Elevate your summer barbecue with our ultimate guide to pairing bold, flame-ready wines and refreshing garden pours.
Welcome to the Hic! Blog. We hope you find the content, musings and rambling's of our resident Imbiber both enlightening and informative.
Corks, Caps & High-Tec Clips: The Truth Behind What is Sealing Your Favourite Bottles of Wine
Discover the truth about corks, caps, and clips, and how they shape the wine in your glass.
The Botanical Riot: Mapping Your Favourite Gin Profile To Ensure You Find The Perfect Pour
From crisp citrus to wild coastal herbs, we have mapped seven distinct gin profiles. Find yours today.
Decoding the Dram: A Plain-Talking Guide to Helping You Find Your Perfect Whisky
Navigate the world of whisky without confusing jargon. Find your perfect dram with our plain-speaking guide.
Beyond the Label: Decoding the Price of the World's Most Iconic Fine and Rare Wines
Decoding the mystery behind the price tag - from the struggle of the soil to the art of the long sleep.
Unfined, Unfiltered, Uncompromised: The Historic Cellar Secrets of Vegan & Vegetarian Wine
Wait, wine is just crushed grapes. How is it not vegan? Discover the historic secrets of the cellar...
Wine on a Spiritual Level: Why Biodynamic Winemaking Is Absolutely Not Witchcraft
Burying a cow horn under a full moon sounds like witchcraft, but biodynamics is pure agricultural science.
The Amber Revolution: Uncorking the Ancient History and Unique Texture of Orange Wine
Discover the Amber Revolution - white wines crafted with the ancient, skin-contact techniques of a red.
The Secret Life of Port: A Connoisseur's Guide to Exploring the Historic Styles of Ruby, Tawny & Vintage
Unlock the historic secrets of the Douro Valley. Your guide to the complex nuances of Ruby, Tawny & rare Vintage Port.
The Spittoon is Retired: Announcing the Hic! 2026 Wine Tasting Season for Unashamedly Premium Drinking
No exams, no spittoons. Just book a private courtyard table for a proper, unashamedly premium tasting experience.
Beyond Burgundy and Bordeaux: Why Washington and Oregon Wines Deserve Your Attention
Step beyond the classic European estates to explore the thrilling, world-class terroir of the American Pacific Northwest.
The Best of British Bubbles: Uncorking the Terroir and Triumph of English Sparkling Wine
Trade French prestige for British brilliance. Discover why artisanal English Sparkling Wine is the ultimate celebratory pour.
Last-Minute Luxury: 5 Elegant Wine Gifts That Don’t Require a Decanter
Forget the decanter and the cellar. Discover five exceptional, ready-to-pour luxury bottles engineered for instant holiday gratification.
Hic! Gift Giving Wine Guide
Whether you're buying a wine gift for that special birthday, anniversary, wedding, holiday, or as a simple, thank-you, we have a number of gift giving options here at Hic! to give you inspiration.
From how much to spend, to the recipients wine preferences, there are a few vital points to consider when finding the perfect wine gift. Should you buy a bottle, or two, or a case? Well, don't be discouraged! We are here to help. Our gift giving wine guide covers all aspects, whether your gift is for the holidays, a special anniversary, birthday, house-warming or just a simple "Thank You!"
Quintodecimo | One of Campania's Finest...
We are pleased to introduce a new range of Italian wines to our portfolio from Quintodecimo, a winery producing some of the finest wines in Campania today. The Campania wine region of southern Italy can be seen as the "shin" of Italy's boot, anchored by its capital, Naples. Dating...
Read: Quintodecimo | One...
Celebrating 31 Days of German Riesling
What is it? Fans of German wine will already know that Riesling (pronounced reece-ling) makes some of the finest white wines on the planet. It is a noble grape variety that is grown in all of Germany's winemaking regions and it comes in a variety of different styles. What...
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RECENT BEANS Freshly Roasted Coffee Available at Hic!
Here at Hic! HQ we are thrilled to be able to offer our customers freshly roasted coffee to take-away (or drink in) from the team at Recent Beans in Castleford. Recent Beans are artisan coffee roasters based at the Queens Mill, Castleford in West Yorkshire. They believe (and we...
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Matetic Vineyards - The Modern Face of Chilean Wine
Hic! welcomes Matetic Vineyards back to UK shores once again. HISTORY Matetic vineyards embody the pioneering spirit and vision of modern Chilean winemaking. This biodynamic project was founded in 1999 by the Matetic family, originally Croatian settlers who arrived in Chilean Patagonia in 1892. Having established themselves as farmers...
Read: Matetic Vineyards -...
Experince Private Shopping this Christmas at Hic!
**UPDATE - DECEMBER SHOPPING DATES NOW AVAILABLE** We are presently living in unprecedented times and consequently the normality of shopping this Christmas will likely test the patience of us all! You might think October is too soon to be thinking about festivities; however, their are many in the industry...
Read: Experince Private Shopping...
Wine-Searcher Retailer Awards 2020
We are proud to announce that Hic! has scooped a trio of medals at the Wine-Searcher Retailer Awards 2020. There are over 32,000 stores listed on Wine-Searcher's global database and their Retailer Awards strive to acknowledge the very best stores that have truly excellent wine lists. Each month, Wine-Searcher...
Read: Wine-Searcher Retailer Awards...