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John Wilson: Two whites, a sparkling wine and an almost summery red offer interest and good value for money

February can be fickle. Is it winter or spring? No wonder there are two camps on that question — it seems even the weather itself can’t quite decide. It ain’t summer, that’s for sure, so it can be a fine time to seek out the heat of some bottled sunshine, something that Sicily delivers with gusto.

Pet Nat is having a moment, quickstepping into the mainstream of wine drinking from the natural wine fringes, where it’s been a darling of hipster wine bars for some time. You’ll still only really find it in independent retailers rather than supermarkets, but it’s worth seeking out to share with your Valentine — or Galentine — this week.

One of my favourite discoveries over Christmas was a non-alcoholic sparkling mead imported exclusively by drinknolo.ie, which has joined thevirginmarybar.com in the online non-alcoholic retail space here in Ireland. The beautifully packaged bottle of Bemuse Brut Mead felt fitting for pouring into elegant champagne coupes for a pre-lunch toast with a sense of occasion, and it made for a very lovely aperitif to wake up the tastebuds gently while keeping heads fresh and clear.

Food for Thought: Corkage charges can be very reasonable and are a good way of keeping costs down when dining out