June Newsletter

So we're now almost into holiday season, which means we're about to launch our brand new Summer Box. Meaning that there are only a few weeks left to bag yourself a Spring Box, which contains some wonderful wines ready to help you make the most of those midsummer eves!

Vegan Tipples' Founder and Director, Susan Hunt, has recently been in Italy researching some fantastic new wines to add to the Vegan Tipples' collection, so this month we turn our attention to those fabulous Italian wines, perfect as the weather turns warmer.

Our Vegan Tipples' Wine Tasting evening last month was brilliant fun, thanks to everyone who came along to the sold out event. Read on for details of the dates we have announced for these special vegan events throughout the rest of the year, and get those booked into your diary now, as the spaces are limited and sell out fast.

June brings us International Drink Chenin Blanc Day and International Rosé Day, so we'll give you our recommendations for both of those.

May this month bring you all the magic of Midsummer and of course, plenty of "Happy Drinking!"

Spring Box

We'll soon be launching our brand new sizzling Summer Box, so take this opportunity to get your hands on one of our few remaining Spring Boxes! Inside you'll find an outstanding mixed case of six bottles - white, red and fizz! All for just £57.

Our seasonal boxes are always lovingly curated by Vegan Tipples Founder and Director, Susan Hunt, with a vision in mind of supplying exceptional vegan wine at great value! And this season's offering delivers just that. All our mixed boxes come with detailed tasting notes, helping you to get the very best from your wines.

Let's take a look at what's inside:

Perelada Stars Cava Brut: "Delicate pink in colour. Bright and limpid. Its fine bubbles detach, forming a crown on the surface. Its aroma is clean, floral and fruity, long lasting and elegant. Complex on the palate, fruity, smooth, silky, with excellent balance."

Indomita, Costa Vera Sauvignon Blanc: "A wonderfully fresh and fruity Chardonnay, golden in colour, full of delicious, ripe tropical fruit like banana and pineapple and a lively, zesty, refreshing feel."

Mont Rocher Viognier: "Enticingly aromatic with characteristic exotic stone fruit and honeysuckle, this dawn-picked Viognier is rich yet refreshingly dry."

Umbrele Pinot Rosé, Vilie Timisului: "The nose is full of summer fruit aromas, strawberry, blueberry, and the palate is light, crisp and refreshing with notes of raspberry and cranberry."

Mabis Biscardo Pinot Grigio Rosé: "An ambrosial nose of wonderful floral aromas, on the palate there’s an abundance of tropical fruit, melon, guava and peach supported by zippy acidity making it mouth-tinglingly moreish. A light and refreshing wine for any occasion."

Alasia Barbera 2023: "A fresh, juicy red with aromas of raspberries, plums and cherries. These characters follow through to the palate, along with soft tannins and a savoury spiciness. Refreshing acidity on the finish."

Summertime Port

Port isn't necessarily a drink you'd associate with summertime drinking. However, Vegan Tipples' Founder and Director, Sue, enjoys a glass of white port with a cube of ice as an ideal aperitif in the sunshine. White port is equally good to round-off an al fresco meal on a sunny day!

We recommend:
Fine White Port, Delaforce Port, Real Companhia Velha

Real Companhia Velha is the oldest wine company in Portugal, having recently celebrated 260 years of uninterrupted port production. Founded in 1756 by the King of Portugal, this company represents some of the finest Quintas in the Douro. Old but not out of touch, they have been able to preserve and honour the traditional winemaking while investing in the future with constant modernisation and experimentation in their vineyards.

To enjoy this delightful port on a midsummer eve, serve it on ice: "Pale colour and medium sweetness. Pleasantly fruity bouquet which maintains its pale colour over a long period."  £16.99

"Pale colour and medium sweetness. Pleasantly fruity bouquet which maintains its pale colour over a long period."

Founder and Director of Vegan Tipples allows only the very best vegan wines to join the prestigious Vegan Tipples' catalogue. So she's always researching the newest wines on the scene and keeping a close eye on developments across the world to source the greatest new wines on the market. She has recently been on a trip to Italy to find out what's new there, so look out for some incredible new Italian wines available soon.

So let's celebrate the arrival of those warmer evenings and holiday season with some of Sue's Italian wine recommendations...

