The Cocktail Bar

Best Claret under £20: Six fine wines from Bordeaux that won't break le banque

Bordeaux from the world's most famous wine makers can cost a fortune, but you can buy magnificent wine at a fraction of the price from lesser-known neighbouring vineyards. Harry Eyres picks out six favourites under £20.

The Maltster: How an art that's thousands of years old is once again gaining recognition

There are only a handful of people left in Britain who still extract malt from Barley using the 'floor-made' method – and today, people are beginning to value their efforts more than ever. Tessa Waugh explains.

Why Châteauneuf-du-Pape's latest vintage is 'a great year' – and four sublime wines to buy

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is one of the most famous of French wines – yet also the most misunderstood. Harry Eyres explains more – and celebrates its latest superb vintage.

Living with plastic | Part 6: Keeping a balanced diet of cheese, vegetables... and tequila

Every year, Country Life's Rosie Paterson gives up something for Lent – this year, it's plastics. Over a month in and she discovers that even alcohol can cause plastic-related grief.

Gin for Mother’s Day: Seven of the best gins, including one with an Earl Grey twist

What better for Mother's Day than a bottle of 'Mother's Ruin'? We've selected seven of the finest gins on the market which are sure to give your long-suffering parent a treat.

The new whisky distillery in one of North Wales's most beautiful spots

What better day than St David's Day to take a look at Wales's newest whisky distillery – the first in the north of the country for a century.

Pol Roger unearth ancient bottles of champagne during building excavation

Champagne house Pol Roger have unearthed an extraordinary treasure while laying the foundations for a new building: 20 bottles of their finest bubbly dating back to the 19th century. Laura Seal of Decanter reports.

How to cure a hangover, by some of Britain's greatest-ever writers

From Hemingway to Wodehouse, we reveal the hangover remedies of literary greats.

Best bottles of whisky for any budget to bring in the New Year in style

How to drink your way through Christmas lunch

Our expert Harry Eyres picks out wines perfectly-matched for a traditional Christmas Day feast.

Time to ditch Prosecco? Why Cava is 'deeper, more complex and far more interesting'

Our wine expert Harry Ayres is not a fan of the Italian bubbly which seems to be taking over the world – but he loves its Spanish cousin and has some fantastic recommendations.

Seven stupendous wine cellars which go light years beyond dusty old storage

Wine cellars were once forgotten, cobweb-ridden holes. Now they're becoming a real feature of many modern homes, as Amelia Thorpe explains.

The best of the Black Friday deals: Wellies, country house hotels, and champagne

The world seems to be going Black Friday barmy this week. We've picked out a few of the best deals.

Five things you probably never knew about gin, in honour of 'International Gin and Tonic Day'

Yes, it's one of those silly theme days again. But who's going to complain when it gives us all a chance to talk about gin?

Differentiating between Gin cocktails

Mrs Danvers tackles housekeeping questions

Wine and superyachts: When two rather lovely worlds collide

The best gins to drink this summer, as chosen by Country Life

Country Life's gin awards last year named the greatest gins available in Britain right now. So if you're looking to stock up, here's our pick of the best.

Armagnac: The beautiful, high-class brandy steeped in history and tradition

Nina Campbell: How we designed Annabel's, the club where everyone looks good