5 reasons to buy from Polgoon

I visited Polgoon a few years ago and it's a lovely place. Here's what they say about their business.

1. Polgoon is a small family run vineyard on the outskirts of Penzance, Cornwall. We are a single estate vineyard producing a range of award winning still and sparkling wines.

2. Run by husband and wife Kim and John Coulson who started life as fish merchants, they then went on to by a derelict farm overlooking the sea and decided to use the land to grow different varieties of vines.

3. Kim, John and family love where they live and have a strong ethos to use the land and the resources around them. Their primary focus is in the vineyard to produce the best fruit they can and let that tell the story in the wines.

4. All of the products are vegan-friendly and we use sustainable practices both in our winemaking and in the vineyard. We were the first business to become plastic-free in Penzance and daughters Emma and Millie continue to find new ways to be environmentally-friendly.

5. Because of the mild weather of recent years Polgoon took a brave step and planted some Sauvignon Blanc and are now into their second vintage of a single variety, single estate Sauvignon which is a first for the UK.

You can find the range of wines, ciders and soft drinks produced by Polgoon online and if you enter code LOVE in the checkout you will receive 10% discount.

Follow Polgoon on Twitter @polgoon and @polgoon_vineyard on Instagram

5 reasons to drink York gin

So the first company to step up to the open mic slot is York gin in York. Here are the 5 reasons they say you should seek them out:

1. We’re inspired by York’s 2,000 years of history, and gin’s hundreds of years of traditions - Romans, ghosts, outlaws, distillation methods, amazing botanicals … and historic cats.

(The cat on our label is inspired by Rutterkin, a ‘swaggering gallant’ of a puss from the 17th Century.)

2. We banned cheesy Christmas tunes (anything after the 1960s) from our 16^th Century gin shop last year – meaning Slade, Cliff, etc were off the playlist - and caused an international media sensation.

We only did it because modern tracks sounded weird in such an old building!

3. When we decided to make an Old Tom gin, we realised we needed a professional kitchen to make its sugar syrup.
So – as you do - we asked a Michelin-starred restaurant (the Star Inn at Harome) if they’d make it. They agreed and It’s now one of the world’s best Old Toms.

4. Professor Mary Beard kindly checked the Latin for our Roman Fruit gin’s motto – ‘Veni, Vidi, Bibi’ (‘I came, I saw, I drank&rsquo.
She now loves a Roman Fruit Negroni. And we love her.

5. We make five gins - four have won awards; the fifth (our ghost-inspired York Gin Grey Lady) hasn’t entered any yet!

You can buy them direct from the website yorkgin.com

5 Reasons is a free platform for small food and drink producers, importers and retailers to talk about what they do. See What is 5 Reasons all about? for a fuller explanation.Photo of.York Gin's directors: Emma Godivala (L) and Pete McNichol by James Hardisty of Yorkshire Post newspapers

5 reasons to buy Little Beauty (especially if you like NZ Sauvignon Blanc)

1. Hello. I’m Little Beauty. Pleased to meet you.

I’m a bespoke, independent, single vineyard winery from the elemental and unique Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand. I’m made with good old Kiwi passion and pride.

2. Normally, you’ll find me in all the best restaurants in town– literally! I usually mingle at Mere, Tom Kitchin, Alchemilla and Chewton Glen to name a few but Covid-19 has stopped me going out recently.

So, I’m trying to make new friends and find out some new places to hang out online . . .

3. Which leads me onto my next question – anyone want to join forces? It’s lonely out there at the moment and I’m looking for like minded friends to share the message and love – email me if you’d like to work together to spread awareness, links and ideas – we’re full of them!

4. But - shhhhh, I’m only ever going to be available as a limited release. In fact, so limited, my annual production volume represents a teensy 0.00055% of the total global wine market! So, with me, you know you’re getting something super special. And very authentic. If you’d like to try and buy me, I’m hanging out with some friends at www.swig.co.uk, www.davywine.co.uk, www.aduv.co.uk and www.weaverswine.com

5. You can catch up on all my latest goings on and keep me company on Instagram @littlebeautywines where you’ll find all our latest news, awards, recipes and always a post to make you smile.

5 Reasons to try the new wine app Pingza

A post from the Pingza team:

Co-founder, Andy South came up with the initial concept in 2018, having wasted too much time staring at the supermarket wall of wine and more often than not being faced with the embarrassment of picking the wrong bottle.