Champagne with fish and chips, and what to drink at Christmas with Oscar Dodd of Fortnum & Mason

'Anything said with absolute confidence and in absolute terms is normally nonsense,' says Oscar Dodd, about Fortnum & Mason's wine and spirits buyer, when it comes to discussing the oft-trotted out truisms about wine, beer and spirits that you often hear. But not everything you hear is so wide of the mark.

'They say that the English drink their red wine too old and too warm, and their white wine too young and too cold,' he adds. 'That is certainly true.'

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Oscar has spent over two decades in the wine and spirits trade, starting out by eschewing university in order to stack shelves in his local Oddbins, falling in love with wine within a matter of weeks.

He's since gone on to forge a fascinating career, taking in everything from obscure vineyards that play Mozart to their grapes to help them grow, to walking the streets of New York City persuading people to drink more absinthe. These days, he's found in the more rarefied atmosphere of central London, at Fortnum & Mason, the world's most famous food and drink seller.

Oscar talks to James Fisher about his career, his pet hates, why you really shouldn't be saving that bottle of champagne you have under the stairs, and the amazing discoveries in the world of drink that are changing the industry — including Fortnums' alchoholic sparkling tea.

Then, of course, he shares his tips on the best tipples to buy for the Christmas period, from whisky, wine and liqueurs to the indispensable seasonal bottle of sherry.

Episode credits

• Host: James Fisher
• Guest: Oscar Dodd
• Producer and editor: Toby Keel
• Music: JuliusH via Pixabay

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