Take a European Holiday (with wine!)

With summer holidays in Europe looking like they’re off the table for most, staycations are the way of the (near) future. But why should that mean you and your customers can’t experience the best the continent has to offer? With a fantastic selection of wines that speak to the sun, sea and sophistication of a European holiday, we can travel far and wide without ever leaving our local.

Paco & Lola Albariño, Rías Baixas

There’s nothing quite like enjoying a glass of Albariño alongside a plate of freshly caught octopus while overlooking the Galician coastline. But the next best thing is surely a glass of this fresh and aromatic wine with a good old fish and chips in England. Come to think of it, it may even be better!
Paco & Lola was founded in 2005 by a cooperative of growers in Galicia. The team wanted to take their winemaking to a professional level, producing contemporary wines and maintaining the quality of their fruit. The cooperative has gained a reputation for producing fun, yet sophisticated wines and their Albariño is no exception. Packed with intense aromas of orange blossom and white flowers followed by an elegant and slightly bitter finish.

Bottega Gold Prosecco Brut NV

For those days when you’re keen for a bit of the glamour and sophistication of Milan, while stuck on this side of the channel, I suggest the utterly stylish Bottega Prosecco Gold. Putting aside for a moment the lively and aromatic wine, the bottle itself is pure luxury, looking as it does as though it has been dipped in gold. The colour was chosen to represent the glorious golden tiles at St Mark’s Basilica of Venice. If you want to impress and delight your customers in equal measure, whip out this bottle and serve at the table as an aperitif, alone or with a small dish of sweet-savoury snacks. Ideally prosciutto-wrapped dates.

Quinta das Arcas Arca Nova Rosé, Vinho Verde

The Portuguese classic, Vinho Verde, has seen huge growth in the UK over the past decade and it’s not hard to see why. With crisp acidity and a characteristic spritz on the palate, these often-green tinged wines are a little piece of rolling Portuguese hills in a bottle.
This rosé blend, if you’ll forgive a bit of indulgent poetics, is more like if those hills were bathed in the soft glow of a mid-summer sunset. This Touriga Nacional and Espadeiro blend is awash with fresh strawberries and currants with just a touch of zesty lime. The palate is textural and ever-so-slightly spritzy. Perfectly served with grilled fish or a Piri-Piri chicken salad.

Enrico Serafino Dolcetto d'Alba

At least 50% of the reason anyone visits Italy is for the food. While that statistic is a bit made up it certainly feels right. While your customers may not be able to enjoy pizza in Napoli or Caprese salad in Rome this summer, you can help them recreate the experience by pairing your dish with a delicious Dolcetto.
This one comes from the Oldest vineyard in the Roero region among the rolling vistas of Piedmonte. With notes of cherry and spice, and a generous palate this expression of Dolcetto is amazingly versatile when it comes to food pairing. But, unsurprisingly, it will be at its best when showcased alongside rich Italian meat or pasta dishes and served with a cheery little ‘buon appetito!’.

Strofilia White Dot Moschofilero-Roditis, Peloponnese

It’s a very fitting time to talk about this wine from the Greek Island of Peloponnesus as it was the site of the first ancient Olympics games in 776 BC. Its wine-growing history is even older, with Homer describing the area as ‘full of vines’ thousands of years ago. Today the whites from Peloponnese from the area are known for being textural and complex with Moschofilero bringing spicy aromatics and Roditis lending a lush lemon character to this delicious blend.
With a glass of this wine in hand, your customers can imagine themselves baking in the Ancient Greek sun while they watch incredible feats of strength and skill at this year's Olympics.