Latest news with #wine
The Sun
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Meghan Markle releases ROSÉ ‘enthused with joy & whimsy' as she relaunches As Ever merchandise empire
MEGHAN Markle is showing some bottle after launching a Californian wine. The Duchess of Sussex, 43, has added Rosé wine to her range of As ever products - which is her first alcoholic beverage. 8 8 8 8 The 2023 pink booze from Napa Valley, California, will be sold via her As ever website from July 1. It has been announced alongside two new spreads now available including a Limited-Edition Orange Blossom Honey for $28 (£20) And she has also restocked six of the original products including $15 flower sprinkles. But there is no new raspberry spread available after Meg admitted she may never restock the infamous jam spread. It comes weeks after Meghan applied to the US Patent and Trademark Office for permission to sell alcoholic beverages earlier this year As ever claim the new product lines are 'infused with joy, love and a touch of whimsy'. Describing the new As ever Rosé they say: "With soft notes of stone fruit, gentle minerality, and a lasting finish, this bespoke blend is launching just in time for summer entertaining." The wine does not yet have a price but more details are expected before July 1. The bottle of booze comes with the launch of two new spreads that are now available to buy on As ever website. They are a $9 Apricot Spread which can be bought in a Keepsake Packaging for $14. It is described as a "golden-hued Apricot Spread balances a delicate sweetness and a gentle brightness that lets this beautiful stone fruit shine." And adds: "Spoon it over yogurt, swipe it onto toast, or nestle it into a cake. Beautifully packaged in our signature glass jar with our emblematic brushed gold lid, this delightful addition to your home is presented in Keepsake Packaging that is crafted to look beautiful on any counter or kitchen shelf." There is also a new so-called Limited-Edition Orange Blossom Honey for $28 (£20). Sorry Meg, celebs selling wine is nothing new By Helena Nicklin Kylie Minogue Kylie's wine range, which was launched in 2020, includes nine varieties. However, it is her pretty pink rosé that has been the real superstar. With more crunchy red fruit and a boggy, metallic tang nowadays, it is not quite the silky, strawberry-scented wine it used to be at the launch, but is still very drinkable for a warm day nonetheless. Accessible and affordable, the numbers speak for themselves on the popularity of this celebrity offering. Snoop Dogg The rapper's Cali Blanc is a sunshine-fuelled Sauvignon with 12% ABV. It's super-commercial but well-executed. And there is no avoiding which VIP has put his dollars into this vino, with a great big picture of Snoop himself on the label for drinkers to admire – and to add a bit of bling. It is worth a few extra pence – but a £12 tag is a bit too punchy. Sarah Jessica Parker The Sex & The City actress clearly loves a sweeter-than-average Savvy B as her whole range is flamboyantly on the fruity side. Still, the sugar suits this New Zealand sauvignon. SJP collaborated with a top Kiwi vineyard to make it, with the celeb reputedly tasting and blending each new vintage of wine herself. It has a lower-than-average 7% ABV, so it is ideal if you are taking it light. Lower levels also makes it a good daytime choice. Carrie Bradshaw would approve. Post Malone The country superstar and rapper is the big name behind this pastel bottle of plonk. The Rockstar hit-maker decided to think pink when it came to creating his own wine. The French contents are made with a mix of grenache, cinsault, shiraz/syrah and merlot, and it is more savoury than some others, with a crunchy cranberry and vine tomato vibe. But when you sip, the balance is a bit off and the tart factor is high and raspy. It would be fine if it were a fiver for a bottle. But it's not. Gary Barlow FOR a man who proclaims himself a lover of music and fine wines, the Take That star's self-named bottles hit quite a few bum notes. This unoaked offering is made with a blend of Spanish red grapes from central Castilla. Although it is competitively priced, it is a rustic plonk and pretty rough around the edges, with baked fruit flavours and a grippy texture – even though it is described as medium bodied. Less of a wine you will Never Forget, it is more one you won't want to remember. Sorry, Gary. Bon Jovi ROCKER Jon Bon Jovi did well to partner with a top Langue-doc region winemaker – Gerard Bertrand – in France, alongside his son Jesse, to make