26th January
A BARREL FULL OF TROPHIES
Why Camel Valley have justifyable reason to celebrate
2009 was a good year for Bob & Sam Lindo of Camel Valley Vineyard - infact it was a great year for them. The father and son winemaking team have scooped some major trophies this last year - both in the UK and abroad. Camel Valley took the only Gold medal and went on to win the English Wine trophy in the 2009 International Wine Challenge - and Bob gained the added accolade as being celebrated as 'English winemaking legend' when the awards were publicly announced at the London International Wine & Spirits Trade Fair in May of last year. Further awards included the Waitrose Trophy for Best Rose Wine and the EWP Trophy in the national competition (The English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition, which is the only competition to only have MW's as judges), followed by the South West Vineyards Association Trophy for best Sparkling wine. To crown the year, Camel Valley won the very glamorous Trophy for Best International Traditional Method Sparkling wine in 'Bollicine Del Mondo' (news item below) in December.
... no pressure for 2010 then!
Bob (left) and Sam Lindo celebrate with their trophies
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18th January
UK VINEYARDS GUIDE 2010 NOW AVAILABLE
 Stephen Skelton MW has just released his latest, definitive and comprehensive guide to the industry: UK VINEYARDS GUIDE 2010, which is packed with detailed information and essential data.
Chapters include an in-depth history of the industry, from pre-Roman Britain to the present day, charting the progress from the birth of the modern commercial wine industry post-war, and more latterly the surge of growth in the last decade. Stephen also casts his eye into the crystal ball to look at the future of the industry and tackles the topical subject of the effects climate change on the UK’s viticulture.
Viticulture, vinification and grape varieties are also covered in detail. The definitive list of almost all vineyards in England, Wales, Ireland and the Channel Islands provides the most comprehensive record available – extensively researched and featuring useful information on each. Additional lists identifying the organic and biodynamic vineyards, vineyards of 4 hectares and above and a breakdown of vineyards by country and size are also included, along with chapters recording the competition successes over the years and useful contacts relevant to the industry.
This book provides an essential reference book to all aspects of UK wines and their producers.
The author, Stephen Skelton, is a Master of Wine, viticultural consultant and writer. He has advised, and continues to advise, many of today’s growers in the 35 years that he has been involved with grape growing and winemaking in the UK. This is the fourth guide that he's written.
The book is available only from: www.lulu.com Reference: 7848482 or www.englishwine.com - Price £22.95 + postage and packing.
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15th January
BIBENDUM TIMES ON HUSH HEATH
An excellent article on Hush Heath Estate, producers of award-winning rose sparkling wine, was featured in wine merchant Bibendum's on line magazine, Bibendum Times. The article covers in depth the quality behind the wine from the grapes to the packaging, and an interview with owner Richard Balfour-Lynn. It provides an insghtful look at one of England's top sparkling wine estates.
Packed with interesting stories from the world of wine, Bibendum-Times is a must-read for any wine enthusiast. |
13th January
RESTAURANT AT CHAPEL DOWN NOMINATED FOR AWARD
The finalists of the Kent Restaurant Awards 2009 in association with restaurant reservation and takeaway ordering website OrderOnlineNow.co.uk, has been announced. One of the finalists in the 'Best English' Restaurant category is Richard Phillips at Chapel Down. Located at the Chapel Down Winery, the highly respected chef Richard Phillips has created a successful restaurant boasting a highly imaginative menu in the surroundings of Tenterden vineyard.
Over 6500 members of the public nominated and voted for more than 300 establishments across the county. A panel of expert judges visited a shortlist of more than 70 venues, assessing the quality of the cooking, service and ambience, awarding additional marks for the use of local produce of sound provenance using sustainable farming practices.
“We are fortunate enough to live in one of the most affluent areas of the country, surrounded by some of the finest farm produce, wild game and seafood available, said OrderOnlineNow.co.uk founder Andrew Frisbee, who added, “The local restaurant scene has enjoyed a number of high profile openings this year, as existing venues continue to improve their performance.”
The 12 category winners will be unveiled on Thursday 28th January.
BARCLAY BROTHERS TO ESTABLISH VINEYARD ON SARK
News issued by decanter.com
Sirs David and Frederick Barcley, owners of the Daily Telegraph newspapers and the Ritz hotel in London, are to establish vineyarsd on the Island of Sark in the Channel Islands. They have recruited Bordeaux winemaker Alain Raynaud to oversee the operation.
5 hectares will be planted mainly with Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Gris, mainly for the production of still wine but some sparkling wine will also be produced. The wine will be sold mainly to tourists visiting the island.
Alain Raynaud is the owner of Chateau La Croix de Gay in Pomerol and consultant for a number of estates including Colgin in Napa.
'The Sark vines stand at an elevation of about 100m above sea level, and on the same latitude as the Loire. There is great potential here for developing quality white wines,' he comments.
Planting will take place in April this year.
The full story is available here from decanter.com
NYETIMBER AND CAMEL VALLEY RECEIVE THEIR TROPHIES
Following the announcement of the outstanding success of two English sparkling wines in the international sparkling wine competition “BOLLICINE DEL MONDO” in Italy in December (see news item below) it was time to celebrate with the gala dinner and trophy ceremony at the prestigious restaurant Bottega del Vino in Verona.
Brad Greatrix, winemaker at Nyetimber and Bob Lindo, owner of Camel Valley both attended the event, and were rewarded with very decorative trophies to mark their success.
Nyetimber Classic Cuvée 2003 beat all the contenders, gaining the highest marks and was crowned Champion, whilst Camel Valley's Pinot Noir Brut 2007 took the award for Best International Traditional Method in 2010'. Both wines beat the likes of Champagnes Canard Duchêne and Louis Roederer Millésime 2000 amongst other worthy worldwide contenders.
Brad Greatrix of Nyetimber receives the top trophy:
 Bob Lindo (centre, red tie) receives his award
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12th January
RED, WHITE & BRUT!
Wine Trail for Kent
Produced in Kent, the champion of Kent’s food and drink producers, has just uncorked an update of its wine trail, encouraging consumers to discover, experience and sample Kent’s award-winning vineyards and wines.
The free trail, which comes in a handy fold-out A5 colour brochure and is available online at www.producedinkent.co.uk (or from tourist information centres in Kent) tracks the history and heritage of Kent’s wine growing tradition. Wine trail users can ‘work up a thirst’ with a fabulous 4.7 mile walk, which starts at Camer Park, a 45 acre site of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with the walk passing through Meopham Valley vineyard en route. The trail also includes details of some of the best hotels, pubs and restaurants to enjoy Kentish wines, with information on retailers and visitor attractions in the region that stock the county’s wines.
A fascinating time line charts the rise of the wine making industry, from Roman times, through the Middle Ages, to the present day and there is an intriguing description of the wine making process covering Kent’s Red, White, Rosé and Sparkling wines.
Readers can find out about today’s successful and award-winning wine producers. Full details of Kent’s 14 commercial vineyards are included, with a cluster of six vineyards centred around the ‘micro-climate’ enjoyed in the Weald of Kent. Many of the vineyards offer fascinating vineyard tours and tastings, including Kent’s oldest family owned vineyard Biddenden Vineyards, established in 1969, and the largest producer of English wines The Chapel Down Winery (part of English Wines Group).
‘Red, White & Brut’ can be viewed or downloaded from www.producedinkent.co.uk
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11th January
CANNINGTON COLLEGE VINEYARD WINS NEW LEASE OF LIFE
Cannington College's vineyard in Somerset - once renowned for its heavy and early cropping - is to be restored to its former glory.
Bob and Jenni Beard, owners of a small vineyard nearby, have agreed to take over the care of the thousand or so vines - grapes will be bought by Yearlstone Vineyard, and the college's owners - Bridgwater College - will take a share either of the proceeds or of the resulting wine.
The deal follows three years of discussion between Cannington and Yearlstone to save the vineyard - and reverse Bridgwater College's original decision to grub the vines in 2006.
" We're really pleased that Cannington have agreed to keep the vineyard going and that Bob and Jenni (with two friends ) want to take it over. It's been heart-breaking to see such a great site with mature vines under threat, when most of us in the South West have to buy in grapes from all over England" said Yearlstone's Roger White.
Bridgwater College and Yearlstone have struck up a close relationship - with the college's French-exchange students paying
regular visits to Yearlstone to see round the vineyard and winery. Cannington is offering to join in the well-supported Devon Wine Week in the final week of May as a " guest " Somerset attraction.
The vineyard at Cannington includes Rondo, Regent, Seyval Blanc, Siegerrebe and Madeleine Angevine.
Further info: Roger White at Yearlstone
roger@yearlstone.co.uk
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6th January
2009 'A Vintage Year' for UK's vineyards
As 2010 begins, winemakers can celebrate a vintage end to the last decade, following one of the best harvests on record. More than a number of winemakers are even talking in superlatives: ‘Fantastic’; ‘wonderful quality year’ and ‘one of the best ever’ amongst them when describing the 2009 vintage.
 With a number of new vineyards also now coming in to full production, volumes are looking to be considerably higher than the last two years and likely to match (maybe even exceed) the record 2006 figures of over 3 million bottles.
Across the country the fruit quality was exceptional, with many of the highest sugars ever recorded along with good acids. Excellent fruit flavours in many of the aromatic varieties were reported, along with the traditional varieties – Chardonnay and the Pinots – which displayed potential alcohols of 11-13%. There will be many more unchaptalised wines produced this year than has been seen for some time.
The scene was set earlier in the year when little late frost was experienced, followed by a near perfect period of warm late spring and early summer weather, particularly over flowering (remember the memorably warm and almost all dry Wimbledon fortnight). A wet July replenished much needed moisture in to the ground. The growing season was however boosted by the prolonged warm autumn, giving rise to grapes of the highest quality..
Yields were variable in different regions, but the largest growth area, the South East, saw a bumper crop. East Anglia experienced a very dry growing season. Some parts of the south west suffered from late frost and damp late June/ July but bolstered by the long warm autumn which resulted in good, average yields.
 “The main pleasure was the cleanliness of the grapes,” comments one grower. Another added that they have “probably harvested some of the best quality grapes ever.” One winemaker stated that 2009 is “potentially one of the best vintages for wine quality of the decade.”
The UK therefore anticipates top quality wines from 2009, which are already displaying depth and character in tank. Many will have to wait, of course, for the sparkling wines from this year. 2009 has produced the highest volume of wine that will go on to secondary fermentation. As Michael Roberts of Ridgeview added: “All in all and fantastic year – a pretty wonderful build up for the London Olympics!"
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5th January
LLOYD JONES - PEMBOA VINEYARD, CORNWALL
It is with great regret that we announce the death of Lloyd Jones, who died on Christmas Eve. Lloyd and Janet Jones planted their vineyard at Mellangoose Mill, Pemboa near Helston at a time when vineyards were very few in Cornwall. In those early days it was usual to plant a couple of acres, set up a winery in an outbuilding and generally make your own way, and this is what they did. From the first he supported the South West Vineyards Association, coming 'up country' to committee meetings, representing Cornwall and stepping in to edit and publish the SWVA's journal, the Vine Post when there was a need.
Martin Cursham, Secretary of the SWVA commented: "He was one of the English wine pioneers and for that, and his friendly kindness, he will be long remembered and sadly missed."
Adds Bob Lindo of Cornwall's Camel Valley Vineyard, and Chairman of the UKVA: "Lloyd, together with Janet and Pemboa Vineyard, made a serious contribution to the Cornish wine fraternity and I’m very saddened by the news that Lloyd has passed away. Lloyd was cheerful, laid back, hard working, friendly, likeable, decent, gentle and kind. Lloyd spoke kindly of everybody and everything and we will all miss him in Cornwall and our thoughts are with Janet."
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4th January 2010
ENGLISH WINE SALE AT VINEYARDS OF BORDEAUX
Yes we know the name isn't quite synonymous with English wines, but this wine shop, based in Plymouth, has been waving the flag for English wines (as well as wines from ... well, Bordeaux) for a number of years.
However all good things come to an end, and the proprietor is moving on to pastures new in May. Until then, all remainng stock is available for sale at a 20% discount. English wines include those from Sharpham, Three Choirs, Old Walls and Pebblebed.
The shop is open from Monday to Saturday 10am till 2pm. Tel 07931 328908, or email curzy69@hotmail.com for further information.
Vineyards of Bordeaux
6 Frontfield Crescent
Southway
Plymouth PL6 6RY
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18th December
ENGLISH SPARKLING WINE SCOOPS TOP PRIZE IN INTERNATIONAL SPARKLING WINE COMPETITION
The ongoing success of English sparkling wines was further applauded with another outstanding win on the world stage.
Nyetimber Classic Cuvée 2003 was crowned Champion of Worldwide Sparkling Wines, taking the highest marks in the competition and the gold medal in “BOLLICINE DEL MONDO”, the competition organised and run by Italy’s wine magazine Euposia.
Camel Valley’s Pinot Noir Brut 2007 featured in the top 10, also winning the competition’s award for ‘Best Rest of the World’, toasting further success for England. These two English wines came ahead of Champagnes Canard Duchêne and Louis Roederer Millésime 2000, which featured amongst other Champagnes and sparkling wines in the top 10. Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs 2001 was also in the top 12 wines in the competition, out of a total of 52 entries.
Now in its second year, Bollicine del Mondo attracts sparkling wines from around the globe as a competition open only to traditional method, traditional varietal wines. Last year Camel Valley gained Silver in the competition, second only to Champagne Bollinger. The competition is sponsored by Banca Popolare di Verona (Banco Popolare Group is one of the biggest banks in Italy); the Italian wine trade Fair Vinitaly; the Italian Association of Sommeliers and Verona Confcommercio.
The wines were tasted blind by a panel of oenologists, winemakers, sommeliers and journalists led by Ais Veneto President, Mr Dino Marchi.
“This is an outstanding success for England and my congratulations go to Nyetimber for their win and to Camel Valley for another excellent result,” commented Beppe Giuliano, Director of Euposia. “We were so impressed with the wide variety of wine regions that were represented in this competition and the increased number of entries.”
Nyetimber’s success in this competition comes at the end of a busy year of awards, with their Classic Cuvée 2003 gaining medals in the International Wine Challenge, the International Wine & Spirit Competition and the English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition. Their Blanc de Blancs also won top medals in the competitions. Similarly, Camel Valley has enjoyed many outstanding achievements in competitions this year, showing that England once again is well and truly flying the flag on the world wine stage.
The top results in this year’s Bollicine del Mondo are:
1° Nyetimber, UK, “Classic Cuvée 2003”, points 634
2° Cesarini Sforza, ITA, Aquila Reale Riserva 2002, Trentodoc points 632
3° Champagne De Saint Gall, FRA, Brut Millésime 2002 points 628
Guido Berlucchi, ITA « Brut Storica 61 »
Champagne Baron Fuenté, FRA Brut Precieux points 625
Champagne Devaux FRA
Camel Valley, UK, Pinot Noir Brut 2007 from 624 to 616
Champagne Canard Duchene
Champagne Roederer, Millésime 2000
Simcic, Slovenia, Brut Cuvée
Cantina d’Isera, ITA, Riserva 2004, Trentodoc
Nyetimber, UK, Blanc de Blancs 2001
Champagne Grand Tour, s.a
Kuenstler, Germany, Riesling Sekt 2004
Fondazione Edmund Mach, ITA, Riserva del Fondatore 2004, Trentodoc
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17th December
LEVENTHORPE WINES CELEBRATE BBC SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
It’s proving a busy winter for Leventhorpe Vineyard.
Leventhorpe had the great honour of supplying its sparkling wine for the recent BBC 'Sports
Personality of the Year' Awards held at the Sheffield Arena on Sunday 13 December 2009.
Being produced near to where the event took place, the served to welcome guests and VIP's at the reception prior to the evening's events, where it was very well received.
Shortly afterwards, on local radio station BBC Radio Leeds on Monday, presenter Paul Carrington interviewed Oz Clarke who made positive comments about Leventhorpe’s wine and the future of wines in the UK in the light of the changing climate – those that watched Oz together with James May touring Britain saw them visiting George Bowden at Levethorpe on their travels.
George didn’t make it on to the radio show as he was busy serving customers! As Oz commented - Yorkshire has a great potential for growing more wine as the climate warms. East Riding has pretty much same soil as Chablis and Champagne.
Oz Clarke will be on our TV screens again soon in a new programme ‘Oz and Hugh Drink to Christmas’ when he and comedian Hugh Dennis taste their way through the best drinks enjoyed over the Festive season – Sunday 20th December at 9pm BBC2.
When asked what he will be enjoying this Christmas, Oz added that he will be having some English sparkling wine….. Happy Christmas Oz!
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16th December
OVERSEAS STUDENTS COME TO PLUMPTON TO STUDY WINEMAKING
It is not just budding English grape growers and winemakers that are flocking to Plumpton College to study viticulture and winemaking in their Wine Studies Centre, the only one of its kind in the UK. Plumpton is now attracting students from overseas, who are taking the opportunity to study cool climate viticulture.
 Mr Han Gunseob from Seoul, Korea is studying for a Foundation degree in Wine Production at Plumpton College, UK. Before joining the Wine Production course, Han was employed in the wine trade in Korea. He then studied at the Korea Wine Academy in Seoul.
Han said”, I was very interested in becoming a winemaker and my tutor recommended Plumpton College as the best place for me to study abroad. I am keen to become a successful winemaker so I am taking my studying very seriously. But I hope to spend some time relaxing with my friends here in the UK in the holiday time
Ms Dimple Athavia from Mumbai, India is enjoying discovering the Christmas tree tradition at Plumpton College, East Sussex, UK.
Dimple is studying towards a BSc (Hons) Degree in Viticulture and Oenology at Plumpton College, East Sussex. In India, Dimple studied at the Holy Writ International School, before completing her studies in science subjects at Elphinstone College, Maharashtra. Following wine and student research on the internet, she soon discovered that Plumpton College in the UK offered unique and successful training for careers in viticulture and oenology. After deciding that a career in the wine trade suited her scientific background of Chemistry, Botany and Microbiology Dimple left the heart of India to join the Plumpton College course. Dimple said”, I am keen to use my science to develop a career as a winemaker. I certainly want to practice in the UK wine industry before seeing what is out there overseas. So far, my academic studies have been excellent, matching with the practicals. I have just finished a wine sensory evaluation. I really like tractor driving which is an essential part of the wine production course. But I hope to relax and visit London to see the Christmas sights. ” Dimple hopes to be one of the few women winemakers in the world.
Further information on Plumpton's wine courses is available on www.plumpton.ac.uk
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14th December
JODY SCHECKTER UNVEILS WINERY PLANS AT LAVERSTOKE PARK
source: decanter.com
Formula One Champion Jody Scheckter has announced plans to open a winery on his estate, Laverstoke Park, in Hampshire. He is looking to produce his first biodynamic sparkling wine in 2012 , from his 10h vineyard planted with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
The intention is to build a complex including a main barrel-vaulted structure with a roof covered in vegetation.
Scheckter told Decanter, 'It's going to be a Champagne, but we can't call it that. I'm going to call it Schampagne. I'd also like to do a red sparkling – the purists would hate that, but reds are healthier than whites.'
The farm now awaits a planning decision from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.
Full story here |
10th November
LEADING WINE BLOGGERS SELECT NEW MENU AT TOP BRITISH RESTAURANT
Some of the country's leading food bloggers met today to take part in a ground-breaking experiment that sought to bring the online world to an offline setting.
 At a special lunch, co-hosted by Chapel Down English wines and Roast, a classical British restaurant in Borough Market, the writers of seven influential food blogs were tasked with selecting the dishes that will appear on a unique one-day only menu, to be offered for a special evening service on November 24th.
However, the 'Chapel Down at Roast' set menu will not be listed inside the restaurant. Instead, prospective diners will need to seek out the details of chef Lawrence Keogh’s three-course, four-wine menu via the blogosphere.
Such was his interest in the occasion that Roast’s owner, Iqbal Wahhab, a print journalist by training, attended the lunch in order to meet the writers responsible for changing the face of food journalism.
Frazer Thompson, MD of Chapel Down, explains: "Social media is becoming an increasingly important part of our lives, but we wanted to see what kind of impact it has on people's offline behaviour.
"The success of this menu will show us just how people's habits are changing, and hopefully bring great British food and English wine to a whole new audience."
To make a reservation at Roast, diners will need to call 0845 034 7300 and quote the unique menu code, shown on these sites:
http://www.thelondonword.com
http://www.spittoon.biz or @wine_scribbler on http://twitter.com
http://www.gourmet-chick.com/ or @msgourmetchick
http://www.intoxicatingprose.com/ or @foodguardian
http://eatlikeagirl.com/ or @eatlikeagirl
http://www.gastronomydomine.com/ or @liz_upton
http://winesleuth.wordpress.com/ or @thewinesleuth
Or, you can contact @chapeldownwines |
5th November
ENGLISH WINE CHRISTMAS GIFTS AT ARTISAN & VINE
Yes, it's that time of the year again... Christmas is approaching and inspiration for those presents is needed.
Look no further than the Artisan & Vine on line shop, which has just launched a range of gifts for any wine enthusiast. Being great supporters of English wines, they feature too, from a mixed case selection to a gift box, or why not treat someone with their English Sparkly and flutes box.
London based wine bar and shop Artisan & Vine have held a number of tastings of English wines and their English wines have proved a popular choice of their customers. Infact, there will be another English wine tasting on 25th November - see their website for further details.
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17th October
NYETIMBER WINS TROPHY FOR BEST WORLDWIDE SPARKLING WINE
 2009 is shaping up to be an unrivalled year for Nyetimber, Britain’s leading sparkling wine producer. In the midst of the largest and possibly highest quality harvest yet seen in its 21 year history, Nyetimber’s 1992 Blanc de Blancs has won this year’s International Wine & Spirit Competition Denbies Trophy for the Best Worldwide Sparkling Wine. This 1992 Blanc de Blancs was only disgorged earlier in 2009. In the words of the IWSC judges it is “an aristocratic, multifaceted and splendid fizz…simply sublime”.
While taking a break from bringing in the harvest amongst Nyetimber’s rolling vineyards overlooking the Sussex Downs, Eric Heerema, CEO of Nyetimber said “The whole team is as pleased as punch down here. To have been the only producer to win the Trophy on two past occasions was exceptional‘, he continued, ‘but to do so for a third time is of course unique’. ‘But that in itself means little – what makes me personally so very proud is that the years and years of quiet dedication and pioneering by our winemakers are now being recognised. We have always judged ourselves by international standards, now it seems others are doing so too. This is a further major step along our journey to make Sussex world famous for its sparkling wine.’
Recently disgorged earlier in 2009 by Winemaker Cherie Spriggs, this Blanc de Blancs has all the Nyetimber hallmarks of elegance and complexity. Cherie said, ‘What thrills me is that it is Nyetimber’s maiden vintage of 1992 that has scooped the prize. To achieve such greatness in a 17 year old library vintage requires flawless fruit at the outset. This is testimony to what I have always known, that Nyetimber is a remarkable place, with potential to rival the very best vineyards in Champagne or anywhere else where conditions favour world class sparkling wine production’.
Current Nyetimber vintages are available in the UK from independent wine merchants, Waitrose and many restaurants and hotels. 
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16th October
ARTICLE ON SUSSEX WINES
The autumn issue of Sussex Style magazine contains an informative feature on Sussex wines written by award-winning wine journalist Jane Parkinson. You can download the article (as a pdf document) here.
