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WINE & TRAVEL.
I’m a wine specialist with a love for the places, flavours, and experiences that bring wine to life. From London’s hidden wine bars and restaurants to the rolling hills of Tuscany, I focus on stories that connect people, food, and wine — whether it’s pairing a local dish with the perfect bottle, exploring a destination vineyard, or uncovering the magic of a Champagne house.
Whether you’re in the city of London, have hopped on a plane to Europe, or are exploring the rest of the world of wine across the globe, I guide audiences, from curious wine lovers to seasoned travellers, in discovering the full richness of wine as part of lifestyle, travel, and culinary adventures, through writing, tastings, and curated experiences.
“Travel and wine are inseparable... The best experiences always combine place, plate, and glass. From a sunlit vineyard in Tuscany to a hidden wine bar in London, it’s the food, the people, and the wine together that make an experience truly unforgettable.”
— Elizabeth Hawthornthwaite
Taste of London 2026: Pouring Chablis with Wines of Bourgogne
I recently spent a fantastic few days at Taste of London, working on the Wines of Bourgogne stand alongside Harry Crowther, introducing visitors to one of France's most iconic white wines: Chablis.
From the outside, wine events can look incredibly glamorous, but behind the scenes they're full-on. Long hours on your feet, hundreds of conversations and countless wines poured. They're exhausting, but they're also some of the most rewarding days of the year.
The Smart Way to Discover Fine Wine Through Premium Wine Samples | Tiny Wine & Coravin
What is Tiny Wine? Tiny Wine is changing the way people discover and enjoy fine wine by making premium wines more accessible through expertly preserved wine samples.
Instead of committing to a full bottle, wine lovers can explore tasting-sized servings of some of the world's most sought-after wines, allowing them to discover new grape varieties, wine regions, producers and styles without the cost or commitment of purchasing a full bottle. Working in partnership with Coravi
Looking for a Wine Like Pinot Grigio? Try Albariño
If Pinot Grigio is your usual go-to white wine, you’re not alone. It’s crisp, clean, refreshing and reliably easy to drink — the kind of bottle that’s quietly become a staple in so many homes. But if you’re ready to explore something just a little more expressive, there’s a Spanish white wine that might be your next favourite. Meet Albariño.A Spanish white wine you should know about:Albariño is one of Spain’s most loved white grape varieties, grown mainly in the Rías Baixas r
How to Identify Old Vine Wines on a Bottle Label & Why Old Vine Wines Matter More Than Ever
Discover what old vine wines are, why some of the world's oldest vineyards produce such distinctive wines, and how to identify genuine old vine wines on a bottle label. From volcanic Assyrtiko in Santorini to South Africa's Certified Heritage Vineyards, explore the history, benefits, and growing importance of old vines. Plus, discover affordable old vine wines available in UK supermarkets and the producers leading the movement to protect these remarkable vineyards.
Why Learn About Wine? How to Choose Better Bottles and Build Confidence in What You Drink
So you don’t waste money (or calories) on bottles you won’t actually enjoy.
Wine can feel intimidating at first, but it becomes far more enjoyable the moment you understand a few simple basics: grape varieties, where a wine comes from, and the story behind the producer. That foundation changes everything.
Suddenly, you can order with confidence in restaurants, read a wine list without second-guessing yourself, recognise quality more easily, and start to understand what
A London Wine Expert’s Guide to RHS Chelsea Flower Show: Where to Drink, Eat and Explore During Chelsea Week
Here’s how to navigate Chelsea Flower Show season properly from the gardens worth your time to where to eat, drink and soak up the atmosphere afterwards.
Chelsea during flower show week feels like London at its absolute best.
Flowers spill onto pavements, restaurants suddenly become impossible to book, everyone stays outside slightly longer with a glass of something cold, and for one week only, the whole neighbourhood feels different.
As a London-based wine journalis
I Found a Historic Wine Window in Florence & It Was Every Bit as Magical as I Hoped
Certain travel experiences feel quintessentially Italian. Drinking espresso standing at a bar. Wandering sun-drenched piazzas at golden hour.
Ordering a plate of pasta so good that you immediately start planning your next trip back.
And then there’s discovering a wine window in Florence.
Tucked into the walls of historic palazzos across the city, Florence’s famous wine windows, known locally as buchette del vino, are one of Tuscany’s most charming traditions. I finally f
Wine News: The 2025s Have Landed
It's the moment of the year I love when the new vintage starts arriving on shelves and the spring has sprung. The 2025s are here, and there is a lot to get excited about.
Provence rosé is back in force. Two of my favourites have just landed: the new Mirabeau, which keeps getting more refined year on year, and Château Léoube — quietly one of the most beautifully made rosés in Provence, organic, coastal, and a long way from the supermarket pink shelf. If you've been buying t
The oldest wine I’ve ever tasted… and one of the best.
