If you want to send your order as a gift, please write it in the order notes’ box. If you would like to add a message, please leave it in the order notes’ box and it will be printed on to a card with an envelope and included with the delivery. There is a cost of £3 for including a card. The order will be despatched with a delivery note but no prices will be shown.

Yes, please advise what gift packs you would like.

We will tailor orders for you, including personalised messaging and corporate branded gift boxes if necessary.

The Organic Sommelier is an experienced and qualified veteran of the hospitality sector with a passion for service and bring the best organic and bio-dynamic wines to discerning customers.

Biodynamic wines are made according to the principles of biodynamic agriculture, a method of farming that's growing in popularity.

The central principle of farming this way is to ensure the vine is happy, healthy and deeply rooted in its environment. No chemicals are used and various herbal remedies are applied to the plant and soil. Some producers also farm according to phases of the moon, believing that following these regular patterns produces better yields.

We stock many biodynamic wines at The Organic Sommelier – look out for wines stating 'biodynamic' in the description, such as 2016 Grosset, `Nereus` Clare Valley Shiraz/Nero d'Avola from Australia.

There are three main types of closure available – natural cork, artificial cork and screwcap. Each have their own merit; which closure a winemaker chooses will often come down to the character of the wine and the costs involved.

Natural cork has long been used as an effective method of sealing wine. Natural cork is an ideal closure for wines left to age as its porous nature allows wine to breath. However, wines with a cork closure can suffer from taint (also known as becoming ‘corked’).

Artificial corks, generally made from some form of plastic, were developed as a cheaper replacement to natural cork. These are predominantly used on younger wines and are not suitable for wines that are stored over long periods of time.

Screwcap closures are becoming increasingly used worldwide as an alternative to natural cork. Primarily used for fresh, delicate whites, screwcaps create a more airtight seal. Screwcaps prevent a wine from being affected by cork taint, although a wine sealed with a screwcap can still be out of condition for other reasons.

Wines with a heavy deposit will benefit from being decanted before drinking to remove any sediment. It's also a good way of increasing the amount of air in contact with a wine, to enhance the aroma profile. This can be particularly beneficial for fine wines that haven't had time to 'breathe' before serving.

Deposits are quite natural and occur during the aging process of many fine wines. To decant a wine ensure the bottle has been upright for several hours and then gently pour the wine in one fluid movement until the deposit can be seen near the neck of the bottle.

Cava, meaning 'cellar' in Catalan, is a delicious sparkling wine from Spain. Production tends to be centred in the north-east (95 per cent of cava comes from Catalonia, mostly from Penedès), but cava can come from 8 wine regions.

Made using traditional methods that are similar to those used for champagne - and with producers increasingly adding small amounts of grapes used to create champagne to the traditional local varieties - there's the potential for plenty of complexity through aging or from specific vintages. Equally there are many house styles established through consistent non-vintage blends.

Browse our range of Sparkling Wines

Prosecco is a popular sparkling wine from Italy with gentle bubbles and a clean, distinctive finish. It's made from the grape variety of the same name in the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia-Giulia regions of northern Italy.

The key to Prosecco’s success lies in its production technique. Like champagne, there is a secondary fermentation, however the difference with Prosecco is that this happens in stainless steel tanks rather than in the bottle. The result is a much purer expression of the Prosecco grape and less of the bready, yeasty, biscuit aromas associated with champagne.

Sugar levels will vary amongst producers but the driest styles will be labelled as Brut and get sweeter from Extra Dry to Dry.

Browse our range of Sparkling Wines

Once you open a bottle of wine and expose it to oxygen, it will begin to age. The level of alcohol affects how quickly this process occurs - the higher the level of alcohol, the more robust the wine. Also, the older a wine is, the quicker it will oxidise, as it’s towards the end of its life. Below is a rough guide for reference:

• Sparkling wine - keeps for 24 hours

• Light bodied wine - keeps for 1 to 3 days

• Full bodied wine - keeps for 1 to 5 days

• Fortified wine - keep for 7 to 14 days (a month at most)

When planning a party, it's useful to know how many measures you’ll get out of a standard bottle of wine and how many bottles you’ll need to order.

On average, a bottle of fizz will give six glasses and a bottle of still wine will give you four to five glasses. We suggest half a bottle of fizz per head for receptions or canapés and half a bottle of still wine per head with a meal – try to balance red and white depending on the menu.

Knowing what to serve at special occasions is tricky to get right. You need to consider quantity, quality, food pairing, glassware and much more, making a seemingly simple task quite daunting. How many people are coming? How much choice should you offer? How long will it last? Just ask The Organic Sommelier by email at info@theorganicsommelier.co.uk or on chat to them on the website.