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9th October
MORE HARVEST NEWS FROM AROUND THE VINEYARDS
 Bolney Wine Estate (Sussex) has just completed its harvest. Winemaker Sam Linter commented: “We have a bumper harvest here, with some fantastic Indian Summer Weather. Ripening has exceeded our expectations. The red wines are now coming to the end of their fermentation and we are extremely excited by the quality & depth of flavour we are seeing so far.
Still whites and sparkling varieties have clean fruit and with the great ripening conditions that we've had, we are expecting one of our best vintages so far - if not the best, in a bumper year to boot! Yippee!! On a scale of 1 - 10............ if ten is absolutely perfect, we are easily at 9.”
Chapel Down (Kent) are stunned by some of the high quality in the grapes that are coming in. MD Frazer Thompson remarked on his Twitter page englishwines earlier today: “The fruit we are receiving is EXTRAORDINARY! High sugars, good acids and incredible length. This is truly a wonderful year...”
Biddenden Vineyards (Kent) report that their harvest so far has been ‘fantastic’ – lots of good clean fruit, yields coming in higher than normal and very high sugars. Winemaker Julian Barnes is “over the moon”
Jonty Daniels of Astley Vineyard (Worcestershire) is quietly pleased with how his harvest is going, with a higher volume than last year coming in. Based on the quality of the fruit that has already been picked and the sugar and acid levels in the fruit yet to be harvested, “it’s going to be a very exciting year”.
The harvesting has started at Nyetimber’s vineyards. “The figures for this year seem to change daily – basically upwards,” they report. “It’s hard to predict the yields from new vineyards and of course, we're picking from a few for the first time this year. We are expecting a lot more grapes this year! Our winery started a three week 24 hour shift program from Monday morning and we have 100's of pickers coming in every day.”
Ridgeview are starting their own harvest today and will continue on in to next week. We’ll post up progress reports as they come in.
Picture of the week:
Sam Lindo, winemaker at Camel Valley – treading the Rondo, putting his heart, body and soul into his job!
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8th October
HUSH HEATH IN DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARDS LINE UP IN SELFRIDGES
The trophy winner in this year's English Wine category of the Decanter World Wine Awards is appearing in a line up of winning wines being shown in Selfridges' Wonder Bar.
Decanter has teamed up with top London store Selfridges to show the line up of 45 Trophy winners from this year's competition over the next two weeks. Hush Heath Balfour Brut Rose from Kent will be amongst them.
The line up of wines will be served from the bar's Enomatic machines, which are operated by pre-paid cards and allow customers to pour samples of either 25ml or 50ml.
For the full story press here |
7th October
UP TO DATE ENGLISH WINE INFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES
 
If you are a Twitter follower, check out the various English wine Tweets for updates on how their harvests are going and general, fun information direct from the producers:
English Wine Producers: englishwine
Chapel Down Wines: chapeldownwines
Camel Valley: camelwinemaker
A’Becketts: abecketts
EWP is also looking for fans on Facebook. If you subscribe to Facebook, check out the EWP page (search for English Wine Producers) and get links to news items featuring English wine and general snippets of English wine information. |
5th October
HARVEST 2009: SNIPPETS OF HARVESTING NEWS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY
- Harvest is well underway at Leventhorpe Vineyard, one of the UK’s most northerly vineyards, and proving to be one of the “best ever” vintages, according to owner and winemaker George Bowden, who reports very high sugar levels in his two main varieties: Madeleine Angevine and Seyval Blanc. The Seyval will be picked in a week to 10 days’ time. The grapes are looking “fantastic”. The cooling nights are proving helpful in keeping the acid levels from falling and controlling fermentation in the winery.
- Harvest started at Three Choirs on 21st September. The quality in the early varieties (such as Siegerrebe) is very good. Sugars are extremely high, acids well balanced and yields healthy.
- Stanlake Park Wine Estate report a well above average volume, with high sugars and low acid. “Perfect!” reports proprietor Peter Dart. “This is similar to the levels we reached in 2006 which was a record. We will be producing double the volume wo what we did last year.”
- Camel Valley have picked some of their earlier ripening varieties, such as early Pinot, Reichensteiner and Rondo. “The grapes are fantastic this year,” comments Bob Lindo
- Grape harvesting at Plumpton College has begun using mainly first year students, many of whom have joined from a variety of other careers, IT, teaching, the wine trade etc. The students and staff will be picking by hand, then using the vineyard tractors to transport the crop to the on-site winery and wine science centre, where processing starts, using the latest facilities. Plumpton College hope to pick at various local vineyards, including those on site. It hopes to pick some 20 tonnes, producing a record 15,000 bottles. The Estate will have 7 types of wines produced form the harvest, red, sparkling, whites and rose.
- … and from England’s now most northerly commercial vineyard, Ryedale, who have now picked their early varieties, Solaris and Rondo. Both varieties have hit high sugar readings with lovely clean fruit. “Not bad for the frozen north! “ comments vineyard owner Stuart Smith. This is their second vintage, the vineyard having been planted in 2006.
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2nd October
ARTISAN & VINE SHOW ENGLISH WINES ON TOP FORM
London-based wine bar and shop, artisan&vine, yesterday held a blind tasting, with the theme England vs Italy.
artisan&vine founder and owner Kathryn O'Mara reported the resuts: "As my customers know, I’m an English wine fan, but my money was secretly on Italy… especially when my beloved COS Nero d’Avola was showing. I was wrong. The tasters were near unanimous: England won on sparkling, white & red!!"
The winning English wines included Camel Valley Cornwall Brut, Three Choirs Coleridge Hill and Bolney Wine Estate Pinot Noir.
artisan&vine are holding an England Vs The Rest Of the World sparkling wine challenge on 7th October, featuring Nyetimber, Ridgeview and Camel Valley against wines from Italy, Champagne and Austria. Tickets are
£18 in advance or £22 on the night. Price includes tasting of 6 wines. For further information contact artisan&vine direct.
artisan&vine are based in Clapham, and are dedicated to promoting and selling natural and local wines. Their portfolio of English wines continues to grow, currently stocking wines from 8 different vineyards from across England.
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8th September
WEDDING BELLS FOR CAMEL VALLEY'S WINEMAKER
Glasses of Camel Valley wine were raised last Saturday, but this time not over another wine competition win, but to celebrate the wedding of winemaker Sam Lindo.
Sam married Kathryn Richards at St Breoke Church, Wadebridge in Cornwall, not far from the vineyard. Proud father and now father-in-law Bob Lindo, along with his wife Annie, welcomed Kathryn in to the family, toasting her of course with some Camel Valley wine. "We're thrilled for Sam and Kathryn - it was a wonderful day. And it's lovely to have another team member at Camel Valley!"
Whilst Sam and Kathryn are off on honeymoon - there is just enough time before the harvest - Bob is holding the fort and keeping the Camel Valley Winemaker Twitter feeds updated - you can read them on twitter.com/camelwinemaker
Mr and Mrs Sam Lindo - with a glass of Camel Valley of course!
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7th September
INTRODUCING WISTON ESTATE WINERY
Wiston Estate Winery, based in West Sussex, has just launched their website - www.wistonestate.com.
The website introduces the people behind the venture, the vineyard, which was planted in 2006 with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the innovative new winery and the contract winemaking services it offers.
Wiston Estate Winery, owned by Harry and Pip Goring, is regarded as one of the most exciting new sparkling wine enterprises in the UK today. The winery was established in 2008 exclusively for the production of traditional method English sparkling wines, principally to offer contract winemaking services to external vineyards but also to create sparkling wines from Wiston Estate’s home vineyard Findon Park Vineyard.
The winery boasts a design unique to the UK. The press room is located on the first floor which enables juice from the traditional Coquard basket press to flow by gravity to the tank hall at ground level. The Coquard press is designed and built in Champagne, and the one housed at Wiston is one of only four of its kind found outside of France. In addition to an extensive range of temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks the winery features a barrel room, insulated lees-aging cellar and automatic riddling & disgorging equipment.
The winemaker, Dermot Sugrue, has worked in Bordeaux and Champagne as well as in the UK where he was winemaker at Nyetimber until 2006. The first vintage at Wiston was 2008, with wines made under contract for several vineyards including Meopham Valley in Kent and Jenkyn Place in Hampshire. The winery's capacity has increased significantly for 2009 in order to make sparkling wines for a further 6 vineyards from throughout the south of England.
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6th September
SOUTH WEST VINEYARDS ASSOCIATION WINE COMPETITION RESULTS
The results from this year's South West Vineyards Association wine competition have just been announced. An impressive line up of judges tasted 97 wines from across the South West region, which stretches from Cornwall up to Herefordshire and Wales. 75 wines gained an award, with Astley Vineyard winning the coveted South West Wine of the Year for their 2008 Late Harvest.
The judges were: Jamie Goode, Margaret Harvey MW, Richard Bampfield MW, Alastair Peebles MW, John Avery MW, and Anthony Manifold. The judging took place on Friday 5th September at Kenton Vineyard.
The full set of results is available here.
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4th September
RESULTS FROM MERCIAN VINEYARDS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL COMPETITION - NEW YORKSHIRE WINE SCOOPS TROPHY
A wide range of winners were celebrated in the Mercian Vineyards Association annual wine competition, which took place on 22nd August at Eglantine Vineyard in Nottinghamshire. The judging team was led by David Bird MW. First time entrants Ryedale Vineyards, now the UK's most northerly commercial vineyard won the trophy for best Dry White wine. Notable winners also included Wroxeter Roman Vineyard, who scooped three trophies and Astley Vineyards, who won two trophies in the Medium Dry and Medium Sweet/Sweet category. The overall winner, awarded Mercian Wine of the Year was Halfpenny Green Vineyard for their 2006 Sparkling Rose.
The full set of results are available here. |
3rd September
CHAPEL DOWN'S FRAZER THOMPSON LISTED IN COUNTRY LIFE'S TOP 100 INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE
 Chapel Down's Managing Director, Frazer Thompson, is one of the 100 Most Influential People in the Countryside. The list, compiled by Country Life and published in this week's edition (2nd September), reveals the top 100 people whose decisions affect the countryside, either through political power, through control of funds or membership, or influence by example.
Frazer's listing is Champion of English Wine. The list spans all walks of life that have bearing on the countryside in the UK, with HM The Queen in No1 position. Sir David Attenborough (no 78), Lembit Opik MP (46) to Griff Rhys Jones (97) and Michael Eavis - Glastonbury founder (77) are but a few that are named. Others on the list rage from battery hen protector, to artists, chefs, campaigners and estate owners.
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2nd September
JAMES MAY'S LEGO HOUSE AT DENBIES NEAR COMPLETION
The full size house of Lego, being built at Denbies Wine Estate is near completion. James May, who is overseeing its construction for his forthcoming series on TV - Toy Stories - will stay in the house when it is completed.
The colourful house, made up of 3½ million small Lego bricks has taken just over 2 weeks to build, and will contain a working shower, toiilet and kitchen all made out of Lego.
Pictures on the building project can be found on
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1210206/James-May-set-live-Lego-house.html or follow the progress on the Denbies Blog. |
1st September
WAITROSE WORLD OF WINE FESTIVAL FEATURES ENGLISH WINE
Keen to encourage wine lovers to be more adventurous, Waitrose is taking customers on a round the world adventure with its first ever World of Wine Showcase from 2nd September to 27th September.
Creating a World Fair of wine, the wine team at Waitrose has chosen special parcels from the world’s wine-making regions to encourage wine lovers to explore some of the more interesting grape varieties to lesser-known wines, and offering all these wines at special prices for the duration of the Festival.
Representing the UK is Chapel Down's sparkling Brut NV, made from a blend of Rivaner, Reichensteiner and Pinot Noir grapes, and reduced from £16.99 to £12.99.
Further information on Waitrose's World of Wine Festival is on their website http://www.waitrose.com/autumn/worldofwineshowcase.aspx - where you'll see that Chapel Down is at the top of the list.
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21st August
COMING SOON: THE GLYNDE FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL FEATURING THE ENGLISH WINE FESTIVAL
Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th September
The 35th English WIne Festival will be taking place in September. Now incorporated in to the Glynde Food & Drink Festival, the weekend of celebration of delicious regional food and drink is not one to be missed.
To help you fully enjoy your late summer feasting there is a host of the finest food producers and vintners in the Sussex and the South East on show that will tantalise the tastebuds..
Visit the Food & Drink marquee to discover the many and varied producers on your doorstep. The English Wine Festival is now the longest running wine festival in the country, and will boast a number of top English vineyards offering tastings and sales of their wines.
The Food Terrace is the perfect place to sit down, listen to live music, and enjoy some freshly prepared dishes with your glass of wine. Hot food from Sussex's best producers and cream teas are served with panoramic views of the Weald, from one of the region's most delightful estates.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at £8.00 per ticket (free glass included and concessions available), or £10 on the day. The Festival is open both days 10.30am-5.00pm. Full visitor information is on the Festival Website.
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19th August
LIFE SIZE LEGO HOUSE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT DENBIES WINE ESTATE
A colourful house built entirely of Lego is under construction in the vineyard of Debies Wine Estate. The first Lego brick was laid by TV's James May on Monday afternoon signalling the start of the life size Lego build.
The house, the first of its kind, is being built in the heart of the Surrey countryside at Denbies Wine Estate. It is being constructed entirely from over 3 ½ million small Lego bricks of assorted colours, the house will feature a fully operational toilet, shower and kitchen ALL made out of Lego. May has vowed to live for a few days in the life-sized house once it has been completed.
Volunteers have been busy behind the scenes building all of the component parts of the house. Visitors to Denbies are able to view the progress of the build in the vineyard over this week. It is anticipated that the multicoloured house will also be visible from Dorking town.
The house should be completed by the beginning of next week.
The Lego house will be featured in the BBC 2 James May’s Toy Stories series scheduled to go out on BBC2 in the Autumn and also includes a DVD & book set.
Denbies Wine Estate is located in Dorking, Surrey and open to the public daily.
Follow its progress on the Denbies blog.
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31st July
NEW SPARKLING WINE VINEYARD PLANTED IN DORSET
A new 25 acre vineyard has been planted near Dorchester in Dorset, with the intention of producing sparkling wine.
Farmer Justin Langham has planted 33,000 vines, comprising Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier on his land which boasts a chalk soil, ideal for growing these varieties.
The story has been covered in the Mail New online today:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1203279/Grape-expectations---farmer-hopes-warm-Dorset-bubbly.html;jsessionid=CC164F5FF761A7847F60AC3533248D50 |
27th July
ENGLISH WINE TOURISM FEATURE IN SQUARE MEAL
 The latest Square Meal Magazine features an extensive article by wine writer Susanna Forbes covering a number of vineyards across the country that are open to the public, offering a range of attractions for wine enthusiasts and visitors. The article is also published on their website.
You can subscribe to Squaremeal.co.uk for the latest reviews and listings of restaurants and venues, as well as insightful articles on wines and other drinks by leading wine writers.
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17th July
NEW ROOM OPEN AT JABAJAK RESTAURANT AND VINEYARD
Jabajak Vineyard and Restaurant has recently opened their Grain Store Suite to compliment their other 5 rooms. Featuring solid carved furnishings, leather sofas, underfloor heating and a huge 42" plasma screen with DVD, and accessed directly from the outside this suite really gives an atmosphere of seclusion in style.
 Work continues in their vineyard, now in its third year. There was good flower set on Rondo, Pinot Noir and Seyval Blanc and owners Julian and Amanda Stuart-Robson are looking forward to some fruit this year, although probably not enough for a 2 ton pressing there should be enough for their restaurant chefs to create some chutneys with the other surplus vegetables
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16th July
ROYAL APPROVAL FOR BALFOUR BRUT ROSE
HRH Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall last week celebrated Marks & Spencer's 125th Anniversary with a visit to one of their newest stores at Westfield Shopping Centre in West London Marks and Spencer.
The royal couple was treated to a wine tasting session which included Balfour Brut Rosé 2005 Vintage, the English Wine Trophy winner in this year's Decanter World Wine Awards, which is stocked by selected Marks and Spencer stores.
L-R: HRH Duchess of Cornwall, Sir Stuart Rose, HRH Prince Charles, Sue Daniels (M&S Wine Buyer). Balfour Brut and glasses are on the right!
Marks and Spencer now stocks several English wines, including their own label sparkling and still white and rosé wines.
Following its successful run in a number of outlets, including Searcy's Champagne Bar at Westfield and St Pancras station stocks of the 2005 vintage are running out. Fear not - the 2006 vintage will be released at the end of July.
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15th July
TOAST YORKSHIRE DAY CELEBRATIONS WITH YORKSHIRE'S OWN WINES
 Yorkshire Day is celebrated on 1st August each year, and Yorkshire's wines will be included in some of the celebrations.
Ryedale Vineyards new wines are being served at a lunchtime reception on the North York Moors Railway. Several other hotels/visitor attractions have bought Ryedale's rosé for use on and around Yorkshire Day.
Leventhorpe Vineyard wines will be served in local hotels, restaurants and pubs in and around North Yorkshire and Leeds - look out for them! For further information please contact Leventhorpe direct on 0113 288 9088. Leventhorpe was recently privileged to have its wines selected for the Mayor Making Ceremony at Kirklees Council in Huddersfield. Leventhorpe Sparkling was used for toasting the first Green Party Lord Mayor in England on 20th May, and both Leventhorpe Seyval 2006 and Madeleine Angevine 2005 accompanied the evening's banquet to celebrate the installing of Councillor Julie Stewart-Turner as Lord Mayor.
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14th July
ENJOY CHAPEL DOWN WINES IN SUMMER HAMPERS FROM FORMAN & FIELD
Recently reported on the new look lovefoodlovedrink website, Forman & Field have produced some delicious picnic hampers for the summer, containing freshly prepared speciality British food, thoughtfully matched with wine and beer from Chapel Down. To add to the treat, cutlery and plates and other necessilites are also included. Prices start from £42.50 for a two person picnic. More information is availalable from www.formanandfield.com.
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7th July
ENGLISH WINE GUIDE ON BOOK AWARDS SHORTLIST
One of the recent books on English & Welsh wines has been shortlisted in a major wine writing competition.
A Guide to the Wines of England & Wales has been nominated in the 2009 Louis Roederer International Wine Writers’ Awards. The book was written by David Moore, Philip Williamson and Neville Bletch, co-authors of the Wine Behind the Label book, itself previous a previous award winner in this competition.
 This guide is a new venture by the Wine Behind the Label team who are producing guides to different wine regions. A Guide to the Wines of England & Wales was published at the end of last year and is an ideal companion for the wine enthusiast, with detailed information on vineyards, tasting notes on wines and a profile of the winemakers. Other sections cover background information, from grape varieties to winemaking and a piece on the implications of climate change on viticulture in the UK. The book is available through all good bookshops and on line retailers. Futher information on A Guide to the Wines of England & Wales is availalble on the Wine Behind the Label website.
The Guide is in the shortlist for the Louis Roederer Award for International Wine Book 2009. The results will be announced at the awards ceremony on 7th September.
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26th June
2009 ENGLISH & WELSH WINE OF THE YEAR AWARDS ANNOUNCED
Sparkling wines have once again triumphed at the annual national competition for the UK wine industry. The English & Welsh Wine of the Year Awards were judged on Monday and Tuesday this week (22nd and 23rd June) by a team of 8 Masters of Wine.
Seven of the 11 gold medals awarded were won by sparkling wines. The UK’s cool climate aromatic whites also proved their unique and appealing quality, in both dry and off dry styles, with 2 single varietal Ortega wines gaining gold medals and two trophies and a Siegerrebe also striking gold. Organic wine success was boosted with a gold medal awarded to a sparkling wine from Davenport Vineyards.
Trophies were awarded to a spread of small, medium and large producers. Camel Valley continued its successful run of awards by winning two trophies this year: the EWP Trophy for their Bacchus 2007 and Waitrose Rosé Trophy for their still Rosé 2008. Chapel Down won the Wine Guild Trophy (for largest production excluding 2008 vintage) for their off dry white Cinque Port 2006, and Sharpham Vineyard Barrel Fermented 2007 won the McNie Trophy for Best Oaked White. Three Choirs secured a double winner for their Siegerrebe 2007, with the trophy for Best Single Varietal and Best Small Production trophy. This is the second successive year and vintage that they have won the single varietal trophy for their Siegerrebe. A surprise winner is first time and new entry Mount Vineyard, which scooped the Bernard Theobald Trophy (Best Red Wine) for their varietal blend Recession Red NV.
The star of the show this year is Ridgeview Wine Estate, which scooped 3 of the 11 gold medals along with a silver and bronze and two trophies, including the coveted Gore-Browne Trophy (the Wine of the Year Award) and the Vintner’s Trophy for Best Sparkling Wine, both awarded to their Knightsbridge 2006, a Pinot Noir/Pinot Meunier blend. To add to the accolades, Michael Roberts, proprietor and winemaker at Ridgeview Wine Estate, is the 2009 Winemaker of the Year.
“I am thrilled to receive this amazing number of awards and the prestige of Winemaker of the Year,” commented Michael Roberts. “Ridgeview is very much a family–run and –driven business, and the winemaking is shared with my son Simon and the rest of the winemaking team, so these awards are as much testament to their constant hard work and dedication.”
Greatly encouraging is the number of new vineyard entries this year. Seven vineyards from Kent to Yorkshire entered their wines for the first time. All of them gained an award, which reflects the commitment to quality of these new producers.
Equally pleasing are the awards won by the long-established vineyards proving their continued achievement of quality. Biddenden Vineyard was awarded two trophies for their Ortega 2008 – the first time in over 20 years to receive such awards – and fittingly in this their 40th year.
An important aspect of successful wine marketing lies with the finished and packaged product, which is recognised by the Montagu Trophy. This year’s winner is Worcestershire’s Astley Domain J2 Veritas 2007 whose packaging includes a label bearing a pencil drawing by Fred Daniels (father of proprietor Jonty Daniels) and a muted bronze capsule. The judges felt that this packaging perfectly reflects the delicacy of English and Welsh wines.
This year’s competition was organised and hosted by the Wessex Vineyards Association and took place at the historic Town Hall in Shaftesbury. The all MW team of judges was chaired by Patricia Stefanowicz MW and comprised Julian Brind MW, Anthony Foster MW, Maggie McNie MW, Alastair Peebles MW, Stephen Skelton MW, David Bird MW and Susan McCraith MW. “This annual UK vineyards competition highlights the quality and range of styles that England and Wales produce,” comments Patricia Stefanowicz MW. “We were impressed with the high standard in this year’s competition.”
READ THE FULL RESULTS HERE
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19th June
CAMEL VALLEY SCOOPS INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE TROPHY FOR ENGLISH WINE
One of the world’s most prestigious and influential independent wine competitions, the International Wine Challenge (IWC), today unveiled the results of the 2009 Trophy and Great Value Wine Awards. The International Wine Challenge announced that 122 wines have been elevated from gold medal to trophy status.
For the third year in a row, an English wine has achieved Trophy status. The Camel Valley Bacchus 2007 was England’s hero for 2009, winning the English Trophy. Camel Valley's Bacchus was the first still wine in over 15 years to win a Gold medal for England in this competition.
France came top of the country board, with 21 wines being awarded a Trophy, followed by Australia (15) in second and Italy (12) equal third. A record eight wines from Chile were promoted to Trophy status.
To review the winners please head to www.internationalwinechallenge.com/trophies.aspx.
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18th June
NATIONAL COMPETITION TAKES PLACE NEXT WEEK - AND YOUR CHANCE TO TASTE THE COMPETITION WINES
The English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition takes place next Monday & Tuesday, 22nd & 23rd June, with wines from all sectors of the English & Welsh wine industry pitching against each other to win an award or trophy.