this dreamy, satin-like pink. It screams celebrity pool parties in the fancy US holiday resort of the Hamptons – but there is real substance to it, too. A constant sell-out whenever it hits UK stores for good reason. There is no 'Le Vin On A Prayer' – this is a famous-name tipple with real taste and quality. Try a glass and you will be grateful for a bed of these rosés. As ever say: "Our Orange Blossom Honey, with its beautiful golden hue, an enticing aroma, delicate floral notes, and subtle citrus undertones, is a standout addition to your pantry. Its gentle complexity adds a balanced touch of flavor to everything from morning toast to cheese boards." Meg launched her first As ever products on April 2 and her stock sold out within 90 minutes. She has restocked the $12 Herbal Hibiscus Tea, Herbal Lemon Ginger Tea and Herbal Peppermint Tea along with the $15 Flower Sprinkles, and Crepe Baking Mix and Shortbread Cookie Mix - both for $14. But there is no new line of her infamous raspberry jam - which is actually a spread. Some consumers had blasted the spread for being too runny. The Duchess of Sussex revealed earlier this month she has decided to 'just pause' restocking her As Ever brand. Meghan Markle said she wants to wait until it is 'completely stable and we have everything we need' and was trying to avoid being 'annoying' to customers. 8 8 8
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Now Meghan launches her own WINE: Duchess releases new As Ever products including Napa Valley rosé, honey and apricot spreads...and her jams are FINALLY restocked
Meghan Markle revealed a trio of new products under her lifestyle brand As Ever today as she launched Napa Valley rosé wine, apricot spread and a new honey. The Duchess of Sussex unveiled the fresh items as she also released a restock of items from her first batch two months after they all sold out within an hour. The rosé is Meghan's first foray into the wine market - with the product sourced from the famous region of California, up the west coast from her Montecito home. The other new products are orange blossom honey and the apricot spread, one of which is on sale in keepsake packaging and the other coming in a normal jar. In April the Duchess released her first collection of nine As Ever products including raspberry spread in keepsake packaging for $14 (£10) or a normal jar for $9 (£7). Others were flower sprinkles for $15 (£11), wildflower honey with honeycomb for $28 (£21), a crepe mix and a shortbread cookie mix with flower sprinkles, both $14. Three types of herbal tea also came out at the same time - hibiscus, lemon ginger and peppermint - for $12 (£9) each. All the products sold out in about 45 minutes. Earlier today, the Duchess teased the relaunch with an Instagram post on her As Ever account at midnight Pacific Time (8am UK time this morning), with a new photograph of her smiling on a garden swing with the simple caption: 'No more sleeps'. Meghan had promised some 'delicious surprises' for fans today after describing the April launch of the original As Ever products as 'absolutely extraordinary'. The apricot spread is one of the three new products launched by the Duchess of Sussex today In an Instagram post on June 16, the Duchess wrote: 'Oh yes, honey… sweet things await. Mark your calendars for June 20 at 8am PT – we're bringing back your favorites, plus some delicious surprises you won't want to miss!' Pacific Time is eight hours ahead of BST, meaning the launch was at 4pm UK time. In a newsletter issued on June 16, the former Suits actress also wrote: 'First off, a sincere thank you for making the debut of As Ever absolutely extraordinary. 'We had a feeling there would be excitement, but to see everything sell out in less than an hour was an amazing surprise. We are pleased to share that on June 20th, we're going live with the products you love – plus, some new delicious surprises.' PR experts said the latest email was noticeably different to Meghan's first As Ever message, which was a long piece full of inspirational quotes and personal anecdotes. Sarah Schmidt, celebrity publicist and president of PR firm Interdependence, told MailOnline on Wednesday: 'Meghan's first As Ever newsletter was poetic and intimate. 'It positioned the brand as an extension of her personal rituals and values, written in the voice of someone building a lifestyle, not just selling a product. 