Food and wine pairings Articles

Looking to enjoy a glass of alcohol-free or low-alcohol wine with your meal? Thanks to some exciting new editions in our range, the choice has never been greater. Here are our top five alcohol-free wine and food pairings – including red, white, rosé and sparkling.

1. The promoter of the competition is Direct Wines Ltd (trading as Laithwaites), One Waterside Drive, Arlington Business Park, Theale, Berkshire, RG7 4SW (“LW”).

2. The competition is open to all residents of the U.K. (England, Scotland, and Wales and Northern Ireland) who have reached at least eighteen (18) years of age at the time of entry (the “Competition”). The Competition is not open to directors, officers, agents, contractors and employees of LW, any of its affiliated or associated entities or divisions, their advertising and promotional agencies or members of the aforementioned individuals’ respective immediate families living in the same household.

3. By participating in the Competition, each participant accepts these terms and conditions of the Competition and agrees to be bound by them. The Competition is subject to all applicable laws.

4. To enter the Competition:

The entrant must at any time between 17:00:00 Wednesday 18th December 2024 and 23:59:59 Wednesday 1st January 2025:

a. follow @laithwaites.wine and @hotelchocolat on Instagram;

b. tag an Instagram friend in the comments section of the Instagram competition post; and

c. like the relevant competition Instagram competition post;

5. Only one (1) entry (across the Instagram platform) per person. Multiple entries may cause you to be disqualified.

6. There will be one (1) winner of the prize. The winner of the prize will be selected at random by no later than Wednesday 8th January 2025.

7. If LW runs the same competition (i.e., a competition with the same dates and prize) across different sites or social media platforms and the same winner is randomly selected to win more than one competition, the winner shall only be entitled to win one prize.

8. The winner of the prize will be contacted by Wednesday 8th January 2025. Three attempts will be made to contact the winner of the prize. If the winner does not respond via DM (Instagram direct message) within 5 days of LW’s first message to accept the prize, alternative winner will be selected.

9. LW will contact the winner via Instagram direct message to request their details (name, age and address) for the purposes of claiming their prize only.

10. LW will send the winner the prize. The prize comprises one each (1x) of the following wines and chocolates – 1) La Chimère de la Clarière, L’Occhiolino Italian Sparkling Red, Harrow and Hope English Sparkling Rosé, Hola! 0% Sparkling Cava, L’Épiphanie de Sauterenes, Pedro Ximenez Delicado Sherry; and 2) Salted Caramel 40% Selector, Raspberry Riot Chocolate Slab, Lemon Chocolate Cheesecake Selector, Pistachio and Honey Chocolate Slab, Peanut Butter Chocolate Batons. No refunds will be given.

11. The prize will be sent out via courier, LW cannot be held responsible for any prize not received by the winner.

12. Odds of winning the prize will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received.

13. LW retains sole discretion to withhold the prize without liability if in its view a participant is ineligible, the entry is invalid, or a winner does not meet the necessary requirements as set out in these terms and conditions.

14. Wine may contain sulphites. Please refer to product packaging for full ingredients and allergen information of chocolates. If a substitution is made due to availability issues, this allergen summary may not reflect the content of the substituted product.

15. LW reserves the right to withdraw or amend the Competition in the event of unforeseen circumstances or circumstances outside of its control.

16. You acknowledge that the Competition is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram.

17. You acknowledge and accept that Instagram will not be responsible or liable for this Competition.

18. LW is not responsible or liable for:

a. Any entry for which the post or comment is lost, deleted or deemed abusive by Instagram;

b. Any accounts that are deemed to be fraudulent or not authentic;

c. Unforeseen changes in Instagram’s legal or commenting rules & regulations;

d. Any external factors that may restrict a participant from accepting their prize;

e. Any entries that cannot be found or seen by LW; and

f. Any entries that cannot be opened or are otherwise inaccessible for any reason by LW.

19. There is no cash alternative for the prizes.

20. The prize draw, terms and conditions and any dispute or claim (including non-contractual disputes or claims) arising out of or in connection with it or its subject matter shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales. Each party irrevocably agrees that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim (including non contractual disputes or claims) arising out of or in connection with the prize draw or these terms and conditions.

