Sophie Mclean

1 week ago | decanter.com | Sophie McLean |Sophie Mclean

The UK now boasts over 300 vineyards and wineries open to the public, with a growing number of options for a day out or overnight stay across the country. Most are indicated by the grape symbol on brown tourist signposts. Visitor numbers to UK wine estates have risen in recent years, as interest grows in enjoying wines in the surroundings where they are made.

4 weeks ago | arbuturian.com | Sophie Mclean

The humble pub is celebrated in a series of events this summer, Pub in the Park, the UK’s largest food and music festival tour, showcasing the best of British pubs, restaurants, and chefs. Ahead of its launch, Sophie McLean visited the winner (again) of the UK’s Top Gastropub Award to see what makes this national institution prevail…There’s nothing better than a decent pub. The very best are literally that – a public house.

1 month ago | arbuturian.com | Sophie Mclean

A royal blue sky welcomes passengers off the train at Windsor and Eton Riverside on a bright late February afternoon. Clouds like foamy suds in bathwater sweep between the colour as footsteps force gazes to adjust away from the railway lines and onto charcoal chimneys and turrets, and brick upon brick of Bagshot Heath stone. In case visitors need reminding of why they are here, The Royal Windsor pub is the first thing you’ll see upon exiting the station.

Mar 1, 2025 | decanter.com | Sophie McLean |Sophie Mclean

While I was revising for my final WSET diploma exams, the only way I could commit to memory the 10 crus of Beaujolais was to come up with a mnemonic to prompt each one. In my case I turned this mnemonic into a princely romance, and to this day it still helps me identify the individual sites when needing to recall them.

Feb 15, 2025 | arbuturian.com | Sophie Mclean

Snapshots of people of London. Like camera shutters flickering, catching a specific moment in time. The reality is that even with close observation you never really know what’s going on with a person until you step into their shoes. There are so many different London lives lived. Travellers, locals, those rushing around on a business dime. In Holborn you see an ample view of many of these contributors to the capital. Like a reality TV show but witnessed in real time.