Before my wine career, I was a screenwriter for film and telly, mainly in comedy and cartoons… But can wine ever really be funny?
It can certainly give you the giggles, and some of the snobbishness surrounding wine is laughable.
But wine’s natural feel-good factor gets a real boost this year with the return of Wine Relief.
I’m sure you know about Comic Relief, but did you realise that Wine Relief, which runs in partnership with it, has raised over £4 million for Comic Relief since Jancis Robinson and Nick Lander founded it in 1999?
From this month until Red Nose Day on March 15, Laithwaite’s, Majestic, Virgin Wines, M&S, Waitrose, Oddbins, Farr Vintners and Selfridges are donating ten per cent from sales of specially selected wines to Comic Relief.
Bravo to those taking part, but next year I’d love to see every single supermarket setting aside rivalries and stocking Wine Relief bottles to show their support.
For me, wine is always about great flavour, great value and great fun – and a top example on the Wine Relief list is Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner 2011, £7.39 from Waitrose.
It’s as fresh as an Alpine meadow, punches well above its price and is utterly scrumptious with fish and chips. Dive in!
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There’s also a big selection on the Wine Relief list from South Africa, which has recently hit the headlines due to violent fruit-farm labour disputes.
There’s no doubt a huge amount of work needs to be done in South Africa, but these Wine Relief bottles will help benefit those who need our support.
The first ever Red Nose Day in 1988 raised £15 million.
This year is the event’s 25th anniversary, and since its inception over £600 million has been donated to great causes.
If we can raise our glasses this week as well as funds for brilliant causes, I’m all for doing my bit.
rednoseday.com/winerelief
