School’s still out... so parents need a tipple

MAYBE it is because the weather has perked up, giving us a few more days of summer sun and blue skies. Or perhaps it’s because six weeks of school holidays are taking a toll on frazzled parents.

Whatever the reason, households across the country have been stretching out the holiday season with a few more glasses of wine than usual.

One grape in particular has seen its popularity more than double. Sales of pinot grigio have increased by 130 per cent in recent weeks at Marks & Spencer stores. And general wine sales have jumped by 20 per cent in the same period. The company says the rise in sales was partly due to the school holidays, as parents want to ‘enjoy what is left of the day’ with a bottle of wine.

An M&S spokesman said: ‘The longer evenings and good weather also mean more socialising, which goes hand in hand with a glass of wine.’

Pinot grigio – which originated from Burgundy, where it is known as pinot gris – is a dry but zesty white wine. It was called pinot grigio when it was cultivated in northeast Italy, according to the website Vinepair.