Win a fabulous case of Rioja!

I know this month’s competition is going to be really popular because so many of you love Rioja. However it’s probably the red wines of the region you’re most familiar with: this is a chance to try the whites and rosados (rosés) too along with some more expensive wines you may not have had a chance to taste before.

The Rioja Region

Rioja is Spain’s flagship wine region, located in the north of the country and home to over 600 wineries. The region produces some of the world’s most diverse and food-friendly wines, from rich, spicy reds to fresh, light whites and rosés. (You can find out more about it on their website.)

The case will include two bottles of each of the following:

Bodegas Javier San Pedro Ortega, Viuda Negra Villahuercos 2017

An oaked white Rioja made from the Tempranillo Blanco grape, which is exclusive to the Rioja region. It has notes of green apple, pear and gooseberry.

Rioja Vega Rosado Colección Tempranillos (Rosado) 2018

A delicate, fresh rosé with floral aromas.

Hacienda El Ternero Selection Crianza 2014

A rounded Rioja made from the tempranillo grape, with red fruit flavours and floral aromas.

Marqués De Murrieta Dalmau Reserva 2014

A velvety, powerful Rioja reserva with flavours of black fruits and dark chocolate.

Bodegas Amézola De La Mora, Solar Amézola Gran Reserva, 2012

A complex Gran Reserva with an elegant finish. An excellent accompaniment to meat and game.

Gómez Cruzado Pancrudo Selección Terroir 2017

Made from the Garnacha grape, this is a deliciously fresh and fruity red Rioja.

The best food pairings for Rioja

The closing date for the competition is 11.59pm GMT on Tuesday March 31st 2020 and you must live in the UK and be over 18 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, Wines from Rioja, 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. Only one entry is allowed per person.

4. The prize consists of two bottles of each of the wines listed above. 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 March 31st 2020. The winner will be drawn from the list of entrants by matchingfoodandwine by 11.59pm on Wednesday April 15th and will be notified by e-mail.

6. We ask for your name, email address and postal address in order to conduct the competition. We will delete this data as soon as the competition has concluded and the winner has received their prize.

7. In the event that you decide to subscribe to our monthly 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. 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 April 30th 2020.

Win a case of Nicolas Feuillatte rosé champagne

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.

It may or may not have escaped your notice that it’s Valentine’s Day this week and to celebrate we’ve got a six bottle case of gorgeous Nicolas Feuillatte brut rosé to give away.

It’s a blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay and aged for three years which gives it a delicate wild strawberry flavour and a stream of fine, elegant bubbles.

It won’t of course reach our lucky winner by V Day but if you’re inspired you can buy your loved one (and yourself) a bottle (in Asda, John Lewis or Majestic). And, if you win, enjoy champagne on other romantic occasions for the rest of the year. (Who says you can only have a romantic night in on February 14th, eh? Or February 29th for that matter. It’s Leap Year, this year, remember?)

They recommend it with salmon and avocado blinis and strawberry soufflé tart should you be looking for inspiration! (I’d also fancy it with some macarons - as pictured - or white chocolate with little crunchy bits of freeze dried raspberry.

The closing date for the competition is 11.59pm GMT on Monday March 2nd 2020 and you must live in the UK and be over 18 to enter. For other terms and conditions see below.

ENTER HERE

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, Nicolas Feuillatte, 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. Only one entry is allowed per person.

4. The prize consists of the case of Nicolas Feuillatte rosé above. 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 Monday March 2nd 2020. The winner will be drawn from the list of entrants by matchingfoodandwine by 11.59pm on Monday March 16th and will be notified by e-mail.

6. We ask for your name, email address and postal address in order to conduct the competition. We will delete this data as soon as the competition has concluded and the winner has received their prize.

7. In the event that you decide to subscribe to our monthly 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. 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 March 31st 2020.

Win a case of alcohol-free 'spirits' from The Whisky Exchange

If you're on the wagon - or even if you're not - you've probably heard of one or two alcohol-free spirits and aperitifs but you may not be aware just how many there are on the market now. So our good friends at The Whisky Exchange have come up with a whole case of different bottles to inspire you for Dry January - and keep the winner going through February and beyond*.

If you’re committed to cutting down on alcohol this month, going dry no longer means sugary soft drinks, or let’s face it, a dull lime and soda and this case of interesting and flavoursome ‘spirits’ is guaranteed to make it easy to to take a break from the booze at any time you wish.

If you don't want to wait to find out if you've won you can find the full range at The Whisky Exchange which now has three London shops at Great Portland Street, Covent Garden and, opening this month, London Bridge in addition to a great online shop.

* the prize will be dispatched in early February

Here are the amazing bottles you'll find in the case:

Pentire Non Alcoholic Spirit

A botanical non-alcoholic spirit from Pentire, Adrift is made using plants native to the north Cornwall coastline, including rock samphire, sage, Cornish sea salt and a secret blend of local plants. Try serving this with soda water and orange peel.

