If you’ve never heard of Naked Wines, let me give you a brief introduction. If you join Naked Wines, you become a Naked Angel (believe me I was very tempted to get a photo), and this means you join a massive community of wine lovers who have exclusive access to independent wine makers.

You’ve probably received some Naked Wines vouchers with your parcels before, they’ll help you out with your first purchase which is usually a box of the generic well-loved wines that Naked Wines supply to entice you into waiting long enough to become a member. There’s a queue you see, it makes it feel more exclusive but the fact that you’re 768,778th in the queue makes you feel like Naked Wines isn’t the best kept secret in the world.

Once you’re a member, you set up a direct debit of £20 a month that goes into your account. What’s great about Naked is that they let you withdraw this money back into your bank account at any given time, really easily, so if you decide you want your cash back it’s not difficult. However, it’s always best to leave it to build up a bit and when you get to around the £60 mark, make a big fat 20 bottle order.

Now, what astounds me the most about Naked Wines, other than their great online cellar, is their ability to deliver the wine the next day. The next day delivery is seriously impressive, and they’ll always leave your precious wines with a neighbour if you’re not in, to avoid that dreaded disappointment of having to re-schedule.

The cynic in me wonders how this is possible, when there are so many members and fairly small independent wine producers but I guess that’s why we’re Angels, because they’re wine Gods with powers we don’t understand.

The wines themselves have been an education for me into different grapes, countries, producers and such like. I’ve had a few favourites including Sacchetto Rose Brut & Sacchetto Prosecco, Le Petit Train Syrah by Katie Jones and Virgile Joly Plan de Dieu 2013. However, I have handed my wings back, although Naked Wines assure me I can have them back at any time, I think I’ve had my experience for now.

As much as I think everyone should give Naked a go, there are so many wines out there in supermarkets, wine shops, other people’s cellars, that it inevitably means Naked was distracting me from spreading my wings, as ironic as that sounds.

After all, one can only drink so much wine and this couldn’t be just a Naked Wines blog could it? So there you have it, use those vouchers and discover the online brilliance of ordering wines but don’t forget, there are so many more to discover.

A friend who is still a member (I think) brought over a bottle of Christian Patat’s Appassimento which I shared with the Fenn family over a Sunday roast, so here’s a review:

Christian Patat, Appassimento, 2014, Italy on Naked Wines for £9.99 if you’re an Angel, otherwise it’s £13.99

This wine is delicious, it has to be said. It’s chewy, fruity and paired with the beautifully rare roast beef exquisitely. As you pour, this wine is such a deep ruby red it’s almost brown in colour. If you like your wines complex, deep and big then you’ll love this.