Mina Holland

Côtes Catalanes IGP, located in the southern French region of Languedoc-Roussillon near the Pyrenees, allows winemakers more freedom than the stricter Côtes de Roussillon AOC. The region’s dry climate, hot days, cool nights, strong Tramontane winds and varied soils produce mineral-rich, complex whites and herbal, velvety reds, often from old organic or biodynamic vines. Six recommended wines, ranging from affordable rosé and macabeu blends to a £46 special-occasion bottle, are presented as distinctive and potentially among France’s best-value offerings.

Cooking away from home is made easier by planning around a small set of essential equipment and adaptable recipes. Recommended dishes include pasta, tortilla de patatas, halloumi and apricot jam sandwiches, rice-based meals, curries, stews, a cheeseboard tart and a versatile raspberry, cardamom and almond cake. The writer also highlights cookbook discoveries, praises Project Slingshot’s campaign against factory farming, and shares enthusiasm for Dante’s garibaldi cocktail at Claridge’s.

Catarratto, Sicily’s most widely planted white grape and Italy’s second most planted variety after sangiovese, has long been used in bulk wines or as a supporting ingredient in better-known Sicilian wines. The piece argues that modern producers are now showcasing its terroir and versatility, with flavours ranging from ripe pear and peach to lemon and almond. It recommends four affordable examples, highlighting Nino Barraco’s limited-edition Biancomatto 2025 alongside wines from Fazoli Gino, Purato and Tule.

Canned wine is becoming more widely accepted beyond Gen Z because aluminium is portable, recyclable and well suited to young wines intended for early consumption. Although social media and smaller serving sizes helped drive its popularity among younger drinkers, the article argues that canned wine is not inherently basic: cans protect wine from light and oxygen, and several producers now offer high-quality, distinctive examples. Recommended wines include selections from Mad Med, The Uncommon, The Canned Wine Co, Mirabeau and Vinca.

Mina Holland celebrates salads and other low-cooking meals as ideal for hot weather, highlighting flexible fridge-raid combinations, no-cook dishes and recipes from Tom Hunt, Meera Sodha, Yotam Ottolenghi and others. She recommends low-alcohol drinks including The Kernel’s Table Beer, Little Pomona ciderkins and Domaine des Grottes’ Piket-Nat, while also discussing cottage cheese, biodynamic Japanese vegetables from Namayasai and Kermit Lynch’s classic wine book.

Crémant is presented as an affordable alternative to champagne that is increasingly suitable for everyday drinking. Made using the traditional method, it develops complexity through secondary fermentation and lees ageing while reflecting the terroir and grape varieties of regions including the Loire, Bordeaux, Limoux, Alsace and Burgundy. Five bottles are recommended, ranging from a £10 crémant de Bordeaux to a £24.50 crémant de Bourgogne, with tasting notes and food-pairing suggestions.

Mina Holland presents six easy summer cocktails: Cynar and wine, a Suze spritz, Black Velvet, tinto de verano, Adonis and a shortcut frosé. The recipes emphasize chilled wine, simple garnishes and quick preparation, with alternatives such as crémant instead of champagne, flavored soda instead of lemonade, and frozen strawberries for an make-ahead frosé base.

Vinho verde is highlighted as an ideal summer wine due to its freshness, low alcohol content and affordability, with typical blends featuring indigenous Portuguese grapes that produce vibrant, youthful flavours. The article recommends several standout bottles, ranging from bright and zesty styles to more aromatic or biodynamic expressions, including options from Soalheiro, Quinta do Ameal and Aphros. Its versatility, value and refreshing profile make vinho verde a fitting choice for warm-weather drinking and outdoor meals.

Mina Holland tests 12 wine coolers for temperature retention, practicality and appearance. The Le Creuset sleeve is the best picnic option because it actively cools wine, while the Peugeot Equilibreur is the strongest overall and best for hosting. The Yeti Rambler performs best outdoors among non-electric models, and the plug-in Caso Design VinoCase offers the most precise temperature control but is noisy, unattractive and expensive. Several stylish or insulated alternatives perform poorly, reinforcing that many wine coolers maintain temperature rather than actually lowering it.

English wine production rose 55% in 2025, increasing supply, bringing down prices and enabling producers to offer a wider range of styles beyond traditional sparkling wine. The piece highlights affordable whites, orange wines, pét-nat, col fondo, rosé, still Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and dessert wine, arguing that English wine is becoming more varied, accessible and consistently high quality.

Corner shops and mini supermarkets can offer dependable, enjoyable wines despite their limited and commercially focused selections. Recommended options include Muriel Tempranillo Rioja, Studio by Miraval rosé, Waitrose’s Carricante, The Wine Atlas Fetească Regală and M&S Delacourt Champagne Brut. The piece advises caution with Champagne stored behind warm, bright tills and with white wines in clear bottles, while highlighting Prosecco, French whites, southern French rosé and lesser-known grapes as practical choices for casual drinking.

