This January, Saicho has teamed up with esteemed British cheese shop, Neal’s Yard Dairy to create a truly unique cheese board, to be enjoyed throughout Dry January by non-drinkers and foodies alike. Each exquisite cheese is perfectly paired with one of Saicho's expressions; Jasmine, Darjeeling and Hojicha. ‍ Non-Alcoholic Cheese Board For those who are looking to give up booze, or are simply cutting back, the alternative pairing will provide an enlivening twist on the classic cheese and wine combination. Proving that giving up alcohol doesn’t mean a total overhaul of indulging; Neal's Yard Dairy's cheeseboard marries two incredibly complex ingredients together, cold-brewed teas...

Tom Surgey is an energetic, confident wine expert and presenter with an extensive body of work. He is one of the Three Wine Men, Ambassador for the Pingza wine app, Ridgeview Wine EstateDirector, BBC Sussex wine expert and presenter of British Airways’ wine events. The Journey to Ridgeview Wine Estate Director After starting his career at  The Club at The Ivy, where his passion for wine burgeoned, he took his WSET Diploma before leaving the restaurant side of the industry to follow his passion for wine full-time. He joined Ridgeview, renowned pioneers of quality English wine-making, based in Sussex and is now their Sales...

Matteo Montone is Wine Director at Berners Tavern at The London Edition Hotel.Moving to London in 2013, Matteo started his UK career at Aqua Shard. He then joined The Ritz London as Junior Sommelier, before moving up to Deputy Head Sommelier. After that, he became Assistant Head Sommelier at Locanda Locatelli and completed the WSET Level 4 Diploma.Matteo became Head Sommelier at Berners Tavern in 2017 and has subsequently been promoted to Director of Wine.Matteo has won several accolades over the years but most recently, in 2019, he was awarded Chaine Des Rotisseurs Best Young Sommelier in the World, Chaine Des Rotisseurs...

Honey Spencer’s experience in the wine industry spans continents, having managed Sager + Wilde in London, Den Vandrette in Copenhagen and as guest Sommelier for NOMA in Mexico before returning to the UK as Head Sommelier of London restaurant NUALA. Honey now heads up Bastarda, a unique concept that brings together innovators and tastemakers across food, booze and art. She also continues to be a wine consultant for Abelandcole. ‍ Honey likes Hojicha “My favourite. This [the Hojicha tea] was really interesting; I loved the savoury elements.” Notes: pungent, umami, savoury (with lifted sweetness) wet autumn leaf Food matches: pork, mushrooms, parmesan,...

Coming from The River Café, Katie Exton is a highly respected sommelier, both within and outside the trade. Before joining The River Café, Katie worked as Head Sommelier at Chez Bruce and The Square, where she met chef Peter Hall. The pair later went on to found the highly successful restaurant, Lorne in 2017. Lorne Restaurant was born out of the desire by its dynamic and experienced co-founders to share their love of restaurants and create a fun, convivial space where food and wine sit as equals. Jasmine Sparkling Tea Pale lemon-lime colour- its smells extremely aromatic, lots of floral notes from...

Offering a complex and refreshing alternative to alcoholic drinks, sparkling teas are a new and versatile addition to the non-alcoholic drinks market, emerging this year as a major trend. Cold-brewed sparkling tea is now gaining the recognition it deserves for its delicacy and complexity. It’s also gaining huge ground in the non-alcoholic drinks sector. Sparkling tea flavours vary from floral to fruity or nutty to smoky. It’s why they have excellent potential to create perfect pairings with food. ‍ Sparkling tea is the perfect non-alcoholic party drink Designed to be served chilled in a champagne flute or coupe, Saicho sparkling...