Beyond London Life

Twenty One Wines

21 Prince Albert St, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1HF
01273 776096

When abroad, it is always diverting to wind one’s way around exotic

passageways into piazzas and markets. Here in Brighton, close to The Lanes, I had just such an enchanting experience. A small wine shop attracted my attention and once inside, I found myself in a bounteously laden Aladdin’s cave of a shop. I had been drawn in by an enticing window display and then once inside, in a few electrifying, eclectic moments, I could make out a Glera made Prosecco and a Pinot Noir tantalisingly called Wooing Tree Blondie, then to a lush-looking Mr Smith’s Shiraz and then to an eye-catching, skull-shaped bottle for comedy legend Dan Aykroyd’s Crystal Head Vodka. Further back , a bottle of (very) best brandy priced at £159! There was also a fine display of English sparkling wines which included (not surprisingly) bubbles from the already legendary Ridgeway Fitzrovia, Sussex winery, but not (as far as I could see) the 2009 Blanc de Blanc as served at Windsor Castle earlier this year as part of the state visit of Irish president (and poet) Michael D. Higgins!

Maybe Twenty One Wines is not Berry Bros & Rudd nor indeed Hedonism Wines in Mayfair, but here’s logging a very smart new kid on the block!

Shaun Traynor

A word or two from Twenty One Wines

Twenty One Wines is a small, independent wine specialist. We stock a comprehensive list of interesting & quality wines from around the world, mainly from small independent producers.

Established in May 2012 by Tom & Philip, both of whom come from a winemaking & viticulture background. We hope to bring you some of the finest wines we can find, based on our years of experience pruning vines, making, tasting (and drinking) wine! We do not specialise in any particular genre, just as long as the wine in the bottle is honest and good! 

Glamour, heartbreak and the occasional murder - train journeys have long been the source of romance and drama in popular culture. And while travelling by rail no longer necessitates the appearance of Poirot, it can still be a wonderfully fulfilling way of moving around. This sense of adventure is increased tenfold with sleeper trains, and the beguiling prospect of going to bed in one place and waking up in another.

Forget endless queues and bland plane food; this experience is all about evening night caps, cosy bunker cabins and soaking in the scenery. Even the names of sleeper trains are enough to conjure up excitement and intrigue, whether it's the Red Arrow or the Caledonian Sleeper.

From the modern efficiency of the City Night Line from Copenhagen to Prague to the opulence of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, we round up the best, most inspiring sleeper train routes to suit all tastes and budgets. All aboard for journey of a lifetime.