The competition’s high standards are led by the judging panel – it is the only competition in the world to only ever comprise Masters of Wine as judges. This year there will be a record 8 judges, led by Patricia Stefanowicz MW. Patricia is an architect-engineer/winery design consultant in Europe and lecturer in contemporary issues and sensory evaluation at Plumpton College and Wine and Spirit Education Trust.
She is joined by:
Maggie McNie MW - Champagne and sparkling wine expert, author, lecturer and operatic singer, UK and internationally;
Susan McCraith MW - Marketing and Business expert, principal lecturer in the Wine MBA programme at Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester;
Alistair Peebles MW - Film producer, graphic designer and Director of The Devon Wine School;
David Bird MW - Chemist, Quality Assurance and Quality Control specialist, UK and world-wide;
Julian Brind MW - Former Director of, and currently consultant to, Beers, Wines and Spirits division, Waitrose supermarkets
Stephen Skelton MW - Viticulturist, wine-production consultant and author
Anthony Foster MW - Bonhote Foster, importer and distributor, East Anglia
“We’ve got a highly experienced and dynamic team of judges this year,” comments Patricia. “With the standard of English and Welsh wines increasing year upon year, we are in for a busy couple of days. We judge these wines to international standards – they have to earn their marks.”
A medals and trophies will be decided by a rigorous tasting procedure over two days that would stand comparison with any similar competition in the world of wine. The highest accolade - the Gore-Browne Trophy (‘Wine of the Year’) – will be selected from the final line up of trophy winners. In addition the Winemaker of the Year award is also announced.
Just over 180 wines have been entered this year, and include commercial producers as well as small vineyards and a number of new vineyards on the scene will be entering their wines for the first time.
The competition takes place in different parts of the country each year. This year the Wessex Vineyards Association, which represents the 50 vineyards of Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and the Isle of Wight, have organised the competition, which takes place in Shaftesbury Town Hall.
Responding to the high level of interest in English & Welsh wines, the Wessex Vineyards Association is organising a Wessex wines tasting on Monday 22nd in the Town Hall, and an open wine tasting of competition wines on Tuesday 23rd between 2-6pm.
The results will be announced on this site on Friday 26th June.
Anyone interested in attending the tasting after the judging is very welcome:
Monday 22nd June: 5-7pm, tastings of a number of Wessex vineyard wines, along with local cheeses, in Shaftesbury Town Hall.
Tuesday 23rd June : 2-6pm, tasting of competition wines, St Peter’s Hall (behind the Town Hall, at the top of Gold Hill).
For more information, please contact Roger Marchbank, Wessex Vineyards Association, email: roger.marchbank@btinternet.com
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17th June
SKY NEWS LIVE INTERVIEW AT PLUMPTON TOMORROW
Tomorrow morning from 11.30am onwards, Sky News will be filming live at Plumpton College. The feature will include an interview Chris Foss, Head of Wine Studies at Plumpton College.
This interview is part of their climate change projections feature, and with the ever growing interest in the development and growth of the UK wine industry, Plumpton plays a key educational role in viticulture and winemaking as well as research.
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16th June
CHANNEL FIVE'S BUILD A NEW LIFE IN THE COUNTRY FEATURES ENGLISH VINEYARD
Last night's programme on Five - Build a New LIfe in The Country - followed Becky and Ian Sheveling who set up a vineyard in Yorkshire and rebuild a farmhouse. The vineyard is now planted (7000 vines later) and Holmfirth Vineyard is born.
If you missed the episode, it will be repeated tomorrow night on Fiver at 8.00pm
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12th June
HIGHEST UK VINEYARD AREA EVER RECORDED
DEFRA has recently released the latest UK production and vineyard figures, which show that the year on year growth in planting is continuing. The figures, collected after the 2008 harvest, show 1,106 hectares now under vine in the UK, the highest ever recorded in the UK, giving a growth of over 45% in the last four years.
Vineyards are also showing a year on year increase in number since 2002, with 416 vineyards recorded.
 The figures are collated by the Wine Standards Branch of the Food Standards Agency, which holds the Vineyard Register and from which the data is collected. All vineyards must be listed on the register when they come in to production. However, vineyards which are planted but not yet in production are not all registered, which indicates that in reality the acreage planted is higher than that officially recorded.
“My own estimate is that the planted area in 2008 was nearer 1,250 ha,” comments Stephen Skelton MW, author of the UK Vineyards Guide, which includes extensive figures from the industry going back 3 decades. “At least 100 ha of vines were planted in 2009, bringing the grand total, as of the end of May 2009, to around 1,350 ha.”
Perhaps more revealing is the evaluation of varietal plantings, compiled by Stephen Skelton, which shows a marked increase in traditional varieties, with Pinot Noir accounting for 19% of total hectarage (with 250 ha) and Chardonnay at 17% (225 ha). Pinot Meunier accounts fo r 5% of plantings. These varietals are planted primarily for sparkling wines and reflect the ongoing increase in this style of production. Bacchus comes in third with 10%of total planting, illustrating the trend for this aromatic varietal and its use in still white wine production. “The “top 10” of plantings shows that sparkling varieties (I have included all Pinot Noir as sparkling) at 540 ha account for 40% of all UK plantings and have risen significantly over the 6 years since the hot summer of 2003 from 85 ha,” adds Stephen. Stephen Skelton MW
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11th June
PLUMPTON COLLEGE ANNOUNCES PART TIME WINE STUDIES COURSES 2009/2010
Plumpton College have confirmed their part time courses in wine for the next year. This is in addition to their full time degree courses in viticulture and winemaking, as well as offering the Wine & Spirit Education Trust courses and exams in general wine knowledge and appreciation. Full details on these courses, as well as further information the part time courses below are available from the Plumpton Wine Studies Department.
29th June - 1st July 2009 exam 2nd |
WSET Intermediate |
Monday |
4 days |
6th - 10th July 2009 |
WSET Advanced Intensive |
Monday |
5 days |
1st - 4th September 2009 |
Practical Wine Analysis |
Monday |
5 days |
7th - 11th September 2009 |
Intensive Principles of Vinegrowing |
Monday |
5 days |
7th September 2009 |
Principles of Winemaking |
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7 days |
14th - 18th September 2009 |
Intensive Principles of Winegrowing |
Monday |
5 days |
25th September 2009 |
Safe Winery Practice |
Friday |
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2nd October 2009 |
WSET Advanced Certificate in Wines & Spirits |
Friday |
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12th October 2009 |
Intensive Wine Workshops: Autumn |
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9th November 2009 |
Principles of Vinegrowing |
Monday |
7 days |
1st February 2010 |
Vineyard Practical Skills |
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29th - 31st March 2010 |
WSET Intermediate Certificate in Wines & Spirits |
Monday |
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7th June 2010 |
Intensive Wine Workshop: Summer |
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28th - 30th June 2010 |
WSET Intermediate Certificate in Wines & Spirits |
Monday |
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5th - 9th July 2010 |
WSET Advanced Certificate in Wines & Spirits |
Monday |
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The Wine Studies Centre at Plumpton is the only one of its kind in the UK. Most of the UK's winemakers and grape growers have studied at Plumpton. Additionally a number of students from Plumpton have gone on to careers in viticulture and winemaking abroad.
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10th June
MEET THE AUTHOR OF GRAPE BRITAIN AT ZELAS WINE SHOP IN HIGHGATE
ON FRIDAY, 12 JUNE 2009 4-9 PM
There's definitely something in the air around UK wines this year, and celebrating their diversity and quality alongside events like English Wine Week is David Harvey's guidebook Grape Britain; A Tour of UK Vineyards.
David will be signing copies of his book this Friday between 4.00pm and 9.00pm at Zelas Wine Shop in Highgate (address below) and there will be an opportunity to sample some English wine.
David's full colour book was based on a journey he made through many of the vineyards of England and Wales and includes full colour photographs and personal observations. English wine continues to play a part in David's life -
he now has his own small vineyard in the Peak District. He is currently engaged in writing a vineyard diary and getting his fingers dirty at Bothy Vineyard in Oxfordshire. David also helped with the research for Oz Clarke and James May's TV series Oz and James Drink to Britain shown on TV earlier this year.
You can visit the Zelas shop (Wine of Course) at
Wine of Course
216 Archway Road
London N6 5AX
T: 020 8347 9006
Google Map
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22nd May
ENGLISH WINE WEEK STARTS TOMORROW!
CHECK OUT THE MANY ACTIVITIES TAKING PLACE AROUND THE COUNTRY ON THE ENGLISH WINE WEEK WEBSITE
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19th May
WAITROSE CELEBRATES ENGLISH WINE WEEK WITH VINE PLANTING AT THE COMPANY’S LECKFORD FARM ESTATE
This week Waitrose will become the first retailer to plant its own vineyard with a special ceremony at its Leckford Farm Estate in Hampshire. Estate Chairman Sir Don Curry and Waitrose Managing Director Mark Price will preside over vine planting this Friday, 22nd May.
As the first retailer to establish its own English vines, Waitrose is making the most of the changing climate and favourable wine making conditions in Hampshire. However customers will need to be patient as Waitrose Leckford sparkling wine will not be available until 2014. The Waitrose vines will grow for three years before the first crop of grapes, followed by a two year wine-making and maturation cycle for the production of a high quality sparkling wine.
Waitrose has stocked English wines for over twelve years. With the demand for UK wine increasing, Waitrose doubled their range in 2007 and added a further 10 lines in 2008. The aim is to have between two and six local wines in every branch in the wine producing regions of England. In addition 31 ‘local’ English wines, already available in Waitrose shops, are available nationwide online from Waitrose Wine Direct (www.waitrose.com/wine).
In 2008 Waitrose reported an increase in sales of over 18% year on year and a multiple market share value which topped 55%*. However, there is simply not enough English wine to meet customer demand - sales growth is outstripping supply.
Ken Mackay, MW - English wine buyer for Waitrose said: "Our customers are really enthusiastic about English wines and we have seen some fantastic quality from Nyetimber, Ridgeview, Chapel Down, Camel Valley and Denbies. We are all incredibly motivated about the planting and growing of our first vineyard. In addition to the Estate sparkling wine, the vineyard also provides an opportunity to engage our Wine Specialists with the production cycle of the vineyard."
* Waitrose has 6% of the wine market for the multiple grocery market and 4% market share of the overall grocery trade.
**** To further promote English WIne Week, some 100 stores will be giving tastings of some of the English wines that they stock on Saturday 23rd May, including:
Chapel Down Bacchus
Nyetimber Classic Cuvee
Ridgeview Merret Bloomsbury
Chapel Down Brut
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18th May
NOW YOU CAN FOLLOW AN ENGLISH WINE BLOG
English vineyard tour company English Vine Tours now have a blogspot, which enlightens, entertains and comments on the many aspects of English wines and the industry, interspersed with a few photos to complete the news stories and comments.
English Vine Tours have created a number of tours to vineyards throughout Sussex, bringing in in other attractions along the way. The summer 2009 range of tours are now available - see www.englishvinetours.co.uk for further details. |
16th May
CARR TAYLOR WINS FRENCH WINE AWARD
A Carr Taylor sparkling wine has scooped a
Bronze award in the French competition Challenge International Du Vin, which took place in Bordeaux recently.
Carr Taylor's Brut sparkling is a blend of 50% Reichensteiner, 40%Schonburger and 10% Chardonnay and from the 2006 vintage. It was the only English wine to win an award in the competition.
Winemaker Alex Carr Taylor commented: "We are thrilled to win a medal in the largest international competition in France. Not only does it give us confidence in what we are doing but it also gives further support to the international standing of English wines in general."
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The wine is available direct from the vineyard and their online shop, and in a number of outlets across the country - please contact the vineyard for further information.
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15th May
ENGLISH WINEMAKER IS ALSO CHAMPION CIDER MAKER
 Simon Day, consultant winemaker has also proved his credentials as a top cidermaker, winning the coveted "Champions Cup" for his Once Upon A Tree cider at the International Cider & Perry Compteition, held at the Hereford Cider Museum on 13th May.
The Once Upon A Tree 2008 vintage Dragon Orchard, Kingston Black single variety cider was deemed the top product of over 130 ciders and perrys, with entries hailing from the US, Canada and France, as well as producers closer to home.
It is only a year since Simon set up the cider making business, which he operates alongside his viticultural and winemaking consultancy business, Vine & Wine, working with a number of English vineyards.
Collecting the prizes at the award ceremony, said “Once Upon A Tree has just celebrated its first anniversary. Winning this award has to be the best birthday present possible. After a successful first year of trading, we are planning to grow the company significantly, and this has provided a further boost to our confidence.”
The company were also recognised in the awards for their presentation. The cider is sold in clear wine bottles with wine style labels to reinforce the message that these ciders are ideal to enjoy with food. Simon Day added “It was my intention at the outset of the company to make cider and perry that would accompany and enhance good food – to make ciders to savour!”
These awards follow previous success which saw the company awarded three first places at last year’s international competition, and finalists in the Flavours of Herefordshire Small Drinks Producer of the Year Award.
The cider will be available locally in Herefordshire and soon direct from the Once Upon A Tree website, price around £4.95 per 75cl bottle.
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13th May
OUTSTANDING WINS FOR ENGLISH WINES IN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS
First Gold in International Competition for English Still White Wine
The English & Welsh wine industry’s rightful place on the world stage was confirmed yesterday (12th May) when the results of three major international wine competitions were released.
In all, over 100 awards were gained by English and Welsh wines in the International Wine Challenge, Decanter World Wine Awards and the International Wine & Spirit Competition, giving a record number of medals and commendations for the UK.
In the International Wine Challenge this year a gold medal was awarded to an English still white wine: Camel Valley Bacchus 2007.
Having been dominated by the success of the English sparkling wines over the last number of years, a crisp, dry aromatic still white wine winner has been able to show that this style is capable of being just as successful.
Bob and Sam Lindo were both at the London International Wine & Spirits Trade Fair for the unveiling of the winners and were thrilled with the interest in Camel Valley and their wines. Since the announcement of the awards and the ensuiing publicity in the national media, their wine is flying out of the winery. "car park full, delivery van full, mail orders like machine gun bullets and the visitor's centre is full too!" reports Bob.
Bob & Sam Lindo
of Camel Valley
A record 24 medals were gained by England in this competition, showing year on year improved form. These medals represent 40% of the English wines entered in to the competition. In all, 46 awards were won, representing 76% of English entries.
The Decanter World Wine Awards introduced a UK category for the first time this year and were rewarded with an impressive number of entries, of which 86% gained an award, including two gold medals. As only 2.8% of the entries in the whole competition won a gold medal, this single success from England has shown the quality of the category. The two gold medals were awarded to sparkling wines: Camel Valley White Pinot 2005 and Hush Heath’s Balfour Brut Rosé 2005. The latter took the Trophy for best English wine and qualified for the competition’s Trophy Tasting, the winner of which will be announced in September.
In this the 40th Anniversary of the International Wine & Spirit Competition, it seemed fitting that a notable wine took the top medal in the English category, with a Gold (Best in Class) won by Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs 1992. This was the first English sparkling wine to win a trophy in this competition back in 1996. Nyetimber have kept back some stock of each of their best vintages and are releasing small parcels after disgorging, one of which has clearly proved that it is every bit as much of a winner now than it was over a decade ago.
Overall, an impressive number of awards went to Chapel Down, Camel Valley, Ridgeview, Nyetimber, Bookers and Denbies, who between them took just over 60% of all awards in the UK categories of the three competitions. In fact, EWP member vineyards between them scooped over 70% of UK category awards.
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5th May
LONDON'S FIRST VINEYARD SINCE MIDDLE AGES PLANTED AT ENFIELD
Volunteers gathered at Forty Hall Organic Farm in Enfield on Tuesday 5th May to plant the first acre of a groundbreaking new project – to plant London’s first commercial vineyard since medieval times.
Forty Hall Vineyard is a new social enterprise led by Capel Manor Horticultural College, which is planting fifteen acres of top quality vines in the London Borough of Enfield for the purpose of producing wine for the London market. Forty Hall Vineyard will pick up the tradition of winemaking in England introduced by the Romans, and not seen in London on a commercial scale since the Middle Ages.
Steve Dowbiggin, Chief Executive of Capel Manor College says: “Imagine London’s Mayor toasting the opening of the Olympics with our very own London grown wine in 2012! Our vineyard will produce a range of still and sparkling wines of the highest quality which express the fresh, light and fruity characteristics of the best English wines”.
This is no ordinary commercial venture. The vineyard forms part of a broader educational initiative which seeks to establish Forty Hall Farm in Enfield as a hub of local, organic food production. “Forty Hall Vineyard is a social enterprise with profits returned to the college charity to promote education about sustainable urban agriculture,” says Steve Dowbiggin. “The vineyard will provide educational, volunteering and therapeutic horticulture opportunities to a wide range of local people”.
Most of the Forty Hall wine will be sold directly to consumers within a ten mile radius of the vineyard making this a truly local enterprise. “We want to move wine production back to the heart of the local community and to champion quality, distinctiveness, place, sustainability and participation” says Vineyard Manager, Sarah Vaughan-Roberts. “We are also going to make really delicious wine!”
South-facing Warren Field, which has wonderful views across north east London to the gleaming spires of the city, will become the “terroir” for London wine. The free-draining, gravelly soil, together with the sloping, south-facing aspect of the field makes the site ideal for vine growing. Nearly 1500 Bacchus vines will be hand-planted on the day. “Bacchus is ideally suited to cool climate wine production and produces a crisp, light wine white with Sauvignon characteristics of gooseberry and fresh grass, “ says Sarah. “It’s a perfect wine for summer picnics.”
The vineyard is looking for sponsors and volunteers to help raise the funds to plant the remaining acres of land donated by the College.
For more information go to www.fortyhallvineyard.org.uk |
27th March
AN INTERVIEW WITH SAM LINDO OF CAMEL VALLEY
 Sam Lindo, winemaker at Camel Valley Vineyard was recently interviewed on BBC Radio Cornwall. You can find out more about how Camel Valley wines and how they are made:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/content/articles/2009/03/06/camelvalley_people_feature.shtml |
26th March
NEW TASTING ROOM OPENED AT PLUMPTON
A new tasting room has been opened at Plumpton College in their Wine Studies Centre. The IOC Tasting Room – named after the main sponsor, the Institut Oenologique de Champagne - consists of a series of 27 booths which will enable students to work individually on tastings without distraction. Plumpton’s winemaker Peter Morgan, helped to design the booths. The event was attended by UK wine industry members and trade press.
Yves Bournérias of the IOC formally opened the room, and revealed a well lit white room fitted out with the tasting booths. Each of the tasting booths carries the name of a sponsor amongst which are UK Vineyards Association, Riedel Crystal, Hakkasan Restaurant, Waitrose, the Co-Op, Ridgeview Wine Estate and of course EWP.
Formalities over, the room and its booths were put to use with a tutored tasting of single varietal champagnes provided by the IOC.
Not only will the booths provide invaluable training facilities for Plumpton students, but also supply tasting facilities for Wine & Spirit Education Trust courses plus other events and tasting competitions.
Roger Marchbank of the UKVA, who attended the opening, commented: “The tasting room is a real credit to Plumpton and we are delighted to be sponsoring one of the booths.”
Peter added: “I am delighted with the results, but even more delighted at the fabulous support we have received from our friends in the industry.” |
25th March
LONDON MAYOR SUPPORTS ST GEORGE'S DAY
It was recently announced in the press that London Mayor Boris Johnson has unveiled plans to celebrate St George’s Day in the Capital. This will involve a series of activities including, on St George’s Day itself (23rd April) a visit to Leadenhall market to sample a selection of food and drink from England. Several vineyards will be participating in the week long celebration at Leadenhall by having stalls offering sampling and sales.
For more information please visit www.leadenhallmarket.co.uk
St George’s day is a key day for EWP, who will be staging their annual showcase event for the wine trade and press, launching some new vintages and wines, and officially launching English Wine Week.
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24th March
BRITISH ASPARAGUS AND ENGLISH WINE - THE PERFECT COMBINATION!
The British asparagus season is just around the corner - traditionally starting at the end of April, and only runs for 8 weeks. Luckily there is a website containing lots of information about asaparagus - nutritional advice, where to buy and declicious recipes.
There are asparagus festivals taking place around the country providing plenty of opportunities to buy and learn more about this delicous and quintessentially British vegetable.
A perfect combination with asparagus is English wine - why not try a crisp Bacchus, or aromatic Ortega? Let us know what your favourite combination is.
Further information is available from www.british-asparagus.co.uk
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23rd March
GOLD SILVER AND BRONZE FOR OUR SPARKLERS IN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Another triumph in the world of English sparkling wine was recently announced. A Gold, Silver and Bronze medal were awarded to England in the Chardonnay du Monde competition, which took place in France and involved a host of international judges.
Scooping Gold and Silver was Nyetimber vineyard with their Blanc de Blancs 1998 and 1992 vintages, and Bronze was awarded to Ridgeview’s Grosvenor 2006, a 100% Chardonnay sparkling.
England has been a regular award winner on the international as much as the home competition circuit, showing how truly competitive our wines are.
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22nd March
STANLAKE PARK IN THE SPOTLIGHT
The latest BBC Good Food guide features Stanlake Park’s Regatta wine.
The article features wine and food to enjoy for St George’s Day. Stanlake Park’s dry white Regatta is assessed favourably: “Who could resist an English wine that calls itself Regatta? Bring on the picnic baskets and the jolly boating weather."
The tasting notes add: “ a little different from many of the light, floral English whites, Regatta is dry with more backbone and boldness.”
The wine is available from Waitrosewine.com or Stanlake Park Cellar Shop. Further information is available from their website www.stanlakepark.com
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20th March
DENBIES WINE ESTATE IS THE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Denbies Wine Estate is The Business of the Year in the Gatwick Diamond. The Award was made at the region’s most prestigious business event, the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards 2009.
Chris White, owner of Denbies Wine Estate said “We are thrilled, delighted and honoured to be presented with this award. I would like to thank the Denbies staff who work tirelessly in growing, developing and improving the business whilst maintaining our relationships with and responsibilities to the local community”
Sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers, this prestigious award is in recognition of the business’ ability to demonstrate that their business or organisation has enhanced the reputation of the Gatwick Diamond as an important business centre on a regional and national basis.
Judging the entry, Nick Jones of PricewaterhouseCoopers commented: "Denbies impressed us with the range of innovative ways they have diversified their activities, which has led to a significant growth to the business over recent years. As well as being the UK's largest vineyard, Denbies has become a key destination in the Gatwick Diamon promoting other small businesses, supporting several charities and employing many staff from the area."
The winners of the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards 2009 were announced at a glittering awards ceremony at the Gatwick Hilton on Thursday 12th March 2009 with the BBC’s Business Correspondent Declan Curry as guest presenter. A total of 12 awards were presented before 370 business leaders and representatives from the Gatwick Diamond region.
Earlier this week, Denbies hosted the first International Sparkling Wine Symposiums, which attracted speakers and delegates from around the winemaking world.
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6th March
TREAT YOURSELF TO AN ENGLISH WINE OUTING
Vineyard tour organisers English Vine Tours have some upcoming events:
Monday 23rd March: Red Hot Poker to Plumpton College Vineyard for a tour and tasting followed by an afternoon at Plumpton Racecourse in the Premier Enclosure
Price - £109 per person but £75 if you quote 'EWP' when booking.
Saturday 28th March White Clover One Day Wine Tour to Carr Taylor and Biddenden Vineyards
Price: £79 per person or £100 per couple
Further information on these and other forthcoming events is available here. |
5th March
WAITROSE REPORTS INCREASE IN SALES OF ENGLISH WINES
Waitrose have recently reported that sales of English wines grew over 50% by volume in 2008. This has been principally driven by a few new local listings (from producers such as Brightwell, Plumpton, Bookers, Denbies and Meopham Valley) and a good year of press coverage for English and Welsh wines, and local products in general.