The oldest wine I’ve ever tasted was a 1996 Vorberg from Cantina Terlan, nearly 30 years old, and it was, without exaggeration, one of the most remarkable white wines I’ve ever experienced.
Still incredibly alive. Still vibrant. Still completely compelling.
Taste:
Textural, nutty, melon, honeydew.
Voluptuous, layered, and bright.
The kind of wine that makes you stop mid-sip.
Sake Cocktails in London | Why Wine Lovers Should Try Sake at Sticks’n’Sushi
If you love wine, you need to try sake like this.
Sake cocktails in London are one of those experiences that completely change how you think about sake. If you are used to wine, this is an easy and exciting step into something lighter, more aromatic, and unexpectedly elegant.
At Sticks'n'Sushi, sake is treated with the same care as wine. The result is sake cocktails that are crisp, floral, lifted, and beautifully balanced. They are not heavy or overpowering, instead they
Kolae Borough Market Review | Best Thai Restaurant in London for Bold Southern Thai Food
This is the kind of restaurant you tell your friends about immediately, especially if you love bold flavours, Thai food in London, and standout Borough Market restaurants.
Tucked into the heart of Borough Market, Kolae brings the fire and intensity of Southern Thailand to London in the most unforgettable way. This is not subtle dining; it is food with confidence, heat, and personality in every single dish.
Two Women. Two Tuscan Wine Stories | A Journey Through Val d’Orcia & Montalcino
One of the things I’ve learnt travelling through Tuscany is that the most interesting stories are rarely the loudest ones.They sit slightly to the side.Just beyond the well-known names.
In Val d’Orcia, between Brunello di Montalcino and Montepulciano, that’s exactly where I found them.
This part of southern Tuscany is everything you imagine it to be, rolling hills, cypress-lined roads, soft winter light, but it’s also where a quieter shift is happening.Less about prestige.
The Best Restaurants in the Dolomites | A Ski Food Guide for Alto Badia
Skiing the Dolomites isn’t just about the slopes, it’s about where you eat, drink, and soak up the mountain atmosphere. The food scene in the Dolomites is just as memorable as the skiing itself, with everything from high-altitude fine dining to lively après-ski spots that turn into late afternoon parties.
Here is my ultimate dining guide for eating and drinking in the Dolomites and Alto Badia.
Tuscany’s Most Underrated DOCG White Wine
One of the most underrated white wines in Italy — and a personal favourite of mine- is Vernaccia di San Gimignano. In a region globally celebrated for powerful reds, this historic Tuscan white quietly holds its own, offering depth, texture and remarkable ageing potential. If you’re searching for the best white wines of Tuscany, this is where I’d start.
Expect aromas of lemon peel, ripe pear, crushed almonds and wild Mediterranean herbs. On the palate, it’s dry, structured
19 Reasons to Visit Tuscany in Winter (And Why It Might Be the Best Time to Go)
Think Tuscany is only for sun-soaked summers and golden wheat fields? Think again. A winter trip to Val d’Orcia reveals a quieter, moodier, more cinematic side of the region, one that feels deeply authentic, atmospheric and wonderfully unhurried.
This UNESCO World Heritage landscape, famous for its rolling hills, cypress-lined roads and storybook hill towns, transforms in winter. Morning mist settles in the valleys, olive groves shimmer silver in low light, and sunset turn
Winter in Montalcino & Montepulciano – What’s It Really Like?
Winter in Montalcino and Montepulciano is a different kind of magic, softer, slower, and infinitely more atmospheric. If you’re considering a winter trip to southern Tuscany, particularly in the weeks leading up to Christmas, expect fewer crowds, mist-laced mornings and that low golden light photographers dream about. The medieval streets feel almost cinematic, with wood smoke curling into the cool air and church bells echoing across nearly empty piazzas.
Oriana Golden Spur X Clarette
Weyborne’s new Oriana Golden Spur is all about precision, place, and a little bit of magic and it was a privilege to be at the launch at Clarette restaurant last week, hearing Ben Abric and William Sharpley lift the veil on how this wine is made.
£45 · weyborne.com
Also at Hawkins Bros, Wine & Earth, Farr Vintners and Bibendum.
What makes Oriana Golden Spur stand out?• Highest point of the South Downs National Park – a 25-acre single estate, entirely grown and made on th
Laurent-Perrier - 10am Champagne on a Monday
10am Champagne on a Monday isn’t my usual start to the week… but for Laurent-Perrier, I’ll make an exception. 🍾
The tasting at 67 Pall Mall reminded me why this house remains one of Champagne’s most respected names — prestige without pretence.Four wines, all under £90, all excellent quality and widely available, which really surprised me!
Constance Delaire, Laurent-Perrier’s talented oenologist from Bordeaux, led the session with warmth and passion– bringing to life the p
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