Maybe I should rephrase that… I don’t think you should be hitting the bottle in order to forget about England’s dismal World Cup display, but more turning your attention onto other things that help you feel a bit more positive about everything – all drinks-related, naturally.
Ever wanted to broaden your wine knowledge? There’s no time like the present.
Fancy a bit of Do-It-Yourself drinks production? Why not?
Just want to go out and experience the best of the British summer with a bottle of something decent by your side? Then I’m more than happy to point you in the right direction with my top 10 ways to drown your World Cup sorrows …
Step One
Open a Bottle of Fizz - Let’s start with the straightforward stuff first. There are several things that are guaranteed to improve a bad mood and one of those things is sparkling wine. The international symbol of celebration (I may have just made that up), the pop of that cork means good times are on their way and optimism rules. We may have not ventured past the group stages of this year’s World Cup, but who knows what the future will hold? (Hopefully a quarter final at the very least)…
Step Two
Swap the Pimms for Something a Bit More Interesting - Last week, Steph poured some scorn on our national seasonal obsession with that drink that begins with P. As refreshing as that first mouthful might feel, she reminded me of the horrors that are the Pimms Dregs, namely the warm and mushy bits of fruit that are left after your jug has been sitting in the sun for more than ten minutes. So if you’ve got the Pimms urge, go with something else equally summery – a glass of pink moscato, a gin and tonic (a properly made one mind, none of this one cube of ice and a sad slice of lemon business), or a very nice glass of Chablis. Anything is better than the dreaded Pimms Dregs.
Step Three
Picnic like a Pro - Ok, maybe there isn’t such a thing as a professional picnicker…or is there??? Please let tell me if you know otherwise – it will make my day. But this shouldn’t stop you throwing your heart and soul and exceptional taste in alcoholic beverages into that picnic planning. Keep the white or rosé chilled to the max with as many cooling aids as you can – there’s nothing worse than a lukewarm wine on a hot day. And if you want to know what wine you should take, just read my recent guide on all things picnic.
Step Four
Do It Yourself - My own attempts at home brew or homemade wines are either limited or non-existent, but there’s nothing like a Project with a capital P to help us out of our sporting woes slump. With the harvest of many fruits on the horizon in August and September, now is very much the time to start planning your potential ‘wine’, or you can get cracking on that home brew right now.
Step Five
Barbecue Your Way to Victory - When there’s no victory to be had on the football field, plough all your energy into an ‘End of the World Cup’ barbeque. Maybe invite a few Spanish friends – they’ll need cheering up too.
Step Six
Bin End Bargains - Here’s a good tip when it comes to buying great value wine – it’s not all about the undrinkable cheap stuff. Many retailers and sites advertise bin ends or clearance lines and if you’ve been avoiding these up until now, you’re missing out. There might be many reasons why they’re no longer stocking these – sometimes it’s as straightforward as clearing out last year’s vintage – so buying these bottles are a great way of bagging yourself a wine bargain, and we all know there’s nothing more satisfying and jolly as getting a bargain.
Step Seven
Visit a Winery - Yes we do have them here in the UK and summer is the perfect time to pay them a visit and try their wares. Replace the lack of English sporting passion with an abundance of English wine passion!
Step Eight
Expand Your Wine Mind - Your visit to one of our country’s fine wine producers might have further sparked your interest in learning more about how this beverage comes to be sitting in a glass in front of you. Join a wine club, enrol on a course, or just order a mixed case from your favourite site or retailer to help broaden your wine knowledge – another way to take your mind off our sporting doom and gloom.
Step Nine
Watch Wimbledon - We’ve got a half-decent chance of walking away with some silverware, right? RIGHT???
Step Ten
BELIEVE - Or you could choose not to take your mind off the football at all and just focus your energy into thinking that we might manage to win a match in the future. At some point. Perhaps. Just make sure you put something aside to celebrate when that finally happens…