wine
Alcoholic beverage made from fermented grape juice.
Wines for beginners
Getting into wine can feel like being handed a map with no key. The good news is that you do not need to memorise a single region or vintage to start enjoying it. You just need a smart first list. The eight wines below are not simply the most popular bottles — each one teaches you something different, and together they build a little map of your own palate, from crisp and light through to bold and rich, and from bone-dry to lusciously sweet. Taste your way through them and you will know, with real confidence, what you actually like.
Old world or new world wines, what’s the difference?
Marsala wine
Ask most cooks about Marsala and they will mention Chicken Marsala, zabaione, or the small bottle in the back of the cupboard used for occasional sauces. That is an accurate picture of how most Marsala is used — and there is nothing wrong with it. But it is only half the story.
Vermouth
Vermouth is the most important aromatized wine in the world, and arguably the most indispensable ingredient in the history of the cocktail. Without it there is no Martini, no Negroni, no Manhattan. It is also one of the most misunderstood: kept for too long in a warm cupboard, poured in sad, flat dashes into otherwise excellent drinks, and rarely given the attention it deserves as a drink worth pouring on its own.
Madeira wine
Madeira is one of the most extraordinary wines in the world, and one of the least understood. Produced on a small Portuguese island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, it is a fortified wine that has been deliberately heated as part of its production — a process that sounds counterintuitive but results in a wine of remarkable complexity, striking acidity, and almost mythical longevity. A well-made Madeira does not just age well. It is, for practical purposes, indestructible.
Port wine
Port is one of the most celebrated wines in the world — and one of the most misunderstood. Many people know it only as a sweet red wine served in a small glass at the end of dinner. While that is a perfectly accurate description of one style, it barely scratches the surface of a wine family that ranges from bone-dry white aperitifs to some of the most complex and long-lived bottles in existence.
Fortified and aromatized wines
The magic of wine in China
Frosé cocktail
Frosé is a frozen rosé cocktail that feels bright, easy, and a little celebratory. It blends chilled rosé wine with fruit and ice for a drink that is refreshing, lightly slushy, and perfect for warm afternoons, brunch, or casual summer gatherings. Simple to make and lovely to serve, it brings a playful twist to a glass of wine without losing its elegance.
Kir Royale cocktail
The Kir Royale is a classic cocktail with a festive, elegant feel. It is made with sparkling wine and crème de cassis, a blackcurrant liqueur that adds gentle sweetness, deep berry flavor, and a beautiful rosy hue. Simple to mix and lovely to serve, it is a natural choice for celebrations, holiday gatherings, or a relaxed aperitif before dinner.