I must admit I'm a complete novice when it comes to wine, especially sparkling wine. If you’re anything like me you simply reach for the nicest looking bottle or the name you recognise the most. So House Curious decided to partner up with wine connoisseur Jess Hue Williams to put on a sparkling wine and charcuterie evening. Our friends at the Humble Grape provided us with several top notch sparklers and we had a few trendy alternatives from Grape night in.

It turned into a bit of ladies night with a few surprises and lively debates over which sparklers we rated most. Jess, with her extensive knowledge, guided us through several sparklers, pairing with food, along with the latest trends and skinny alternatives. Yes, skinny alternatives that are still delicious and are the real deal. Who would have thought it?

With Christmas just around the corner I wanted to share our top four sparkling wines from the night. 

1.* Nyetimber Classic Cuvee 2010* - Wine of the night

2. Alfred Gratien Grand Cru 2007

3. Cava  Llopart Burt Reserva 2012

4. Franciacorta Corte Aura Pas Dose (skinny!)

If you want to hear more about our lovely night of wine tasting and feasting I'll hand you over to Jess who will take your through the runnings of the night in a little more detail below. Over to you Jess...

The first question people asked as they looked down the tasting list was "Wow, a Cava, am I allowed to like it?".  Luckily Humble Grape had provided the most delicate and creamy sparkling Cava Llopart Reserva Brut 2012 that proved so good that it changed everyone's opinions about the Spanish sparkling. In fact, in the final vote, four people chose it as their wine of the night - not at all bad when you consider the competition! Lively debate raged around the "skinny" Franciacorta - do you or don't you think of calories when you're enjoying a delicious bottle of bubbles? Thankfully the next wine out was Bernard Lonclas Cuvee Prestige from Humble Grape and it was so good that it refocused everyone away from calorie count and on to pure enjoyment. It was a real delicacy, off dry but so beautifully balanced that it was almost impossible to taste the residual sugar - it went beautifully with a pea, creme fraiche and filo pastry that was on the tasting board. The "intruder" Nyetimber Classic Cuvee 2010 slipped through the blind tasting almost unnoticed and half of the guests said it was their favourite in a flight of three blind tasted "champagnes”.

Down at the "Scotch and Ted" bar, we drank two Petillant Naturels kindly provided by A Grape Night In that really shook things up - the funky, hip and wild cousins of the refined wines upstairs were a huge hit. When people had got over the shock of the cloudy liquid, the idea of natural, minimal intervention and true expression of place really struck a chord. People loved their honesty and soul which some may argue has been lost from some of the more "designed" sparklers drunk earlier that night. 

In the final reckoning, Nyetimber Classic Cuvee 2010 won as the group's Wine of the Night - on the back label, Nyetimber states that it will rival all other sparkling wines, including Champagne. Tonight, at least, it went one further and beat them all.

If you would like to host a wine tasting event or have a special occasion coming up and want some expert knowledge on all things wine then Jess is your lady. You can contact her at jesshw@icloud.com

It's almost the weekend! Don't know about you but I feel overloaded with nativity plays, pressie shopping, parties and Christmas seems to be creeping up so fast. It's all getting a bit much and I'm so looking forward to just chilling once the big day has passed. Don't get me wrong I love Christmas but the lead up always seems so stressful. This week's culture fix sees us Igloo hopping and bouncing our way through brunch. For those of us who like to pre plan, Secret Cinema Valentines tickets go on sale today from 1pm. See below for more details and good luck with all your last minute Chrissy shopping. Don't for get to use your 10% discount code HCXMAS at housecurious.co.uk

x

Eat.... at Coppa Club Pop up igloos overlooking the river Thames… yes please. Made of PVC these mini Igloos are kitted out with sheepskin wrapped chairs and heaters to keep you toasty while the temperature drops outside.  And if you’re still feeling the chill warm up with their toasty cocktail menu including a maple old fashioned and spiced berry Caipirissima.

Watch......The secret cinema. Known for their immersive re-creation of films the next Secret Cinema is celebrating and bringing to life the lavish Parisian Moulin Rouge by Baz Luhrmann. Expect a slice of the moulin in all its glitz & sultry glamour somewhere amidst the bustle of London. Location and dress attire will be disclosed on a tbc date in January.  Tickets go on sale today so be quick as they always sell out fast.

Brunch....Bottomless brunch Sundays at Bounce. Tucked away down old street get ready with your ping pong bats. ‘Active wear’ is acceptable but Bounce is swapping avocado on toast for a speciality brunch; pizza, prosecco and pure unadulterated ping pong! you don’t need to be a ping pong pro, just show up and be ready to give it a go. Music will be served up by Hoxton’s own radio DJs.

The festive season has crept upon us once again. Every year I think I’ve got plenty of time and then all of a sudden it’s three weeks until Christmas and I feel totally unprepared. How does that happen every year?! For me Christmas is all about giving and I love buying gifts for my nearest and dearest. I put a lot of thought into it to get the perfect gift for that someone special. So I thought I would share some of my fav gifts to give you some inspiration. So what are you waiting for? Time to get shopping... all from the confront of your sofa x 

1. The Smoke and Musk candle by Earl of East London is the perfect gift for any homebody. It reminds us of sitting by a log fire getting all snug and cosy. Available in two sizes, along with many other scents at House Curious.

2. Lily and Lionel leopard print pj’s. Calling all animal print lovers! These beautiful lightweight pj's are super stylish and comfy. These would make the perfect Christmas present and earn you some extra brownie points. I'm too impatient so I've already bought myself a pair and I’m totally in love.

3. Morning Noon Night: A Way of Living from Soho House follows their first book, Eat Drink Nap. The 300-page cloth-bound book invites readers behind the scenes at the Houses; following the day the Soho House way from the second you wake up to the moment you go to bed. This is perfect for any interior, food or drink lover.

4. Risotto gourmet gift set from Nicolas Vahé is now available at House Curious. It comes in a lovely gift box and the products look great in any kitchen. This would make the perfect gift for any style conscious, foodie loving family member or friend.

5. Laura Mercier Body Bath Crème Brulee. When you smell this you will literally want to eat it and rub it all over you. Not an exaggeration... it smells delectable!

6. Smoked Glass Brass Lamp from House Curious. For interior lovers, this super glam light would be the most wonderful gift to receive on Christmas day. 

7. Looking for something a bit different and unique? Then why not buy an experience for someone special? We have some great workshops available in February that will sure to brighten anyone's day. Our top pick is the Celebratory Cake and Floral Decoration Workshop. Great for baking enthusiasts and a lovely way to meet new people.

8. New to House Curious Nordic brand Meraki hand soap is a great stocking filler. Available in Bamboo Charcoal and Mangosteen. The perfect balance of beautiful Nordic design and craftsmanship. It also smells amazing!

9. Darley Avenue is a lifestyle and gifting online store and they have some beautifully curated gift boxes. Each product has been carefully selected to bring you the best standards of design, presentation, craftsmanship and quality. My favourite is the The Coco Rose Box, which I would personally love to receive... hint hint, nudge nudge. 

10. The Modern Preserver: Chutneys, pickles, jams and more... This cookery book is beautifully presented and includes both simple and natural homemade recipes.  Kyle Newton (Author) is a passionate self-taught preserver with stalls at London’s Broadway, Maltby Street and Peckham markets under the name Newton & Pott. She also runs some lovely workshops which I'm dying to attend. This is also on my Christmas wish list.