English Wine is something I'm not really too familiar with... I do love a nice glass of something…read moreon a warm day (or a cold day, I'm not fussy), but am more familiar with wines from warm climates than I am with the more local stuff. This is why a whole festival of English wine really appealed to me... A good chance to educate myself and test my palate. The ticket price of £15 seemed to be really good value, but with a Yelp discount - it ended up being £10 for entry. We (myself and Dan G) also opted to go for the brunch package which was an additional charge. On a cloudy Saturday, we wanted down to the Bond to grab some food before the tasting. Firstly, the food was amazing. Salmon, ham, pastries and all kinds of delicious stuff washed down with great company and a glass of bubbly (or two)... This was a perfect way to kick off our bank holiday weekend. We entered the venue at 12pm for doors and made our way around the stalls to have a look. With around 40 different wines to try, we certainly weren't bored! With local wines from Malvern, Tamworth, Herefordshire and then a bit further afield (turns out it's easier to grow vines down south where the climate is a bit warmer), not only did we get to try many varieties, we also got chat to some of the producers about the difficulty of growing in the British weather and the special ways they kept their stock to protect it. Think British red isn't worth shouting about? Think again. We tried amazing sparkling, red, white and rose during the time we were there (which ended up being about 4 hours). We ended up coming away with a couple of interesting bottles and a head full of knowledge. I loved the venue (The Bond), the food and the wines on offer. The venue wasn't huge, but catered well to the crowds that were there. It was a bit of a shame that vendors (on the whole) only accepted cash and cheque (there are no cash points around the venue), but this might have just saved my wallet. I imagine this is the kind of event which will grow year by year... in 2016 - be one of the first to buy a ticket! I'll see you there, no doubt!

England isn't really somewhere you associate with wine production but there's some fantastic…read morevineyards out there utilising the rich soil and varied climate to their advantage. We headed down to The Bond on a Saturday morning to sample the delights of English wine and were not disappointed. Having decided to pay a bit extra and go for the bubbly brunch option was a great decision. We were greeted with a glass of sparkling wine and sat down to a fabulous brunch of smoked salmon, grilled asparagus, cheeses, cooked meats, pastries and fruit whilst chatting away with our fellow diners on the banks of the canal whilst the wine flowed freely. The Bond is a fantastic venue, perfect for this kind of event and after finishing our brunch we headed inside to check out the offerings. 40 different wines were on offer for us to try from vineyards located across the land. The standout offerings for me were from XVI ridges who produced some of the nicest wines I tried and the lady working the stand was lovely, interesting and informative. Food was on offer as well as masterclasses which we didn't choose to do but from all accounts were great. A fantastic event which opened my eyes to the world of English wine.

Lovely neighborhood bakery using English grains for their loaves, making delicious pastry treats,…read moreselling local dairy goods, and even offering workshops for baking with English grains. There's a space in the front to sit and enjoy your treats. You can see through to the bakery at the back. There are racks of local wine, cider, beer, and jams. There's a cafe area for tea and coffee to enjoy with your bread and pastries.

These guys are nailing the best sourdough in town. Their filled sandwiches are ridiculously…read moregood-the chicken Caesar salad one especially so. They roast the chickens on site so everything is prepared there and is tasty and fresh. I had the most delicious Walnut tart. What a total treat. They are selling local cheeses, fruit and veg. What a team. The Bakers and front of house staff are all calm and smiling. Get there early, as they sell out Quick!

Beware of The Champagne Company and The Drinks Emporium, online wine companies that are taking…read morecustomer money but failing to supply goods or provide refunds. Both have done this to me recently.

