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5 Reasons to Choose English Wine for Your Next Dinner Party

Are you tired of serving the same old wines at your dinner parties? Why not switch things up and choose English wine for your next event? Here are 5 reasons why English wine should be on your radar when planning your next dinner party:
  1. Unique and high-quality wines: English wine has been gaining recognition worldwide for its exceptional quality and unique character. The cool climate of England produces grapes with high acidity and bright, fruity flavors, resulting in wines that are crisp, refreshing, and perfect for pairing with a wide variety of foods. With a range of varietals from Pinot Noir to Bacchus, you’re sure to find a wine that suits your taste.
  2. Supporting local businesses: By choosing English wine, you’re not only enjoying delicious wine but also supporting local wineries and businesses. The English wine industry is growing rapidly, and by supporting it, you’re helping to sustain local economies and keep a valuable tradition alive.
  3. Versatility: English wine’s unique acidity and fruitiness make it a versatile choice for food pairings. From classic seafood dishes to hearty meats, English wine can complement a wide variety of flavors and cuisines. This makes it an excellent choice for a dinner party with a diverse menu or for those who like to experiment with different dishes.
  4. Sparkling wine: Did you know that English sparkling wine is gaining a reputation as a worthy rival to Champagne? With its cool climate and chalky soil, the southern English counties of Sussex and Kent have become renowned for producing high-quality sparkling wines that are perfect for toasting at a dinner party. English sparkling wine has a distinct character, and with a range of styles, you’re sure to find one that suits your taste.
  5. Conversation starter: Choosing English wine for your dinner party is a great conversation starter. Not many people are familiar with English wine, and it can be a fun and interesting topic to discuss with your guests. You can share information about the history and traditions of English winemaking, as well as your own experience with different varietals and styles.
Choosing English wine for your next dinner party is an excellent way to add something unique and exciting to your menu. With its exceptional quality, versatility, and local support, you can feel good about serving and enjoying a glass of English wine with your guests.
Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we love to talk wine! Send us an email and we can help with any recommendations.

Summer Cocktail Series – Elderflower Spritz

The easiest cocktail! 2 ingredients, and a fantastic way to add something a bit extra to your class of bubbly!

We do try to use all UK produced ingredients if we can!

Our Ingredient Recommendations:
  • Any of THESE Sparkling Wines
  • UK Elderflower Liqueur. Make your own HERE or try one of the beautiful UK made ones. Our favourite is THIS one.
Elderflower Spritz Recipe
Ingredients

50ml Elderflower Liqueur
Sparkling Wine

Method
  1. Add Liqueur to glass.
  2. Top with Sparkling Wine

 

Summer Cocktail Series – White Wine Mojito

Nothing says “summer” better than a Mojito does! It makes us think of good times with friends, or relaxing on a beach.

It’s pretty simple to make, and is really great for sharing (or not)!

We do try to use all UK produced ingredients if we can!

Our Ingredient Recommendations:
White Wine Mojito Recipe
Ingredients

Ice
30ml White Rum
125ml Dry White Wine
Juice of 1 lime (about 15ml)
30ml Tropical Fruit Juice
30ml Simple Syrup
Mint leaves (roughly torn)
Lime slices for garnish
Cocktail shaker with strainer

Method
  1. Add ice, rum, white wine, lime juice, tropical juice, simple syrup and mint leaves to a cocktail shaker.
  2. Shake well
  3. Add ice to a glass, add some torn mint leaves.
  4. Using a strainer, pour shaken drink into glass.
  5. Garnish with lime slices

This recipe can easily be multiplied.

Summer Cocktail Series – Strawberry Frosé

With all the hot weather the UK has been experiencing lately, we all need a drink to properly cool us down. Don’t worry, we have you covered! This Strawberry Frosé is the perfect drink when it feels too hot to do anything!

Only 3 ingredients and a blender are needed, and it takes just minutes to make!

We do try to use all UK produced ingredients if we can!

Our Ingredient Recommendations:
Strawberry Frosé Recipe
Ingredients

Frozen Strawberries
30ml Simple Syrup
125ml Rosé
Optional Fresh Strawberries for garnish
Blender

Method
  1. Add frozen strawberries, simple syrup and Rosé to a blender
  2. Blend
  3. Serve with a strawberry garnish

This recipe can easily be multiplied for pitchers or serving jugs! 

Summer Cocktail Series – Red Wine Berry Spritz

Today is National Blueberry Day! This cocktail is the perfect way to celebrate. It’s SO easy to make with only 4 ingredients! Use a light bodied red wine, and a berry flavoured sparkling water (or a alcholic berry seltzer). Definitely a crowd pleaser, and it’s also a good cocktail for those who don’t usually drink red wine!

We do try to use all UK produced ingredients if we can!

Our Ingredient Recommendations:
Red Wine Berry Spritz Recipe
Ingredients

Ice Cubes
125ml Light Bodied Red Wine
125ml Berry Flavoured Sparkling Water (or Alcoholic Berry Seltzer)
Blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Method
  1. Fill a glass with ice cubes.
  2. Add Red Wine and Seltzer
  3. Top with blueberries

This recipe can easily be multiplied for pitchers or serving jugs! 

Summer Cocktail Series – Rosé Lemonade

This cocktail is perfect for taking on the go. It’s got minimal ingredients and takes no time at all to make! We can see this being great for picnics or garden parties in the summer. This drink will cool you down and quench your thirst, while also tasting absolutely delicious! Make sure you make a few of these, because once you have one, you’ll want more!

