Win a case of vermouth from The Whisky Exchange

Having just been to Asti and Turin, I’m really into vermouth, an underrated drink which makes a brilliant aperitif on a warm summer evening.

A staple of famous cocktails such as the martini, negroni and manhattan you can also drink them on their own over ice or with a mixer as a long drink.

To give you a chance to get to know them I’ve persuaded my friends at The Whisky Exchange to offer a case of six different vermouths and amari for you to experiment with. (Subscribers to our newsletter will also be eligible for a giveaway of drink writer Kate Hawkings excellent new book Aperitif to give you additional inspiration. If you're not on our mailing list, sign up here!)

The case contains:

Cocchi Americano

It's acclaimed as the most credible alternative to the long-discontinued Kina Lillet due to its high levels of cinchona, the fiercely bitter bark used to make quinine. This makes Cocchi Americano essential in recreating James Bond's Vesper Martini and the legendary Corpse Reviver #2 from The Savoy Cocktail Book.

A big and orangey aperitif, it also has a big quinine bitterness that makes it an essential cocktail ingredient.

Chazalettes Vermouth della Regina Rosso

A phoenix among vermouths. Chazalettes is one of Turin's oldest family-run vermouth brands, which has recently restarted production and which uses the original recipes of Clemente Chazalettes, who founded the company in 1876. This red vermouth has notes of marjoram, Piedmontese herbs, musk mallow and coriander.

Rosso della Regina is named after Queen Margherita of Savoy, who in 1907 granted Chazalettes the right to use the royal coat of arms.

Belsazar Riesling Edition (NEW)

Belsazar have worked with famed German winery Dr Loosen to create this Reisling-based edition. Not only does this fresh and light vermouth celebrate the acidity and subtle flavours of great Riesling, but it also delivers an extra tropical fruit twist thanks to the addition of Azores pineapples.

Belsazar was founded in 2013 and uses high quality wines from South Baden to make its vermouths, which are blended with botanicals and fruit brandies before being aged in stone casks.

Regal Rogue Wild Rosé Vermouth

Regal Rogue's Wild Rosé Vermouth is full of tropical fruit flavours with native Australian illawara plums, strawberry gum and rosella. This is deliciously refreshing and works particular well in a spritzer or long with tonic water.

Karven Ropere Amaro

A bittersweet amaro from New Zealand that's made with grape alcohol and fresh local herbs and berries – including organic strawberries. Exclusive to The Whisky Exchange.

Berto Aperitivo

Apertivo Berto from Quaglia in Italy is a classic aperitif. Made by infusing spirit with orange peel, rhubarb and gentian, this is light and fresh and a superb cocktail ingredient.

The closing date for the competition is 11.59pm GMT on Tuesday July 31st 2018 and you must be over 18 and live in the UK to enter. For other terms and conditions see below.

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Terms and Conditions

1. This prize draw is open to all subscribers of 18 or over, other than freelancers or contractors employed by matchingfoodandwine.com or The Whisky Exchange, their respective families and agents or anyone directly connected to the prize draw

2. No purchase is necessary.

3. Entries submitted through third parties or agents will not be eligible.

4. The prize consists of the case of vermouth and amari detailed above though the sponsor has the right to make a substitute of similar value for any product which is out of stock. The prize is non-transferable, non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for cash alternatives in whole or in part.

5. The closing date for entry to the draw is 11.59pm GMT on Tuesday July 31st 2018. The winner will be drawn at random from the list of entrants by matchingfoodandwine by Wednesday August 15th 2018 and will be notified by e-mail.

6. We ask for your name, email address and postal address in order to conduct the competition. Our lawful basis for collecting and processing this data is legitimate interest. We will delete this data as soon as the competition has concluded and the winner has received their prize.

7. If you opt to subscribe to our newsletter when you enter the competition, we will in addition record your name and email address in order to be able to send it out to you. Our lawful basis for collecting and processing this data is consent. You will be able to unsubscribe and ask us to delete your personal data at any time.

8. We accept no responsibility for late, incomplete, incorrectly submitted, corrupted or misdirected entries.

9. Our decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

10. Entrants agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.

The winner’s surname and country of residence will be made available by sending an email to comps@matchingfoodandwine.com after July 31st 2018.

Win a Harvey Nichols Garden Party Hamper!

We know you love hampers so we've gone back to our friends at luxury retailer Harvey Nichols and persuaded them to donate another great seasonal hamper to our subscribers!

This time it's the Garden Party Hamper, an indulgent £150 basketful of beers, bubbles and bits from their own IPA, sauvignon blanc and prosecco to delicious nibbles and ingredients for snack toppings and dips that will set you up for a perfect al fresco evening with friends (see full list of contents below).