I'm so glad this place opened - since it has, I've been there three times, and not just to purchase…read morea bottle from their vast array on offer but to tastings as well. Situated on the Aston Road near the A38 you could be forgiven for missing it, but don't! It would be a mistake not to go. There is parking available outside so there's not even a need to walk. You have to buzz for entry, but once inside you'll see why. There's a large selection of wines, champagnes, spirits and beers on offer. The décor is well laid out and there are seats should you feel the need to sit down just to take it all in! There is a huge amount of champagnes to cater for every taste ranging from Moet to Bollinger to Dom Perignon. Right in the back corner is a separate section for the more exclusive bottles - I suggest you go have a look at least. There's the normal range of spirits but there are loads of more distinct and different brands on offer. I managed to get hold of a flavoured bottle of Absolut that nowhere else had in stock. The staff are brilliant - when I went in looking for a bottle of rum for my boyfriend who loves the stuff, they showed me various ones similar to the ones he has already tried (by the way - the recommendation was amazing and my boyfriend loved it). I've been back several times to buy beer, spirits and wine. The prices are reasonable and similar to those you'd get online - I've always managed to find what I've wanted for a great price. As it has more speciality items, I know I'll be back to further sample the range.

What an amazing shop! I will never think of whisky the same way again…read more In fact I like whisky now and really want to go back to buy a fancy bottle, just to keep in the house and have a drop when we deserve it. You know, like grown ups do! Seriously, take a look at this place, they know their stuff and whether you want to purchase for yourself, for a party or for a present for someone who has everything. Suits all budgets too!

This a lovely small independent whisky retailer with products that are high end and from all over…read morethe Globe. Located just inside the Great Western Arcade it's worth a visit when you can, even just to browse the products. They have many famous brands to offer, so why not let the nice assistant tell you all they know about the whisky distilleries? They are also part of the UK premier and private whisky club, offering a FREE membership with every purchase. They know their products, although perhaps be a bit careful not to over spend in here as the Whisky varieties are not cheap at all. They would make the perfect gift if you can find one at a reasonable price.

This is a superb wine shop to stop at if you're passing through, it has a very interesting and…read moreinspired selection and the people running the place are very knowledgable and enthusiastic. I'm not a wine connoisseur as I have a preference for beer so spend my time drinking that, but we picked up a few bottles of red from the under £10 section and they were all fantastic. The budget section was large enough for anyone but they also had far more wines which were pricier, and I'm sure of great interest to those who are into their wine. They run wine tasting classes if you're getting into the field, and to my pleasure they also stock a small selection of interesting real ales.

This very old, well-established wine merchant in the centre of Shipston is the spot to go if you…read moreneed to buy wine other than standard, supermarket-pushed brands. The staff are really knowledgeable and pleasant; the selection is outstanding (from budget to top quality fine wines) and its location is very handy with plenty of parking. I've bought a variety of wines from here from cheap and cheerful to exceptional and never been disappointed. Its worth going on a wine tasting visit which is fairly priced, incredibly interesting and of course, you get the chance to sample some lovely wines. The tour of their huge cellars while listening to an overview of their history is truly fascinating. They are looking at doing some fairly major and sympathetic development in their courtyard very soon which will be a joy to experience, I'm sure. Having the opportunity to sit and quaff in such lovely surroundings will be fantastic. Remember, if a wine is stocked by a supermarket, Sheldon's won't carry it! Very highly recommended!

Although it may look like a fairly bog standard off licence from the outside, don't let appearances…read morefool you. Laithwaites is actually an extremely well stocked, very nice wine shop, not dissimilar to chains such as Majestic Wine Warehouse. The inside is very professional, with wines grouped appropriately, making whatever you're looking for specifically very easy to find. If you're not entirely sure what you're looking for, then fear not, because their friendly, approachable staff clearly know what they're doing and can advise you what wine to serve with certain food. The prices are competitive with the likes of Majestic, although if you're looking for a sub £5 bottle just to give to an acquaintance or what have you, you may be better suited going to a supermarket such as Tesco. Highly recommended.

We popped in here one Friday night for some wine and it was empty! This was good and bad because we…read moregot personal chatty service but the staff kind of watched our every move which was quite off-putting. They also kept asking if we neede help when we just wanted to look round. They have a good variety of wines of all sorts and prices. The cheapest bottles were about 6 quid and this was in the sale so it is not for you if you buy cheap wine! Prices went up as high as £20 a bottle and they also had a selection of champagne and sparkling wines. We treated ourselves to 4 bottles which were very nice. I doubt we'll use this shop much but it is handy if you've been in the Wetherspoons nearby plus there is parking outside.

