If you’d rather splash your cash on a great meal out rather than on the wine head to Wivenhoe House.

Every Monday and Tuesday the hotel’s brasserie restaurant invites you to bring in your own choice of wine to accompany your meal and just pay £5 corkage for each bottle.

The brasserie’s wine expert Lionel Lachasseigne is always happy to recommend wine from the extensive inhouse cellar and he’s got just as good advice if you’re choosing a bottle from your favourite supermarket.

“Don’t be put off a bottle if it is a screwtop rather than a cork”, he says. “It doesn’t mean anything about the quality of the wine inside the bottle.”

“It’s you’re unsure what to choose, always go for a classic wine as you can’t go far wrong. If you’ve liked it in the past there’s a good chance you will like it now.

“You don’t have to spend a lot of money but stick with your favourites rather than be tempted by a special offer. It won’t turn out to be a bargain if you don’t drink it.”

Before bringing your wine to Wivenhoe House for your meal out, you do need to do a little bit of preparation to ensure the wine can be served at its best.

Lionel said: “If it’s a white wine keep it refrigerated for a couple of hours before bringing it and keep it wrapped in a teatowel for the journey here to maintain the temperature. We will decant bottles of red wines when you arrive, but try not to disturb the wine too much on your journey.”

Lionel is hosting our Venetian Wine dinner on Friday 28 September when he’ll be guiding us through some of the wonderful varieties of grapes in this beautiful area of Italy while you enjoy a gastronomic Italian themed dinner. Tables are available by calling the hotel on 01206 863666.