Aecorn Dry

This floral, dry non-alcoholic aperitif from Aecorn was inspired the recipes for 17th century herbal remedies. Made using grapes grown in England and a blend of botanicals including oak, sage, chamomile and black tea, it has a floral, aromatic character with a crisp, bitter edge. Try serving with tonic water and a slice of lemon (or, as I do, with soda FB)

Aecorn Aromatic

Rich and smoky, this non-alcoholic aperitif from Aecorn is inspired by 17th century herbal remedies, and made using English Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier grapes. The palate has notes of vanilla, smoky cherry-wood, chinotto and nuts. Try serving chilled or with soda water and a slice of orange.

Aecorn Bitter

A non-alcoholic aperitif from Aecorn with a bitter, citrus-led flavour. Inspired by traditional recipes and 17th century English herbal remedies, Aecorn have created an aperitif with complex notes of orange, grapefruit, bay leaf and honeycomb. Try adding to a spritz for a citrusy, bitter edge.

Senser Blend One Power

The first of three non-alcoholic spirits from Senser, Power is a blend of bitter orange, cacao, vanilla and smooth caramel, with a smoky cardamom finish. Try mixing this with ginger beer for a rich, spicy drink.

Senser Blend Two Love

Love offers a blend of delicate floral notes, sweet raspberries and tart gooseberries throughout the palate. Try mixing this with kombucha for a sweet-and-sour drink.

Senser Blend Three Joy

Joy offers a blend of delicate floral notes, lively summer berries and light citrus throughout the palate. Try mixing this with Indian tonic for a lively, bittersweet drink.

Everleaf Non Alcoholic Bittersweet Aperitif

A non-alcoholic aperitif from Everleaf, flavoured with botanicals including vanilla, gentian and iris. It has a bittersweet character; the palate is led by bitter gentian with a sweeter, fruitier undertone. Everleaf recommend mixing this non-alcoholic aperitif with soda water or tonic. (Again, I like it best with soda! FB)

Three Spirit

A non-alcoholic spirit made with specially selected botanicals, this has a complex, rich character. Bitter cacao from Ecuador and yerba-mate from Brazil give it a herbal element to cut through the rich chocolate notes. It’s ideal for non-alcoholic cocktails but we’ve been known to sip it on ice as an alternative to our whisky habit.

Seedlip Garden 108

The second bottling from Seedlip is a celebration of summer – a non-alcoholic spirit that bursts with clean, fresh herbal flavours. Perfect for designated drivers or if you’re not drinking at the moment, it's great served long with bitter lemon or soda water over ice.

Ceder’s Wild

A non-alcoholic spirit with vibrant spice and wood notes, created by a husband and wife team with a passion for distilling delicious alcohol-free drinks. Using botanicals including juniper, rooibos, clove and Cape Snowbush, this is a great substitute for gin that works wonderfully with aromatic tonic water.

Atopia Wild Blossom

Atopia Wild Blossom is an ultra-low alcohol spirit, made using natural distillates from citrus, herbs and spices. This is delicate and fruity with notes of apple, lavender and just a hint of Applewood smoke. Try mixing this with a Mediterranean tonic for a delicious serve. (You can see my review of Atopia's sister product Wild Citrus here)

I'll also send the winner a copy of my new book How to Drink witthout Drinking for inspiration!

The closing date for the competition is 11.59pm GMT on Sunday 2nd February 2020 and you must live in the UK and be over 18 to enter. For other terms and conditions see below.

ENTER HERE

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, Speciality Brands, 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. Only one entry is allowed per person.

4. The prize consists of the alcohol-free spirits and aperitifs described above. 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 Sunday February 2nd 2020. The winner will be drawn from the list of entrants by matchingfoodandwine by 11.59pm on Monday February 17th and will be notified by e-mail.

6. We ask for your name, email address and postal address in order to conduct the competition. We will delete this data as soon as the competition has concluded and the winner has received their prize.

7. In the event that you decide to subscribe to our monthly 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. 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 March 1st 2020.

Win a fabulous Fortnum & Mason Marylebone hamper!

Frankly there’s nothing that says Christmas like a trip to twinkly Fortnum & Mason so we were thrilled when they agreed to offer one of their fabulous hampers as our prize this month.

It’s the new Marylebone hamper which is worth £200 and contains all manner of gorgeous goodies including Fortnum’s blanc de blancs champagne, strawberry and champagne preserve, Assam Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe tea, lots of gorgeous breakfast stuff like Sandringham Blend coffee, Old English Hunt marmalade, pickle and piccalilli and …. wait for it … truffle mayonnaise (swoon). You can see the full contents here.

Obviously, being a December competition we’re not going to be able to get it to you in time for Christmas but whichever lucky person wins it will have an amazing treat to look forward to in January.

The closing date for the competition is 11.59pm GMT on Sunday January 5th 2020 and you must live in the UK and be over 18 to enter. For other terms and conditions see below.

ENTER HERE

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, Fortnum & Mason 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 the Fortnum & Mason Marylebone hamper detailed above and will be drawn at random. 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 11.59pm GMT on Sunday January 5th 2020 2019. The winner will be drawn from the list of entrants by matchingfoodandwine by 11.59pm on Friday January 17th and will be notified by e-mail.

6. We ask for your name, email address and postal address in order to conduct the competition. We will delete this data as soon as the competition has concluded and the winner has received their prize.

7. In the event that you decide to subscribe to our monthly 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. 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 January 31st 2020.