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A plonker's guide to plonk – top wine tips for clueless Brits from 'connoisseur' Del BoyBrits are completely clueless about wine, a new survey has revealed, so we've compiled a beginner's

guide to plonk courtesy of Del Boy from Only Fools and HorsesCommentsReal LifeMeg Jorsh20:40, 20 May 2025Wine connoisseur Del Boy has offered up some top tips(Image: BBC) Brits are clueless

when it comes to vino, according to a new survey.

A study for the International Wine and Spirit Competition found that many of us make basic mistakes like serving white wine too cold.

‌ But never fear, we've recruited the ‘crème de la menthe’ of connoisseurs, Del Boy from Only Fools and Horses, to give us a bluffer’s guide. Here are his cushty tippling tips!

‌ Don’t do me a lemon : ‘Au revoir’ folks and welcome to Trotter’s good wine guide. Now the first thing to known is that putting lemonade or lots of ice in your guests’ Chardonnay will leave

them feeling all ‘plume de me tante’. Serve white wine at 7-10C – not freezing from the fridge. Dish up red at 12–14C, a bit below the temperature Boycie necks the Chateau Peckham at the

Nag’s Head.

White wine should be chilled...but not too cold(Image: Getty Images) Totally banned marie : Don’t hold the glass by the bowl Raquel, grab it by the stem love, so it doesn’t go all Chambourcy

nouvelle on you. Oh, and when tasting the wine, don’t make the mistake I once did of spitting it back into that big bucket of cold water they bring you.

Article continues below Pot pourri-ng: Don’t be a drip Rodders! Avoid spillages by hold the bottle by the base, not its neck and when you want to stop pouring, rotate the bottle a quarter

turn away from you while tilting it upwards.

Yuppie times: Once the nectar is in your glass give it a good swirl and a sniff, then sip it holding it on the tongue before swallowing. Don’t down it in one like Trigger would. ‘Après moi,

le déluge’, as they say in Holland.

Lovely bubbly: As any top smellier knows, Champagne is to sparkling wine what the pina colada is to cocktails – the absolute ‘Pas-de-Calais’! Be a total ‘Moet it all’ and serve your champers

at between 8-12 degrees, only filling the glass half full to get the full aromas.

‌Don't overfill your champers(Image: Getty Images) Don’t ‘mange tout’: I’m known for my love of classic German cuisine like Duck à l’Orange, but I canard recommend it without a cheeky pinot

noir on the side. You’ve got to pair the right food with the right vino Grandad - or you’ll end up with ‘oeuf sur la plat’ . Go for white wine with a bit of fish or chicken, I’d say, but

choose and nice red like a Cabernet Sauvignon for your steak.

He who dares vines: I’ve learnt my lesson from falling through the counter of that wine bar – it’s vital you look the part. Never complain the wine has a screw cap. They’re totally legit

these days my son. Get to know the lingo too. Turns out that tannins aren’t something you get in Benidorm and ‘terroir’ isn’t the shock of accidentally seeing Uncle Albert cutting his

toenails in the sink.

Article continues below Au contraire! Don’t know your Blue Nun from your Liebfrau-milk? Choosing the second cheapest wine on the menu isn’t always the best value. It’s a bit of a myth - the

cheapest can be just as good. ‘F ait acopian’, innit! Bonjour for now wine buffs…