drinks21 Serves Up ‘Must Have’ Drinks Cabinet Essentials with new online shop

www.drinks21.com kicks has launched  an enviable range of premium and super-premium ‘handpicked’ alcholic drinks carefully tried, tested and selected from ‘seasoned’ authentic producers located around the world. Exclusive to drinks21.com include Heavy Water Vodka (one of the purest Scandinavian vodkas available) and the cool refreshing taste of ABK6 Ice Cognac.

From limited edition ‘rare finds’ to more popular quality brands, drinks21.com serves up a ‘menu’ of boutique spirits, Champagnes and wines for those looking to stimulate their palate with a taste of the unexpected.

Winter 2012 drinks cabinet essentials as recommended by Gail Graham

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Porsche Design Chiller– £200

Made from brushed steel and PU leather trim, this bottle of award winning Johnnie Walker Blue Label is showcased within a sophisticated limited edition Porsche design ice chiller and contains a blend of rarest malts and most superior grains, matured to their peak. Very limited availability

Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Brut Gold NV - £225

The Brut Gold cuvée is a blend of the grape varieties Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, making use of only Premier Cru and Grand Cru rated grapes.

A host of celebrities have shown their support for Armand de Brignac Gold.

Heavy Water Vodka - £30

Handcrafted in Sweden to an old Norwegian recipe, this exceptional Scandinavian vodka combines the purest water from a subterranean lake formed in the ice age with Scandinavian winter wheat.

Distilled not less than five times to create smoothness with rich crisp flavours on the palate, the award winning Heavy Water Vodka has a distinct in-built aeration rod which infuses oxygen into every pour. Launched in the UK earlier this year by drinks21.

ABK6 Ice Cognac - £40

New to the UK by drinks21, this Cognac should be served in a tumbler over several cubes of ice to maximise flavour explosion. Ice Cognac (40% vol) marries suave and subtle notes of fruits and evolves towards fresh aromas such as zesty lemon sorbet and the coolness of mint.

Showcased in a pearly white 70cl bottle boasting an elegant design with shiny white and golden frieze detail to inject a ‘Marie Antoinette’ sophisticated chic-ness, Ice Cognac will be appreciated by both connoisseurs and amateurs alike.

Penfolds Bin 620, 2008: £1,000

An iconic wine, this is the first release of this particular Penfolds wine since 1966. Coonawarra was blessed with a great vintage when the earlier-ripening Shiraz could be blended with the later-ripening Cabernet to highlight the best of both varieties, and their synergistic union. The brilliantly clear, deep purple-crimson colour is an enticing start, and the seamless fruit and oak integration on the bouquet is perfect. Complex cedar and cigar box aromas are entwined with a basket of perfectly ripened black fruits. The palate is exceptionally intense, yet supremely elegant, with immaculate balance, texture, structure, line and length. Its outstanding tannins give the wine a certain authority.

Penfolds Bin 620 2008 is 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Shiraz. It was matured 12 months in new oak hogshead, 57% French and 43% American, and bottled in July 2009. Extremely limited availability worldwide

Lourensford Winemakers Selection Chardonnay 2011- £12

Produced from the vineyards of Stellenbosch, South Africa, this gold medal winner at the 2012 International Wine Challenge invites a Brazil nut creaminess on the nose, plenty of buttery, oatmeal lees richness and lots of crunchy apple fruit. In the mouth, a joyous ripeness to the fruit, edging into the pineapple and mango range, but the apple, pear and lemon core of fruit and acidity drives through. A real find!

Pio Cesare Barolo - £45

Awarded 93 points by Decanter magazine, Pio Cesare Barolo boats lovely dark fruits, nice acidity and softening tannins coupled with a nut and leather finish. A real Autumnal wine, warming and full bodied. Will continue to mature.

Seasonal Snacks from Penn State

Penn State know a great deal about snacks. They produce American style pretzels.

They are ideal for munching whilst watching Christmas TV specials, for serving as part of a festive buffet or for enjoying as part of a salad.

Penn State has something very special to offer us, this Christmas. Deliciously moreish Maple Bacon flavour pretzel knots are an ideal savoury snack which, despite the lovely bacon flavour, is also fine for vegetarians, too.

And then there is the Original Salted Giant Stars! The glaze on them is delicious and the crystals of salt are delightful little surprises as you nibble your way through this festive treat!

I find both types irresistible!

Incidentally, Penn State pretzels are low in salt, so are a little bit more of a healthy option than you might expect!

