OWC A restaurant in Manchester in the north of England received global publicity recently. A member of staff inadvertently served the wrong bottle of Bordeaux. The diners ordered a bottle of their favourite tipple at a list price of £260 a bottle but were instead given a bottle of the mighty Chateau Le Pen Pomerol 2001, valued at £4500. When news of this hit social media, within 24 hours the interest was off the scale with millions of views around 65,000 likes and 20,000 retweets. Hawksmoor restaurant benefited from an upsurge in business off setting their loss and were quick to accept that one off mistakes happen.
OWC There is more confirmation that with Summers getting warmer, wines are getting sweeter and stronger. Scientists have discovered that European vineyards are being hit harder by climate changes than other global vineyards, which is having an affect on the taste and constitution of their wines. Experts from the University of Vancouver studied data on more than 500 wine related grape varieties from around the world together with year round temperatures at vineyards. They concluded that European vineyards have experienced the largest temperature shift since the 1970's, compared to other wine growing regions. Europe experienced the most significant increases in the number of hot days that topped 35C (95F) during the growing seasons.
OWC English wines are no doubt benefitting from the shift in temperatures. Lyme Bay Winery is the first English producer to win awards in the same year for both red and white wine. Founded 32 years ago the Devon based winery scooped awards at the 2025 International Wine Challenge (IWC). Their Martin's Lane Estate chardonnay 2020 won the top white wine award and their pinot noir 2021 came top in the red challenge. Grapes for both wines were sourced from vineyards across southern England. The chardonnay retails for £35 and the pinot noir for around £30.
OWC Experts are warning than cancer causing chemicals known as PFAS are being found at alarming levels in popular beers. PFAS were first developed in the 1940s and are widely used in industry. They are man made and known as 'forever chemicals' as they degrade very slowly. A recent study from the RTI International research institute in North Carolina claims that 'nearly every American has PFAS in their blood.' Their research tested 23 lagers and ales – mostly from the US, but also two from Mexico and one from the Netherlands. They found PFAS in 95 per cent of the beers they tested. Worryingly, beer fans could be drinking down PFAS whether the beverage is fresh from the tap, a glass bottle or a can. Findings were published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
OWC Known as the French 'Watergate' scandal. Claims were made against Perrier Water's Swiss parent company Nestle that illegal purification methods were being used in its production. It's all to do with filtering methods not allowed under EU legislation for product labelled as 'natural mineral water'. Accusations are, that this has been known by government officials for several years but they failed to act. Nestle Waters acknowledged having used banned treatments and agreed to pay a two million euro fine to avoid legal action.
OWC Whispering Angel is a classic Côtes de Provence rosé. Popular around the world, the wine has flavours of grapefruit and citrus combined with refreshing acidity. Considered by many as the Rolls Royce of rosé it helped many stressed
mums through lockdown, reportedly including singer Adele. With a higher price tag than most other rosé its popularity keeps on increasing. Britons now drink around 2.6 million bottles of rosé a year.
OWC Although alcopops have waned in popularity in recent years, they appear to be staging a comeback. The fruity alcopop, is usually sold in cans or bottles at supermarkets, bars and pubs. They are mix of vodka and real fruit juice, and come in at low ABV. Zesty lemon flavoured Hooch is a 90s cult classic that rose to fame alongside similar alcopops like Smirnoff Ice, WKD, Bacardi Breezer and VK. Recent reports confirm that Bacardi Breezer is coming back on to supermarket shelves after being discontinued and that Hooch will be available in bars and venues on tap across the country. Buzzball drinks, highly popular with Gen Z drinkers are also becoming more widely available.
OWC It is reported that from 2026 it will be possible to buy and consume wine, beer and cider in about 600 authorised places in Saudi Arabia. Allowed venues will include luxury hotels, exclusive resorts, embassies, international events and expat residencies. Spirits and consumption in public or domestic places will be prohibited. Inspired by the models of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The government has made it clear that alcohol will be reserved for non-Muslim foreigners, with strict rules to ensure respect for religious traditions. This shift in policy and cultural reform will be welcomed by the tourism and hospitality industry. Saudi citizens will remain excluded from the legal purchase of alcohol.
OWC Recent research confirms that alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, even in low amounts. Studies also suggest that drinking in adolescence or before a first pregnancy may further increase the risk. The more alcohol consumed, the higher the risk.
OWC The pub giant Greene King has issued an urgent plea for government help after a profit loss of -£150m in 2024. Highlighting the need for urgent business rates reform to 'ensure our critical sector is protected and pubs remain at the heart of communities UK wide '. The Suffolk based brewery group operates 2,600 pubs, restaurants and hotels across England, Scotland and Wales. The group saw its revenue increased from 2.37b to £2.45b but has been deeply affected by the cost of living crisis, no international football tournament in 2023 and a 50% reduction in profits during its previous financial year.