“This is a great performance,” commented Ken Mackay MW, the wine buyer for English wines at Waitrose. “Our wine specialists in branch have also helped tremendously, by really getting behind the locally-produced wines we stock: recommending them to customers and merchandising them together with other local products.”
Currently, Waitrose has 55% of the English wine market in the grocery multiples. Continued volume growth has however been slowed by the short harvest in 2007, and this is likely to continue with the 2008 vintage.
Adds Ken: “We work hard to ensure availability throughout the year, by limiting distribution on our English wines, but demand strongly outstrips supply on some wines, which means we may only have availability for 9 or 10 months of the year.”
In addition to locally available wines in store, over 35 wines are available on line through Waitrose Wines Online - www.waitrosewine.com
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4th March
ANOTHER APPEARANCE ON 'MISTRESSES'
Last week we reported the appearance of a Camel Valley wine on BBC1’s ‘Mistresses’. In this week’s episode, a bottle of Chapel Down Bacchus was spotted being enjoyed – setting an trend for drinking English wines in Bath?!
Chapel Down Bacchus is available from Waitrose (instore and online), selected branches of tesco and direct from Chapel Down – www.englishwinesgroup.comwww.englishwinesgroup.com
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26th February
ENGLISH WINE HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!
Camel Valley Makes 'Guest Appearance' on BBC1's 'Mistresses'
During this weeks addition of 'Mistresses' on BBC this week, the 'Mistresses' get through quite a lot of wine. To the great surprise and joy of the folk at Camel Valley in Cornwall, the wine depicted was Camel Valley's own. Said Bob Lindo: 'What a fantastic step forward that the producers show the sexiest girl on a sexy programme drinking an English wine. 20 years ago, when we started, that just wouldn't have happened.'
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5th February
SNOWY SCENES FROM THE VINEYARDS
We appreciate that the winter weather last few days has proved challenging for some, but take a moment to pause and look at the beautiful scenes in the vineyards below. Pity the individuals that are pruning!
Biddenden in Kent
 
Two shots of Camel Valley in Cornwall
Chapel Down in Kent
 
from Brightwell in Oxfordshire ... ... to Three Choirs in Gloucestershire |
25th January
SUSSEX VINE TOURS ANNOUNCE THEIR FIRST EVENTS
A host of English wine tours and events are taking place over the next few months, organised by English Vine Tours.
 The first tour - 'White Clover' one day tour started the season with a private visit to Carr Taylor vineyards, hosted by owner/winemaker David Carr Taylor.
After lunch, participants were driven to Biddenden Vineyards and Cidermakers in Kent to enjoy another tour and tasting. The day was completed with a complimentary bottle of English wine and organic hand made chocolates. All in all, a very successful day.
Look out for the next events taking place:
Thursday 12th February English Wine Tasting, Lewes £25 pp Paul Harley from Plumpton College & Roy Cook from Sedlescombe Vineyards attending
Wednesday 28th February Black Bryony One Day Wine Tour to Bookers Vineyards, West Sussex and Plumpton College, East Sussex £99 pp
Saturday 21st February Heath Speedwell Half Day Wine Tour, Carr Taylor £49 pp
Monday 23rd February Red Hot Poker Special Day Wine Tour to Plumpton College and Plumpton Racecourse
Saturday 28th February White Clover One Day Wine Tour (£79 pp)
Places are still available and if you would like to find out more, please contact EVT on
01273 48 33 12 or email info@englishvinetours.co.uk
Ben and Georgie Furst, founders of English Vine Tours aim to promote English wine as a viable alternative to wines from around the world, in addition to developing England’s vineyards as a favoured tourist destination to both a national and international audience. David Carr Taylor, who has been an enthusiastic supporter said of English Vine Tours that ‘you will not get a better chaparone than Ben and Georgie’
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23rd January
LEVENTHORPE WINES SERVED TO TOP TRAVEL WRITERS
2009 may well be the year of English wine tourism. The prestigious Guild of Travel Writers held their annual conference recently at York Railway Museum and were introduced to the delights of English wine from local vineyard Leventhorpe, based near Leeds.
Leventhorpe recently featured on Oz & James Drink to Britain (Tuesdays on BBC2 at 8pm) when owner George Bowden and Oz introduced James to English still wine.. |
19th January
DEVON VINEYARD FOR SALE
If you're thinking about getting involved in the English wine industry, here is an opportunity.
Oakford Vineyard in the Exe Valley, Devon, is for sale. The four acres vineyard was planted in 1997 on south facing slope with Rondo, Madeleine, Orion/Phoenix and Cascade. Also for sale is all the equipment for maintaining vineyard and winemaking.
The property attached to the vineyard, The Old Rectory, Oakford, is also for sale (either together with the vineyard or separately): 4/5 bedrooms, one acre garden, with small vineyard.
The property and vineyard are on sale through agents Webbers of Dulverton (tel 01398 323271) or www.webbers.co.uk
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6th January 2009
OZ & JAMES DRINK TO THE UK
NEW TV SERIES STARTS TONIGHT ON BBC2 AT 8.00pm
In the third of their wine adventures, Oz Clarke and James May this time travel through Britain and Ireland to discover the amazing array of drinks on offer. They start their journey on top of the magnificent and enigmatic White Cliffs and travel north to Yorkshire in a 1982 Rolls Royce Corniche.
Tonight's episode takes them to Yorkshire where they taste both beer and visit one of England's northerly vineyards - Leventhorpe.
Their travels will take them through the UK and will include visits to some of England's key vineyards, where they meet the winemakers and taste their wine. Additionally Oz and James this time will delve into the other great drinks that this nation boasts, including beer, cider and whisky.
English wines will certainly be put on the map. The adventurous programme was filmed last summer, giving less than enjoyable weather to the dynamic duo, but certainly not quelling Oz's enthusiasm for the subject.
There is a book to accompany the series, published by Pavilion, price £19.99 - available in bookshops and online retailers.
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10th December
A GUIDE TO THE WINES OF ENGLAND & WALES:
BOOK SIGNING AT DENBIES WINE ESTATE
By authors Philip Williamson & Neville Blech
and
Professor Richard Selley, Imperial College
Late night Shopping & Craft Fair
Monday 15th December from 5.30pm
Denbies Wine Estate is delighted to welcome the authors of A Guide to the Wines of England and Wales.
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Philip Williamson, one of the UK’s leading wine critics, researched and wrote the Denbies profile and tasting notes for the publication.
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Neville Blech is a member of Le Grand Jury Europeen and has worked alongside Phillip since 2004.
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Professor Selley is Emeritus Professor of Geology and Senior Research Fellow at Imperial College London, , wrote the chapter on The Impact of Climate Change on British Viticulture. Professor Selley was also involved in the initial conception of Denbies Wine Estate and now researches the impact of geology and climate change on the winelands of Britain.
The book will be on sale at Denbies wine shop, along with a host of items, ideal for those all important Christmas presents.
Denbies' shop will be open for late night shopping along with craft fair and farmers market, starting from 5.30pm on Monday 15th December.
• Local Crafts & Gifts
• Carol singing from St Theresa’s School Choir
• Santa’s Cellar Grotto
• FREE admission & parking
• FREE mulled wine & mince pies
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9th December
WSET 3-MINUTE WINE SCHOOL
The Wine & Spirit Education Trust has announced the launch of a ne initiative, aimed at increasing the knowledge of wine consumers.
The concept of the WSET 'Three Minute Wine School' and supporting platform will consist of a series of bite-sized educational programmes on specific subjects of interest to the consumer in today's wine market. As the name suggests, they are short digital video clips available to all via the WSET website. The UK is one of the first 12 featured programmes.
Presented by Jancis Robinson MW, the scripts have been written by WSET, with input from the relevant generic bodies, edited by WSET, and initially 12 subjects have been filmed, with the next series being written in preparation for filming before the end of the year.
The initial 12 subjects covered are: Argentina, Australia, California, Chablis, Champagne, Chile, Chianti, England & Wales, Germany, New Zealand, Rioja and South Africa.
Ian Harris, Chief Executive of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust explained: "There are two objectives of this program: firstly to add value to all sectors of the wine industry, by increasing consumers' product knowledge, thereby encouraging 'trading up', and secondly, to increase the awareness of WSET amongst wine consumers, thereby encouraging them to take their wine education further, and to enrol on a WSET programme"
The clips have been set at a basic wine knowledge level as the main target audience is consumers that have not heard of the WSET before.
You can visit the 3 Minute Wine School by pressing here.
Your first visit will require you to register.
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4th December
A GUIDE TO THE WINES OF ENGLAND & WALES
New, fully illustrated and informative guide just published
English and Welsh wine enthusiasts are in for a treat this Christmas. A Guide to the Wines of England & Wales has just been published and is now available in all good bookshops and on line retailers, priced £14.99. Packed with up to date information and a wealth of illustrations, this new book provides a topical and unique insight in to the English and Welsh wine industry.
The book has been compiled by the award-winning Wine behind the Label team whose books have scooped all three of the major wine-writing awards in the UK. This is the first of their series of regional wine guides. Over 100 vineyards are captured in full colour, packed with essential facts and background information, including their location, a profile of their leading wines with tasting notes and interviews with the vineyard owners themselves. There is also a section devoted to the industry’s leading winemakers, along with chapters on history, climate change, a glossary and info on grape varieties.
This book is an ideal travelling companion or reference book for anyone wanting to delve further in to the world of English and Welsh wine.
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1st December
CHAPEL DOWN WINS AN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MARKETING
English wine producer Chapel Down has won an award for excellence in marketing.
The Chartered Institute of Marketing award recognised Chapel Down’s role in rejuvenating the English wine industry and its success in ‘taking on’ a well-established global industry. The company was also applauded for its role in encouraging consumers to purchase the goods and services of their own country.
Chapel Down also exports its wines to Hong Kong, Japan, the USA and Scandinavia and demand is now outstripping supply by about six to one.
Chapel Down was also recognised for its understanding of environmental good practice and issues. In addition to planting its own vineyards, the company was praised for the support it provides farmers across Kent, Essex and Sussex by offering long term contracts to grow grapes.
Guy Tresnan, sales and marketing director of Chapel Down said: “Just seven years ago we were a producer of decent, if slightly quirky wine. We’re now a profitable, prestigious company which is giving people the opportunity to enjoy top quality wines produced from an English harvest.”
Source: Drinks International www.drinksint.com
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26th November
English Vine Tours -‘Follow the Path from Grape to Glass’
English Vine Tours is the new venture from Georgie & Ben Furst of The Sussex Wine Company commencing in January 2009. This exclusive service, the first of its kind for the UK, offers individuals or groups the chance to explore a variety of English vineyards across the South East of England and taste the delights of English wine. Vineyards on the tour schedules include Biddenden, Bookers, Breaky Bottom, Carr Taylor and Plumpton College Estate.
The 2009 English Vine Tours programme of tours will feature half day, one day and two day packages. Tours will include transportation in a private minibus accompanied by a wine expert, the vineyard tour, wine tasting, lunch, a complimentary bottle of wine and accommodation where relevant. ‘Special’ day packages for calendar days such as Mother’s/Father’s Day are expected to be particularly popular. Special Day packages include the wine tour as well as extra activities such as a trip to the races.
Private and corporate groups are welcome and gift vouchers are available. Prices start from £49 per person and the special launch offer for the ‘White Clover One Day Wine Tour’ on 24th January is available to book for £79 per person (was £99).
English Vine Tours is a family run business with over 20 years of experience in the wine trade and an absolute desire to bring the beauty of English wine and its vineyards to the general public. Georgie Furst, co-founder comments: “We aim to promote the English wine industry, support local economy, celebrate English producers and allow everyone to truly experience the beauty of the English vineyards.”
Further information is available from the EVT website: www.englishvinetours.co.uk
A place to visit in 2009? |
25th November
AND ANOTHER TOURISM AWARD FOR CAMEL VALLEY, CROWNING A GREAT 2008
Camel Valley, already Gold Medal winners from this year’s Cornwall Tourism Awards have won a silver medal in the South West Tourism Awards for the visitor attraction part of their wine business. Camel Valley has previously won South West Tourism Gold in the best food and drink section and won 4 trophies and 3 Gold medals in the 2008 United Kingdom Vineyard’s Association Annual Wine Competition.
Said owner Bob Lindo: ‘We are delighted; these awards keep us on our toes. Wine and tourism are a natural combination and interacting with potential customers and visitors is a vital part of any wine business.’
Bob & Annie Lindo (2nd & 3rd Left) collecting their award
Winemaker, Sam Lindo also added another 9 awards in 2008 to his ever increasing collection in the International Wine Challenge (IWC), The International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) and Decanter World Wine awards.
The awards come in the same year that Country Life’s Amelia Pinsent listed 2006 Camel Valley Pinot Noir Sparkling Rose in her ‘top 100 wines to drink before you die’ list! In addition, the vineyard has been overrun with enquiries following being featured on BBC Open Country. Camel Valley gained second place in the 2008 World Sparkling Wine Championships and furthermore had a Royal Visit’
Added Sam: ‘I was very pleased to get these awards, but the highlight for me was retaining the Vintners Trophy for the best sparkling wine for the second consecutive year’.
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17th October
CAMEL VALLEY WINS GOLD MEDAL TOURISM AWARD
Camel Valley Vineyard last night won a Gold Medal in the Cornwall Tourism Awards held at the Headland Hotel, Newquay. The awards were presented by TV personality Ruby Wax; Camel Valley received the Gold award for ‘Small Visitor Attraction of the Year’.
Said Bob Lindo: ‘We decided very early on that we would concentrate solely on wine quality and wine tours. All our tours are conducted by either a family member or a trained wine maker and we decided that we would forego the likes of a gift shop, or restaurant. We are delighted that this strategy has been recognised’.
Camel Valley is famous for the ‘Wednesday Evening Grand Tour and Wine Tasting’, conducted by either Bob himself, or his son, winemaker Sam. Many visitors return year after year for these informative tours that give a personal approach, along with a strong emphasis on fun.
Bob (far right) conducting a tour
Camel Valley has previously won 3 Tourism Gold Medals and Bob Lindo was presented with a Gold Medal for outstanding services to tourism in 2006.
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13th October
BIG IN JAPAN
Japan Welcomes Top English Wines
Bob Lindo of Camel Valley has just returned from a successful trip to Japan to promote his and other leading English wines (Nyetimber, Ridgeview, Bookers and Chapel Down) having been invited over for the 150th British/Japan Trade anniversary Fair in Hankyu Stores, Osaka.
Bob also conducted wine tastings of Camel Valley wines in Tokyo and in some wine bars in Osaka. He reported enthusiastically that the wines were well received and sold well - infact selling out of the original allocation in about 2 days.
Having also appeared in two TV programmes and ‘English Wine’ is now firmly a bridgehead on the map and Bob became quite a recognised face over there!
Bob with TV Presenter |
6th October
HARVEST 2008
The 2008 harvest is now well underway, having started mid-September with some of the earlier ripening varieties such as Siegerrebe. The classic varieties are just starting to be picked – the first crop coming in last week. The main harvesting of these varieties has started this week.
Volume will be lower than average, although higher than the light 2007. Some parts of the country have been particularly affected by the adverse weather over the summer months - the South West was hit by bad weather from flowering onwards so are very down on volume. Elsewhere however the prospects are better. Sugar levels are overall good, and acids on the whole a little higher, but the last few days of warm and dry weather might be improving things. There are some new vineyards coming in to production for the first time this year.
We will keep you posted with news. The official data collected at harvest, which will confirm the total volume, will not be released until spring 2009.
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4th October
STANLAKE PARK'S NEW WINE SHOP OPENS
Stanlake Park Wine Estate, near Reading, has just opened a new on site and spacious cellar shop. Selling the wide range of Stanlake Park's award-winning wines, the shop also showcases wines from other English vineyards and a limited range of wines from other countries.
Also on sales is a unique range of traditional Ales, Cider, Spirits and Liqueurs and other food and snacks that accompany wine, including Cocoa Farm chocolate, Mondovino biscuits for cheese and wine, Edinburgh Preserves, Olives and nuts.
As wines are especially popular as gifts the shop also provides a selection of pine boxes, jute boxes, wine bags and cards.
The shop is now open Mondays – Saturdays 10am – 5pm; Sundays Noon – 5pm.
There is plenty of car parking space - up to 50 cars (coaches by appointment only). Wine can be consumed in the Cellar Shop garden and cheese, biscuits, pickles etc. are always available.
Christmas 2008 Cellar Shop opening times:
Christmas Eve - OPEN until 2pm
Christmas Day until Dec. 30th and Jan 1st 2009 - CLOSED
New Year’s Eve and Jan 2nd 2009 onwards - OPEN
Stanlake Park have also just relaunched their website with a new design and plenty of background information, on line sales and up to date news and events.
Peter Dart, owner of Stanlake Park, outside the new shop |
2nd October
PLUMPTON COLLEGE HARVEST NEWS
Harvest has started!
As with other parts of the country, Plumpton College has started their harvesting.
Chris Foss, (Head of Wine Department, Plumpton College, pictured right ) comments on this year's harvest:
"After a reasonably good flowering period in June, the main problem this summer has been keeping powdery and downy mildew away from the vines; a real struggle with all that rain. We’re expecting a reduced crop this year, mostly due to poor weather in June 2007, as this was when the flower clusters were initiated in the dormant buds. We thought that picking would be a week early, but now it will probably start around the beginning of October, as usual. As for the quality, it depends on the weather for the next few weeks: if we get dry and sunny weather it will be a good year! "
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1st October
A TRIUMPH IN ITALY FOR ENGLISH SPARKLING WINE
CAMEL VALLEY IN TOP THREE IN THE WORLD SPARKLING WINE CHAMPIONSHIPS
It is no longer a surprise when English sparkling wines achieve success in international competitions. Each competition award reinforces England as one of the top sparkling wine regions in the world.
 This was emphasized last week when Camel Valley Vineyard from Cornwall triumphed in the first ever World Championship of Traditional Method Sparkling Wine, which took place in Italy on September 18th in Verona, and was voted one of the top three winners alongside two Champagnes.
Some 60 wines from around the world were entered in to this new competition aimed at top quality sparkling wines, organised by leading Italian wine magazine Euposìa-La Rivista del Vino. Illustrating the many wine regions that now produce this style of sparkling wine, entries were submitted from as far afield as South America, Moldova, Greece, South Africa, Australia, Russia and Israel, as well as closer to home with France, Italy, Spain and England.
In the line up of the “World Top 20”, as voted by the judging panel, Camel Valley White Pinot 2005 came second place after Bollinger Brut Special Cuvée, beating Champagne Deutz Brut Classic in to third position.
The jury of 9 judges included sommeliers and wine journalists from around Europe, and chaired by the President of the Grand Jury Europeen, Francois Mauss.
“I am thrilled to have our wine ranked up there in the top three aongside 2 Champagnes,” commented Bob Lindo, proprietor of Camel Valley Vineyard. “Eat your heart out world!”
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30th September
NEW ITV SHOW 'TASTE THE NATION' LOOKING FOR CONTESTANTS
Taste the Nation, is a nationwide knockout competition that will pit amateur chefs from 32 counties around Britain against each other in a battle of culinary brilliance, as they compete to be the best regional team in the nation.
Contestants in the competition will have the chance to be mentored by top chefs from their region who will teach them to create classic British dishes with a modern twist. The series aims to showcase the best of regional cooking, and the regional produce that Britain has to offer.
ITV are looking for the keenest amateur cooks in every county to take part, particularly those who are proud of their region and its food.
If you think you are up to the challenge, link through to ITV to find out more:
http://www.itv.com/Lifestyle/Food/TastetheNation/
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29th September
INAUGURAL INTERNATIONAL SPARKLING WINE SYMPOSIUM TO TAKE PLACE AT DENBIES WINE ESTATE
The world’s first International Sparkling Wine Symposium will take place on Wednesday 18th March 2009 at Denbies Wine Estates in Surrey, just outside London. With a host of top speakers already confirmed including Steve Charters MW, Dominique Demarville, Tony Jordan, Michel Salgues and Tom Stevenson, the event is set to attract winemakers, buyers, journalists and industry leaders from across the world in a forum devoted to all things bubbly.
The event is the brainchild of winemaking consultants John Worontschak, Sam Harrop MW and Denbies. John explains, “Despite working with wineries across the world we have found no current forum for sharing sparkling winemaking and marketing experience. After discussing the idea with Denbies, who agreed to host a Symposium, we assembled a team of specialists including journalist Dr Jamie Goode and wine specialist PR and marketing company Proven PR to organise the first ever globally-focused event.”
Topics covered at the Symposium will include: Global challenges of growing grapes for sparkling wine; the Art of Assemblage, including a tasting of vins clair; New developments in sparkling winemaking; and Global market trends and consumer insight.
But why in the UK, and why in March 2009?
Jamie Goode explains, “Currently there is a great deal of interest in sparkling wine production in the UK, with several new ventures underway, and existing producers making increasingly impressive wines. While this symposium will have a global outlook, it is the level of interest shown by the industry here that has led us to initiate what we hope will become a regular event.
“We’re delighted that Denbies Winery is going to host the inaugural event, timed to coincide with the Champagne Information Bureau annual tasting which takes place in central London the previous day.”
More details about delegate rates, speakers and sponsorship opportunities is available from the event website: www.sparklingwinesymposium.com
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24th September
BOOK AHEAD FOR THE ENGLISH WINE EVENING AT ARTISAN & VINE
Enjoy a host of other events and attractions
As many now know, artisan&vine is a new wine bar in Battersea that specializes in local and natural wines, including some English wines from vineyards around the country and now boasts a wine shop. We have featured some of the vineyard tours that a&v have organised.
All of the 120+ wines they sell and serve are:
1. Local – grapes grown & wine made within 2hour drive of Battersea; or
2. Natural – biodynamic or organic, low yielding vineyards; minimal or no added sulphite; indigenous yeasts; no added flavours or preservatives.
All of the listed wines are available to drink in the bar or to take home at reduced off licence prices.
Current specials and upcoming events:
1. DRINK IN THE BAR AT OFF-LICENCE PRICES – EVERY DAY 5PM-7PM
2. LOYALTY CARD - BUY 5 WINES, GET 1 FREE
Will be available from 7 October. Have it stamped every time you buy a bottle of wine at full bar price & receive a sixth bottle for free (sixth bottle up to the value of £25/bottle).
3. WEDNESDAY EVENING WINE TASTINGS
Every Wednesday 6pm-9pm A&V host a fixed price wine tasting with matched food. The evening includes 5 samples (50ml) of different premium wines with a range of carefully selected foods. Advance bookings advisable, £20/person.
THERE'S STILL TIME TO BOOK THE ENGLISH WINE TASTING ON 15TH OCTOBER!!
Upcoming degustation evenings are:
24/9 – Spain: Bid bold reds, rich fruity whites – sample the best Spain has to offer.
1/10 – Italy: Always distinctive, ever inventive – taste a range of unique Italian grapes.
8/10 – New world wines: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile – taste how the new world is taking on the European trends in natural wine making & succeeding!
15/10 – England: light, refreshing, floral – English gardens in a bottle! Have a taste of home.
22/10 – a&v favourites: every member of the a&v team has a favourite
29/10 – French biodynamic wines: focus on unusual indigenous grapes – varieties such as Carignan, Marsanne and Ondenc – a wonderful exploration of the unexpected.
4.THURSDAY EVENING LIVE JAZZ
Fantastic local live jazz acts play at a&v from 8pm-11pm every Thursday. Free admission.