All you have to do to enter the competition is register on the site (and subscribe, if you like, to our free monthly newsletter)

The contents of the hamper (though these may be subject to a substitution of a product of similar value in the case of non-availability) are:

Harvey Nichols Soft Almond Amaretti 300g

Win a case of Nino Franco prosecco from Sommelier’s Choice

Having just been enjoying prosecco in its home town of Venice I thought you might like some too so I’ve twisted the arm of my good pal Tim McLaughlin-Green of Sommelier’s Choice case to offer a case from one of the region’s best producers Nino Franco.

It will include 6 bottles of their ‘Rustico’ which is one of the best ‘everyday’ proseccos on the market, 4 of the delicious Faive rosé and one bottle each of their top quality single vineyard wines: Riva di San Floriano and Primo Franco both from the highly regarded Valdobiaddene region - bottles that you could easily drink through a meal not just as a pre-dinner drink.

What sort of food to pair with prosecco

All you have to do to enter the competition is register on the site (and subscribe, if you like, to our free monthly newsletter which will ensure you don’t miss future offers like this.)

Given the nature of the prize, you must be 18 or over to enter and we can’t dispatch prizes to those of you who live outside the UK, I’m afraid.

The closing date for the competition is 11.59pm GMT on Thursday May 31st 2018. For other terms and conditions see below.

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Terms & conditions:

1. This prize draw is open to all UK residents of 18 or over, other than freelances or contractors employed by matchingfoodandwine.com, employees of Nino Franco, Sommelier’s Choice, their respective families and agents or anyone directly connected to the prize draw

2. No purchase is necessary. You simply need to have registered on the site and subscribe to the mailing list.

3. Entries submitted through third parties or agents will not be eligible.

4. The prize consists of a case of 12 bottles of Nino Franco prosecco as specified above. No cash alternative to the prize will be offered

5. The closing date for entry to the draw is 11.59pm GMT on Thursday May 31st 2018. The winner will be drawn at random from the subscriber database by matchingfoodandwine by Thursday June 14th and will be notified by e-mail.

6. The promoter’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

7. Entrants agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.

The winners surname and county of residence will be made available by sending an email to competitions@matchingfoodandwine.com after June 30th, 2018.

Win a meal for 4 at Hawksmoor Spitalfields

One of the (many) advantages of having a son who owns a steakhouse is that I can occasionally twist his arm to come up with a very special prize. So I’ve managed to persuade him to donate a voucher worth £350 to be spent at Hawksmoor Spitalfields.

Spitalfields was the first restaurant in the Hawksmoor group and has recently been glamorously revamped with reclaimed furniture and fittings including stained glass windows and a parquet floor that was sourced from a sanatorium in Northumberland!

There are also some new dishes on the menu alongside the Hawksmoor classics including a Twelve hour beef short rib with claret, bone marrow & Roscoff onions, Roast scallops with fennel pollen & garlic and Tunworth mash (each portion of which is made with a quarter of a Tunworth cheese) which I personally can’t wait to try!

We had it in mind that the voucher would cover a meal for 4 including cocktails and a bottle of wine but if you want to blow it on two of you that’s up to you!

All you have to do to enter the competition is register on the site (and subscribe, if you like, to our free monthly newsletter which will ensure you don’t miss details of our fabulous prizes)

Given the nature of the prize, you must be 18 or over to enter but for once it doesn’t matter where in the world you come from so long as you can get yourself to London. (No, we’re sorry - the prize doesn’t include the fare!)

The closing date for the competition is 11.59pm GMT on Monday April 30th 2018

For other terms and conditions see below.

ENTER HERE

Terms & conditions:

1. This prize draw is open to all UK residents of 18 or over, other than freelances or contractors employed by matchingfoodandwine.com or Hawksmoor, their respective families and agents or anyone directly connected to the prize draw

2. No purchase is necessary. You simply need to have registered on the site and subscribe to the mailing list.

3. Entries submitted through third parties or agents will not be eligible.

4. The prize consists of a voucher for £350 to be spent at Hawksmoor Spitalfields. No cash alternative to the prize will be offered. The prize must be claimed by October 31st 2018. Bookings need to be made in consultation with the restaurant

5. The closing date for entry to the draw is 11.59pm GMT on Monday April 30th 2018. The winner will be drawn at random from the subscriber database by matchingfoodandwine by Monday May 14th, 2018 and will be notified by e-mail.

6. The promoter’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

7. Entrants agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.

The winners surname and county of residence will be made available by sending an email to competitions@matchingfoodandwine.com after May 31st, 2018.