Win 3 bottles of Canaima gin and all you need to throw an Amazonian drinks party!

We’ve a really special prize this month both for gin lovers and those who are concerned about the fate of the Amazon.

It’s based on a new gin called Canaima which, in addition to the obligatory juniper, is based on 10 local botanicals sourced in the Amazon region by local communities. They include acai berries, uve de palma, copuazu and merey fruit, creating an exotically fruity, floral gin with rich, earthy undertones.

Created by leading bartender Simone Carporale in partnership with the team behind the acclaimed Diplomatico Rum and with the Amazonian origins of the spirit in mind, 10% of global sales of Canaima Gin will be donated to two foundations crucial to conservation of the Amazon, Tierra Viva Foundation and Saving the Amazon.

Celebrate the launch of Canaima gin, which is stocked by The Whisky Exchange, by throwing a drinks party for your friends. The prize consists of three bottles of Canaima Gin, six highball glasses and 24 bottles of Three Cents pink grapefruit soda as well as six coasters, six bracelets and a beautiful basket handwoven by women of the indigenous communities of the Amazon, through a partnership with Tierra Viva Foundation.

Finally, a tree will be planted in the Amazon dedicated to the winner and geocached for monitoring via Saving the Amazon. If ever there was a time to invest in a sustainable future for the Amazon, it’s now!

The closing date for the competition is 11.59pm GMT on Sunday 3rd November 2019 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, 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 gin, soda, glasses and other items mentioned 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 November 3rd 2019. The winner will be drawn from the list of entrants by matchingfoodandwine by 11.59pm on Monday November 18th 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 November 30th 2019.

Win a case of exceptional Mirto rioja from Ramon Bilbao

A couple of months ago I went to Moscow to speak at an event organised by the Rioja producer Rámon Bilbao and reported back on one of the most extraordinary pairings they came up with - a chocolate layer cake and a really, lush modern rioja called Mirto which is only made in the region’s best vintages.

One Master of Wine, Simon Field describes it as ‘one of the most important and influential wines in rioja’

Well I told them how much you’d love the chance to win some and they’ve agreed to offer a case of six bottles in a handsome wooden box.

Obviously you don’t have to drink it with chocolate, in fact it would be fantastic with a steak, roast beef or a cheeseboard for that matter or, as the tasting notes suggest, with wild mushrooms and truffles. And although the wine comes from the 2014 vintage it will keep for a good few more years if you want to eek it out.

Here's how Great Western Wine which is selling it for £49.50 a bottle describes it:

Pure Tempranillo from a single, high-altitude vineyard planted with 85 year-old vines. Saturated purple colour with soaring wild plum and blueberry aromas, supported by complex nuances of tobacco, chocolate and Mediterranean herbs. The taste is deep and enveloping - beautifully pure, lively fruit, with lots and lots of personality. To appreciate this now, decant at least two hours before you plan to drink it. Alternatively, lock it away for 5-10 years.

Sounds good, eh?

The closing date for the competition is 11.59pm GMT on Tuesday 1st October 2019 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, Ramon Bilbao 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 Ramon Bilbao Mirto rioja 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 Tuesday October 1st 2019. The winner will be drawn from the list of entrants by matchingfoodandwine by 11.59pm on Tuesday October 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 October 31st 2019.

Win a case of Caro - one of Argentina’s finest red wines

Great wines don’t simply come from the classic wine growing regions of Europe these days, you can find them all over the world. But not many have the pedigree of this collaboration between Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) and top Argentinian producer Nicolas Catena THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED

The wine, Caro, which has been produced since 2003 started off as predominantly malbec but the 2016 vintage which is on offer here is 83% cabernet sauvignon. Tim Atkin rates it 97 in his 2019 Argentina Special Report describing it as a “stunning blend showing elegance, poise and finesse."

Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite is offering a 6x75cl case of Caro worth £245.94 as this month's prize but if you can’t wait to try it Davis Bell McCraith, their stockist in Bristol, is currently offering it at £228 for 6 bottles including vat or £210 for 6 if you order 12 bottles (i.e. two cases in total).

It’s definitely a wine to lay down. Atkin considers the drinking window from 2022-35.

The closing date for the competition is 11.59pm GMT on Sunday 1st September 2019 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, Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), Davis Bell McCraith 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 Caro wine 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 Sunday September 1st 2019. The winner will be drawn from the list of entrants by matchingfoodandwine by 11.59pm on Monday September 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 September 30th 2019.

Win a case of award-winning South African wines

I was in South Africa back in February - a country that produces more remarkable wines every time I go there - so was really thrilled when Wines of South Africa offered a case of the country’s best red wines as this month's prize. THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.

They’re all wines that were awarded a 5 star rating by the country’s most respected wine guide, the Platter Guide and mature vintages too which means you don’t have to tuck them away before you drink them.

They include:

Sutherland Petit Verdot 2015

Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2016

Ernie Els Proprietor’s Blend 2016

Waterford Estate The Jem 2014

Muratie Ansela van de Caab 2015

Rhebokskloof Black Marble Hill 2015

Thelema Merlot Reserve 2015

Shannon Black 2013

Rust en Vrede Single Vineyard Syrah 2015

Warwick The Blue Lady 2015

Beyerskloof Faith 2014

and Bartinney Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

A great selection to dip into and enjoy over the months ahead.

The closing date for the competition is 11.59pm GMT on Wednesday July 31st 2019 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, Wines of South Africa, 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 award-winning South African wines 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 Wednesday July 31st 2019. The winner will be drawn from the list of entrants by matchingfoodandwine by 11.59pm on Wednesday August 14th 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 August 31st 2019.