More information about events and offers is available at www.artisanandvine.com.
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8th September
AN EXPERT GUIDE TO ORGANIC VITICULTURE
Notwithstanding the current inclement UK weather conditions, there has for some time been an increasing interest among farmers, fruit growers, land owners and private individuals alike, in the cultivation of grapes. Only just recently this interest was further stimulated by a documentary on BBC Radio 4 which reported on the high yield per Hectare figure and consequent profits that could be expected from such a venture.
Anyone considering growing grapes, might initially like to read about it in a four part series which Roy Cook of Sedlescombe Vineyard is publishing on his Company’s website. The series is extracted from a section he is writing in a new book ‘Organic fruit production and viticulture – a complete guide’ to be published in Spring 2009 by Garden Organic (formerly Henry Doubleday Research Association –HDRA) and edited by Stella Cubison.
Roy, who initially started grape cultivation on four inherited acres of land in East Sussex in 1979, is the owner of England’s oldest and largest organic vineyard. With over 28 years of experience, he is now finding that much of his time taken up in providing a consultancy service on the subject.
Entitled “An Introduction to Organic Viticulture” the four part series gives the prospective grower an insight into site selection and preparation, layout, grape type selection, pruning, feeding and disease control. The first part, which deals mainly with site preparation forms part of Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard’s latest Newsletter which available on its website www.EnglishOrganicWine.co.uk or by e-mail to roycook@EnglishOrganicWine.co.uk.
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7th September
HARVEST STARTS AT STRAWBERRY HILL
The first grapes of the year have been harvested at Strawberry Hill Vineyard, Newent, Gloucestershire with a whopping 2 tons of the finest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir all for production of Strawberry Hill’s increasingly popular “Premium Sparkling”.
More Pinot Noir will be harvested in the next 10 days, solely for sparkling production, when sugar and acid test levels reach what is required .
Strawberry Hill Vineyard intends to produce ever finer English sparkling wines and has committed to expand production of its ‘Premium Sparkling’ wine made with traditional Champagne grapes and in the traditional Champagne method.
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26th August
COURSE DATES FOR COMING YEAR AT PLUMPTON
The full range of full- and part-time courses in viticulture and winemaking for 2008/2009 are now available.
Three full-time wine courses are currently being offered at Plumpton College, with a teaching team which is well-qualified and experienced.
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The Foundation Degree (FdA) in Wine Business course is designed specifically for students wishing to enter the wine trade or start their own wine-related business. It combines both practical and theoretical understanding of the wine industry with valuable work experience, including visits to European vineyards. The course focuses on marketing, the wine trade and business planning and development, plus modules that correspond to the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Diploma syllabus.
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The Foundation Degree (FdSc) in Wine Production is a two-year full-time programme, which is unique in the United Kingdom. It has a strong practical bias and involves students in producing Plumpton College’s award-winning wine, using the College’s well-equipped commercial vineyard and purpose-built winery.
- The BSc (Hons) Viticulture & Oenology covers wine production and aspects of related biological sciences in considerable depth.
A range of part time courses is also availalbe:
| 1st - 5th September 2008 |
Practical Wine Analysis |
| 8th September 2008 |
Principles of Winemaking |
| 8th - 12th September 2008 |
Intensive Principles of Vinegrowing |
| 15th - 19th September 2008 |
Intensive Principles of Winemaking |
| 3rd October 2008 |
WSET Advanced |
| 10th November 2008 |
Principles of Vinegrowing |
| 2nd - 6th February 2009 |
Vineyard Practical Skills |
| 6th - 8th April 2009 exam 9th |
WSET Intermediate |
| 29th June - 1st July 2009 exam 2nd |
WSET Intermediate |
| 6th - 10th July 2009 |
WSET Advanced Intensive |
Plumpton will be hosting open days to find out more about the college and the courses available, and offer an opportunity to see the facilities and meet the tutorial teams.
- Saturday 8th November 2008, 9am-12.30pm: Information Morning, meet the staff and discuss your own course requirements.
- Saturday 9 May 2009: Open Day
More information from Plumpton College: www.plumpton.ac.uk |
4th August
CELEBRITY CHEF RICHARD PHILLIPS AND CHAPEL DOWN WINES LAUNCH EXCITING NEW RESTAURANT IN THE HEART OF KENT
Celebrity TV Chef, Richard Phillips has joined forces with Chapel Down wines in Kent to launch a restaurant with a menu that perfectly fits with the best award winning English wines in the country. Richard who can be seen regularly on 'Ready Steady Cook', and ITV’s Daily Cooks, is looking forward to establishing ‘Richard Phillips @ Chapel Down’ as one of the premiere eateries in the South East.
The restaurant, a £1m investment on the site of Chapel Down’s famous vineyard in Tenterden, Kent, sees the introduction of state of the art kitchen facilities along with the very best in dining comfort in a spectacularly beautiful setting. The food and wine aims to bring a new dimension to eating out in Kent with customers encouraged to experiment and enjoy a completely original Kentish experience.
Diners will also have the opportunity to eat and drink at the new ‘Chef’s table’. The Chef’s table is unique experience for patrons to enjoy a personal service from the chef and his team.
Richard, who already runs two highly successful restaurants with Thackeray’s in Tunbridge Wells and The Hengist at Aylesford, sees the opening of the restaurant at Chapel Down as an opportunity to accelerate the trend towards great British cooking, using local products and premium English Wines in creative and mouth-watering combinations.
Richard commented. “Good restaurants outside London remain few and far between. Kent, however, is going through a significant transformation. What we are creating at Chapel Down will be a catalyst for an acceleration of the trend towards great local food, imaginatively prepared and served and complimented by Kent’s own wonderful Chapel Down wines. It’s a restaurant for the whole of Kent to feel proud about.”
Richard Philips @ Chapel Down opened last week (31st July) and is now taking reservations. Visit their website here.
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22nd July
THE UK WINE INDUSTRY TOASTS THE WINNERS IN THIS YEAR'S COMPETITION
The cream of the UK wine industry gathered at the House of Lords to toast the many winners in this year's English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition. Owners and winemakers from across the country attended the tasting of the top winning wines followed by lunch and the awards ceremony, where the United Kingdom Vineyards Association President, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, presented certificates for medals and trophies to the winners.
 Patricia Stefanowicz MW, Chairman of the Judges in this year's competition remarked to the assembled guests on the quality of the wines that were submitted this year. The Chairman of the UKVA, Bob Lindo of Camel Valley, whose son Sam scooped a number of trophies and medals, also delivered encouraging words to winemakers in his speech.
The event was also attended by wine trade luminaries such as Michael Broadbent MW and John Avery MW.
A full list of the award winners can be viewed here
Three Choirs Winners and their trophies (Martin Fowke, Winemaker of the Year 2008 on Right)
 The Award Winning Lindo Family from Camel Valley
A jubilant Denbies Team
(Winemaker Marcus Sharp 2nd Left)
 
Wickham Vineyard Winemaker Richard & Sian Liwicki of Bothy Vineyard
Winner of Oaked White Trophy Winners of The Berwick Trophy
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4th July
LUXURY CRUISE LINER TO BE LAUNCHED WITH BOTTLE OF ENGLISH SPARKLING WINE
 Classical musician, singer and presenter Myleene Klass will next week be launching the biggest passenger ship to sail from Dover Cruise Port with a bottle of English sparkling wine. She will have a spectacular bottle-breaking “assist” from Royal Navy divers when she performs her first-ever Ship’s Godmother duties by officially naming the 113,000 tonne Carnival Splendor.
The wine will be broken on Myleen's command by Petty Officer Christian Rumming, assisted by a Royal Navy dive team, who will climb 60 ft up the vessel from underwater to the Carnival Splendor’s name on the top of her bow and smash a bottle of highly acclaimed 1994 vintage Nyetimber English sparkling wine against the hull. The celebrity musician will be playing live classical piano music on the ship’s top Lido deck.
In breaking with tradition, the bottle of Nyetimber was chosen by Carnival to emphasise their selection of Britain to launch their largest and latest superliner.
Myleene Klass said, “Not only am I excited about launching my first-ever ship with the Carnival Splendor, but also I am so looking forward to working with the Royal Navy men who seem to be under my command - if only for a couple of minutes! I plan to give PO Chris Rumming the start signal by playing some classical music on Carnival Splendor’s baby grand piano.”
Carnival Cruise Lines President and CEO Gerry Cahill said, “Myleene Klass and the Royal Navy are a unique combination, and we are very honoured that they are joining forces to successfully name the Carnival Splendor.”
Carnival Splendor offers a comprehensive selection of restaurants, show-stopping entertainment, four swimming pools, a 5,500 sq ft children’s play area and Carnival’s largest ever floating spa featuring a thalassotherapy pool, thermal suite and 17 treatment rooms.
Immediately after its Naming Ceremony, Carnival Splendor sets sail for a three day preview cruise to Amsterdam, returning to Dover on July 13, when it will depart on the same day for its official inaugural 12-day cruise to the Baltic countries, visiting Copenhagen; Warnemunde (for Berlin); Helsinki; St Petersburg; Tallinn and Amsterdam.
A video replay of the Carnival Splendor Naming Ceremony can be viewed beginning July 10 at www.carnival.com/splendor. back to top |
4th July
ROYAL VISIT TO AWARD WINNING CORNISH VINEYARD
When the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall visit the Duchy on Thursday 10th July, Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall will pay a visit to Camel Valley Vineyard near Bodmin.
 The idea for the vineyard visit began when Cornishman David Brewer was Lord Mayor of London and arranged a Cornish produce event at Leadenhall Market, which the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall attended. They both showed great interest in the Cornish wines Sam Lindo was showing. At the time he gave them a leaflet about the vineyard and invited them to visit Camel Valley. ‘I never dreamed they’d take me up on the invitation, and it’s a great honour that they have.’
Sam Lindo – last year's ‘Winemaker of the Year’ – will show Her Royal Highness round the winery, and demonstrate the disgorging process he uses to make Camel Valley traditional method sparkling wine. The bottle of ‘Cornwall’ will then be labelled and presented to Her Royal Highness to take home. Sam says ‘I hope the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall will enjoy drinking ‘Cornwall.’
Still very much a family concern, Camel Valley’s founders Bob and Annie Lindo will show the Duchess the vineyards and give a brief talk on vine growing. Her Royal Highness will then meet the rest of the family and staff, and join neighbours for a Cornish lunch and wine tasting on the terrace overlooking the vineyards.
‘Who could have imagined when we first planted vines twenty years ago that a member of the Royal family would ever visit us?’ said Bob Lindo. ‘We’re all very pleased to welcome such a distinguished guest to our quiet little corner of the Cornish countryside, and I’m so pleased to have been able to include our neighbours and supporters in on the visit, especially those who’ve flown over from Japan for the day! We’ve won many prestigious awards over the years, and I consider this visit to be one of them.’
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3rd July
VITICULTURAL FOCUS AT FRUIT GROWERS SHOW
The spotlight will be on viticulture and winemaking at this year's fruit growers' show Fruit Focus. For the first time this trade show will incorporate a dedicated Vines to Wines section, introducing all budding viticulturists to the UK wine industry and the many opportunities and support that are now available.
The initiative is jointly sponsored by United Kingdom Vineyards Association and English Wine Producers, and will include a series of indepth seminars covering many aspects to the industy, from grape to glass. Wine consultant Angela Mount and English specialist Stephen Skelton MW will lead the talks which will include routes to market, and what is involved in setting up a vineyard alongside other relevant subjects covered. Plumpton College, whose Wine Studies Centre is the only one of its kind in the UK and offers a wide range of courses in viticulture and winemaking will also be exhibiting, along with a number of suppliers to the industry.
For anyone seriously interested in coming in to the UK wine industry, this is a must. Further information is avaible from Fruit Focus.
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2nd July
PRINCE OF WALES’S CAR FUELLED BY ENGLISH WINE?
There were reports in some of the national and international press yesterday that the Prince of Wales is using, amongst other ingredients, English wines.
The press reports vary from the fuel being made ‘entirely from English wine’ (The Telegraph) to ‘fuel made from cheese and wine’ (The Times), to ‘an excess local vintage produced by English wine makers’ (CNN.com). The news has attracted global attention over the last 3 days.
Contrary to what was inferred, the English wine used in the production of bio fuel was not from surplus supplies that exceeded EU quotas on wine production. The wine was spoilt stock that was therefore unsaleable.
Bob Lindo, Chairman of UK Vineyards Association, commented: “I contacted the Palace and the PR Company involved and, having acknowledged their misinterpretation, they promptly printed a retraction.
“The English wine industry strives to produce wines to the highest standard,” added Bob Lindo. “Such is the high demand for English wine at the moment that many vineyards simply do not have enough to sell.
“The original statement should have made it clear that the wine used was a waste product. We quite accept this was an honest mistake and we appreciate this speedy retraction.”
Decanter.com quotes Stephen Skelton MW:
'The story is rubbish. "'There is no surplus of English wine and we don't belong to the European distillation regime."
Replying to bulletin board jibes that English wine 'must taste like petrol', Skelton said, 'We are as good as anywhere else in the world'.
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2nd July
CAMEL VALLEY RETAINS SPARKLING WINE TROPHY IN NATIONAL COMPETITION
Yet again Cornwall’s Camel Valley Vineyard beat stiff competition to gain a record four trophies in this year’s English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition. Additionally, Camel Valley took three gold medals and a string of silvers and bronzes, some for wines not yet released for sale.
Camel Valley won the Vintners Trophy for the Best Sparkling Wine for the second consecutive year, as well as the Dudley Quirk Memorial Trophy for the best large production wine for its Bacchus 2006, and the Montagu Trophy for the best presented wine. In addition, the President's Trophy for the best small production wine was also awarded to Camel Valley. These trophies confirmed Camel Valley’s reputation as the UK’s most consistent sparkling wine producer.
 Sam Lindo, 2007 Winemaker of the Year, said he was delighted with the results: ‘This year’s awards have exceeded our wildest expectations. To achieve such success for a second year running shows real consistency in our winemaking skills.’
Bob Lindo, co-founder of Camel Valley, said he and wife Annie were thrilled by the results. ‘We’re still a small family run business, and this has been a real boost to our hard working staff. A lot of big money is coming in to the English vineyard business now, but these results show that it’s hard work and a dedication to perfection that really matter. We’ve got a royal visit soon, so we’re looking forward to showcasing our award winning wines to HRH the Duchess of Cornwall on our home ground next week (further information on this visit here)
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1st July
AROMATIC STILL WHITE STYLE LEADS THE WINNERS
IN THIS YEAR’S UK NATIONAL COMPETITION
A still white wine has truimphed as Wine of the Year in this year's English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition for the first time since 1999. Although England adn Wales are now acknowledged leading sparkling wine producers, it is perhaps a timely reminder that this country also produces some uniquely attractive still white wines, particularly from aromatic varieties.
The competition took place at Brightwell Vineyard in Oxfordshire on 26th and 27th June, with a top team of judges, chaired by Patricia Stefanowicz MW and comprising Julian Brind MW, Anthony Foster MW, Maggie McNie MW, Alastair Peebles MW, Stephen Skelton MW and David Wrigley MW.
This year’s national competition saw an impressively high number of entries. More gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded than in the previous two years, with a good number awarded to 2007 vintage wines, showing that despite the difficult vintage and low volume, the quality is high. 2006 vintage wines also showed well, illustrating that a year in bottle has allowed the wines time to show their inherent quality. The sparkling wines did not disappoint, with some impressive trophies and gold medals awarded, proving once again the consistently high quality coming from English and Welsh sparkling producers. 2 gold medals were awarded each to Nyetimber and Ridgeview, and last year’s highest award-winner Camel Valley continued their success by scooping three gold medals as well as the trophy for Best Sparkling Wine, which was awarded to their “Cornwall” White Pinot 2005.
The aromatic still white category surpassed many expectations, with Bacchus showing top form by winning two trophies, and securing its reputation as a quality grape variety ideally suited to the UK and producing a consistently appealing style. Other aromatic varieties such as Ortega and Schönburger also earned a good number of awards, both as single varietals and in blends. “Bacchus, along with these other aromatic varieties, has earned true recognition for producing a very successful style in the UK,” commented Patricia Stefanowicz.
The winner this year is Three Choirs Vineyards, whose Estate Reserve Siegerrebe 2006 won the Gore-Browne Trophy (‘Wine of the Year’) and fittingly the Tom Day Trophy for Best Varietal Wine. Tom Day was involved with Three Choirs Vineyards when it was first set up in the early 1970’s. Siegerrebe is another intensely aromatic variety which produces outstanding wines when grown on the right site.
Other notable results were the high scoring medals awarded to the few late harvest wines that were entered, with Eglantine’s North Star 2004 scooping gold, repeating its top medal success in the French competition Vinalies earlier in the year, and three silver medals in this category awarded to other producers Bothy, Astley and Three Choirs.
A significant accolade goes to Wickham Vineyard in Hampshire, which wins the McNie Trophy for Best Oaked Wine for the second year in a row for their latest Special Release Fumé.
Rosé continues to prove a popular style, clocking up 27 medals. Acknowledging this category is the Waitrose Rosé Trophy, which this year has been awarded to Denbies Wine Estate for their still Rose Hill 2007. The best red wine once again went to a single varietal Pinot Noir, from Titchfield Vineyard in Hampshire.
The accolade of Winemaker of the Year recognises the significant contribution that winemakers in the UK make towards the quality of English and Welsh wines. This year’s acknowledged winner is Martin Fowke of Three Choirs Vineyards.
A full list of the winners is available here.
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30th June
FORTNUM & MASON SPARKLE THIS SUMMER WITH CAMEL VALLEY
First own label English Sparkling wine for leading London store
Cornwall’s leading vineyard, Camel Valley, has developed Fortnum & Mason’s first ever own label English sparkling wine .
Camel Valley has produced just 3,000 bottles for the shelves of the world renowned food and drink emporium. This fresh yet vibrant fizz has elegant fruity aromas providing the perfect partner to this season’s British strawberries, light canapés and, indeed, any al fresco appetiser.
Bob Lindo, owner of Camel Valley Vineyard explans: “It has been a fantastic experience teaming up with Fortnum & Mason. We pride ourselves that year on year the vineyard continues to produce top quality wines. To be recognised by Fortnum & Mason is a huge honour, and provides us the opportunity to supply our sparkling wine to an international audience.”
The sparkling wine is made by Sam Lindo, named UK winemaker of the Year 2007, using a blend of grapes; Seyval Blanc, Reichensteiner and Huxelrebe. This decadent sparkling is then aged on lees* for 18 months. The long growing season helps to create delicate and subtle aromas maintained through careful practice in the winery
Tim French, wine buyer for Fortnum & Mason adds: “The English sparkling wine market is growing and we are seeing more and more wineries successfully competing against the more established international competition. We decided to work with Camel Valley as they stood out as a leader of England’s developing sparkling wine industry. It is exciting times for English sparkling wine and we are delighted to champion the finest examples at Fortnum’s.”
Fortnum & Mason English Sparkling, Camel Valley 2006 will be available from July priced £23.50.
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20th June
AN OPPORTUNITY TO TASTE OVER 100 ENGLISH & WELSH WINES FROM THIS YEAR'S NATIONAL COMPETITION
Artisan & Vine have organised a trip for London-based wine enthusiasts to taste over 100 of the UK's premier wines.
This tasting event follows the judging of this year's English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition.
The trip starts at St John's Hill in London, taking a coach to Brightwell's 14 acre vineyard near Wallingford in Oxfordshire. The day will include a tutorial on tasting and judging, followed by sampling of 100 wines from this year's national competition.
Lunch and a complementary bottle of Brightwell wine to take home are also included in the ticket price, which is £55 per person
For further information or to book tickets please contact Artisan & Wine.
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19th June
UK's OWN NATIONAL COMPETITION TAKES PLACE NEXT WEEK
 The 2008 English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition judging takes place next Thursday and Friday (26th and 27th June). This year's hosts are Brightwell Vineyard in Oxfordshire.
The team of eminent judges is chaired by Patricia Stefanowicz MW and comprises Stephen Skelton, Anthony Foster, Julian Brind, Maggie McNie, David Wrigley and Alastair Peebles.
An impressive 200 wines have been entered in to this year's competition. The wines will be tasted in style and category order and the results will be announced on or about Monday 30th June. Who will win the coveted accolade of Wine of the Year - Gore-Browne Trophy - and who will be named Winemaker of the Year? There is some stiff competition. Watch this space!
There is an opportunity to taste some 100 wines from the competition on Saturday 28th June. London-based company Artisan & Vine are organising a day visit to Brightwell. The ticket price includes transport to the vineyard, a talk on the competition, lunch and a bottle of Brightwell wine to take home. For more information contcact Artisan & Vine direct.
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16th June
DENBIES WINES SELECTED FOR US PRESIDENT'S DINNER
Denbies Bacchus 2004 was served at Number 10 Downing Street on Sunday evening at a dinner held in honour of President Bush. In the company of the Prime Minister, the President of the USA, cabinet members , leading historians and two of France’s finest wines from Bordeaux (Chateau Gruaud-Larose and Chateau Coutet), the Bacchus was served to accompany a Trio of Smoked Salmon and cherry tomato salad.
It has become customary for an English white wine to be served at Number 10.
‘What an honour’, commented Denbies Wine maker, Marcus Sharp, who made the wine, ‘2004 was an exceptionally good year for ripening aromatic varieties and this was a particularly herbaceous wine .’
The 2004 Bacchus came from an exceptionally good batch of grapes from the south facing slopes in the dell area of the Denbies Estate. Following the outstanding quality of last year’s harvest, Denbies has just released a 2007 Bacchus.
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13th June
TOP AWARD TO ASTLEY VINEYARD IN REGIONAL COMPETITION
Upmarket county magazine Worcestershire Life hosted its Food & Drink Awards last night. Celebrating the great produce that Worcestershire has to offer, these prestigious awards covered entries from all walks of food and drink, from cider and cheese to asparagus and wine. The awards are sponsored by Waitrose and local businesses.
The 2008 winners of the Best Food & Drink Producer are Astley Vineyards, based near Stourport-on-Severn. Astley produces a range of still and sparkling white wine, including a late harvest wine.
Astley's wines consistently win awards at national and even international level. Owned and run by Jonty Daniels and Janet Baldwin, the wines are availble direct from the vineyard (tel: 01299 822907) or through local outlets.
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1st June
CHAMPAGNE VS DEVON SPARKLING WINE
Blind Tasting Organised for Devon Wine Week
As part of Devon Wine Week, the Devon Wine School held a blind tasting at Redyeates Farm on Wednesday 28th May 2008 to see how Devon’s sparkling wines performed alongside the world’s benchmark sparkling wine region. The answer was really very well.
The panel tasted 8 wines, 4 wines from 3 local vineyards in Devon and 4 wines from the Champagne region in north-east France, including the top houses of Moët & Chandon and Pol Roger.
The panel chairman Jan Critchley-Salmonson, Master of Wine, said afterwards “We found it quite difficult to identify the Champagnes from the traditionally made Devon sparkling wines, which gives you an indication of the greatly improved quality of the local wines”.
