Meet Lydia, our Wine Buyer
What do you do?
I'm pretty sure I have the best job in the world…day to day I'm mostly looking for (and tasting!) amazing new wines, hot new trends and exciting ways to get All Bar One guests drinking as much incredible wine as possible - responsibly of course!
What's your wine mission?
To end the Prosecco obsession…don't get me wrong, I've totally been guzzling it for the last 3 years too but and there's so much more out there in the fizz world to try that's super affordable and waaaaay more tasty.
What are you drinking this summer?
1. The Skinny Fizz, Pago de Tharsys, Requena Spain, from £5.45 (125ml) or £24.95 (bottle)
Quite simply, I think it's our best find yet and I'm sure we're going to see everyone drinking it this summer. This is seriously low sugar fizz, like you couldn't even see it on a spoon small, made in the same way as Champagne, from a truly great producer in Requena, Spain [Pago de Tharsys, look them up, they have a great David and Goliath story] who makes wine in a truly sustainable way and with a lot of love and care. It's got all the light & refreshing fizz of Prosecco but the dry, complexity of Champagne - it's also amazing value and allows some seriously guilt-free guzzling.
2. Not Your Grandma's Riesling, Chaffey Bros., Eden Valley Australia, from £6.90 (175ml) and £23.95 (bottle)
Everyone that works in wine loves Riesling, it's like wine's best kept secret that the rest of the world hasn't quite cottoned on to yet. You're probably all thinking…Riesling, that disgusting sweet German stuff that my nan drinks? Well yep, there's been some horror shows over the years but Riesling is one of the most diverse and brilliant grapes out there, the range in styles and tastes is huge and I genuinely think there is a Riesling out there for everyone. This one is particularly cool - as the name suggests, it's super dry and zesty, deliciously fresh and fruity - definitely not your grandma's Riesling. The two blokes behind it (Daniel & Theo) are called the Chaffey Bros., they are super cool, down to earth, wine loving Aussies who tell great stories and make amazing Riesling.
3. Château Thieuley, Bordeaux Rosé, France, from £25.95 (bottle)
Summer definitely = rosé, and not many do it better than the French. Château Thieuley is a proper family business, now run by two lovely sisters (Marie and Sylvie) who are part of a group of young winemakers looking to mix things up a bit in the suuuuuuuuuper old school Bordeaux region. I love that it's not like your average tasteless or overly sweet rosé - it's fruity and really refreshing but definitely a little more complex and refined. This is a rosé for proper wine lovers!