Flavoured, unsweetened sparkling waters are becoming a fashionable alternative to sugary soft drinks, using fruit extracts, creative flavour combinations and eye-catching branding to make water more appealing. The trend was strongly influenced by La Croix’s success in the United States and has inspired British brands such as Yew, Dash Water and Aqua Libra. Several products are recommended, including Aqua Libra blood orange and mango, Maison Perrier Forever Lime, Voss strawberry ginger and Yew pink rhubarb, while sweetened products such as Volvic A Touch of Strawberry Sparkling are criticised for being cloying. Chilling the drinks is considered essential for the best taste.

The writer searches for delicious sparkling wines below 11% ABV that can be consumed over several hours without excessive intoxication. The article explains that low alcohol levels can result from cool climates, early fermentation stops or techniques such as dealcoholisation, and reviews examples including Codorniu cava, txakoli, English pét-nat, co-ferments and piquette. Four recommended bottles range from 8% to 10.5% ABV, with Codorniu singled out as the strongest mainstream option.

Chenin blanc is portrayed as an unusually versatile grape whose character changes dramatically with soil, climate and winemaking style. South Africa grows more than half of the world’s crop, while France—especially the Loire Valley—accounts for much of the remainder. The contrasting wines of Savennières and Vouvray illustrate its range from dry, mineral styles to richer and sweeter expressions. The piece also highlights natural and South African producers and recommends five bottles spanning affordable everyday wines to premium Vouvray.

Tonic water began as a sugar-and-water vehicle for bitter quinine, used as an antimalarial in tropical colonies, before becoming carbonated and associated with gin during the British Raj. It is now enjoying renewed popularity as a standalone drink, driven by growing interest in bitter flavors, varied flavor profiles and convenient single-serve cans. The piece favors lighter, less-sugary tonics and recommends products including Double Dutch Skinny, Fever-Tree Mediterranean and San Pellegrino Oakwood, while noting that flavored and sweeter varieties appeal to different tastes.

Cream sherry, once associated with older British drinkers and mid-century entertaining, is presented as a balanced and versatile style deserving renewed attention. The article explains its blend of sweet Pedro Ximénez and dry oloroso sherry, its historical development for Victorian tastes, and the branding and labeling problems that have contributed to its decline. Harveys Bristol Cream is praised as a reliable classic, while Gonzalez Byass Matusalem is highlighted for its mature, savoury complexity. Four recommended bottles from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Gonzalez Byass and Lustau are suggested for pairing with cheese, cold cuts, desserts or serving as an aperitif.

Chocolate-infused alcoholic drinks are presented as an underappreciated category ranging from creamy liqueurs to dairy-free crème de cacao, fortified wine and cocoa bitters. The writer finds Waitrose’s Blonde Chocolate Cream Liqueur overly cloying and Rubis less convincing, but praises Marks & Spencer’s cacao-and-Jamaican-rum Distiller’s Cove and especially Angostura Cocoa Bitters for their versatility in cocktails, soft drinks, baking and savory cooking. Fortnum & Mason’s Chocolate Chestnut Liqueur and Edmund Briottet Crème de Cacao are also recommended for seasonal drinking, coffee and classic cocktails.

English red wine remains a small and expensive category, accounting for less than 5% of domestic production, but its prospects are improving. Climate change is making red-wine production more feasible, while growing demand for light, juicy and lower-alcohol wines suits England’s cool climate. Pinot noir dominates, alongside newer frost- and disease-resistant hybrid grapes such as dornfelder, rondo, regent and divico. Producers including Westwell and Ben Adams are making distinctive light reds, although prices commonly exceed £15–25 and remain a barrier to everyday consumption.

Vermouth is presented as a complex, versatile fortified wine deserving recognition beyond its role as a cocktail ingredient. The piece explains its Italian origins, botanical aromatisation and global production, while highlighting how Spanish drinking traditions and newer craft producers are bringing greater attention to grape varieties, aging and regional identity. Six recommended bottles range from dry white vermouths for martinis to sweet and red styles for negronis or drinking on the rocks.

Restaurateurs across the UK explain how atmosphere, rather than elaborate cooking alone, shapes a memorable dining experience. Their recommendations include carefully chosen glassware, table linens, cutlery, lighting, hand soap, olive oil, coffee, tea, music, flowers, ceramics and tiles, with options ranging from affordable Ikea glasses and Yorkshire Tea to bespoke linens, artisan pottery and premium ingredients. The central message is that thoughtful sensory details can make everyday meals at home feel more intentional and restaurant-like.