The wines and results are as follows:
| |
Vintage |
Wine |
Mark |
1. |
2005 |
Sharpham Sparkling, Totnes |
74 |
2. |
NV |
Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial, Épernay |
Silver |
3. |
2006 |
Yearlstone Vineyard Brut, Bickleigh |
74 |
4. |
2004 |
Yearlstone Vineyard Brut, Bickleigh |
Bronze |
5. |
NV |
Pol Roger White Foil, Brut Réserve, Épernay |
Silver |
6. |
NV |
Robert Desbrosse Brut Tradition, Congy |
Silver |
7. |
NV |
Pebblebed Sparkling Rosé, Topsham |
72 |
8. |
NV |
J. M. Gremillet Brut Rosé, Balnot-sur-Laignes |
Silver |
All wines were tasted blind in the order above. The marking system used was:
GOLD 90-100 Outstanding example, setting the standard
SILVER 80-89.5 Fine example, excellent quality
BRONZE 75-79.9 Good Example, well above average
66 -74.9 Good but not award worthy
50-65.9 Adequate
The panel of tasters were:
Jan Critchley-Salmonson Master of Wine, (Chair)
Andy Whiteman (owner of the Nobody Inn, Doddiscombsleigh and the Harris Arms
Lewdown)
Richard Hartley (owner of the Culm Valley Inn, Culmstock)
Mark Butler (Cellarmarque Wines Ltd)
The tasting was organised and administered by Alastair Peebles MBA MW, proprietor of the Devon Wine School.
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21st May
ENGLAND CELEBRATES IMPRESSIVE NUMBER OF AWARDS IN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS
The results of the three UK-based international competitions were announced yesterday, and England has done better than ever, scooping a total of 87 awards between them.
The International Wine Challenge announced a gold medal win for Hush Heath Estate's Balfour Brut 2004, the first wine produced from this sparkling wine estate in Kent. The overall results for England showed a continued improving form (10 medals in 2005, 16 in 2006, 21 in 2007 and this year 22 medals). Despite the exceptionally wet weather last year, the 2007 vintage still proved to be of good quality with 7 Bronze medals awarded.
The International Wine & Spirit Competition confirmed that England proved its quality, with a staggering 96% of English wines walking away with a medal, including a Gold 'Best in Class' which was awarded to Nyetimber Vineyard Classic Cuvee 2001. A further 8 Silver 'Best in Class' and 16 Bronze medals were awarded.
More English wines were entered this year in to the Decanter World Wine Awards, and gained an impressive 19 awards, including 2 Silver and 5 Bronze medals.
All these competitions judge to the highest standard and have an impressive list of judges, who taste all the wines blind. Vineyards across the country are certainly raising a few glasses in celebration.
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10th May
NEW BOOK ON ENGLISH WINES PUBLISHED IN TIME FOR ENGLISH WINE WEEK
The first of three books on English wines and vineyards to be published this year has just  been launched, in time for English Wine Week.
Grape Britain by David Harvey has been meticulously researched over 2 years and brings together a tour of Britain’s Vineyards in a lavishly illustrated 256-page book that will be popular with the growing number of UK wine enthusiasts and vineyard visitors alike. Further information on the book is available here
The author will be attending a launch at Mostly Books in Abingdon on Friday 23rd May, which will be accompanied by a wine tasting of local vineyard Bothy and nibbles - tickets £5.00.
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9th May
CHAPEL DOWN'S CEO WINS NATIONAL BUSINESS AWARD
Frazer Thompson, the Managing Director of England's largest producer Chapel Down Wines in Kent, has been crowned Chief Executive of the Year at an awards ceremony hosted by members of a new London stock exchange.
He won the accolade at the Plus Investors Awards 2008 on 29th April in London. Plus Investors is a quote-driven stock exchange for small businesses, trading more than 1,000 British companies with a combined market capital of £195 billion.
Frazer has been with Chapel Down Wines since 2001 since when he has overseen the development of the Chapel Down label to become one of the leading English wine brands. The company continues to expand and recently announced healthy profits.
Frazer is also chairman of Kent Institute of Directors, and . He also a non–executive director of Business Link Kent and a member of the Kent Economic Board.
After picking up his trophy, Mr Thompson said: “It was a great surprise and honour to win."
Source: Kentnews.co.uk
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8th May
ENGLISH WINE WEEK IS NEARLY HERE!
Towards the end of May, English Wine Week will be taking place, with lots of activities and offers taking place all across the country.
English Wine Week is a countrywide campaign to promote English wines and vineyards, an initiative started by the English wine industry itself some five years ago, organised by English Wine Producers and co-sponsored by Food from Britain. During the week, vineyards across the country will be opening their doors to welcome visitors and offer a variety of activities, including tours, tastings and sales or hosting special events. English Wine Week will also be supported by wine merchants, farm shops, delicatessens, hotels, pubs and restaurants with their own promotions of English wines.
This year there is a wide variety of activities, from a special day at Denbies learning to make cheese and blend your own wine, to belly dancing at Sharpham Vineyard in Devon!
Full listings and news on what’s happening in vineyards, wine merchants, retail outlets, hotels and restaurants are all available on the English Wine Week website.
VISIT VINOPOLIS FOR ENGLISH WINE WEEK PREVIEW
English Wine Week kicks off early at Vinopolis in London, with a special preview fortnight starting today, when visitors are invited to taste 3 top white wines and 3 sparkling wines absolutely free as part of the tour *
Guests will be asked to rate the wines and afterwards hear the opinions of revered wine experts including Oz Clarke, Jancis Robinson, Robert Joseph, Charles Metcalfe, Andrew Jefford, Susy Atkins, Stephen Skelton and other top names. During the tour guests will enjoy an English Wine section where they can learn about the growers, how to appreciate English wine, each wine’s provenance plus the vineyard’s location so they can pay a visit during English Wine Week.
As a celebration of English wines, all English Wine tasting guests will be entered into a draw to win a VIP ticket to Matt Skinner’s ‘Meet the Expert’ session on 17th May at Vinopolis. The winner will taste premium wines with Matt, have a Q&A session and receive other sought after goodies.
*English Wines will be available to taste during the tour, not exclusively. After 2pm there will be a charge of £4 for 6 tastings to sample the English wines.
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7th May
NEW WEBSITE FOR RIDGEVIEW
Ridgeview Wine Estate has just launched their new look website. www.ridgeview.co.uk outlines the story of Ridgeview and their wines, and is packed with other essential background information about this producer.
To help you track down your favourite Ridgeview wine there is a comprehensive list of where to buy, and you can update yourself on the many awards they have won over the years. The website will be regularly updated with latest news and press releases, as well as events taking place – so you need never be out of touch with this award-winning producer and their wines again.
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2nd May
ENGLISH WINES ON OZ CLARKE WEBSITE
The theme for May on Oz Clarke’s website is ENGLISH WINES, celebrating English Wine Week 2008 24th May – 1st June.
Oz features background history and information on English wines – all you need to know, in a nutshell! The Oz Clarke website also outlines his range of books, a perfect way to treat yourself or the wine enthusiast in your life.
www.ozclarke.com
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15th April
TESCO GOES LOCAL
Tesco has launched a small range of English and Welsh wines that is available in selected Tesco stores local to the vineyards. The five wines - which include a sparkling, red, rosé and two whites - join the five English and Welsh wines currently listed in Tesco.
Over the last 12 months, Tesco has created eight regional buying offices, designed to source and support local farms and producers; the five new additions signal Tesco’s intent to offer local produce to local customers across all forms, including supporting burgeoning UK wineries.
Hampshire producer, Wickham, was awarded a listing following its victory in the Tesco Drinks Awards for its Wickham Celebration Rosé. Retailing at £6.99, the wine will be available in 14 local Hampshire stores. Essex-based winery, Sandyford, has two new local listings: Sandyford Clover Hill White and Sandyford Special Reserve Red, available at £8.60 and £8.99 respectively. They will both be available in 13 stores around the Essex and Cambridgeshire areas.
Carr Taylor's still dry whiteEstate was established in 1971 by David and Linda Carr Taylor. Its flagship dry white, Alexis, will be available priced at £6.95 in four stores in the Sussex area. Additionally Welsh producer, Glyndwr, will have its Welsh Sparkling available four stores in Cardiff, Swansea and Carmarthen, price £14.99.
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28th March
EXPERIENCE THE LUXURY OF A LODGE AT THREE CHOIRS VINEYARD
Three Choirs are building new lodge rooms in the heart of the vineyard combine luxurious accommodation with a haven of peace and tranquillity in leafy Gloucestershire. These wooden lodges will be opening in June and are stuated just 500 metres from the main vineyard buildings, in the heart of the vineyard and overlooking the string of ponds in the valley below the restaurant.
Each lodge is separated from its neighbour by several rows of vines. They all have a double bedroom with king size bed and a bathroom with both a large bath and separate shower. All lodges also have an inviting veranda which runs around two sides of the building, giving the choice of sun or shade.
Each morning a breakfast hamper is delivered to the doorstep and guests who fancy a cooked breakfast the lodges are a short stroll from the vineyard restaurant which can also be booked for lunch and dinner. If eating al fresco is more up your street, the vineyard can also provide barbeque packs for those who want to immerse themselves fully in the beauty of their surroundings.
A stay in the lodge, or in their main 8-room hotel could be combined with one of Three Vineyard Experience Days, which offer the chance to find out what it really is like to work as a winemaker! The day starts at 10am with tea and coffee in the winery. From here you will don your Three Choirs overalls and boots and venture in to the vineyard to help with whatever tasks are required depending on the time of year. This may be pruning, canopy management, shoot rubbing, trellising repairs or even a spot of grape picking.
On return to the winery mid-morning enjoy a tutored wine tasting with one of the wine makers, followed by a 3-course lunch in the Vineyard restaurant. Your host will choose suitable wines to accompany the meal and will explain how they were made.
After lunch it is back to the winery and the opportunity to help in various areas of wine production - this may be on the bottling line, labelling, filtering or monitoring fermentations.
Finally at the end of the day you can choose 2 bottles of wine to take away with you and you will receive an “Apprentice Winemaker” certificate!
All bookings are taken at www.threechoirs.com
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25th March
WINE MERCHANT IS RAISING MONEY FOR CHARITY WITH THE HELP OF ENGLISH WINES
Your support is needed - please read on ..
From April 25th 2008, Henry Butler of Butlers Wine Cellars and Andy Martin will ride a tandem bike from the English Wine Centre, Alfriston, to a small town called Bra, Northern Italy. The primary purpose of the ride is to raise awareness and funds for Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice in Arundel. However, in addition they hope to promote English wine throughout France and Italy by visiting top wine producers, then having direct tastings of their hosts’ wines versus the winners from the 2007 English Wine Festival.
Chestnut Tree House is the only children’s hospice in Sussex and cares for children and young adults from 0-19 years of age with progressive life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses. Chestnut Tree House offers support for the whole family including psychological support, care in bereavement therapy, end of life and respite care and sibling support. The hospice costs approximately £2 million per year to run. Families are not charged for their care and the hospice receives no government funding at all, so it relies completely on the generosity, help and support of the people of Sussex.
Henry and Andy are Sussex born and bred and are taking with them 4 English wines that are local to their home town, Brighton. Although they don’t envisage rapturous applause from their French hosts they do expect an appreciation for the fact that English wine has come a long way in the last ten years.
Henry comments: "We are aware that there are many events asking for donations on a regular basis. Our trip is not just any old charity trip; it’s the most inventive one around. If you haven’t heard about it you can find full detail here www.MadDogsAndEnglishWine.com .
In brief, Andy and I are taking award-winning English wine by tandem and presenting it at wine tastings throughout France and ending up showing them at a Slow Food dinner in Bra (north east Italy). We will be raising awareness of the charity detailed above, our local wines, green travel, the Slow Food movement and quality French and Italian wine makers.
The wines that we’re taking are Ridgeview Bloomsbury, Breaky Bottom Sparkling ’03, Biddenden Dry, and a Dry White Ortega from Plumpton College, which is a project unique to us at the Butlers Wine Cellar.
We have put a lot of work into this - not just training - but trying to organise “international” wine tastings, and that’s not easy. We aren’t going as athletes, but there is no room for error; we have to finish it as the Chestnut Tree are depending on us, that is one of the reasons I don’t sleep at night."
The ride will be in excess of 1600Km and take 18 days to complete. The pair will ride through Champagne, Alsace, Burgundy, the Rhone and finally into Piedmont in northern Italy. The final destination, Bra, is the home of the Slowfood movement, an organisation that supports small, traditional farms and producers such as English wine makers.
Donations can be taken via the Mad Dogs And English Wine website.
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14th March
ADOPT A VINE FROM BOOKERS FOR FATHER'S DAY
Has your Dad ever dreamt of producing and drinking his very own wine from his own vineyard? Help him take a step towards that dream and adopt a vine from Bookers Vineyard for your Dad this Father’s Day.
The Adopt a Vine gift contains a welcome letter with details of the recipient’s ‘Rondo’ vine, a map of the vineyard with their vine highlighted, a presentation certificate and a voucher for a free tour and tasting at Bookers Vineyard, based near Bolney in West Sussex. The gift also includes two bottles of Bookers’ Dark Harvest, a medium bodied, smooth, dry red wine with lots of red fruit flavours and complimentary oak notes.
What’s more, to mark the occasion, if you buy the Adopt a Vine gift before Father’s Day (15th June 2008), the recipient will receive a free guest pass for the vineyard tour and tasting.
The Adopt a Vine Gift Box costs £49.00 and is available online from Bookers.
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13th March
ENGLISH WINES PASS THE TASTE TEST
Recently reported from independent merchant Noel Chadwick in Wigan: one recent Saturday evening in their restaurant, which only serves English wines, they had a table of four wine and food enthusiasts who appeared unaware of this when they ordered their wine.
When it was brought to their table, one of them said, "Shall we do the usual?" and each took a mouthful of the wine, pronouncing their opinion on its characteristics and country of origin. Two voted for Chile, one for Argentina and one for Portugal. What they did agree on was it was one of the best wines they had ever tasted. “The look on their faces when they examined the label to discover it was English was priceless!” reported Rebecca McCarthy of Noel Chadwick.
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10th March
LOCAL SUPPORT AT A'BECKETT'S WINES ARE NOW AVAILABLE THOUGH WADWORTH
Leading independent brewery Wadworth & Co, from Devizes in Wiltshire, have linked up with local vineyard a’Beckett’s and now are selling their wines throughout their 250 strong pub estate, as well as to their trade customers.
The move highlights the strong Wiltshire link between the two producers, which will undoubtedly develop enthusiastic local support. a’Beckett’s Sparkling White, Estate Blend still white and Estate Red are the only English wines on the Wadworth list.
Andrew Steer, commercial manager at Wadworth said “We are delighted to be able to work with a’Beckett’s Vineyard. The wines are excellent quality and the current increasing demand for local products and reducing carbon footprints makes a’Beckett’s and Wadworth ideal regional partners. We are looking forward to increasing the distribution and awareness of the range in time.”
a’Beckett’s proprietor Paul Langham, who together with his wife Lynn planted the vineyard in 2001, commented: “We are thrilled that we are supplying Wadworth, one of Wiltshire’s leading and most popular brands. Lynn and I are delighted that we can now buy our wine in our local!”
a’Beckett’s continue to develop their vineyard business, with a winery building now ready to accommodate winemaking equipment ready for this year’s harvest. Two of the wines won awards last year, with a Silver medal won by the (now sold out) Rosé 2006 and a Bronze for the Estate Red 2005 in the English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition.
The vineyard is located in Littleton Panell some 4 miles south of Devizes on the A360, and is open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Bank Holidays, 10.30am to 5pm for wine sales and walks around the vineyard.
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7th March
GOLD MEDAL FOR ENGLISH DESSERT WINE
Following national and international success last year, Eglantine Vineyard in Nottinghamshire have scooped yet another prestigious medal in France. Eglantine’s North Star, a luscious dessert wine produced from Madeleine Angevine, has won a Gold Medal at Vinalies Internationales in Paris http://www.vinalies-internationales.fr - announced this week. This comes on top of a Gold Medal at Concours des Vins des Vignerons Independents 2007, and a Silver Medal Best In Class in last year’s International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC).
Each vintage of this wine has won top medals. The wine is produced by Eglantine owner and winemaker Tony Skuriat. There is little in the way of protection between this vineyard and Siberia. On one occasion, grapes were harvested by the Northern Lights – which probably inspired the name of the wine!
The wine is described by IWSC judges as “…very attractive nose packed with tropical tones highlighted by pineapple with hint of mint. Initial mouth appears to be richly sweet then beautiful balance is provided by clean, lively fruit acidity. Floral notes in the background with freesia and hint of honeysuckle. Touches of jasmine and camomile suggest the influence of a master perfumier. Lithe and nimble. Clean cut finish. Delightful now yet has potential to develop over years to come.”
The wine is available direct from Eglantine Vineyard by either visiting or contacting by email or from the following outlets:
Delilah Foods, Nottingham
Think England, Torquay
best-english-wines.co.uk
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6th March
CHATEAU WAITROSE - Waitrose Plants Vineyard in Hampshire
Waitrose has today announced that it will be the first UK retailer to plant vines in England. The vines will be planted in the next year on the retailer's own 4,000 acre farm, The Leckford Estate, in Hampshire. Customers will need to be patient though, as this English Fizz will not debut on the shelves at Waitrose until 2014.
This move is in response to the continuing growth in interest and sales of English wine. Reflecting this trend, in 2007 Waitrose reported a growth in sales of over 90% and a market share among the multiples topping 40%*.
Waitrose has stocked English wine for over twelve years. The demand for English wine has risen so dramatically that Waitrose doubled its range in 2007. The aim is to have between 2 and 6 local wines in every branch in the wine producing regions of England. In addition 28 ‘local’ English wines, already available in Waitrose shops, are available nationwide online from Waitrose Wine Direct (www.waitrose.com/wine).
A Waitrose spokesperson commented: "To ensure our customers can continue to enjoy English wine in the future we are investing now to cope with future growth. It is a long term project - the vines will need three years before we see the first crop of grapes, and then a two year wine-making and maturation cycle for the production of this high quality sparkling wine."
Justin Howard-Sneyd, MW - English wine buyer for Waitrose - said: "Our customers are really enthusiastic about English wines and we have seen some fantastic quality from Nyetimber, Ridgeview, Chapel Down, Camel Valley and Denbies. We are all incredibly excited about being involved with the planting and growing of our first vineyard. In addition to the Estate sparkling wine, the vineyard also provides an opportunity to connect our Wine Specialists to the production cycle of the vineyard, and to enhance their education about how wine is made"
The Leckford Estate is located on gently rolling chalk hills either side of the River Test. There are several sites with a sheltered southern aspect where the soils have just the right balance of chalk and clay loam for our grapevines. In fact many of the soils of southern England are from the same geological strata as soils in classic regions of Northern France such as Chablis and Champagne.
*
Waitrose have 6% of the wine market for the multiple grocer market and 4% market share of the overall grocery trade.
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5th March
PLUMPTON COLLEGE OPEN DAY COMING UP
Your chance to find out more about wine studies options
Plumpton College is holding an Open Day on Saturday 10th May. The Open Day celebrates the successful courses and illustrates opportunities available at Plumpton to visitors.
This once a year opportunity allows visitors to enjoy a wide range of activities, tours and displays, including Floristry, Metalworking, Terrier Racing and Dog Grooming, Farm displays and riding, to name but a few attractions. Additionally there will be a trade and charity stalls, craft show and refreshments. Samples and sales of Plumpton Estate wines will also be available. The Open Day gives a unique opportunity to see what some of the extensive range of courses can offer and of course to look round the campus, including the newly opened Wine Studies Centre, the only one of its kind in England.
The Open Day takes place between 10.00am-5.00pm. Entry is free for 16's and under, £5 for adults and £3 Senior Citizens. A location map and further information about Plumpton College and the Open Day can be found from their website.
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20th February
DENBIES WINE ESTATE RELEASES RECORD NUMBER OF SINGLE VARIETAL WINES
 At Denbies Wine Estate the 2007 harvest produced grapes of outstanding quality, which has resulted in the decision by Denbies Winemaker, Marcus Sharp, to produce two additional varietals. Bacchus 2007, Ortega 2007 and Hillside Chardonnay have been produced, in addition to their Schönburger 2006, which was released at the end of 2007. All of these will bring a record amount of varietals to the Denbies existing still and sparkling range.
‘The concentration and flavours combined with high sugar levels and low acidity really influenced the reasoning behind producing varietals from not a particularly high yielding year’ commented Marcus Sharp, Denbies wine maker, ‘This is the first time Denbies has ever produced four varietals at the same time, it is very exciting to compare and contrast the styles’.
All of the wines will be available for purchase in early March 2008.
Denbies Wine Estate currently has a range of 12 wines and produces on average over 450,000 bottles of wine per annum. In 2007 Denbies wines received outstanding recognition on an International level winning both the Sparkling wine Trophy at the 2007 International Wine Challenge and being nominated as UK Wine Producer of the Year at The International Wine and Spirit Competition.
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29th January 2008
SOUTH WEST VINEYARDS ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE
The South West Vineyards Association has just launched its website.
Packed with plenty of information on the vineyards within the region (Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and South Wales) the has lots to offer to both the interested visitor and member vineyards alike.
News from around the region and a list and map of vineyards is also available. In time the website will build rapidly to include useful research and publications.
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25th January 2008
WINE APPRECIATION COURSES AT BOTHY VINEYARD
Bothy Vineyard in Oxfordshire are pleased to announce that they will be hosting a Wine Appreciation Course from this Easter, to be run by Karen Hyde of Wine Matters.
"We feel that there is a great synergy between the work we do here in the vineyard and Karen's mission to help people understand and develop a greater enjoyment of wine," commented Sian Liwicki, who together with her husband Richard owns and runs Bothy Vineyard.
The course starts on 19th March. Further details are available from Bothy Vineyard, or direct from Karen Hyde on Tel: 07855 026734 or email karen@winematters-oxon.co.uk.
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17th January 2008
DENBIES APPOINTS JOHN WORONTSHAK
Denbies Wine Estate has just announced the appointment of leading wine industry figure and international flying winemaker John Worontschak, who will be joining the company as Operations Director.
John Worontschak’s role will be to oversee all aspects of wine production from the vineyard to the finished product. His appointment is recognised as an integral part of the continuing improvements and expansion programme at the wine estate.
Christopher White, General Manager commented, ‘We are delighted to welcome John to Denbies, who joins us at an exiting time, there has been an unparalleled interest in English wine, particularly on an international level and we look forward to maximising the potential of Denbies wine.’
John Worontschak added. ‘I am thrilled to have this opportunity to work with Denbies, England’s largest vineyard. I have followed the expansion and international success that Denbies has achieved and looking forward to being a part of this exciting and developing company, particularly the growth of sparkling wines from this site.’
Denbies Wine Estate currently has a range of 12 wines and produces on average over 450,000 bottles of wine per annum. In 2007 Denbies wines received outstanding recognition on an International level winning both the Sparkling wine Trophy at the 2007 International Wine Challenge and being nominated as UK Wine Producer of the Year at The International Wine and Spirit Competition.
Denbies is located in Dorking, Surrey with direct rail access from London Waterloo and Victoria mainline stations 40 minutes, Heathrow 40 minutes/ Gatwick 20 minutes.
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7th January 2008
UK PRODUCERS TOAST LIFTING OF PLANTING BAN
English and Welsh wine producers have particular reason to celebrate the New Year, following the announcement just before Christmas that extension to the EU wide planting ban will not apply to the UK. The EU Council has agreed to a permanent exclusion of the UK from the planting rights regime.
This planting restriction had been the greatest challenge to the continued development of the wine industry in the UK, which has been growing very successfully over many years. Under this EU planting ban, UK wine producers would have had to stop any further planting once production exceeded 3.3million bottles (25,000 hectolitres), averaged over 5 years. Although the EU Commission wanted to get rid of the planting restrictions, they were forced to compromise and extend the ban to 2015, in order to get other reforms through, which are designed to make EU production more competitive.