They are both available in large sharing bags at £1.40 each, in Asda.

Coffee from Jamaica is a must for Christmas

I have to admit that before I became aware of Sea Island Coffee, I had been woefully ignorant of the strong tradition of coffee growing in Jamaica.

Sea Island Coffee is a genuine gold medal winning coffee, having won "Great Taste Gold" in both 2010 and again this year, 2012.

The first thing one notices about Sea Island Coffee Clifton Mount Estate Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is the deliciously strong, yet subtly mellow aroma of this finest of fine coffees.

The taste has a strong character, yet it is also paradoxically extremely smooth in the mouth and on the tongue.

There is also a creamy note to it in the after taste that takes this coffee and sets it apart from most other coffees.

It is pleasant with a meal, after a meal, before a meal or at any time of the day when you just want to know that you are indulging in coffee excellence.

Whilst I have to say that this coffee is ideal for Christmas, the truth is it is ideal at any time of the year. A fantastic drink when you come back from a brisk walk in the snow, and an equally fantastic drink on the patio at the height of summer!

Incidentally, the coffee is roasted and packed within the U.K.

To learn more visit www.seaislandcoffee.com.

Genius Mince Pies Gluten, wheat free and tasty, too!

Time was when if you wanted gluten and wheat free foods, you had to hunt down an obscure 'health' shop where, if you were lucky, you might find some ridiculously overpriced ersatz product that looked a mucky grey colour and tasted as if it was made out of sawdust with a bit of millet flour added to it. One such health shop in the mid-1980s still had some products on the shelves that were printed up in pre-decimal currency!

But that was then! Today people who need gluten and wheat free products and those favouring a vegetarian lifestyle find that although health shops stock the products they need, they can also be found in supermarkets and some of the larger convenience stores.

One company cooking such treats is Genius Gluten Free. The product we are looking at in this review are the Genius gluten and wheat free Mince Pies.

The rather tasty mince pie mix is encased in a shortcrust pasty case. The shortcrust pastry case is a little different to other short crust pastries you might have tried. Different, yet very, very appealing. Melt in the mouth is one way of describing it.

The mince pie mix has a good, traditional flavour, enhanced by the addition of some Bramley apples, along with the more usual raisins.

They come in packs of four. Best get several extra packs because, once they have tasted them, people who aren't on a gluten-free diet will keep pestering you to let you try them!

www.geniusglutenfree.com

Don't forget the vegetarians or those on special diets!

Amidst the mad dash of Christmas preparations (the presents, the tinsel, the wrapping paper, the food, the drink) it can be all too easy to forget those people who are vegetarian or on special or restricted diets due to health issues. (Gluten allergy, diabetic, lactose intolerant, etc.)

Hopefully in the run-up to Christmas That's Christmas will be looking at vegetarian roasts to serve in place of the traditional turkey, duck or beef at Christmas dinner.

And we will also be looking at gluten free alternatives to Christmas mince pies and Christmas puddings that are aimed at those of us who really are trying to look after our health. Even at Christmas time!

And we will also look at conscience friendly products that are produced for those of us who care not only about what we put into our bodies, but also care very deeply about the people who grow and process the foods that we eat.

BAD APPLE have the pulse on the finger!

Girls! Want something new for the party season? Something that is you, yet will help you be more than you, perhaps?

Meet something that is absolutely new to the UK beauty scene, BAD APPLE COSMETICS.

BAD APPLE will shake the nail colour world to its core! It could, dare we say, give rivals the pip?

BAD APPLE has never-seen-before nail lacquer shades you can style it with bright, block colours in the Core range. Choose from true scarlet Red Delicious, bubble gum Gala Pink and Green Bramley and wave goodbye to boring, dull colours!

In the Shimmer range the colours take on a whole new personality.

The reflective 3D shades are iridescent and shimmer with an intense, wet-look colour that complements the shape and shine of your nails. The intense, hard-wearing formulation is high gloss and chip-resistant (hurrah!) and gives just the right level of bling without being over the top.

If you want more contrast in your nail-wear, BAD APPLE will get some style to hand, as it were!

BAD APPLE introduces 8 different nail wrap designs that go from pink, girly

flowers and butterflies, to tiger-print and neon pink swirls. They are easy to apply. Just peel the wrap, stick it to the nail and then carefully shape it your own nail’s contours.

