From Bennifer 2.0 to Wordle – the best pop culture obsessions that took over our feeds, bottled.
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The moment: That Harry Styles cover story in Better Homes & Gardens
As a drink: Cotswolds Dry Gin
If he didn’t already have it, Harry Styles won our collective heart this year. With his gender-bending Bowie-esq outfits, Jagger-moves, acting foray, cheeky demeanour, adulation of women (Lizzo, Shania Twain, his mum and sister), continual encouragement for his fans to be themselves and feel good about it, and the insanity that was the Don’t Worry Darling gossip, everyone (from tweens to mums in their 60s) wants an invite to Harry’s House. In a stroke of marketing genius (no doubt for that latter group of fans), Harry launched his 2022 album with a cover story in Better Homes & Gardens, shot at a picturesque English country farm home. The images delighted the masses. Wholesome, herbaceous, fresh and blooming, if bottled, it would obviously be Cotswolds Dry Gin. A super garden-y, floral English gin. Like Styles himself, it’s award-winning and top-rated.
As a drink: Xanadu Margaret River Chardonnay
Last year, we were charmed by cottage-core, but over this past year, we ditched the fitted peasant dresses and espadrilles because, frankly, grandmas do it better. And no, you don’t need to be middle-aged, divorced, a grandmother, a beach house owner or a Nancy Meyers character to adopt a coastal grandma aesthetic. All-linen outfits, expensive cheese from the fancy grocer, flowers from the farmer’s markets, self-dried oranges in tall glasses of icy tonic water and really, seriously good wine. Because the coastal grandma has decades of white wine experience and can tell you as much about the bottle as a top sommelier. She knows a killer chardonnay, and Xanadu Margaret River Chardonnay is it. A killer chardonnay for modern tastes, it’s well structured like Meryl Streep's high cheekbones, has a creamy mouthfeel and it's intensely fruity. Delicious.
The moment: Bennifer 2.0, AKA the Bennaisance
As a drink: Pals Cans
In 2002, J-Lo was from the block and Ben Affleck was dealing with the attention of being a tabloid favourite. Despite the adoration they clearly had for each other (see the 2003 Vanity Fair Oscar Party pics), and a serious engagement ring, the couple split. After 20 years, multiple kids, marriages, movies and albums, Ben and Jen got back together, had a whirlwind romance and finally got married. She shared it all on her blog, which is very 2002. Just like Ben and Jen, the premix category is doing a lot better these days. There’s so much more choice than just UDLs and Cruisers: Pals are cute cans with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives – just fresh flavours and top-notch spirits. Our pick at the moment is the Watermelon and Mint.
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As a drink: Philipponnat Champagne Royale Réserve Brut NV
Did we think the iconic awkward British documentarian Louis Theroux was going to deliver a tune we wouldn’t be able to stop singing or dancing to? No. But that’s the magic of social media, guys. The rap came from Louis's appearance on the web show Chicken Shop Date, and in May, the producers released the official audio. Then TikTok user Jess Qualter (now viewed over 7 million times) made a dance to the track that was replicated by everyone from Shakira to the cast of Riverdale. If the Jiggle Jiggle movement could be bottled, it would have to be a fancy Champagne because the money don’t jiggle, it folds. Philipponnat Champagne Royale Réserve Brut NV is proper Champagne – delicious, French, and ideal for celebrating. Phillipponat has been killing it for half a millennium (500 years of vignerons, winemakers and merchants) and was, in fact, favoured by another legendary Louis – King Louis XIV himself. It doesn’t get more baller than that.
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The moment: The Wordle craze
As a drink: Rainbird Cranberry Seltzer 8%
Wordle, The New York Times word puzzle that gives you six chances to guess a five-letter word, became an unlikely daily obsession for millions this year. It’s the simple things, right? Created by Brooklyn software engineer Josh Wardle for his partner, it skyrocketed to popularity after they decided to release it to the world for free. Some 90 players turned into 300,000, then two million just two weeks later. Theories spread about the best first word to use, and offshoots like Worldle (guess the country) and Heardle (guess the song) are still popping up. Honestly, there was a period there where we couldn’t get away from people sharing their Wordle streaks if we tried (and if we’re being honest, we were sharing our own, too). Another craze that took over our feeds in 2022? Seltzers. And Rainbird Cranberry Seltzer 8% has gained a following for being one of the most flavourful on the market. Balanced, bright and on the stronger side, it's a satisfying way to enjoy a sunny afternoon, maybe on a hammock, playing Wordle.
The moment: Rihanna's iconic pregnancy performance and fashion
As a drink: Nort Non Alcoholic Refreshing Ale
In 1991, Demi Moore made pregnancy feel sexy with an Annie Leibovitz-shot Vanity Fair cover that showed her naked, heavily pregnant, and hot. It made people see pregnancy, for the first time, as something that should be seen, not hidden. In 2022, Rihanna made pregnancy feel cool. Rihanna’s pregnancy styling wasn’t about compromising or ‘making do’; it was about fashion, maximalism and making the most of a new body shape. Luxury designer crop tops, belly chains, oversized coats and low-slung jeans adorned Riri’s growing bump – it was even captured by Annie Leibovitz again for Vogue. It was joyous and celebratory, and captivated the world. You know what else got cool in 2022? Zero%* alcohol bevs. Non-alcoholic* drinks flourished in all categories and varieties, proving they weren’t just alternatives, but opportunities. Nort Non Alcoholic Refreshing Ale is all about seizing the moment. More flavour, more freedom, more delicious golden, fruity ale for the drinking.
*contains not more than 0.5% ALC/VOL
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As a drink: Wolf Blass House of the Dragon Cabernet Shiraz
Three years after the humongously popular Game of Thrones TV series ended, the prequel (House of the Dragon) was released, filling the hole GoT left in our hearts and watercooler chat. Set centuries earlier than GoT, it follows the antics of dragon queen Daenerys Targaryen’s ancestors. The storyline and cinematography was as jaw-dropping, intense and satisfying as we’d hoped, but the juiciest bonus content came from the fresh batch of actors to stan. In a clip from HBO Max in October, House of the Dragon star and non-binary icon Emma D’Arcy, while being interviewed by co-star Olivia Cooke, declared their favourite drink: Negroni Sbagliato, “with prosecco in it”. It was the reveal that launched 1000 TikTok remixes. Partly because of how Emma seductively says it (and people really hope the actors' characters hook up at some point), partly because that drink sounds amazing. If the whole phenom was bottled, it would be the Wolf Blass House of the Dragon Cabernet Shiraz. No doubt. Elegant, velvety rich, and with a palate of plush berries, ripe plums and savoury spice. Served in a gold goblet. Obviously.