'The latest email, by contrast, is pure transaction: short, strategic and sales-focused. And that pivot is telling.' She said the audience is now witnessing a 'shift' in Meghan from a 'founder-as-storyteller' to 'founder-as-operator.' Ms Schmidt added: 'It suggests a brand moving from emotional origin story into operational scale. However, when key team members exit and the tone tightens, audiences can feel that. 'If the first email said, 'Come into my garden,' the second says, 'Get ready to shop.' Neither is wrong, but the dissonance creates questions. Not just about Meghan's role but about the heart and soul of the brand.' Earlier this month Meghan said she had decided to 'just pause' restocking her brand, saying she wanted to wait until it is 'completely stable and we have everything we need'. She also spoke of the difficulties of building her firm and 'how many tears' she has shed behind the scenes on a bonus episode of her Confessions of a Female Founder podcast featuring Beyonce's mother Tina Knowles. Meghan had suggested the 'scarcity mentality at the beginning might be a hook for people', comparing it to 'a sneaker drop'. But she feared it might be 'annoying' for customers, adding: 'I don't want you to eat that jam once every six months. I want that to be on your shelf all the time.' Meghan said: 'So for me at the moment, with As Ever, it was great. We planned for a year we get and then everything sells out in 45 minutes. 'Yes, amazing, great news. Then what do you do? And then you say 'Ok, we planned as best as we could. Are we going to replenish and sell out again in an hour? Or is that annoying as a customer? 'I'm looking at it saying 'Just pause. That happened. Let's wait until we are completely stable and we have everything we need'.' She added how people 'see all the flashy stuff and they see the product. But that end game… those behind the scenes moments, how many tears I've shed'. Meanwhile, earlier this week the Duchess denied that her personal Instagram account, where she shares behind the scenes footage of family life, is a tool to promote her business. Meghan said returning to social media at the start of the year was 'a great way to get my voice back', and she uses it for 'authentic' sharing such as her twerking video. She added: 'It's my space and my channel for joy.' The former Suits actress went back on Instagram in January, first with footage of her running around a beach and writing 2025 in the sand, and then a montage from her Netflix show With Love, Meghan. The Duchess has since made numerous posts about As Ever, mentioning her As Ever Instagram account, but has also released photos and videos of the Sussexes' life with their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. On Lili's fourth birthday last week, Meghan shared footage of herself twerking in a labour room while heavily pregnant with her daughter. On the Aspire with Emma Grede podcast, entrepreneur Grede asked Meghan about her return to social media, saying: 'Are you thinking about it in the way that so many of us do as also a business tool?' Meghan replied: 'Not for my personal account, no.' Grede challenged her, asking: 'Really?' Meghan said: 'For my personal account? …No.' Grede told her: 'Well that's the one we're all following.' Meghan replied and laughed: 'Well good…as long as you're following As Ever too. No, I think for me it was great way to get my voice back… It's my space and my channel for joy – that is the intention of my handle.' Meghan's personal account @Meghan has 3.8 million followers. Her @aseverofficial account has 847,000 followers, and is linked into her @Meghan bio, as is her ShopMy collection.
The Herald
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald
Prestons Liquor Stores specials
An Elegant Exploration with Stellenzicht Wines 13 - 14 June 2025 | The Tank Room Over the weekend of June 13 - 14, The Tank Room welcomed guests for a refined wine tasting experience with the distinguished Stellenzicht Wines. 23 discerning wine lovers gathered to explore a curated selection of 6 exceptional wines, each sip offering a glimpse into the vineyard's dedication to craftsmanship and character. Using a trusted 5-point Likert scale, guests shared their impressions, offering thoughtful feedback for the wines presented. 3 wines stood out above the rest and received a rating of above 4. Stellenzicht Tristone Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 Stellenzicht Aernite Syrah 2019 Stellenzicht Acheulean Chardonnay 2023 Each of these standout selections captured the attention and appreciation of our guests, reaffirming Stellenzicht Wines reputation for excellence. We thank everyone who joined us for this memorable afternoon of elegance and discovery.