I first visited Stirchley Wines when a friend of mine had moved to the area and, having been told…read moregreat things about it, insisted we went to grab some alcohol from here for a night in catching up. I wasn't disappointed. Being a craft beer fan this place is an Aladdin's cave, with bottles from all over the world, in different styles, strengths and flavours. I've been with friends who love beer and those that aren't so keen but everyone managed to find something they like. I live above a BrewDog in the city centre and Stirchley Wines had more variety of BrewDog beers in stock that the bar itself!? I managed to grab the infamous My Name is Vladimir protest beer released to coincide with the Winter Olympics in Sochi. They of course have beers from all the big craft beer breweries as well as some of the smaller lesser known ones. They even have a few beers on tap and the guys there are happy to help if you need some guidance on what beer is best for you. It's a great place to pop into before you go to a curry house, as I have done, as a lot of the places nearby are BYOB. Stirchley Wines as the name suggests also sells a lot of wines and a great variety of spirits that you most likely wouldn't find elsewhere or in very small amounts, so I encourage you to take that trip south of Birmingham into it's suburbs or if you're in the area be sure to pop in, you won't regret it.

How do you turn a boring high street off-licence into something special? For the answer to that…read morequestion you should visit Stirchley Wines....and you don't even have to go there to do that. The beauty of Stirchley Wines is that they will tell you about their interesting new stock on Twitter! They'll post photos and reviews of new wines and beers online and, what's more, they are witty and informative with it. Follow @stirchleywines to find out more. Not only are they the world's first social media savvy off-licence, and not only do they have a really, really, really good and varied selection of beers that you wouldn't find elsewhere - think of it like an independent record shop for booze - but they have also recently teamed up with acclaimed local bakers Loaf to produce a different Beer Bread each week. A message is posted on Twitter when the bread arrives...but you need to be quick. Alongside all the usual other stuff that you'd expect (tobacco, snacks, soft drinks, mixers) there is also a really good whisky selection. Prices aren't the cheapest on some brands, but the selection more than makes up for that. The main reason for supporting this place, though, is that they are keen to support other local businesses in the area, and that's what makes a community. So, next time you want a 4-pack, or a bottle of wine, don't bother with the supermarket - head down here and so what they might have for you. Alternatively, tweet them and ask.

I frequent this store and have found the selection of beers ciders etc excellent. I can also say…read morethat the staff always are very helpful and polite. Definitely worth a visit

An extremely friendly little shop selling their own brewed beer (the brewery is off-site so don't…read moreexpect a tour), and a wide variety of other bottled beers. It's all sensibly arranged and sensibly priced. There's a very decent selection of both British real ales, and the best of the imports. Belgian and Trappist ales are in abundance, and there's also a few interesting and hard-to-find bottles ranging from Dutch to American. Yes, it turns out that Americans do make decent beer after all. Well, I've found one. The staff (I think it's family-owned and family-run) are very friendly and happy to talk about what they've got, which beers they prefer, which ones they think will suit a particular meal, which ones will be in stock if you come back next week Exactly what you'd want from a beer specialist. There are plenty of ciders as well. They're not really my thing but it looked like a decent selection.

This is a friendly and welcoming shop selling its own beer alongside a good international and…read moreBritish selection. I was dragged in here by the OH, who strongly believes in proper beer and found myself not only interested, but also leaving with some beer of my own. Having been converted to Belgian beer over the years, I was pleased to see a good selection of Trappist and fruit beers, and collected a couple of Krieks and Cassis (cherry and blackcurrent respectively) for afternoons in the garden. The very concept of fruit beer might repel you, but give it a go - you could be surprised. The shop also stocks perrys and ciders, German wheat beer, the best of British small breweries, Czech and Polish beers. If you have stocked up, ask to leave the box to collect by car later.