21. The entrant must read and understand the privacy notice for this Competition at https://www.laithwaites.co.uk/customer-services/privacy-policy-and-cookies. In addition, the following privacy notice also applies to the Competition:

If you are a winner, we will ask for your postal address so that we can deliver your prize to you, and we may ask for additional information in order to verify your age. We obtain all of this information from you directly.

We’ll use your personal data in order to run the competition fairly and properly, and if you are a winner, to tell you that you’ve won the competition and to make any further arrangements with you, including to repost your winning entry on social media, and to deliver your prize to you. We may pass on your details to verify your age to ensure that we only give products containing alcohol to those aged 18 or over. The CAP Code also requires us (as the promoter of this competition) to either publish or make available certain information about prize winners. You can object to this information being published or made available by contacting us on 03330 148 168 or dpo@laithwaites.co.uk. Please note that, even if you opt out, we may still have to provide the information and winning entry to the ASA.

If your competition entry is a winner, we may share your details with the courier company we use to deliver your prize to you; the company we use to carry out age verification checks (if required); and with our core IT services providers.

Cheese and wine. To many, the power couple of the dining table. But why do they work so well together? And how do you pick your perfect cheese and wine match to bring out the best in both? Should you only serve red? Do white wines pair better? Or should you to stick to Port? Read on…

If you’re ever found yourself sitting at the table with a roast dinner in front of you, unsure of which wine to pour and enjoy, this handy guide is for you. From refreshing whites to velvety reds, learn about the perfect wine pairings for every type of roast.  

Ever wondered which wines pairs perfectly with fish and chips - and which ones don't? Learn more in our food pairing guide …

Forget National BBQ Month or National BBQ Day… merely the promise of sun is enough for us Brits to get out the grill and fill the air with the fragrance of burning bangers.

It was just such a break in the clouds that led to my first BBQ of the year. It was actually billed as a ‘braai’ – the South African version – and we had all been asked to bring something to cook and share.

True to tradition, I took a string of herby pork sausages from my local butcher. My neighbour contributed some fruity kebabs. As well as steaks and burgers, there was spicy pulled pork and minty, marinaded lamb. Some brave culinary soul even brought sous vided (boiled in a bag!) chicken - which then just needed a few seconds sizzling over the charcoal to finish off…

And, of course, there were all manner of salads from potato and coleslaw to green bean and tomato, complete with tangy dressings and balsamic vinaigrettes. A marvellous feast. But, with all those various big and contrasting flavours competing… it begs the vital question: WHAT TO DRINK?

Pork is an incredibly versatile meat … there are varying cuts and flavour profiles, which means when it comes to wine, there’s a plethora of pairing possibilities.

From light and delicate to bold and robust, there are many different wine styles to suit the richness or seasoning of your pork dish. So, whether you’re grilling pork chops, enjoying tender roast pork, or indulging in pork belly, we’ve got you covered with a range of wine suggestions that will complement and enhance every bite.

There’s nothing quite like a delicious roast lamb for lunch with family and friends, especially during your Easter celebrations. However, lamb is highly versatile and can be enjoyed in many ways. Known for its delicate, gamey and even slightly sweet flavour, lamb pairs wonderfully with wine.

Whether roasted, grilled, barbecued or slow-cooked in a curry, tagine or stew, there’s a perfect wine to complement your lamb dish’s flavours.

There’s more to drinking wine with fish than just selecting the driest white available. Fish comes in a range of styles, textures and flavours, each with the potential to create complex and delicious pairings with wine. Whether in a restaurant or at home, we can help you find the best wine with fish pairing – read our guide now.

Wine and chocolate are some of the most popular gifts. And it’s easy to see why … Two of life’s great pleasures, combined. But while we certainly enjoy them both, we might not often think about wine and chocolate together as a taste pairing.

Unlike pairing wine with steak or wine with cheese, wine and chocolate pairings can be tricky. Both chocolate and wine contain tannins that can compete to create complex mouthfuls. But when put together the right way, you can find a match that enhances the enjoyment of both.

Whether you’re a fan of smooth milk chocolate or bitter dark chocolate, there’s a wine out there for you.