Just in time for Christmas, too! Makes great pressies or a treat for yourself!

www.bp4e.com/apple-cosmetics-c-24.html

Guaranteed to put a sparkle in your Christmas! Terlingham sparkling Rose!

If you want a bottle of sparkling wine made to the old traditional method, do you have to use the same old wines? No, you don't! Now you can try something which has the right level of dry, crispy snap, the same effervescent zing, yet does not have to cost the Earth!

And which, believe it or not, actually comes from the Garden of England, beautiful Kent! The Terlingham Vineyard & Winery of Terlingham Lane, Hawkinge, Kent, CT18 7AE produce a whole range of very interesting and very palatable and very pleasing wines.

But their particular wine that we are interested in for this review is their sparkling rose wine.

Their sparkling rose wine is a very worthy holder of the term rose. It is made from a Champagne blend of Chardonnay (40%), Pinot noir (40%) and Pinot meunier (20%).

It is a delicate shade of pink and although bubbly it is not too gassy.

Is there a hint of Kentish orchards and soft fruits? The slight sensation of a hot summer's day? Yes, there is. Although it is described as a dry wine, it does have a delicate sweet undertone to it.

It makes an ideal drink with Christmas dinner or to welcome in the New Year or just to celebrate the arrival of friends and family for the Christmas festivities!

Visit www.terlinghamvineyard.co.uk or call +44 1303 892452 .

It is priced at £16.65 a bottle (box of six bottles a very reasonable £83.90.

Their equally delightful sparkling white wine costs exactly the same.

Adopt a Pony for Christmas

The Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust performs a valuable, indeed vital, role in preserving Dartmoor Ponies on Dartmoor.

Their work is important but it costs money for them to operate. This is where you can help. The Trust is offering a special “A Dartmoor Pony Adoption Gift Pack”.

It is perfect for anyone, no matter what their age, who loves horses and ponies, but for whom owning one of their own is just not a realistic proposition.

And at this time of year it makes an ideal Christmas gift, too! You can adopt a pony and follow its progress all the year round.

The cost is just £20 per year for UK residents: £25 for those who live abroad. The Adoption Pack includes a beautiful line drawing and an adoption certificate and you’ll also receive updates on the development and progress of the pony you have chosen over the following year.

The pony you adopt, whether male or female, will be one of a small traditional herd cared for at the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust Centre, at Parke. These ponies are for everyone to enjoy and here you will be able to visit them all year, find out all about them, follow their interesting lives, discover their true value and how important they are to the Dartmoor landscape.

If you are interested in adopting a Dartmoor Heritage Pony please visit www.dpht.co.uk or phone 01626 833234.

Oon, Two Three... Go! Your child can be a Unique Christmas Superhero!

Want a really neat idea for a good Christmas gift for your kids? They can now create their ‘Oon’ secret identity with the stylish silver SwooperCape!

Unleash your kid’s inner super powers at Christmas with the matching mask and SwooperSonic wristbands on www.miioon.com, creators of the innovative Ruckjack.

The safe, online experience enables kids, encouraging them to use their own imagination and inspiration, but with a little assistance from the loveable, and sometimes rascally Oons, who will act as their guides on the Miioon.com website.

The kids can customise their SwooperCape by guiding a mouse over the Oons so they can personally brand them with their own initials and emblems. Eyes pop open and reveal a choice of colour palettes and letters!

Miioon.com aims to please children, parents and grandparents with a product and customer experience that pleases everyone.

They have created a safe, controlled environment where kids enjoy creative freedom and can express their individuality. But in a safe way. Priced at £15.99, SwooperCape delivers quality, yet at a price that will not make the bank manager cry!

The SwooperCape and matching SwooperSonic wristbands are available for 3-12 year olds and are despatched within 48 hours. Adjustable velcro on the wrists and neck means one size fits all maybe even some big kids, too!

And do watch out for www.Miioon.com on Nickelodeon!

Ideal Christmas present for Music Lovers

The ideal Christmas present for the music lovers in your life is the Now That's What I Call Music ! Trivia Box.

It's aimed at people 12 years of age and older and can be played by two or more people.

It's nicely packaged in a box (that's why it is called a Trivia Box!) and contains 189 question cards, 20 picture cards and a set of the rules that carefully explain how to play the game.

It's ideal for fans of popular music and there are 100s of trivia questions for them to get their teeth in to after the Christmas pud has been demolished and the turkey is being readied for the Boxing Day sandwiches!

It is produced by Imagination and is available from all good retailers including Amazon at £12.50.