We do try to use all UK produced ingredients if we can!

Our Ingredient Recommendations:
Rosé Elderflower Sangria Recipe
Ingredients

Ice Cubes
Sliced Strawberries
Mint leaves
30ml Simple Syrup
125ml Rosé
125ml Cloudy Lemonade
Cocktail Shaker (or Spoon to mix)

Method
  1. Fill a glass with ice cubes. Add  sliced strawberries.
  2. Add simple syrup, rosé and cloudy lemonade
  3. Shake/Stir
  4. Pour into glass and garnish with mint leaves to serve

This recipe can easily be multiplied for pitchers or serving jugs! 

Summer Cocktail Series – Rosé Elderflower Sangria

Our Summer Cocktail Series has begun with a lovely Rosé Elderflower Sangria!

This cocktail is so delicious and the perfect drink for summer. It’s cold and refreshing but great for those who don’t like their cocktails overly sweet!

We do try to use all UK produced ingredients if we can! With UK strawberries in season, it’s the ideal time to make this drink!

Our Ingredient Recommendations:
Rosé Elderflower Sangria Recipe
Ingredients

Ice Cubes
Sliced Lemons and Strawberries
30ml Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
30ml Elderflower Liqueur
125ml Rosé
100ml Sparkling Elderflower Water
Mint leaves

Method
  1. Fill a glass with ice cubes. Add a few lemon slices and sliced strawberries.
  2. Add lemon juice, elderflower liqueur and rosé.
  3. Top with sparkling elderflower water
  4. Garnish with mint leaves and a strawberry

This recipe can easily be multiplied for pitchers or serving jugs! 

Chinwag Wines- About Us

Hi. I’m Katie. The owner of Chinwag Wines! I live in North Yorkshire with my partner and our 3 labs – 2 girls Comet and Blitz and our big yellow boy, Ace. I am originally from New York, but moved to the UK for University in 2013. I met my partner, and many, many, many visa’s later, I’m here to stay!

Despite growing up in the heart of New York wine county, I never used to like wine!It wasn’t until my partner and I started going out to meals, that I’d occasionally have a glass of red, but it was solely saved for those moments. This did change slightly, especially doing my masters dissertation, I was fueled by 50% coffee and 50% wine!

My real passion for wine actually started in 2019, on a vineyard tour with my parents and partner. My parents had gotten it for me as a graduation present, as I had seen it on Instagram! I wasn’t a “wine person” at the time, but at this point I appreciated a nice glass when I tried one. I knew what wine I liked, and didn’t stray from those tastes. This tour changed my mind, and I really loved the wines that I had tried.

I found an English wine I loved, and when drinking this particular bottle for the third time, I decided that I wanted to venture out. I wanted to learn about wine, and also branch out and try new wines, but I didn’t know where to start! I thought that I’d have to spend thousands of pounds on education and wine!

Then lockdown happened…

I had been working as a wedding and banqueting manager and all of a sudden the industry came to a halt. I took this opportunity to set my plan into action! I signed up to a virtual WSET course and by the end of the year I had my WSET Level 1 and Level 2!

I was hooked! It felt great to find an industry that I really loved. After businesses started opening back up again, I went back to work in events. However, I kept thinking about English wines and that wine tour I had gone on, as well as all the amazing UK wines that I had tried over lockdown.

I didn’t realise how diverse the wines were or appreciate the distinctive tastes that grapes grown in our climate have. Wine produced in the UK has a different taste when compared to wine from more well-known producers in Europe and rest of the world. UK wine is unique, so unique that it regularly wins multiple awards against these well-known international producers, and there’s a whole community of producers and wine enthusiasts that are dedicated to UK wines. I wanted to be one of them!

It took a lot of thinking, and during 2021, I decided that I was going to start a wine company selling UK produced wines, with a goal of bringing in US wines. I started with a number of UK vineyards that I was a customer of for the past year, reaching out and seeing if they’d be interested. To my excitement, they were! It was finally going to be a reality.

Unfortunately, the events industry is a very demanding one, and Chinwag Wines got put on the back burner for many months. After leaving an events role in January 2022, I decided now was the time! We put the wheels in motion, and after a busy 4 months, we launched in May 2022!

Like many people, I have a passion for small businesses. Rather than pay supermarkets for big mass produced brands, I wanted to pay small, boutique and family-run vineyards for the hard work that they put into producing world-class wine. My relationships with our vineyards and wineries are close and genuine. We care about each of them and love supporting their business.

If-you’re like me when I started, and the only thing you know about wines is their different colours, then I am here to help! I welcome you to send a message with a list of wines you like. I’ll take your list and come back to you with a recommendation that is sure to become your new favourite, because that’s exactly what happened to me!

I also want UK produced wine to be accessible. I’ve worked with a great Sommelier named Lucia who is dedicated to finding fun ways to teach people about wine. Lucia chose food pairings for each of the wine we have in stock.

When you get your order, you’ll get a thank you card, and on the back there’s QR codes for each of the wines. Scan the QR code with your phone camera, and you’ll get details of the wine, as well as a meat/fish, vegetarian, vegan and cheese pairing for each wine, as well as a foods to avoid section so that you can get the best taste from your wine!

Thank you for reading this blog post, I hope you enjoy the website and the wines!

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