If the last few weekends have involved pulling out the pages of festive season wine round-ups with the sinking awareness that there is no time left to read them, help is at hand in the shape of new online wine delivery service Ohsomm. Not only does it deliver to your door, the service also removes the worry and hesitation of what to drink with what and when, leaving only the decision of with whom to share the haul.
Ohsomm’s USP is that it turns the usual wine selection process (country of origin/food pairing/price point) on its head, focusing instead on moods and “moments”. Enticing themes include “romancing”, “chilling” or “debating”. “Unwinding” offers a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand’s Marlborough region, “awash with gooseberry, passionfruit and grapefruit”, that “will complement light and citrusy flavours”, says sommelier Christopher Cooper. Click and choose one bottle (£11), three, six or 12 (the latter at £122.10). Wine labels are customisable and include the festively themed, “In case of distant relatives, uncork”.
The small selection of wine on offer (currently 10 bottles) makes decision-making easier, with Ohsomm’s sommeliers choosing what they believe to be the best-in-class wine in its category. There is only one bordeaux or one Sauvignon and so on, and although each is branded with an Ohsomm-own label, so that the originating vineyard is a mystery, a full description of flavours and tastes appears alongside the bottle, and the winemaker is named.
That means the “somms” who have chosen the wines need to be trustworthy. The pros in question include Cooper, previously a sommelier in Gordon Ramsay’s empire and wine consultant to the Soho House group, and Jackson Boxer, currently chef patron at London’s Brunswick House – both are passionate about making the world of food and wine more accessible. The latest “somms” to come on board are catering duo Lucy Carr-Ellison and Jemima Jones of Tart London, who bring to the party an appreciation of good flavours and a curiosity of tastes – essential assets for any wine lover.
