Don’t sweat it – your Christmas shopping is done
CAREFULLY curated low intervention wines and good-looking, tasty food with no additives, that’s what conscious on- and offline wine shop Le Social is all about – which means you can trust them to do your Christmas shopping for you, and you can trust them to do it right.
Le Social have teamed up with independent producers and like-minded suppliers to offer a range of products and experiences that make the perfect presents.
For their second festive season, Le Social have teamed up with independent producers and like-minded suppliers to offer a range of products and experiences that make the perfect presents, all brought together in the Christmas Gift Guide 2021.
The walk-in shop is a converted shipping container in Ancoats’ Pollard Yard, and it’s open Tuesday to Saturday for browsing, tasting and socialising. But we don’t have time for that right now – Christmas is coming, and, boy, it’s coming fast. Just as well, then, that bona fide Frenchman Jérôme and the rest of the team down Le Social have your back covered – they deliver both locally and to the rest of the UK, all with carbon offsetting and sustainable packaging, and as quickly as the next working day too. Phew. What’s more, the cut-off for orders to be sure to reach you and yours in time for the festive knees-up is noon on Tuesday 21 December. Which leaves you a good three and a bit days to unfrazzle yourself.
So, let’s take a look at that Christmas Gift Guide 2021…
LE SOCIAL FESTIVE HAMPERS
There are four versions of the festive hamper – essentials (wine, tins and snacks), seaside (including grilled Asturias octopus and posh canned tuna fillets), country (with the likes of pâté de campagne and goat’s cheese crackers) and vegan (think marinated artichokes and Catalan almonds) – each with a bottle of bubbles, naturally. Other choices of hampers and gift packs are available, and of course you can go off piste and create your own from the bulging larder of fine French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish food and drink. Ours involves all the artisanal duck rillettes from a couple of brothers in the Basque country and lashings of organic Breton cider pressed by a bloke called Cédric…
LE SOCIAL WINE BOX
There are wines and friends of wines, like port and sherry and vermouth, a-go-go. From organic Chablis to orange Verdejo, and from natural Crémant to some 0.4% and 0.5% ABV serious alternatives to celebratory sparklings, you’re bound to find something whatever your budget. Seriously stuck, and hit the Christmas Wine Box option – say if it’s two, three or six bottles you’re after, and any preferences on colours, and let Jérôme’s team work their magic. There’s also a monthly wine box subscription, if you fancy a gift that keeps on giving.
LE SOCIAL NO BRAINERS
Now this one’s good – learning while drinking… The next Wine Academy combines theory and practice, and is chalked up for January at £80 for three two-hour sessions: introduction (Wednesday 12 January), whites (19 January) and reds (26 January). Still unsure where to start? Le Social Gift Cards start from as little as £10, are valid for a year and can be redeemed against any products, including events and tastings. You can even speak to the team about bespoke, corporate and private gifts.
There you go: Bonnes Vacances!