Times
10 hours ago
- Times
My boutique wine tour — Scandinavian style
Basking in the midsummer sunshine, Daniella Lundh Egenas stands among the terraces of Thora Vinegard, which roll down to the inky blue sea in the distance. 'This is potato land,' she says, gesturing around to neighbouring farmland on the Bjare peninsula. 'We get a lot of people driving up to ask if we sell potatoes. They get a bit of a surprise when we tell them it's actually wine.' In the southernmost Swedish region of Skane there's a new crop getting farmers excited: grapes. While each summer southern Europe bakes in record-breaking heatwaves that blister fields and devastate harvests, the wine scene in Sweden — which started as a niche movement in the 1990s — is quietly flourishing. At the Swedish Wine Tasting event last year, 12 local tipples went up against 12 from elsewhere in Europe — including England, France and Italy — in a blind tasting judged by 18 international tasters. The winner? A 2021 sparkling wine from Kullabergs Vingard — one of Skane's very own. With this new wine country comes a new tourism model. Previously bottles of alcohol were available to buy in Sweden only via state-run Systembolaget stores, but as of June 1 microbreweries and vineyards can sell bottles directly to customers, thanks to the overturning of a century-old law. One week after this change I head to the country's west coast with my sister, Claire (who had jumped at the chance to to be driven around wineries by me for four days), to raise a glass and tour the region that hopes to one day give Champagne a run for its money. Our first stop is Astad Vingard in Varberg, about two hours' drive north of Malmo. We pass wildflower meadows filled with lupins, grazing Friesians and perfectly symmetrical Falu barns painted in distinctive rust red. The farm here produced organic milk until 2010, when it pivoted to wine and now has ten acres of vines. Astad has been run by the Carlsson family for three generations, since 1946. Claes Bartoldsson heads the winemaking on the estate, having worked with the family for 17 years. 'We always have a shovel in the ground,' he says, showing me the new winery to be completed next month where guests will be able to book tastings and vineyard tours. He explains that Astad produces 20,000 bottles of sparkling wine a year, but in the next seven years capacity will increase to 200,000. 'People drink a lot of wine here, we're not making enough,' he says. Swedish wine is a brand new terroir, Bartoldsson says. 'In Burgundy they have their styles for chardonnay, they have their styles for pinot and they only need to do the best version of that. There's no place for experimentation: there's a set style, a set goal, and that's it; whereas in Sweden there are no rules — that's what makes it exciting.' The temperature in winter can fall to minus 25C here, so Swedish wine mainly comprises the solaris grape, which is often grown in cold climates to make still and sparkling white wine because it is hardy in frost and disease-resistant. 'You really need to love acidity to understand these wines,' Bartoldsson says as we sip his namesake cuvée, the Ang x Claes, which I can imagine enjoying on a long summer day (£65). Despite it being delicious, wine isn't (yet) the main draw at Astad. Most visitors come here either for the Michelin-starred restaurant Ang — which is part-giant greenhouse, part-contemporary art installation and serves a 20-course menu of dishes including white asparagus with lemon verbena and deep-sea Norwegian shrimp — or the spa, a sprawling Disneyland of lily-pad-strewn swimming lakes and eight saunas, including one at the edge of a lake with its windows below the water line. The showstoppers, though, are the 28 villas that stand around a swimming pond. My sister and I have great fun cold-plunging straight from the sauna in our rooms and gliding alongside the ducks until the midnight sun sinks beneath the horizon (room-only doubles from £271; • The best European city breaks Reluctant to leave Astad but eager to taste more Swedish wine we drive an hour south to the Thora Vingard. Egenas explains that the warm sea air here acts as a buffer against winter cold snaps, and the soil is sandy and rich in limestone such as that of Burgundy and Champagne. Visitors can dine at the newly opened Flora restaurant, which serves Bjare chicken with cauliflower and rhubarb and white chocolate yoghurt with strawberries and camomile meringue, and has a window overlooking the winery (mains from £22, tour and tasting from £30; Egenas explains that there is heavy investment in winemaking in the region. Each vineyard I visit has a restaurant, hotel or bar attached — many of which are brand new. Egenas says that unlike in Denmark, where vineyards have long been able to sell bottles directly to visitors or in shops, Swedish wines have to work harder to compete with other European wines in restaurants, so taste better as a result. 