The Planting Ban was introduced in the EU in 1999 in response to the over production of poor quality wine in the larger member state producing countries which resulted in the infamous ‘wine lake’. The current EU Wine Reform, introduced by EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel, aims to revive the languishing European wine industry. Meanwhile, the UK has been steadily producing more and more quality wine, especially within the sparkling wine sector, and demand from both domestic and overseas markets has never been higher. The UK’s representative industry body, the UK Vineyards Association (UKVA), therefore argued that capping the expansion of this vibrant industry, which is completely unsubsidised, would fly in the face of the new Common Agricultural Policy.
The UKVA has worked closely with Defra, the NFU and MEPs to lobby against the restrictions. Bob Lindo, Chairman of the UKVA Council said, “If you had told me at the beginning of our campaign that we would get virtually all of our demands in such a short time, then I wouldn’t have believed you. The House of Lords Select Committees were right ‘on side’ from the very beginning. Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat (and UKIP) MPs, MEPs and Peers all supported us and many others as a result of our media campaign.
“It shows what can be achieved when we all sing from the same hymn sheet, and we should never underestimate just what has been achieved.”
Mike Roberts of RidgeView Wine Estate, and one of the key members of the UKVA’s EU Wine Reform Working Group, commented: “Our recent and current rate of planting will yield a production of over 4 million bottles by 2012 – an increase of over 100% of our present production. Further expansion is planned for this and the next years and we foresee our production may well double again. The UK is producing and building a demand for what is now recognised as world-class and competitive wines, without any subsidy or market assistance from the EU. We have fulfilled the prime objective of the EU Commission’s wine reform – to have European countries produce what the consumer wants. The EU has acknowledged our efforts by exempting us from the planting ban.”
EU wine reform amendments have also lifted bans on unlisted grape varieties, as well as the listing of grape varieties and vintage on table wine labels. These reform measures have been put in place to increase the competitiveness of European wines in the face of stiff competition from New World producers.
The lifting of the ban shows the credibility that English and Welsh wines have built up and will encourage the continued development of the UK’s wine industry.
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12th December
ENGLISH SPARKLING WINE GAINS TOP TEN RANKING IN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
An English sparkling wine has once again triumphed in an international competition. Theale Vineyard Sparkling Chardonnay 2003 beat off stiff competition from fine Champagnes and top sparkling wines to make it into the world’s Top Ten Sparkling Wine at the world’s only dedicated sparkling wine competition, French-based Effervescents du Monde (sparkling wines of the world) 2007.
Since its first wine was launched in 2006 this small vineyard, which measures only 200 square metres (2150 sq feet), and planted with 704 Chardonnay vines, has received a growing list of top plaudits from the world’s best wine judges. The same wine also received a Silver Medal at the world’s premier wine competition, The International Wine Challenge, held earlier this year.
The Theale Vineyard is sited in front of the offices of Laithwaites, Britain’s leading independent wine merchant, in Berkshire. When Laithwaites built their new premises on a brown field site in 1998, a shrub border was due to be planted over debris from the previous building. However, Tony Laithwaite, the company’s owner and a geographer by training, saw an opportunity to experiment with growing vines to produce a unique English wine. An artificial hill facing south was fashioned with suitable topsoil and planted with Chardonnay vines imported from Champagne in 2000. The vineyard is managed by award-winning sparkling wine producer RidgeView Wine Estate, who also makes the wine under contract.
Only 756 bottles of this 100% Chardonnay wine were made. It can be purchased in person for £22.99 per bottle from the Laithwaites shop in Theale or by calling 0870 4448282 for home delivery.
Tony Laithwaite is delighted with the wine’s success:”We don't really know why the sparkling wine from this vineyard has proved so successful. Perhaps it is due to the carefully built south-facing slope or the shelter and heat from the surrounding buildings? Certainly Ridgeview’s skills and the dedication of the team who keep the vineyard immaculate have lead to its success.”
Another English wine produced by Ridgeview, this time exclusively for The Sunday Times Wine Club and Laithwaites – Ridgeview Merret South Ridge 2005 – added to the English success in the same competition with a Silver medal. The wine, with a cepage of predominantly Chardonnay, with Pinots Noir and Meunier, has enjoyed consistent success in this competition, with Silver medals awarded twice before to previous vintages. South Ridge is available from the Sunday Times Wine Club and Laithwaites, price £15.99 per bottle.
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11th December
"The Gourmet Wine Company"
VINEYARD AND RESTAURANT OPEN NEW WINE SHOP
Jabajak restaurant and vineyard, based near Whitland in Camarthenshire, have opened a new wine shop and tasting lounge – The Gourmet Wine Company. The new portfolio will feature wines from all over the world, including England.
Most of the wines listed are from small producers, from tiny cooperatives in the Mountains of North Western Spain, to a small family run operation in the Sacramento Valley in California and lesser known wine producing areas like Rust, in Austria.
The full wine list will soon be available on line to view and buy from www.thegourmetwinecompany.co.uk.
Wine from Three Choirs, who have been advising Jabajak on their own vineyard, is available to buy from the new list, and can also be enjoyed in their restaurant by the bottle or glass.
You can sign up to receive Jabajak's newsletter by contacting info@jabajak.co.uk, for regular news on their restaurant, accommodation, functions and other events.
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10th December
ENGLISH WINE REALLY IS THE TOAST OF CHRISTMAS
English wine will give Champagne and claret a run for their money this Christmas following Waitrose reports that its English wine sales have risen an incredible 120% year-on-year.
English sparkling wine sales are contributing to this outstanding increase. During November, Waitrose English sparkling wine experienced a sales uplift of 360% as customers, encouraged by its excellent quality, stocked up on their favourite British bubbly.
According to Waitrose, English wine is continually outselling wines from California, Alsace, Germany and Portugal and looks set to become the tipple of choice this festive season. In November, English wine outsold claret on Waitrose.com, the supermarket’s on-line service.
The Waitrose wine buying team, which includes five Masters of Wine, now takes English wine as seriously as any European or New World wine. Waitrose currently stocks wines from 11 UK vineyards and plans to increase its range still further in 2008.
English wine specialist Justin Howard-Sneyd, Waitrose Master of Wine, explained:
“English wines used to be regarded as the Cinderellas of the wine world – but now they are taking centre stage, and deservedly so."
“With the UK’s increasingly warm summers and the skills and expertise of English wine makers, English wine has seen a significant improvement in quality. It is also a great choice for customers wanting to try something a little different this Christmas.”
Every Waitrose shop in the wine-producing regions of England will have a range of between two and ten English wines, with a good proportion of Waitrose’s English wine selection available through Waitrose.com, Waitrose’s on-line service, including its best-selling Taste of England case, containing a mix of 12 English wines, £75.
Waitrose has scooped more major wine awards than any other supermarket. These include Best Supermarket of the Year at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2007, Off Licence News Multiple Wine Retailer 2007 and Supermarket of the Year 2007
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7th December
A TRULY CORNISH CELEBRATION WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL ELITE
‘Cornish Fizzy and Canapés’ was the invitation issued to the Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects to celebrate the instalment of their new Master, Jonathan Ball MBE, AA Dipl RIBA ACI Arb, FRSA.
To celebrate the Master’s strong Cornish ties, award-winning sparkling wine Camel Valley ‘Cornwall’ Brut 2005 was served to guests at the celebration, which recently took place at The Athenaeum Club in central London.
Jonathan Ball, a Cornishman born and bred, proudly announced that the wine served was from his home county during his welcome speech.
The many accolades in national and international wine competitions gained by Camel Valley for its wines were further expanded upon by Architect and Master of Wine, Patricia Stefanowicz. Guests were informed that Sam Lindo, son of proprietors Bob and Annie, and now winemaker at the vineyard, had scooped the much coveted trophy for Winemaker of the Year in this year’s national competition, The English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition. It was clear to see that the wine was much enjoyed by all those present.
Jonathan Ball MBE and Patricia Stefanowicz enjoy a glass of 'Cornwall'
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5th December
AN ORGANIC TIPPLE FOR LUCKY RICHARD………….
ORGANIC WINE FOR AN ORGANIC FARMER
Organic farmer Richard Browning had a real surprise recently when he heard that he was the lucky winner of the prize draw organised by Ilex Organics at this summer’s National Organic Cereal Events organised by the Soil Association.
The prize, a case of Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard’s top medal winning wines was presented to a delighted Richard at Tey Brook Farm near Colchester, where he and his family run a mixed organic farm growing cereals and vegetables alongside a herd of pedigree Hereford cattle. Richard has a thriving retail operation based on his farm shop and an expanding box scheme operating in and around Colchester.
Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard, founded by Roy and Irma Cook back in 1979 and situated in 1066 country near Hastings is the oldest and largest producer of organic wine in England. Their red, white and sparkling wines - all Soil Association certified organic - embody all that is best in organic produce. The shop is open daily along with Vineyard & Woodland Nature Trail and wine tasting.
Cheers Richard!
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7th November
DENBIES WINE ESTATE AWARDED INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRIT COMPETITION 'UK WINE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR'
Denbies Wine Estate was the recipient of the International Wine and Spirit competition UK Wine Producer of the Year 2007 at the IWSC competition dinner held in London yesterday evening.
In the ever increasing competitive market with key English wine producers receiving international awards, Denbies was honoured to be the recipient of this coveted trophy. The UK Wine producer of the Year is a reflection of the dedication of English wine growers to meet and maintain high quality and consistent standards.
 Denbies has now received International awards for all of its sparkling range, which includes the International Wine Challenge gold award and English Trophy for Greenfields Cuvee 2003. In September 2007, Denbies Wine Estate was acknowledged as one of the top four champagne/sparkling wine producers in the world at The International Wine Challenge Awards 2007. In elite company, Denbies Greenfields Sparkling Cuvee was competing against Champagne Fleury – millesime 1996, Charles Heidsieck ‘Champagne Charlie ’81 and Heidseick Brut Reserve 2003.
Denbies wine is available throughout the South-east and on-line www.denbies.co.uk. Denbies was recently invited to supply wine to Claridges, one of London’s premier hotels, the first English wine to be listed.
Marcus Sharp, Denbies' Winemaker
Denbies is situated in the North Downs, and benefits from identical soil as the champagne region in France. The family owned and run estate is located near Dorking, Surrey, and at 265 acres is the largest single estate vineyard in the UK.
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6th November
ULTIMATE GASTRONOMIC AWARD FOR ENGLISH SPARKLING WINE
English sparkling wine specialists RidgeView have been awarded one of the highest honours in the food and drink industry by the British Academy of Gastronomes. Egon Ronay founded the epicurean organisation and each year the Academy awards the Grand Prix of Gastronomy to the person, venture or product which has done most for gastronomy in the previous 12 months. The 2007 trophy has been awarded to RidgeView Merret Sparkling Wines. This very prestigious honour is a first for English Wine and highlights the recent renaissance in the sparkling wines being produced in this country. RidgeView are in very good company as previous winners of the trophy include Jane Grigson, Albert and Michel Roux, Somerset Cheddar and Prince Charles for the revival of mutton.
The trophy was awarded to RidgeView last night at the British Academy of Gastronomes
Grand Prix Dinner at the Dorchester. Founder and Director of RidgeView Mike Roberts said “It  was a wonderful honour from such a prestigious group of people. It is a fantastic mark of respect for our family Company and English sparkling wines in general”. The British Academy of Gastronomes was founded by Egon Ronay in 1983. Its aim is to encourage the improvement of the standard of food and beverages in the UK and Ireland. All members of the Academy are non-professional and exceptionally well informed gastronomes from all walks of life.
Michael Roberts (left) receives
The Grand Prix of Gastronomy 2007
from Egon Ronay, founding president of the Academy
RidgeView have been producing sparkling wine for the past 8 years. The family run company has had incredible success in such a short time with 80 medals and 16 trophies. Past accolades include the Trophy for the Best Sparkling Wine in the International Wine and Spirit Competition 2005, Best International Rosé in the French competition Rosé du Mondial 2007 and last year their wine was served for Her Majesty’s 80th Birthday banquet. Due to such fantastic successes RidgeView are only just satisfying current demand for their sparkling wine and are now preparing a five-fold increase in production.
An article written by Egon Ronay for Times Online on English sparkling wines is available to view. 'English Fizz For Christmas' was published 21st November 2007:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/real_food/article2909495.ece
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5th November
CORNISH SPARKLING WINE TO BE SERVED AT STATE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT
Tomorrow's State Opening of Parliament will be celebrated in style with a toast of Cornish sparkling wine. Camel Valley's Award winning Cornwall will be served at Westminster to mark the start of the new session, as reported on BBC's South West Politics Show.
It's been a busy year for awards for Camel Valley Vineyards, based near Bodmin in Cornwall. The 'Cornwall' Brut 2005 won a Silver Medal in this year's International Wine Challenge, as well as a Gold in the national competition, the English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition. Gold medals were also awarded to their two other sparkling wines as well as another Silver from the International Wine Challenge. The icing on the cake was the award of UK Winemaker of the Year going to Sam Lindo, winemaker at Camel Valley.
‘It’s really nice to know that Camel Valley will be representing the English Wine industry at the State opening of Parliament," commented Bob Lindo, Proprietor of Camel Valley Vineyards. "It’s come on top of Sam Lindo being named ‘UK Winemaker of the Year’ and winning 3 Gold Medals and it crowns a very successful year for Camel Valley"
Bob & Sam Lindo
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1st November
REGIONAL FOOD & DRINK PIONEER RAISES A FAREWELL TOAST TO ENGLISH WINE CENTRE
After 35 years raising the profile of regional wine and food Christopher Ann has sold the English Wine Centre in East Sussex.
The centre, in the Cuckmere Valley at the foot of the South Downs near the village of Alfriston, is the only one of its kind in the country and has been at the hub of the English wine industry since the days when very few people had heard about English wine, let alone tasted it. Christopher's own passion for regional food, which again began long before food became so fashionable and 'food miles' hit the headlines, led to him opening the wine centre in 1972 and founding the English Wine Festival, which recently celebrated its 33rd year and is the longest running event of its kind.
The wine centre has been bought by husband and wife team Colin and Christine Munday, who have lived in East Sussex for 30 years. The couple's business lives had previously been centred in London and they wanted to leave the capital to work together and combine their own love of good food and wine. They will officially take over the wine centre from Christopher on January 10th, 2008, and will continue to employ the current team of staff.
left to right, Colin Munday, Christopher Ann and Christine Munday
The sale marks another milestone in the history of the wine centre, on land originally owned by Christopher's father, Captain Douglas Ann, who opened Drusillas Thatched Barn restaurant serving home-cooked food and keeping rare and regional breeds of cattle, pigs and sheep that were part of the formative years of Drusillas zoo park.
After taking over the business with his brother Michael, Christopher began researching traditional Sussex recipes, such as Sussex Pond Pudding and Chiddingly Hot Pot, which he also served while running the catering operation at nearby Michelham Priory for a total of 15 years.
"Everyone that experienced these dishes loved them, but still it was not possible to convince the majority that the way forward was almost back," he said. In tandem with the country's emerging wine industry, in 1978 Christopher became founder chairman of the Weald and Downland Vineyards Association and in 1985 compiled a small leaflet listing a few local producers, which lead to the formation of a fledgling organisation encouraging shoppers to buy locally and businesses to stock and serve local fare. It marked the birth of A Taste of Sussex, which is now under the umbrella of Sussex Enterprise.
There were no limits to the promotional lengths Christopher was prepared to go to in turning the spotlight on regional food and drink. This included an English wine run to Paris, in light-hearted opposition to the annual Beaujolais Nouveau run, and linking the Cuckmere Valley with Mereville in France, the first rural link of its kind that was later awarded a European Flag in recognition of the work involved. This twinning also resulted in the formation of the Cuckmere Valley Boules Club, which now has nearly 100 members who play three times a week on the wine centre's eight petanque pitches.
Christopher said: "However much I have enjoyed being involved in the English wine industry there comes a stage when we all have to plan ahead for our retirement. I am delighted that Colin and Christine are keen to maintain the ethos of the business, while giving the boost of enthusiasm that is so essential in such an unusual place."
Colin and Christine are both bringing a diverse range of skills to the wine centre, which has a shop, wine museum that is also used for private and corporate events and a 17th century barn which is particularly popular for wedding receptions. Christine worked at a London management consultants and stockbrokers before a complete change of scene working as a perfume mixer. Also a calligrapher and designer, after bringing up their family she recently designed and refurbished five properties and obtained degrees in literature and completed courses on food and fine cooking at Leith's School of Food and Wine in London.
Colin - who went to the same grammar school in Dartford as Mick Jagger but missed him by three months! - studied tax, law and accounting before becoming a chartered accountant. Specialising in tax and business, he was finance director and manager of several advertising and communication companies over a period of 22 years and worked around the world in Europe, Japan and the USA. Eight years ago he co-launched a brand and communication research company, which now has offices in the London and Paris and the USA.
"I am also a lover of food and wine and wanted to leave London and the world of advertising to work with Christine," he said. "A great opportunity occurred to purchase the English Wine Centre and build from the good base that Christopher and his employees have worked so hard to achieve."
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30th October
NEW TERM AT PLUMPTON COLLEGE
Recently opened Wine Studies Centre opens its doors for the first time
The latest bunch of happy students have enrolled on the Wine Studies courses at Plumpton College. This year has seen record numbers of students enrolling for all courses at Plumpton College.
The College offers unique and very successful Wine courses, ranging from many part time courses, through to Degree level. Full time courses are available as Foundation Degrees in Wine Business and Wine Production with a unique BSc degree in Viticulture and Oenology. All the courses can be taken on either a full time or a part time basis, and Plumpton College aims to be as flexible as possible in terms of accommodating students' needs.
All the Wine courses at Plumpton College are sponsored by Oddbins and Vignobles Investissment Transaction. Wine Studies students study in a new, state-of-the art commercial Winery and gain much benefit from three college-run vineyards, producing award-winning wines.
Find out more about Wine Studies courses at Plumpton College at the next Information Morning on Saturday 10 November 2007. This occasion will allow an ideal opportunity to discuss all aspects of its courses with staff as well as meet current students.
Contact: Mr Chris Foss, Head, Wine Studies, Plumpton College
Plumpton College
Ditchling Road | Plumpton | Nr Lewes | East Sussex | BN7 3AE
T: + 44 (0) 1273 890454 | F: + 44 (0) 1273 890071
email: Chris.Foss@plumpton.ac.uk| website: www.plumpton.ac.uk
The pick of the bunch, pictured outside the Winery at Plumpton College
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TELEGRAPH TRAVEL CRITIC PRAISES JABAJAK RESTAURANT AND VINEYARD
Jabajak, in Whitland, Carmarthenshire, is a vineyard and a restaurant with rooms, owned and run by
Amanda and Julian Stuart-Robson.
It was recently visited by Daily Telegraph critic, Paddy Burt, who wrote it up in the Travel section of the Saturday Telegraph recently (20th October) and gave Jabajak a praiseworthy account, being particularly complimentary about their menu, with seasonal dishes from locally sourced and grown produce.
The vineyard was recently planted and comprises red and white varieties, including Pinot Noir and Huxelrebe. When in production the vineyard will produce still white and sparkling varieties.
We are delighted with the review especially as so many restaurants and hotels have fallen prey to her reviews," commented Julian. "She has actually awarded us 5 stars which really is fantastic."
You can read the full article on
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/main.jhtml?xml=/travel/2007/10/20/et-room-service-120.xml
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29th October
DEVON WINES STLL IN THE HEADLINES
The wines of Devon are certainly being well supported within their region. After producing their Devon Wine Trail earlier in the year, in time for English Wine Week, publicity continues from strength to strength.
Look out for a feature in Devon Today, when their November issue will feature a range of English wines to drink with food at Christmas.
Sunday Telegraph wine correspondant Susy Atkins recently held a very positive wine tasting at the Ashburton Cookery School, featuring a range of wines from Devon. Further information on this and the other talks and tastings that Susy undertakes are on her website www.susyatkins.co.uk
Further copies of the Devon Wine Trail are still available either through English Wine Producers or from Yearlstone Vineyard.
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23rd October
CHAMPAGNE ROEDERER LOOKS AT POTENTIAL VINELAND IN ENGLAND
Celebrated Champagne house, Louis Roederer, has recently been exploring potential vineyard land in the South East of England, with a view to producing sparkling wine.
Frederic Rouzaud, President of Roederer, and his Vineyard Director Jean-Baptiste Lacaillon visited potential land sites in Kent and Sussex in September, accompanied by wine consultant Stephen Skelton MW. With land prices in the South East of England near a tenth of the value of that in Champagne, England presents a viable business option.
'They looked at an unplanted site which is for sale, and three existing vineyards, two in Kent and one in West Sussex,' said Skelton. 'We discussed things like soils, yields, sugar levels and the different clones that are used here.'
'We had fantastic visits with some dynamic new growers and very interesting discussions,' Monsieur Lecaillon said. 'We will keep in touch and watch their development over the next two or so years. Maybe in three to five years this will go further in a joint venture.'
Source: decanter.com
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22nd October
ENGLISH WINE CELEBRATES SUCCESS AT TESCO DRINKS AWARDS
The results of the Tesco Drinks Awards 2008 have just been announced. For the first time this year an English wine category was introduced, where rosé proved the outright winner, scooping awards in the sparkling and still wine sections. Both winners are guaranteed regional listings at Tesco stores.
The English wine winners were for sparkling: Hush Heath Balfour Brut Rosé 2004 and for still rosé: Celebration Rosé, from Wickham Vineyard. Brightwell’s Bacchus 2006 was a runner up in the still wine category. The awards were presented by Dan Jago, Category Director Beers Wines and Spirits, at the awards ceremony on Friday 19th October.
The Tesco Drinks Awards, now in its 15th year, were open to all products not previously listed in a major national retailer, and were expanded and revitalised to include spirits and UK wines for the first time. All the winners, which also comprised categories in ale, spirits and organic wines, are new to the UK multiple market.
This was the largest ever Tesco Drinks Awards, with over 400 products – all of them never before listed at a national level. Products were judged blind by teams of experts recruited from the industry and press.
Dan Jago commented “At Tesco we are committed to bringing new, exciting products to the market. Great drinks deserve shelf-space and a chance to gain access to the UK consumer, and that is exactly what these Awards are designed to achieve.”
The winners will appear in-store early next year.
 
Dan Jago of Tesco presenting certificate to Certificate presented to Gordon Channon
Karen Hargreaves of Hush Heath Estate of Wickham Vineyards
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19th October
FURTHER EXPANSION OF CHAPEL DOWN VINEYARDS
Chapel Down Wines, the largest producer in the UK, has purchased a further 116 acres in the North Downs, near Aylesford. The site is prime chalk soil, ideal for sparkling wine production, and will, when in full production, expand Chapel Down’s sparkling wine output to 1 million bottles.
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24th September
GLYNDE FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL WINNERS TOAST SUCCESS
English wine c ompetition winners announced
There was air of celebration on the first day of the Glynde Food & Drink Festival, the new home of the English Wine Festival. Traditionally, wines from exhibiting vineyards are entered in to a festival competition. This year's festival competition was judged by an eminent line up of experienced tasters: wine writers Charles Metcalfe and Olly Smith, wine merchant Henry Butler and English Wine Centre owner (and founder of the English Wine Festival) Christopher Ann.
