I am mellowing towards non-alcoholic wines - it's a worrying trend
The good news is that I found two that I was happy to write about and that's two more than I found last year when I last tried this idea, so without further ado, here we go, folks.
Van Hunks (Image: free) Tread Softly, Everything Except Pinot Noir, Australia
A very classy wine and easily recognisable as a pinot with soft juicy berry fruits and a rounded finish. Without the alcohol, it's slightly sweeter than normal and lacks the normal earthiness of a traditional pinot but this is a very enjoyable wine.
wisebartender.co.uk £10.99
Van Hunks, South African, non-alcoholic Rose
Produced from Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a delight. Medium in style but otherwise as enjoyable as a good Provence rose when served chilled to the bone with its crushed strawberries and summer fruits.
Amazon and vanhunksdrinks.com £14
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Telegraph
16 hours ago
- Telegraph
Next James Bond odds: Brits are joint Bond betting favourites
A report in Variety has claimed that Amazon is looking to cast a young actor under the age of 30 as the new James Bond. This has had a dramatic impact on the next James Bond betting odds, shaking and stirring up the prices of the main contenders. Take a look below at the latest odds and read on for our expert analysis on which actor you should be betting on. Next James Bond odds Already a Paddy Power member? Check out more free bets from the best betting sites, reviewed by our experts. Odds courtesy of Paddy Power correct at the time of publication and subject to change. Who will be the next James Bond? There has long been speculation over who would follow Daniel Craig to be the next James Bond, even during the 15-year period in which the English actor was portraying the super spy. This has meant that many favourites have come and gone in the next Bond betting markets, with some, such as Idris Elba, growing too old to be realistically cast in the part. With Denis Villeneuve confirmed as the franchise's new director and a release targeted for 2028, we've taken a look at the current crop of contenders to play the cinematic icon. Harris Dickinson – 5/2 The Variety piece named the 29-year-old Dickinson as one of the three actors that Amazon has earmarked for the role, along with Jacob Elordi and Tom Holland. This has made Dickinson the new joint-favourite to land the part. The London-born actor has the dead-eyed intensity needed to portray a man with a licence to kill, yet the Babygirl star might be too busy playing John Lennon in the four-film Beatles biopic that is also expected to be released in 2028. Aaron Pierre – 5/2 Despite not being named in the Variety piece, Aaron Pierre's price to play Bond has remained stable and he shares joint-favourite status with Dickinson. Pierre's breakout role came in the Netflix action thriller Rebel Ridge, which was released last year. At 31, he is young enough to meet Amazon's requirements and perhaps has an edge over the other favourites in physicality needed for the role. Aaron Taylor-Johnson – 10/3 Before the Variety article sent the market into a spin, Aaron Taylor-Johnson was the favourite to become the next Bond. His odds have edged out a little, but the bookmakers believe that he is still in the frame. At 35 he's the oldest of our featured contenders, although historically that might be seen as the perfect age for the part. In recent years, Taylor-Johnson has increasingly been cast in action fare, highlighting his suitability. Jacob Elordi – 10/3 Of the three actors named in the Variety story, Jacon Elordi is the only non-British actor. He would not be the first Australian to be cast as Bond, with George Lazenby having replaced Sean Connery to star in On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969. Any doubts over Elordi's ability to convince as a Brit were dispensed with his role in Saltburn, in which he portrayed a member of the English aristocracy. Could be the one to watch. Tom Holland – 11/2 It was Tom Holland's name in the Variety piece that caused the most raised eyebrows. The 29-year-old is just 5ft 8in, with Daniel Craig having been the only Bond actor to have previously been less than 6ft tall at 5ft 10in. Holland's youthful looks and diminutive status made him the perfect pick to play the teenage Peter Parker in Marvel's Spider-Man series, but it is hard to imagine him convincing as Bond. All odds courtesy of Paddy Power. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Daily Mirror
18 hours ago
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James Bond expert's verdict on every new 007 candidate - there's a common theme
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One of the rumours flying about is that Amazon may set the next Bond film in the 1950s or 1960s. 'Is it the right choice to go young? Probably. You need a contrast to Daniel Craig, who by the end of his tenure in the role did look old and tired. He was 38 when he started in Casino Royale. So yes, go young, then this actor can stay in the role for the next 10 or 15 years.' Here, Robert reviews the 007 candidates, as well as giving his verdict on which past Bonds left him shaken, not stirred. Jacob Elordi, 28 'The first thing to say about Elordi is that he's Australian, but that isn't really an issue, after all, George Lazenby got the gig and other Aussies like Sam Worthington have been contenders. One won't expect him to arrive at some glamorous casino bar and ask for a pint of Fosters. READ MORE: James Bond role narrowed down to three actors - who all have one thing in common Elordi is notable for the 2023 film Saltburn, he's a very smooth ladies' man in that film, the girls are queuing up to get into bed with him. He's probably the sexiest of the three candidates and in my mind would be the best bet to fill Daniel Craig's shoes, because he's got the sex appeal. And if the rumours about setting Bond in the 1950s or 1960s are true, Elordi would look the best in that glossy 60s milieu. He would look more suited to that environment. He also has smouldering dark looks, and most of the actors who have played Bond have had dark looks. Remember the controversy when the blond Craig won the role?' Harris Dickinson, 29 'Craig will be a tough act to follow, but a completely fresh interpretation is required for a character that a lot of contemporary audiences think is probably a bit hackneyed now. And Dickinson is probably the most interesting of the three candidates. He is scheduled to play John Lennon in Sam Mendes' upcoming Beatles four-part biopic to open early in 2028. Mendes, of course, directed two of Daniel Craig's Bonds - Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015). Dickinson could be the outside bet to win the role. He was in a film called Triangle of Sadness and was excellent in that. He's also a director in his own right and directed a film called Urchin - telling the story of a