We've all been there haven't we? Stuck in a Bank Holiday traffic jam for five hours and when we finally get home all we want to do is crack open a bottle of wine/beer/gin/whisky/vodka/cup of tea (delete as appropriate) and relax. Now, whilst not advocating glugging back a whole bottle of whisky to yourself just because the hoover has packed up, sometimes a glass of something wet is the only thing that brings a bit of perspective to stressful situations. So below is a light-hearted look at daily scenarios and what alcohol and non-alcohol-based drink could relieve the tension. Okay, let's start with being stuck in that traffic jam. It's not fun. At all. Crawling along at negative speed. Usually it's hot and stifling and the kids will almost certainly be playing up in the back seat. In such an instance a glass of refreshing cider is the order of the day when you finally arrive home. Try the Cidre de Normandie from Christian Drouin £5.95 A busy Saturday shopping with the kids - you know the drill - get them up in plenty of time. Spend an hour and a half longer than expected feeding and dressing them. And when you finally set off one of them has invariably forgotten Daisy the dolly so you have to go back. Now you are two hours late and finding a parking space not a million miles away from the shops is just a dream. The next five hours are a marriage of "I'm bored", "Johnny keeps pinching me" and "Mum/Dad/Mum/Dad/Mum/Dad/Mum/Dad€¦" Then there's the trip home, invariably at peak hour although you tried to leave well in advance but events conspired against you once more. Anyway, you finally make it home from what appears to have been a day to end days, what could possibly bring some sanity to proceedings? Well, it's easier than you think - a glass or three of Sauvignon Blanc. Perhaps French but something from New Zealand really hits the mark. Try the Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc for something truly special in this instance. You've just been offered a new job - well this one is easy. There's only one thing to do here and that's crack open a bottle of Champagne. It's the perfect celebratory beverage. Try the Deutz Brut Classic NV for a classy bit of fizz. It's three o'clock in the afternoon and you've been at the computer since 7am. What you need here is a strong cup of coffee and a piece of cake. That will perk you up no end and see you through the next few hours until that evening's dinner. I'd suggest any of our ground/bean coffees from Flaming Bean and have a slice or two of Simply Delicious Dark Rich Fruit Cake. You've invited your date over for dinner. It's early in the relationship so you're still interested in each other's conversations. You want to impress your date but not come across as showy or crass. You know that he/she loves steak so you've got a couple of fillets on the side and you need a glass of something to "calm the nerves" and also a wine to impress with the steak and make the meal an absolute success. Try a glass of Leitz Eins Zwei Dry Riesling to steady the nerves - it's dry so won't ruin your palate and it's only 12% alcohol so won't induce a pre-prandial headache. With the steak, there is only one wine to impress your date, especially if they know their wines and that is an Amarone. I would plump for Casa Benatti Amarone Elite for its richness and silky seductiveness. You work in a busy shop and it's Christmas time so every day is particularly mad busy. You are on your feet from 8am to 7pm and may have had a chance to grab a cup of coffee and a biscuit mid-afternoon to keep the blood sugar levels steady. But now you are home and your feet are talking to you. Dinner is in the oven and you have wine for that but you just need something wet to slake your thirst. There really is only one drink that will help here and that's a lovely cup of tea. Try the Kandula English Breakfast Tea Gems. So there you have it. A light hearted look at some scenarios where only a glass or a cup of something will suffice. Graham