As Chairman of Judges, Charles Metcalfe presented the prizes to the following winners:
Best Sparkling
Winner: Breaky Bottom Cuvee Alexandre Brut 2003
Runner Up: Stanlake Park Hinton Grove NV
Best White
Winner: Biddenden Ortega 2006
Runner Up: Stanlake Park Bacchus 2006
Best Rose
Winner: Biddenden Gribble Bridge Rose 2006
Runner Up: Stanlake Park Pinot Blush 2006
Best Red
Winner: Plumpton Pinot Noir
Runner Up: A'Beckett's Estate Red 2005
The Wine of the Show was presented to Breaky Bottom for the sparkling wine.
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13th September
MAD DOGS & ENGLISH WINE ON A BICYCLE MADE FOR TWO
Two Brighton men are getting ready to take to the roads of Europe on a tandem - with a pannier full of English wine - to raise money for the only children's hospice in Sussex.
After forming the initial idea, which naturally enough evolved over a glass or two of wine, Henry Butler and Andy Martin are now starting to plan their route, which will take them through France and across the Alps to Bra in north west Italy, the headquarters of the Slow Food organisation.
They will launch their fundraising campaign for Chestnut Tree House, near Arundel, at the Glynde Food & Drink Festival being held later this month. This year's festival will also incorporate the 33rd English Wine Festival and has provided Henry and Andy with an ideal launch pad for their epic bike ride.
 Henry owns Butlers Wine Cellar in Brighton's Queen's Park and is a keen supporter of the slow food movement, which began in Italy in 1989 as the antithesis to fast food. Andy, who works in London as an IT consultant, is equally passionate about good food and wine.
"We did a wine tasting and auction in aid of the hospice and that is how the idea first started," said Henry. "Chestnut Tree House is the only children's hospice in Sussex and costs around £2 million per year to run. Families are not charged for their care and the hospice receives no government funding at all, so it relies completely on the generosity, help and support of the people of Sussex.
"The aim is to set off from the English Wine Centre at Alfriston with bottles of wine that win awards at the Glynde Food & Drink Festival and then catch the Newhaven ferry to Dieppe. From there we will visit Jacquesson in the Champagne region, travel up to the mountains of Alsace to see the bio-dynamic winemaker Domaine Ostertag and about turn to Burgundy to meet the Bret Brothers before working our way through Rhone and the Alps to Bra in north west Italy. Along the way we will arrange English wine tastings with groups of French people and hopefully raise awareness about English wine and money for the hospice."
While the pair source a tandem they have been taking to the roads around Brighton on separate bicycles to start getting fit for next summer's bike ride and anyone interested in supporting them can find out more by visiting their stand at the food festival taking place on Saturday and Sunday, Septemnber 22nd and 23rd.
More information on the fundraising is available on www.maddogsandenglishwine.com
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10th September
ALL SET FOR THE GLYNDE FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL - THE NEW HOME OF THE ENGLISH WINE FESTIVAL
The English Wine Festival is soon upon us - as part of the Glynde Food & Drink Festival, taking place on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd September.
It is the second year Glynde has staged the festival and this year's event will provide plenty of attractions for food and drink enthusiasts of all ages.
Following the success of the Kids' Kitchen at last year's festival, author and television presenter Amanda Grant will be staging even more foodie events for budding young chefs. Other festival highlights include talks by Peter Bayless, winner of BBC MasterChef 2006 and a packed programme of talks, demonstrations and tastings.
Set in the magnificent grounds of the Elizabethan manor house against the backdrop of the South Downs, food and drink lovers will be able to sample a wide range of fine produce from selected producers, including an oyster bar, farmhouse meats, ethnic cuisine, dairy, bakery, organic foods, spices and accompaniments.
The festival will be open from 10.30am to 5pm on both days and tickets cost £6, or £8 including a festival glass, if bought in advance, and £4 for concessions. On the day they will cost £8, £10 and £5 respectively. There is free entry for children aged 12 or under.
Further information and tickets are available from Glynde Place on 01273 858 224 and the festival website at www.glynde.co.uk.
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27th July
ROYAL VISIT TO LEVENTHORPE VINEYARD
A First for English Wine
George Bowden (left) with HRH Duke of Kent
His Royal Highnes the Duke of Kent became one of the first ever members of the Royal Family to visit an English vineyard, when he visited Leventhorpe Vineyard near Leeds.
The visit was organised following proprietor and winemaker George Bowden's nomination for the Queen's Award for Enterprise. The Lord Lieutenant, Dr Ingrid Roscoe, and the Deputy Lord Mayor of Leeds were also in attendance.
The Duke was greeted and shown round the vineyard and winery by George Bowden. Being one of the better summer days, plenty of time was spent visiting the vineyard to inspect the vines. This was followed by a tasting of Leventhorpe's Madeleine Angevine which met with royal approval.
This was the highlight of a very busy and successful year for Leventhorpe, currently the most  northerly commercial vineyard in England.
The visit proved a great success for all concerned, and was particularly pleasing that the royal visitor was 'astonished' by the quality of the Yorkshire wine he had tasted.
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18th July
FRENCH TROPHY FOR ENGLISH SPARKLING WINE
English sparkling wine producers RidgeView Wine Estate have won the ultimate accolade for their Rosé wine; a Trophy in France. Not content with winning medals in International and domestic competitions they are now sending their wine over to France to be rated alongside the best in the world. Le Mondial de Rosé, (The World of Rosé wines) has entries from around the globe competing for the title of the best Rosé. RidgeView’s Merret Fitzrovia 2004 won the coveted Jean Feraud trophy in the 2007 competition for the Best International Sparkling Rosé.
 General Manager Tamara Roberts collected the award at the presentation ceremony at Chateau de Berne in South West France on the Cóte d’Azur near Nice. “It was a great honour for our Rosé to be so highly regarded in Provence, a region of France which has been making Rosé wines for centuries. There was much interest and a significant amount of knowledge and support of the wines now being produced in England by those attending the awards ceremony. I received a very warm reception”.
RidgeView have been producing sparkling wine for the past 8 years, and are no strangers to awards, with 80 medals and 15 trophies to date. Their sparkling wine was the only English Wine on the menu for the Queens 80th Birthday lunch. As a result of these successes, and resulting publicity, RidgeView are only just satisfying current demand for their wine and many stockists are on allocation basis only. They are now planning a five-fold production increase within the next 5 years to accommodate for the growth in popularity.
The RidgeView Merret Fitzrovia (Rosé) 2004 can be found at selected Waitrose, The Wine Society, Harrods, Fortnum & Mason and other speciality resellers around the country.
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9th July
NEW WINES LAUNCH WEEKEND AT STANLAKE PARK
Stanlake Park in Berkshire will be launching 4 new wines later this month, over the weekend
 of 28th & 29th July. 4 new varietal wines from Stanlake from 2005 will be available to taste and buy: Ortega (dry white), Madeleine (very slightly off dry), Gewurztraminer (dry) and Bacchus (off dry). Discounts will be available on purchases of 6 and 12 bottles of any of these wines.
Further events at Stanlake will be taking place later in the year - namely the release of their Ruscombe Red 2006 on 22nd/23rd September, and their Christmas Gift Fayre, 23rd-25th November - definitely a date for the diary!
Further information is availble on the Events pages, or by contacting Stanlake Park direct on 0118 934 0176.
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6th July
NEW VENUE FOR 2007 ENGLISH WINE FESTIVAL
The country’s longest running English wine festival is moving to a new venue at Glynde Place in East Sussex.
Following the successful launch of the Glynde Food & Drink Festival in 2006, this year’s event will incorporate the 33rd English Wine Festival. The move will ensure the future of the popular festival and complement the new gastronomic showcase, which attracted 1,200 visitors last year.
It will take place in the magnificent grounds of the Elizabethan manor house on Saturday and Sunday, September 22nd and 23rd. Against the backdrop of the South Downs, food and drink lovers will be able to sample a wide range of fine produce from selected producers, including an oyster bar, farmhouse meats, ethnic cuisine, dairy, bakery, organic foods, spices and accompaniments.
Throughout the weekend there will be demonstrations and talks, plus Amanda Grant’s Kids’ Kitchen that proved a huge hit last year. In keeping with the traditions of the wine festival, a panel of experts will select the wine of the show and members of the public will be able to vote for their favourite wines.
 Francis Brand, co-organiser of the Glynde Food and Drink Festival said: It’s a very exciting time for wine in this country. More and more people are realising the fantastic wealth of wine and food produced in the UK. I hope that with the move of the English Wine Festival to Glynde Place and the obvious synergies between it and the Glynde Food & Drink Festival, we’ll create a forum for vineyards, food producers and consumers to meet and have a really good time.”
Francis Brand, Glynde Festival Organiser
Christopher Ann, who owns the English Wine Centre at nearby Alfriston, started the English Wine Festival in 1975. Christopher said: “I’m delighted this important event is to be taken on by Glynde Place. The venue is stunning, with plenty of parking and space for marquees so the festival will be able to grow again to become a vital part of the promotion of English wine. Last year’s inaugural food festival was a huge success and will certainly give the wine festival a new lease of life, which will take it into the future. We look forward to welcoming old friends and new faces to this year’s event.”
Glynde Place is in the village of Glynde, three miles to the east of the county town of Lewes, and is an hourly train service from London.
Further information is available from Glynde Place on 01273 858224 and full details will be announced on the festival website coming soon at www.glynde.co.uk.
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18th June
FIRST ENGLISH WINE TROPHY AWARDED IN INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE
The International Wine Challenge announced the trophies awarded to the top wines in their field, and for the first time a trophy was awarded to an English wine.
The IWC announced that "The steady rise of England as a world class wine producing nation has been reconised once more. This year, the IWC Judges felt that Denbies' Greenfields Brut 2003 merited the first ever English trophy."
This year in the IWC Challenge, English wines came out with a higher number of medals than in previous years, and included a gold medal, one of only 260 awarded, which went to Denbies Greenfields.
This year 9,358 wines were judged from 35 different countries, by 400 judges. The judges came from 19 different countries and included 33 Masters of Wine. 260 Gold medals were awarded (representing 2.8% of the entry). 1,129 wines won Silver medals (12.1% of the total). The biggest change is in the percentage of Bronze medals awarded (19.7% of total entries) with 1,839 medals, 7% up on last year.
The medals were announced earlier in May at the UK's top wine trade event, the London International Wine & Spirits Trade Fair. The Trophy announcements were made at the Bi-Annual Vinexpo, held in Bordeaux.
Illustration: Denbies Winemaker, Marcus Sharp, with a bottle of the winning wine
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LISTEN TO ENGLISH WINE PERSONALITIES
Chris Scott of ThirtyFifty.co.uk compiles a series of fascinating podcasts, which include interviews with wine personalities and specialists in their field. A number of English wine personalities have been interviewed, and we thought it was worth highlighting them - they are interesting and informative and provide a real insight in to the world of English wine. The full list of podcasts are on www.ukwineshow.co.uk
 Julia Trustram Eve, English Wine Producers
To mark English Wine Week ThirtyFifty met up with Julia Trustram Eve, Marketing Manager for English Wine Producers, the Marketing Association for the English Wine Industry. We discuss issues including new Brussels legislation and global warming.
 Chris White, Denbies Wine Estate
Denbies is England's largest vineyard and attracts 300,000 visitors a year. General Manager and son of the owner, Chris White, lets us in on the secret of Denbies' success.
 George Bowden, Leventhorpe Vineyard
Leventhorpe Winery is a commercial vineyard and winery based in Leeds in the North of England. Owner George Bowden tells how he grows vines at the extreme edge of viticulture and why badgers, birds and hedgehogs are as much a hazard as frost and fungi.
 Professor Richard Selley - Podcast1 & Podcast 2
Richard Selley is a Professor of Geology and a Senior Research Fellow at Imperial College, London. He explains how the different soil and rock types affect the vines that are grown on them.
Global Warming & Wine in Britain
Professor Selley
shares with us his knowledge on climate change in Britain relating to wine.
 Plumpton College
Chris Foss is Head of Wine Studies at Plumpton College in Sussex. He is half-French and Bordeaux-trained. Chris brings us up to speed on the wine courses on offer at Plumpton.
 Michael Roberts, Ridgeview Wine Estate
Mike Roberts is the owner of Ridgeview Estate, a top English sparkling wine producer. His wines consistently win international awards so what makes them so successful and able to compete with Champagne?
 Owen Elias, Chapel Down Wines
Owen Elias from Chapel Down talks to us about winemaking in the UK and how the industry has changed over the last decade from amateur hobbyist to professional business.
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30th May
'THE JUDGEMENT OF DEVON'
Devon Vs New Zealand Wine Competition
The 1st annual competition pitching New Zealand wines against new wave wines from Devon is being held during English Wine Week, on Thursday 31st May at the Devon Wine School, Crediton
The competition will be hosted and organised by Alastair Peebles, Master of Wine, former Director of Berry Brothers and Rudd and patron of the Devon Wine School. Alastair will ensure that everything is fair, above board and that the results are independent and valid.
The tasting will involve several very experienced wine tasters and judges including a citizen panel of wine enthusiasts in order to ensure that the wine drinking public have a voice. In addition to independent judges, members of the public there will be a New Zealand trained winemaker present to ensure that the Kiwi’s have their say.
All wines will be tasted totally ‘blind’ without any clue as to where they come from or what producer. The categories will be White (Classic), White (Aromatic), Red, Rose and Sparkling. 30 wines will be judged – 15 from Devon and 15 from New Zealand.
New Zealand was selected because of its cool, maritime climate (like Devon), its similarly aromatic grape varieties grown, its world class stature that was, until as recently as 15 years ago, unheard of. Pitching Devon against New Zealand is an extremely bold move and the odds must surely be stacked strongly in favour of the Kiwi’s.
All will be revealed during English Wine Week!
IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS OF AWARDS SO FAR IN THIS YEAR'S COMPETITIONS
This year's award winners in two major competitions have recently been revealed, and they include an impressive line up of medals for England.
The International Wine Challenge announced their awards last week at the London  International Wine & Spirits Trade Fair and made the English wine awards line up one of their lead stories, which was picked up by much of the national media.
The awards showed improved form with 10 medals in 2005, 16 medals in 2006 and 21 in 2007. This year’s single UK Gold goes to Denbies Wine Estate Greenfields 2003, the Surrey vineyard’s top sparkling wine. A number of still wines also achieved some impressive results.
The International Wine & Spirit Competition deferred announcing its 2007 English wine results until English Wine Week.
This year, there were more entries from England than ever before; up nearly 50 % even on 2006. Twenty-six wines were awarded medals; with x5 Silver ‘Best in Class’ going to traditionally bottle-fermented sparkling wines but beyond this, a still wine from Nutbourne Vineyard and a rare dessert wine from Eglantine Vineyard also took this same acclaimed prize.
Each year an English wine trophy is awarded. the winner however is not revealed until the IWSC Awards Dinner in October.
The full IWSC press release is available here.
A full list of awards from both competitions is available here.
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29th May
YAHOO ANSWERS POLL REVEAL ENGLISH WINE DRINKING HABITS
In the run up to English Wine Week, Yahoo Answers commissioned a poll amongst wine drinkers about how often they drink English wine. The results unearthed some interesting features.
Some interesting answers were revealed in the survey, showing that there is still some way to go before the Brits integrate English wines in to their own wine drinking habits.
However there was some encouraging news for English producers, with 24 per cent of respondents said they would prefer to support British goods if they could, indicating the strong connection English wines have with regional food. Notably, almost half (43%) of those polled believed there were less than 50 vineyards in England while there are actually close to 350.
The evidence was scrutinised by wine personality Matt Skinner, head of Wine Operations at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Restaurant in London, who is appearing on Yahoo! Answers during English Wine Week to answer questions and increase understanding about English wine.
He said: “People know so little about English wine so it's great that a vehicle like Yahoo! Answers can provide a platform where people can learn more about the subject through asking questions. When I was first approached to try English wine I too was sceptical but, after my first glass, I was amazed.”
A full press release about the poll is available here
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22nd May
NEW DEVON WINE TRAIL LEAFLET LAUNCHED FOR ENGLISH WINE WEEK
A new wine trail outlinint vineyards to visit in Devon has been launched for English Wine Week. The Trail lists vineyards that are opening to the public, outlining opening times throughout the year, and contains a useful introduction by wine writer Mark Lane. You can request a free copy of the leaflet from English Wine Producers or by contacting Yearlstone Vineyard. A downloadable pdf version is available here.
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21st May
CAMEL VALLEY IN TOP 100 ROSÉ TASTING
Camel Valley Vineyards have had one of their wines selected for a line up of the world's top 100 rosés.
Camel Valley Pinot Rosé sparkling will feature in The Top 100 rosé tasting, to be showcased at the forthcoming London Wine & Spirits Trade Fair, one of the world's leading events for the wine trade.
The wines were selected by five respected UK wine writers: Sally Easton MW, Sarah Jane Evans MW, Neal Martin, Peter McCombie MW
and Joe Wadsack
With rosé showing fantastic sales growth, this is a great opportunity to compare and contrast 100 of the best. The tasting is likely to attract a great deal of attention from the world's wine trade over the three days of the Wine Fair.
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18th May
BUMPER CROP FOR UK WINE PRODUCERS
The 2006 production figures for English and Welsh wines have just been declared, showing that the UK produced one of their highest volumes on record.
3,369,000 million bottles will be produced from the 2006 harvest, the third highest volume since production records began. The data also records an increase in the number of hectares under vine and vineyards over the same period.
The harvest and production data is supplied by the Wine Standards Branch of the Food Standards Agency (formerly the Wine Standards Board) who are responsible for collecting the information from all registered vineyards in England and Wales.
The English & Welsh wine industry is experiencing a steady increase in planting of vineyards, primarily for sparkling wine production. Since 2004 vineyard acreage has increased by approximately a third, which will yield an increase in production by a further 58%.
As the industry approaches English Wine Week (26th May – 3rd June) there is certainly plenty to celebrate.
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27th March
ENGLISH WINE INDUSTRY ASKS HOUSE OF LORDS FOR CHANCE TO GROW
News story supplied by www.thirtyfifty.co.uk
Members of the English wine industry made a representation to the House of Lords last week in support of scrapping the EU restrictions on planting vines, which could stifle the growth of the UK wine industry in the future.
The current EU planting ban comes up for review in 2010 and the UK wine industry is urging that no further ban is imposed, which would ottherwise affect its future expansion.
Such bans have been
aimed at controlling volumes in the larger EU wine producing countries who have been awash with unwanted wine over the past few years. This, however, isn’t the case in the UK.
Mike Roberts, owner of sparkling wine producers Ridgeview Wine Estate and currently Chairman of English Wine Producers, led the representation to the House of Lords. He commented: ‘We’ve a wonderful opportunity in the southern counties to create an industry here and we don’t want to compromise our ability to grow our business.’
The full story is available on the Thirtyfifty website:
http://www.thirtyfifty.co.uk/wine-news.asp
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22nd March
DISMAY AT THE DUTY RISES IN YESTERDAY'S BUDGET
The tax rises on still and sparkling wine have dismayed and angered the English wine industry.
7p on a litre of sparkling (equivalent to 5.6p per bottle) and 5p on a litre (4.4p per bottle) of still wine is likely to affect the prices of English wines. With margins so fine, it will hard for many vineyards to absorb these increases, as some of them have done before. At a time when new wines and vintages are about to be released, it is unfortunate that consumers will potentially face a price rise on the wine they purchase.
Some three years ago, the Chancellor announced that he was looking to reduce the differential between sparkling and still wines, and had frozen the duty on sparkling wine to enable this. Yesterday’s hike in tax is totally contrary to these intentions.
As one vineyard commented: “It is a great pity that better support for our own wine industry has not been shown. It is an exciting and dynamic industry and ticks all the right boxes for accountability, quality and reduction of food miles, yet we are being hampered by a rise in duty and fuel costs.”
“We can only hope that consumers will accept these rises as beyond our control and continue to support the industry as they are doing so increasingly by buying and enjoying the top quality wines that we produce.” |
2007 HARVEST: GRAPE PICKING DAYS AT DENBIES WINE ESTATE
The Denbies Grape Picking Experience
Would you like to play an active part in the 2007 harvest? Denbies are offering an exciting package where you can experience the vendage at first hand. A packed itinerary has been devised by Denbies for all wine enthusiasts, starting with a hearty breakfast, opportunities to learn more about Denbies Wine Estate, England’s largest vineyard (and one of the largest vineyards in Europe) and grape picking. The itinerary comprises:
Bacon Butty Breakfast
A Brief History of Denbies
The Harvest
Vineyard Workers Lunch
Witness the pressing process in the winery
The cost for this all inclusive day is £39.50 per person – weather not permitting! –and includes all refreshments, and as a memento of the day a Denbies Estate grown vine of your choice. Dates of course are not confirmed until nearer the time, but selected days will take place throughout October, commencing Monday 1st October.
Please call 01306 742002 for availability, or email kwalsh@denbiesvineyard.co.uk
Please note that these events are for over 18s only. |
2006 HARVEST REPORT
2006 was a year of contrasts mostly induced by the varying weather conditions across the country. For the first time in a number of years, most of the country experienced an extreme cold snap at the beginning of the year. As a consequence bud burst was at a normal to late time for most vineyards reducing the threat of loss to late frosts as happened in 2005 and has happened this year in Australia. However there was no such threat as May went by warm and wet, June became warm and dry giving an excellent flowering and fruit set. Then as the year progressed any delay in growth from a late start was redressed by the hottest July on record (11 days over 30°C).
In the South and South East August carried on with heat and no rain for many as the thunderstorms helped some but missed others but elsewhere there was a good balance of water and temperature. Then September and October were quite wet, swelling the grapes to give a large yield to many vineyards (some reporting their heaviest crops ever). However this crop came with the risk of excess water diluting the juice, resulting in slightly lower sugar levels and acids. The inclement weather, and in some areas, constant high humidity brought the risk of disease and a number of vineyards across the country were affected by botrytis.
The very hot early summer resulted in harvest being brought forward by an average of a week, with picking for the early ripening varieties such as Siegerrebe starting in mid September. Deciding when to pick taxed the skills of many of the growers juggling ripeness with water uptake and the constant rain of October.
When the 2006 figures are released they will undoubtedly record a bumper crop, with well above average tonnage per acre. The grapes are reported as having sugar and acid levels that appear to be reasonably good with flavours that are perhaps less concentrated than in other years. At a time when stocks in some areas have been running low, a big vintage is very welcome.
The rapidly increasing number of sparkling wine producers are pleased with the quality of their grapes which came in with very good sugar and acid levels.
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29th January
JOB OPPORTUNITY AT SHARPHAM VINEYARD
Retail Sales Manager - Up to £18,000pa
The 500 acre Sharpham estate, situated close to the South coast of Devon, produces a range of white, red and rose wines and their tally of National and International awards confirms their position as one of England's foremost quality wine producers. The estate also has 80 organic Jersey cows whose milk is used for a range of exceptional soft cheeses. The cheeses are handmade using traditional techniques and are suitable for vegetarians. Sharpham's soft cheese won best dairy product and the champion product at the Taste of the West awards 2005.
The Estate is looking for a keen, intelligent person with initiative, energy, enthusiasm, an eye for detail and a positive attitude to join their committed and hardworking team.
Key aspects of the role include farm shop sales, managing a small team of shop assistants and wine waiters, vineyard tours, stock management, website sales, and shows.
Previous industry experience is desirable but not essential but a passion for customer care, wine and cheese is a must.
For full details of this opportunity and how to apply please emailt Mark Sharman at mark@sharpham.com
9th January
NEW WINES RELEASED BY a'BECKETT'S VINEYARD
a'Beckett's Vineyard have just released their 2005 Estate Red and 2006 Rose.
The 2005 Estate Red is priced at £12.00 and the 2006 Rose at £6.50. Both are available direct from the vineyard or through their stockist, as listed on their website www.abecketts.co.uk
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