homeless London drug addict trying to turn his life around - that played at this year's Cannes. So, he's multi-talented. He was also in the erotic thriller Babygirl, as a young man who has a torrid affair with an older woman, played by Nicole Kidman. He is a bit slight of build, like the other two candidates, and would need to bulk up if he's going to look effective in the action scenes.' Tom Holland, 29 'All three candidates have the potential to be sex symbols (think Daniel Craig coming out of the sea all buff in his blue swimming shorts), although it would be a bigger stretch with Tom Holland, because young people associate him with Spiderman - and Spiderman is a very innocent character in some aspects. Spiderman is pretty sexless, too, even though he has a girlfriend, whereas Bond has to exude sexuality, as well as danger. Holland also still retains very youthful looks. Bond must look a bit world-weary, like he's been round the block a few times - a problem when you are casting actors still in their twenties. Still, I think, any actor coming in to play the role must not hark back to any of the previous Bond actors. And, on the plus side, Holland can do action. Not just in the Spiderman movies - he did a movie called Uncharted with Mark Wahlberg and that was a big action movie and he handled himself well in the fight scenes.' Robert's verdict on past Bonds: Sean Connery 'Connery remains the standard by which all future Bonds will be judged. He is the touchstone. And the reason is very simple – he combined all the elements that make Bond who he is and why he's been so universally accepted. He has charisma, coolness, he looks great in a suit, he's dangerous, handles himself realistically in a fight, and has the right touch of sardonic humour.' George Lazenby 'Connery's immediate successor, Lazenby was really a diet version of the Scotsman. He wasn't able to stamp his own identity onto the role, because the producers wanted a Connery clone.' Roger Moore 'Moore was next and, being an experienced actor, was able to make his own mark. Clearly lacking the killer instinct of Connery's Bond, Moore focused on very different strengths - a sophisticated wit and gentlemanly charm. Connery knew the world of Bond was fantasy, but the trick for him was to make it as believable as possible. Moore took the opposite approach. He knew Bond was utterly ridiculous to start with and not to take the role too seriously. 'Bond has nothing to do with the real spying world,' he said. 'I mean, what sort of spy is recognised in every bar in town.'' Timothy Dalton 'Moore's successor, Dalton wanted to take out a lot of the OTT humour - he wasn't comfortable with that. He wanted a much more serious James Bond, which ultimately is what Daniel Craig did. Coming, as he did, from the theatre, Dalton genuinely respected the source material and studied the Fleming novels, expressing a desire to recapture the essence of the literary character. Here was a man who could get killed at any moment and that stress and danger was reflected in the way he lives. Unfortunately, this serious approach did not find favour and Dalton lasted just two films.' Pierce Brosnan Brosnan was, to some extent, a greatest hits package, employing the best elements from the two most successful previous incarnations - those of Connery and Moore. He brought great wit, style, and sophistication. His Bond was always cool under pressure. Daniel Craig Craig was very much his own man. There was nothing that harked back to any of the other Bond actors. He didn't fit the mould of the classic Bond persona. To prepare for the role, he not only had a personal trainer to bulk him up, but found inspiration in the words of Ian Fleming. One description caught his imagination, when Fleming described Bond as a, 'blunt instrument.' That simple description underpinned a lot of what Craig brought to his characterisation. He manages to exude not only danger and unpredictability and wit - but also, and this is a first, some vulnerability. Craig sought his own path and made his Bond utterly different to anything that came before.'
Metro
19 hours ago
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Love an audiobook? How to secure free Audible ahead of Amazon's Prime Day sale
Metro journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission – learn more We love a good book, don't get us wrong. But sometimes carrying a hardback is weighty business, and our Kindle still needs to be recharged right at the good bit of a book – not quite the cliffhanger we like. Now we know the same can happen with a phone or other smart device when listening to an audiobook, but it's generally more practical than a physical book, or the like. Plus, we get a better sense of the story, the characters, and we can listen hands-free when on the go – after all, there's nothing more frustrating than losing your page, or your stop on the underground. This Amazon Prime Day, Amazon is offering Prime members an incredible deal – three whole months of Audible Premium Plus absolutely free. Yes, you read that right. Whether you're already an audiobook fan or curious to see what all the fuss is about, this is the perfect chance to dive in without spending a penny. The discount is available to claim now until 11.45pm on July 31, 2025, so you don't have long to shop the deal. This limited-time offer gives you access to a treasure trove of audio content, including the bestsellers, exclusive podcasts, and Audible Originals, as well as any genre such as crime, fiction, comedy, self-development, and more. Each month, you will receive one credit to claim against any Audible title, including new releases, to keep, even if you cancel after the free three-month subscription. The audiobooks you listen to will become part of your permanent audiobook library so you can relisten time and time again, without spending a penny, or incurring additional costs. More Trending The deal is open to existing Prime members only. But, if you're not a member, you can sign up for a free 30-day Prime membership trial to claim the deal. It is important to note that after the free three-month Audible membership, it will automatically renew at the standard rate. However, if you got your fix in the three months and don't wish to continue your subscription at the full costs you can cancel at any time within the three months free of charge. Listen on your morning dog walk, your work commute, even when you're doing household chores or on holiday. For more T's&C's click here. What are you waiting for? The 24-hour countdown is on. Follow Metro across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Share your views in the comments below MORE: Amazon spring sale 2025 is coming – here's everything you need to know about the pending Prime Day MORE: Quick! This is your last chance to get 4 months of Disney+ for just £1.99 a month MORE: I'm a shopping writer and here's what I'm buying this week – from Berghaus to Skin Rocks