'We need to have good quality wines to compete on a menu.' she says. We spend a morning at the dramatic rocky outcrop of Hovs Hallar Nature Reserve, where the Swedish director Ingmar Bergman shot the opening scenes of The Seventh Seal, in which a knight plays chess with Death. The west coast is home to many pretty fishing villages, such as Torekov, where there are clusters of cafés and fish restaurants by the port, and Varehog, where lunch at the excellent Bjare Fisk & Skaldjur might consist of whole turbot and pickles (mains from £12; • Stockholm's best hotels The Bjare peninsula's reputation as a 'potato land' certainly does it a disservice, as this is where Swedes snap up summer homes. The village of Bastad has some seriously swish yachts in the marina, and we check in to the historic Hotel Skansen, where Ludvig Nobel — Alfred's nephew — built a clay tennis court in 1907 that now hosts the Nordea Open on the ATP Tour. But the highlights for us are a morning dip at the wooden bathhouse and watching the sun set from the rooftop infinity pool and a colony of seals lolling on the rocks (B&B doubles from £206; In the afternoon we pop into Vejby Vingard, run by the eccentric, beret-wearing Jeppe Appelin, who has constructed Georgian-style wine cellar, complete with choral music. He makes smooth, organic orange wine in qvevris — 10ft-high, egg-shaped earthenware vessels that each weigh a ton — and at the courtyard bar a glass can easily lead to three, so you might have to book a taxi (tour and tasting from £46; 'Here in Sweden we don't have a wine culture,' Appelin says. 'We need to invent one.' Appelin tells me that despite the economic downturn in Sweden, farmers on Bjare — some of whom have owned their land for generations — are reluctant to sell and make room for new vineyards. 'They want me to grow potatoes,' he says. 'Suddenly I'm a threat to their history, their culture, their future.' Appelin has erected a billboard as you drive onto the Bjare peninsula proclaiming: 'Welcome to Bjare wine country.' You can understand why it might have ruffled some feathers. Our final stop is another hour's drive away, on the spectacular Kullaberg peninsula, where we are staying stay at the family-run Villa Brunnby (B&B doubles from £155; We spend a morning hiking the Kullaberg Nature Reserve, dipping into pebble bays for a swim in the sea. Lunch is on a terrace overlooking the sea at the idyllic Ransvik restaurant, near the town of Molle — a summery herring with salt-boiled beets and dill potatoes (mains from £14; Molle became notorious in the late 1800s for being the only place in Europe where men and women bathed together, in distinctive striped swimming costumes, in what was referred to as 'the sin of Molle'. A ten-minute drive down away is the Kullabergs Vingard, where the staff are still recovering from the party they threw on the day that the new law came into effect, when 200 people turned up to buy £16 bottles. The law still has some stipulations: visitors must take a 30-minute tour of the vineyard and cannot buy any more than four bottles each (tour and tasting from £34). There's also a wine bar in a pretty greenhouse and a restaurant with views of the vines that serves simple food such as rillettes, cheese and charcuterie to complement the wine (dishes from £7; • Great wine-tasting holidays in France 'This could be a revolution for the region,' Viktor Dahl, the chief executive of Kullabergs, says of the vineyard as we sip the aromatic, award-winning 2021 Immelen in its new shop. 'It's going to be the start of a big change in tourism.' Sweden may have only a fledgling wine scene, but the green shoots are there. As champagne houses muscle in on land in Kent and East Sussex and English sparkling wine scoops up international awards, many Swedish winemakers are looking on with a dash of envy — and excitement. 'We look up to England a lot — what they have done there with wine is a very recent success story,' Egenas says. 'I think there are a lot of things that we can do the same, but we are still about 20 years behind.' I'm keeping hold of the few bottles that I took home in my suitcase — they may be worth a bit one day. Katie Gatens was a guest of Visit Sweden ( Fly to Copenhagen then take a train to Malmo (from £13;
The Sun
21 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Shoppers warned of ‘substantial' shortages of staple summer drink on supermarket shelves from today
