Too many people have forgotten how to drink with pleasure. They drink to relax or they drink to get drunk, but they rarely drink because the liquid in their glass is a thing of beauty and a joy, full of complexity of flavour and with the power to banish care that the truly great wines of the world have.
It is not really surprising. Great wines are rarely found in the high street where most wine is sold. Much of what is on sale here does not come close to providing the genuine pleasure of good, real wine. It has been so manipulated during the manufacturing process that it tastes of the same confected, artificial fruit that is found in all manner of alcoholic beverages these days. But that does not mean great wines are found only in wine shops which are hallowed halls of reverence, where buying wine can be a scary chore, or in restaurants with a similar wine ethos.
Green & Blue provides an alternative – a place where you can buy wine that tastes of its own grapes, made with minimal recourse to chemical intervention either in the vineyard or the winery, without being patronised, terrified or made to pay more than you had intended. You see, it is our belief that the great wines of the world are not just those which cost the earth (although some sadly do), but those which are honest to goodness, untampered with, beautifully made fermented grape juice – be it in a relatively humble, everyday drinking incarnation or something a bit finer and more exotic.
For those who already know that they love wine, we will offer little known gems from smaller producers around the world as well as great wines from more mainstream regions. For those who don't perhaps know it yet, we would like more than anything to introduce them to the wonderful world of wine and to start lifelong, passionate affairs. Most of all, we want all our customers to drink with pleasure, always.
We also believe passionately that, in this difficult, turbo-paced, often highly impersonal world, proper neighbourhood places that are reasonably priced, friendly and accessible to all are more important than ever. We have worked very hard to create bars where you can feel at home and enjoy great food and wine without spending a fortune. Without wanting to exclude those who don't live in a close enough proximity to our shops and bars, we are now serving online and are more than happy to help you make your selection. Click here to visit our online shop.
Not everything is cheap (although many things are) but then we don’t cut any corners in the sourcing of our ingredients. An incredibly important part of our philosophy is the supporting of all manner of small producers and we spend a lot of time scouring farmers markets and various countryside delis etc in search of really good food, made naturally and with integrity. For futher information about the delicious food we sell, take a look at our food section. We hope that both knowing that and enjoying the fruits of the labours of all these people gives as much pleasure as our wines.