Julie Sheppard

January on the Grid… Global drinking adventures with seductive saké, blue-sky Champagne and brilliant bottles from Australia, NZ and South Africa! - Expanding my saké knowledge @kiokusakebar (which has the biggest selection of bottles in Europe) - Underwater dining @maadhoomaldives and beachside fizz @guycharbaut_champagne @bolifushimaldives - Tasting latest vintages out of Gippsland with @bassphillipwine - New Zealand meets Champagne as @greywacker collaborates with @piper_heidsieck on a white Pinot Noir - classy Chardonnay from @isabelestatenz - Cab from my cellar: an aged beauty from @kleinezalze - @philipshawwines at the New South Wales tasting - saké and food pairing @zumalondonofficial with the brilliant Elena - And kitchen Martinis with @wizz.wine.woman 🍸 #wine #cocktails #drinks #tasting

Maldives magic: Part 2 Next stop Ozen Reserve Bolifushi, a lush island of mangrove trees and long palm-fringed white beaches. Choose Earth or Ocean: villas nestled in their own secluded beachfront or hovering on stilts above the turquoise sea. Either way, comfort and luxury are guaranteed. Five fine-dining restaurants span Indian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Chinese and Japanese food (such perfect sushi!🍣) backed by a stellar wine selection. The wine team here host engaging tastings and winemaker dinners - you can even try your hand at the art of sabrage (opening Champagne bottle with a sword!) Thanks to the whole @bolifushimaldives team for such sparkling service - especially Rohit, Ragey and @nicolas_laguette for the wine adventures… #presstrip #wine #travel #maldives

We’re not jealous of @shep310 at all… 🍷🌊💙 📍 @maadhoomaldives

Maldives magic: Part 1 Exploring Ozen Life Maadhoo… This luxury island resort sits in the warm turquoise seas of the South Malé Atoll and truly is a tropical paradise. Smiling staff make you feel like part of the family as soon as you step off the boat and slip onto island time. Our beautiful water villa came with a slide - trust me, there’s no better way to wake up in the morning! The resort’s all-inclusive Indulgence Plan includes snorkelling trips, sunset cruises, spa treatments and world-class fine dining - there’s even the chance to eat below the sea at M6M underwater restaurant. But it’s the wine offer that really sets Ozen Life Maadhoo apart from other luxury stays in the Maldives. Because the resort imports its own wines directly and has exclusive producer partnerships, the selection is above and beyond what you’d get elsewhere; think grower Champagnes, exciting volcanic wines from the Canary Islands, classics from Chablis and Barolo to Albariño, including bottles you won’t find anywhere else in the world. A huge thank you to @maadhoomaldives and all of the wonderful staff - especially Siri, Manak and Kamran - for hosting us so we could explore this very special part of the world 💙 #presstrip #wine #travel #travelgram #maldives

October on the grid… - Birthday bubbles with @photobunny72 @runnerduckwineroom and surprise party @dishoom - Tasting @ata_rangi @liberty_wines and @labriwine @capclassique_sa - Going glam with @decanter team @drinks_trust Gala Dinner plus a catch-up with @misslbeebee - New @cloudybay vintages with winemaker Kelly Stuart - NoLos at the great new @parched_uk tasting organised by @tomsurgey @islandmediaevents - Theatre with @champagnetaittinger @oldvictheatre and a sneaky red carpet with @rosamundhall_ - Vietnamese rum from HaLong Distillery @ukrumfest - Spotlight Awards @beinclusivehospitality with @lorraine.copes - Back @decanter HQ for a Panel Tasting of cool-climate Australian Chardonnay with Alex Hunt MW, Beth Pearce MW and Roger Jones - Brilliant South African bottles @kudurestaurant - Aussies invasion from @moorillawinery @bulman_wines @australianvintners @indigowine_uk with top bottles from Tasmania and McLaren Vale … And now onto November!! #drinks #drinkswriter #winelover #winewinewine #winetasting #spirits #taste #rum #australianwine #newzealandwines #southafricanwine

Want to enjoy a glass of wine and save the environment at the same time? Regional Editor @shep310 has picked a wine this week that significantly absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere, far more so than any other plant (and you can pick it up in your local supermarket! 🍷 Journey’s End Spekboom Sauvignon Blanc, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2024

August highlights for the grid - and it was an international month… - Mary Hamilton of @hughhamiltonwines popped into @decanter HQ for a tasting of her McLaren Vale wines. I loved the sheep theme obviously… - Checking out the new cocktail menu @nightjar for the bar’s 15th anniversary - @catenawines Malbec @barrio10_ - Oysters @thesavoylondon River Rooms - Brilliant Tuscan bottle from @bibigraetz - Exploring Brussels with @food_writer including ‘alf-in-alf’s’ at Le Cirio and visiting my first Belgian vineyard (climate is now the same as Champagne 30 years ago and Burgundy 100 years ago… #climatecrisis …) #foodanddrink #wine #cocktails #travel #exploremore

Up early today to pick my grapes for the @urbanwineuk harvest! Zero assistance from Clyde, who prefers to sit on the fence… Earliest-ever harvest… but brilliant organisation as ever by Rich and the team. Looking forward to tasting the 2025 vintage already… #thewineismine🍷 #tooting

Boats, beaches, bougainvillea and all the blue… Kefalonia you beauty 💙 (Plus awesome seafood, a few Greek Orthodox icons and a stroll along the world’s longest sea bridge…) #travel #travelphotography #travelgram #greece #kefalonia_island #greektravel #sea #sardines #beach

April Highlights for the grid (or ‘What I ate and drank in April’)… - Visiting Galicia with @nordesgin for Nordesiños and goose barnacles - and posing for our next album cover on the rooftop of the cathedral at Santiago de Compostela - Checking out brilliant local wine bar @arevery_london with @slowdownandeat & @realguydimond - Perfect Palomas @fondarestaurant - Devilled eggs for Easter by @tiggernik - Great bottles at the M&S S/S tasting @marksandspencerfood - @ochotabarrels at the Next Gen Aussie Grenache Tasting - Mid-strength selection at the Sainsbury’s S/S tasting - Meeting @ian_hongell of @torbreckbarossa for a stellar vertical of RunRig (OK - technically this was 1st May…)

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Is #Drinklusive on your radar?? This brilliant drinks industry mentorship programme is specifically for people who are from underrepresented ethnicities, the LGBTQAI+ community, and people who consider themselves to have a disability or be neurodivergent. I’m thrilled to be one of the mentors this year – alongside a stellar lineup of drinks industry talent. We’ll all be doing our bit to help foster the next generation of drinks professionals. Opportunities for the successful applicants include: 👦🏻 1 on 1 mentor sessions 🍷WSET levels 2 & 3 ✏️ Content creation 💼 Paid work experience 🧠 Seminars with industry experts Applications are open now! So please help us to spread the word… Simply swipe to find out more and how to apply. Applications close on 23rd March. Huge props to @sypped @thethreedrinkers @dislabeled @decanter for making this groundbreaking programme possible ✨