SHOPPERS have been warned there will be "substantial" shortages of a classic summer drink from TODAY. Brits were devastated to learn they could find empty wine shelves in supermarkets up and down the country. 1 Bottles have disappeared rapidly after a popular wine supplier announced its workers are going on strike. Staff at Encirc, a Bristol based warehouse that holds 18 of the most drank wine brands in the UK, kicked off the 16-day walk out today. Around 2000 employees at the site, in Avonmouth, revealed they will carry out the industrial action from June 19 to July 5. Unit members are going on strike over a pay dispute, as reported by the Express, after already being offered a 3.2 per cent wage increase. A union spokesperson claimed workers are not paid properly despite the "very profitable company" Encirc turning over £600million. It will see key figures in bottling, packaging and distribution, walk out on different dates - as well as a 12 week overtime ban. Experts have claimed the strike could see a "significant" shortage of wines at UK supermarkets. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Encirc's meanness to its workers is all about greed and not need. "This is a very lucrative company that can fully afford to pay its workers properly but it is choosing not to. "Unite will not stand idly by and allow Encric to steal our members hard won rights. Five Lidl rosés you need this summer, according to a wine expert - a £6.99 buy is as light & crispy as £22 Whispering Angel "Encirc workers deserve better and they have Unite's full support throughout this dispute." Unite regional officer John Sweeney added: "There is no doubt that this action will hit supermarket shelves. "While shortages may be frustrating for customers looking to enjoy a bottle of wine this summer, the situation is entirely of Encirc's own making. "Management has constantly refused to engage meaningfully. Encirc needs to return to the negotiating table with a vastly improved offer." Encirc said it is 'open to dialogue with the union in good faith.' This comes as beer fans are going bananas over this summer beverage accessory that has been branded a "great product." The product is currently on sale for nearly half the price and can arrive at your home in time for the weekend. And, Sun reporter Helen Nicklin has tested a range of supermarket summer cocktails in a can. The winner was a Pimm's mix - which was £10 cheaper than the new Aperol Spritz. Shoppers can now pick up the 200ml bottles in packs of four at specific supermarkets – taking all the hassle out of cocktail making. And it is not the only big-name tipple that has been canned for your convenience. Here, drinks expert Helena sips and scores a selection of pre-mixed cocktails. Plus, Morrisons shoppers have raised a glass this week as the industry giant rolls out brand-new cocktails for just £1.50 per drink – and they're perfect for summer BBQs. The budget-friendly booze is part of an exclusive tie-up with premium cocktail brand The Drinks Bureau, bringing a taste of the bar straight to your garden party. Available now in over 280 Morrisons stores across the UK, the 1.5-litre cocktail boxes are priced at £15 each – or just £12 with a More Card. That works out at as little as £1.20 per serving, offering premium drinks at pocket-friendly prices. Each box contains ten ready-to-drink servings and includes a tap-style spout for easy pouring, making it an ideal option for hassle-free entertaining. It's also the first time shoppers can get premium 'on tap' cocktails from a UK supermarket – a format that's proven popular in bars and pubs. How to save money buying alcohol Alcohol can be pricey if you're planning a party or hosting an event but there are ways to cut costs. It's always important to drink responsibly, here, Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements share some tips on getting booze for the best price. Stocking up can mean big savings on drinks, especially if you want to buy wine or fizz. The big supermarkets regularly offer discounts of 25% when you buy six or more bottles of wine. The promotions typically run in the lead up to occasions such as Bank Holidays, Christmas and Easter. If you know you are going to need booze later in the year, it can be worth acting when you see offers. Before buying your preferred drink make sure you shop around to find the best price – you can use a comparison site such as or Don't forget that loyalty cards can unlock better savings so make sure you factor that in too. If you like your plonk, wine clubs can also be a good way to save money and try new varieties. You'll usually have to pay a membership fee in return for cheaper price so work out if you will be buying enough to make the one off cost worthwhile.