Baglio Gibellina, Sogno del Sud Organic Nero d'Avola, DOC, Sicily, Italy, 2023

As you'd expect from an Italian wine, this one is perfect with pasta and vegan cheese, and it has the added benefit of being organic: "Deep ruby-red and violet flecks. Intense nose of pomegranate and wild strawberries and hints of red berry fruits. Soft and velvety, full bodied with smooth and sweet tannins."  £11.75

La Guardiense, Calvese Falanghina Sannio DOP, Campania, Italy, 2023

Here's a rather gorgeous white to enjoy on a summer evening...Ideal served alongside home-made pastas and gnocchi: "Straw-yellow colour, with the characteristic fruity bouquet that this varietal produces. Orange flower water, cut kumquats, crystallised orange peel on the palate, this wine is fresh and fruity along with a pleasant and mineral profile."  £13.99

Then we have the ever-popular Baccolo - made with the appassimento method...

Baccolo Rosso Veneto 2021

Serve this popular wine with vegan lasagne and strong vegan cheeses: "Lots of sweet spice and ripe berry fruit aromas and flavours. Round juicy palate with a lovely richness coming from the partially dried grapes."  £12.25

And last, but by no means least...
Baccolo Bianco Veneto 2022

This is a really enjoyable Italian white perfect as aperitif or with delicate first courses and salads: "Silky texture with ripe orchard fruit and subtle floral notes. Fresh, round palate with candied lemon and fragrant pear fruit."  £12.25

We're delighted that one of our gorgeous rosé wines has won an award!

The Simonsig Chenin Blanc/Pinotage Rosé 2023 is the proud recipient of the Rose Rock Double Gold Award!

Will you join us in drinking to that?!

This award winning wine is perfect with sushi and salads, definitely a wine to enjoy the summer solstice with! "The Chenin provides melon and stone fruit, and the Pinotage red berries and watermelon. This is fruity, structured and perfect for summer evening drinking."  £12.99

Wine days worth celebrating...
We always like to keep an eye on the wine-based calendar to take every opportunity to celebrate great wine!

June doesn't disappoint, as this month we get to raise a glass, or two, to International Drink Chenin Blanc Day on 17 June and National Rosé Day 27 June.

We have an amazing Chenin Blanc to recommend for 17 June:

Simonsig Chenin Blanc, 2024
This wine delivers golden delicious apples, pears and a light floral touch.

Simonsig is named after its dramatic views of the Simonsberg Mountain and the estate is situated in Stellenbosch, one of South Africa’s premier wine regions, 45 km east of Cape Town. At the helm are the Malan family, decendants of the French Huguenot Jacques Malan who first arrived in the Cape in 1688, although it was the late Frans Malan who pioneered much of what the company stands for today. The Malan family are one of South Africa’s most reputable wine producers. The three Malan brothers have passionate commitment towards quality and innovation. Simonsig wines are sold in more than 40 countries world-wide.

This wine pairs beautifully with creamy vegan dishes: "The palate is brimming with honeyed tropical fruit salad flavours!"  £11.25

There are so many incredible rosé wines on our catalogue it's really hard to select a favourite for National Rosé Day on 27 June. But we must select just one, so may we present:

Villa Wolf Pinot Noir Rosé, 2022
Villa Wolf has a young, dynamic team at the helm, made up of Patrick Moellendorf and Sumi Gebauer. Both under the age of thirty, they were put in charge of the winemaking at Villa Wolf in 2011.

The Villa Wolf varietal line-up includes exceptionally affordable, classic Pfalz wines made from traditional varieties. These value-priced wines combine Villa Wolf estate grown fruit with grapes from contracted growers.

Here is a wine made for holiday dining and summer days: "It is light and refreshing, with deliciously bright berry and red fruit flavours and a clean, zippy finish."  £12.75

Wine Tastings

We'd love you to join us at one of our Vegan Tipples' Wine Tasting events! These fun and informative events start at 7pm and are taking place on 4 July, 8 August, 19 September, 3 October, 7 November and the festive specials will take place on 5 and 6 December. Each Wine Tasting Evening will take place at our premises in the heart of historic Edinburgh. Tickets are just £15 (ticket prices are increased in December, to be confirmed nearer the time).

We recommend you book very soon to reserve your place, as these popular events usually sell out in advance.

If you can't make these dates, why not organise a private tasting for you and your friends / family / colleagues? We can host up to 12 people at our Forth Street premises in the heart of Edinburgh. Just drop us an e-mail using the link below to discuss a bespoke event tailored to your personal requirements!