Online grocery shopping can be especially convenient when it means heavy bottles arrive at your door. A recent tasting of Ocado’s autumn and winter drinks range turned up five distinctive options for occasions from aperitifs and festive meals to after-dinner drinks and gifts.
A cocktail-hour pairing
The sculptural bottle of Oyster Adriatic Gin is an eye-catcher, while its Montenegro origins promise a taste of the region’s coastal botanicals. Crisp, citrusy and juniper-forward, it’s suited to a classic gin and tonic or a dry martini.
For an alcohol-free alternative, the limited-edition Botivo x Ottolenghi Botanical Aperitivo brings a Middle Eastern-inspired twist to Botivo’s apple cider vinegar and honey base. Black lime, cardamom, rose and pomegranate molasses give it a bittersweet, spicy and floral character. Mix about 25ml with soda and ice, and serve with savoury snacks.
From aperitif to digestif
Greyfriars Vineyard SB Brut, an Ocado-exclusive English sparkling wine from the Surrey North Downs, is made entirely from Sauvignon Blanc rather than the traditional Champagne grapes. Its savoury notes of tomato leaf and nettle make it a distinctive celebratory pour, and a good match for an aperitif or first course.
From Moldova, Other Wines’ Dóldora Saperavi offers a fruit-forward alternative to heavier, more tannic expressions of the grape. Smooth tannins and berry fruit with festive spice make it versatile with main courses and cheese.
To finish a meal, Vecchia Romagna Etichetta Nera 1820 is an Italian brandy made from Trebbiano grapes and aged first in French oak barriques, then Slavonian oak casks. Smooth and complex, it has notes of cinnamon, vanilla and mocha, with lingering fruitiness.
Five bottles to try
- Oyster Adriatic Gin — £41.50/70cl at Ocado. A crisp, herbal, citrusy London dry-style gin with juniper, coriander, angelica, liquorice, fennel and black pepper. Alcohol: 42.5%.
- Botivo x Ottolenghi Botanical Aperitivo — £32/50cl at Ocado. A limited-edition alcohol-free aperitivo with black lime, cardamom, rose and pomegranate molasses. Alcohol: 0%.
- Greyfriars Vineyard SB Brut, Surrey NV — A traditional-method sparkling wine made entirely from Sauvignon Blanc; exclusive to Ocado and the winery.
- Other Wines, Dóldora Saperavi, Moldova 2023 — A medium-bodied, unoaked red with smooth tannins and spicy berry fruit. Read the Decanter review.
- Vecchia Romagna Etichetta Nera 1820 — £29/70cl at Ocado. A smooth, oak-aged Italian brandy with cinnamon, vanilla and mocha notes. Alcohol: 38%.