Bubbles

The Daily Mail reveals that spending on booze at the BBC - at least spending via their preferred supplier, Majestic - has gone up to £24,700 for the most recent 12 months, from £20,148 the previous year. Within that, the spend on fizzy wine has gone up to £5,500, from £2,631. Spending on spirits rose from £235 to £1328 - with quite a quotient of Pimms. Maybe it's global warming.

From other FOIs, we can see the most popular sparkling brand was La Gioiosa Prosecco DOC,Treviso, which Majestic knocks out at £11.99 per bottle or £9.99 for six or more. Second place went to Prosecco Rivamonte, at £8.99, or £6.74 if you buy six. Champagne may be still off the menu, but there were bottles of Balfour 1530 Brut, an English sparkler from Hush Heath in Kent, at £25.99 for one, or £15.58 for bulk. It's "refined in structure, with a finely beaded mousse and pale pink highlights. Tightly structured, combining crisp apple and citrus fruit with nuances of pepper and thyme".  £1,108.30 went in that direction.