This French co-op, produces a range of wines using local grape varieties, many of which they have saved from extinction in order to maintain the originality of their wines. Plaimont wineries all use modern procedures in order to track the grapes from the vine to the bottle, using management software, to enable winemakers to know exactly where the grapes were grown.

You would think that an invitation to attend an event to celebrate 700 years of Armagnac, to learn about its development and production and of course, to sample the wares of the different producers of this French spirit would be something to leap at. Indeed, I did leap at the opportunity and when it got to the tasting part of the afternoon began to remember why I quite often avoid such events……

Russian Standard Gold is Distilled from, what we are told is the finest Russian winter wheat from the southern steppes of Russia and blended with the glacial waters from Lake Ladoga, incorporating Siberian golden roots to provide its soft taste.

As someone whose experience of tequila has been the occasional margarita and one never-to-be-forgotten night of slammers in Puerta Vallarta, I’ve always viewed it as a spirit to be approached with some caution, so a night of tequila with The Tequila Society was one that I was a little apprehensive about.

Robert Mondavi opened his winery in 1966, his reported intention – to produce Californian wines that belonged in the company of the great wines of the world. Given the producer’s prominence in the Napa Valley, we decided to sample a couple of Robert Mondavi’s premiere wines and let you have our thoughts.

Ultra-premium Ketel One vodka has partnered with Future Shorts to present The Spirit of Film – a celebration of the skills and craftsmanship of short film-making, in selected venues around the UK.

Short of Christmas gift ideas and running out of time to find a present with the X-factor? Treat the gastronome in your family to the ultimate gourmet indulgence – a bottle of Harveys Pedro Ximénez, made exclusively from sun-drenched Spanish PX grapes. Smooth and velvety, this delectable dark mahogany-coloured dessert wine is bursting with aromas of raisins and dried figs.

Russian Standard Vodka has teamed up with MasterChef 2009 winner Mat Follas to bring you something different for your dining table this Christmas and has come up with four alternative recipes to serve your hungry guests. Instead of the traditional turkey and Brussle sprouts this year why not indulge in alternative high dining with some tantalising Russian Standard cocktails to celebrate in style!

The RNLI Talisker gift pack is a great Christmas present for whisky connoisseurs and with one pound from every sale of the pack being donated to the RNLI, you and the loved one who receives it will know that you are helping support this incredibly worthwhile charity.

Credit crunch eating into your champagne budget? Think the stuff is overpriced anyway? Then why not turn your gaze toward Spain where sparkiing wines may not have the snob appeal of Champagne, but in the glass and on the nose can often hold their own against fancier tipples. Reina Maria Cristina is a Chardonnay blended sparkling wine, full of fine persistent bubbles and fresh, intense aromas.