The alcohol content of drinks is measured in units. One UK unit contains eight grams of pure alcohol.

The UK Government advises that men should not regularly drink more than three to four units a day and women not more than two to three. Consistently drinking four or more units for men, and three or more for women, isn't advisable because of the progressive health risks it carries.

For further information, please see the 'Drink Aware' website at www.drinkaware.co.uk

Screw cap closures were introduced to try and reduce the growing instances of taint from natural cork which currently affects about one in every ten bottles opened. There are many benefits to sealing the bottles with a stelvin closure, but the main one is that the wine keeps its freshness.

Plastic or synthetic corks, like screw caps, were introduced to try to remove the growing incidence of taint from natural cork which currently affects up to one in every ten bottles opened and is estimated to be costing the UK trade as much as £100 million per year.

Our priority is to ensure that our wines reach you in prime condition and with the ever growing numbers of cork taint from natural corks we found that the use of an alternative form of closure was very well received by both retailers and by the customer.

A 'corked' wine is one that has been spoiled by a cork contaminated by 'Trichloranisole', or TCA, which can be detected at concentrations of just a few parts per trillion. It affects the wine, giving it a musty, dank, mouldy smell and an off taste.

Chlorine solutions used to sterilise corks have been found to encourage the production of TCA. This is the most common wine fault and can occur at the rate of one in 10 bottles opened. This has stimulated the development of stoppers made from types of plastic corks and screw caps.

Cork floating in the wine does not mean it is corked. This is a sign of a dried out cork or it could simply be that the bottle has been opened badly.

A glass of dry red or white wine has approximately 110 calories. Sweeter wine with residual sugar has more calories. The higher the alcohol content, the higher the number of calories.

This depends on the quality and style of the wine and the storage conditions, so it is quite hard to generalise. Personally we would recommend storing wines which you have opened in cool conditions for 2-3 days.

The dent on the bottom of a wine bottle is called a 'punt'. It is found on the bottom of Champagne/sparkling wine bottles and some still wine bottles. The main purpose of the rounded bottom or punt is to strengthen the bottle - especially important for sparkling wines - but punts also can be useful for collecting sediment and for pouring wine (it provides a place to put your thumb).

Only a sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France can be called Champagne, even if it is made from the same type of grape as Champagne using the same production techniques. Sparkling wine in Spain is referred to as cava, in Germany it is called sekt, and in Italy it is called spumante. Sparkling wines made in the U.S. by the same method of production used in the Champagne district in France are sometimes labelled as 'methode Champenoise' wines.

White wines are generally made with grapes with yellow or green skins. White wines can also be made from black-skinned grapes if the juice is separated from the grape skins early enough, before fermentation. Red wines get their colour from being fermented in contact with the skins of red grapes. Rosé wine gets its pink colour by a short contact time with the skins of red-coloured grapes before fermentation.

Sulphite is a term used to describe sulphur dioxide and other sulphur derivatives. Sulphites are found in all wines as they are a natural product of fermentation. Sulphur dioxide is used in wine making to prevent oxidation, kill bacteria and wild yeasts, and encourage quick and clean fermentation. Wine labels are now required to include 'Contains Sulphites' to alert those who may be allergic to sulphites. Approximately 1% of the population is allergic to sulphites.

Keep 'every day' bottles of wine in a cool place away from direct sunlight until you're ready to drink them. If you are going to store them for more than a few weeks, it is best to store them on their side rather than upright. This will keep the cork moist and therefore airtight. You need not store white wines or Champagne / sparkling wines in the fridge if you are not planning on drinking them soon - just chill them before serving.

Some of the wines we supply are made without using any animal products and are therefore suitable for vegetarians / vegans. This information is usually printed on the back label of the bottle, but if you would like to know if any of the wines featured on this website are suitable, please contact us.