Thursday 18 December 2008

Organic English Wine

Owner, wine maker and gentleman Roy Cook established this organic estate about 20 years or so ago and both him and his partner Irma are at the forefront of organic English viticulture today. The estate is managed with minimum interference, rustic looking and Roy and Irma’s office is a converted old caravan. Set in the beautiful East Sussex countryside their wines speak for themselves.

Sedlescombe Organic Sparkling Bodiam Brut - £17.95
100% Seyval Blanc. A wonderful lively moussed of small elegant bubbles. A creamy and yeasty nose, followed through onto the palate. Notes of citrus, cream and buscuits. Delicious!

Sedlescombe Organic Rose - £9.95
Made from Solaris and Regent grapes.
Crisp, clean with summer berry bouquet and great stuffing on the palate. Youthful tannins and a long finish on this wonderful dry rose English organic wine.

Sedlescombe Organic Sparkling Rose Pinot Noir - £24.95
88% Pinot Noir and 12% Kerner. Dark purple in colour with a wonderful red berry and cherry nose. Great mousse and concentration on the palate that lingers and lingers. This is arguably one of the very best English sparkling rose wines that we have ever tried.

Sedlescombe Organic Dry White - £9.95
From the heart of Sussex, Sedlescombe are at the forefront of organic English wine production. Small production family run estate. Made from Reichensteiner, Bacchus, Rivaner, Kernet and Regner grapes.
A citrus, crisp and clean refreshing and elegant dry white from England.

For purchase information visit www.thesussexwinecompany.co.uk

Thursday 11 December 2008

Keep it Local, Keep it British

With the now all too familiar impending doom on the high street, in the financial markets and general baa hambug around at the moment, it would be all too easy to throw our hands up in the air and feel pretty darn down in the dumps. It's easy to feel powerless to stop this rollercoaster of doom and according to the pundits, it will get worse before it gets better. I say NO!

Are we a nation of whingers or are we going to get up and do something, no matter how small. I believe we are the former and as a fan of John Wayne I believe in the concept of 'true grit'. It's hard out there, there's no denying it but expecting someone else to pick up the pieces or roll over and just not care anymore, won't do. Yeap I'm ranting but as a parent, a business owner and a consumer I'm only too aware of job losses, price increases, stealth tax, greedy energy suppliers, cynical bankers et al.

We can all do something to help our economy right now, we can support British business, British produce, local suppliers and community. Farmers markets, delivery schemes, high street shops, it's there for the taking. Don't 'just pop out to the supermarket', who stand to make the most out of the recession as we all look for the cheapest option. They are ripping us off more than anyone and couldn't give a damn.

In our fight against the big brands and superstore b******ds who have ripped our economy to shreds and destroyed our sense of community and identity we constantly seeking new and interesting companies, sites, people who are working for posiive change. Here's a few useful sites we have found recently...

http://www.choosebritish.co.uk - a nice resource with potted history articles and information about all things British from actors and musicians to cars and food.
http://www.bigbarn.co.uk - find all your local producers here.
http://www.localfoodshop.co.uk - buy from your local food producers online.
http://www.naturalcollection.com - green and gorgeous stuff to buy, In November the clever people at the Natural Collection launched Ooffoo, currently a beta site, we think it promises to be a fantastic resource for the future. It's an "eco space where it's FREE to swap, sell, give away, recycle and share ideas with like-minded people". Check it out http://www.naturalcollection.com/natcolnew/Marketplace/marketplace.aspx
http://www.ecoescapemembers.co.uk - shaping the future of sustainable tourism in the UK and Ireland. It's all about connecting ideas, people and places.
http://www.eatingbritain.com - a UK food site with some useful articles about....food actually.
http://www.uniquescrapstore.com - a social enerprise, this online scrap store has all sorts of bits and bobs at cheap prices rescued from a fate in the landfill. As a parent of little ones the PVA glue at £3.40 (ex VAT) is a winner. They run a membership scheme that could be useful for teachers or those running community projects when you need to buy in bulk.
http://puredesigncompany.co.uk - fab eco products made from recycled stuff, making great gifts for Christmas. The jewellery made from discarded vinyl records look excellent.
http://www.tescopoly.org - growing evidence indicates that Tesco's success is partly based on trading practices that are having serious consequences for suppliers, farmers and workers worldwide, local shops and the environment.

Wednesday 3 December 2008

Recommended English Wines and Tasting Notes

Whilst promoting English wine and English vineyards it's become apparent that many people are unaware that English wine is a force to be reckoned with and seen perhaps as more of a gimmick. In fact we've even had people saying that they didn't even know that England could be considered a wine producing country.

So what's the fuss about English wines then? Thanks to the onset of a warmer climate, more experimental winemakers and brave open minded wine retailers, English wines should be a definite on any wine lovers 'must taste' list.

Here's a few wines we've tried to get you started. Many of these wines can be tasted on a number of our wine tours packages. For inquiries on how to buy the following English wines, contact The Sussex Wine Company 01273 477 205.

Carr Taylor Vineyards, East Sussex
Alexis Dry White - £9.95
A lovely fresh and clean refreshing dry white from East Sussex.

Bookers Vineyards, Sussex
Dark Harvest Red – Bronze Medal Winner - £9.95
Still fresh with some noticeable acidity. A medium bodied dry red wine, lots of red fruit flavours and hints of tannin in the background. Lovely red fruit aromas with hints of leather. Complimentary oak notes. Very elegant. Purple/Ruby in colour. A very easy drinking wine. Made from a blend of Dornfelder and Rondo grapes.
Autumn Spice White - Bronze Medal Winner - £9.95
Lovely aroma with hints of lychee and floral notes. In the mouth there is a lovely balance between crisp acidity and rich floral, grapefruit and spice character. The wine is light to medium bodied. Made from a blend of Muller Thurgau, Reichenstiener, Schönburger and Wurzer grapes.

Sedlescombe Organic Vineyards, East Sussex
Dry White - £11.95
Roy Cook's ancient Gothic recipe has created a Reisling-style English Wine. A lively young wine with a zesty grass and elderflower aroma, hints of honey and grapes and a clean crisp finish.
Regent Red - £11.95
A bold, medium-bodied red matured in barrique oak barrels for 5 months. Robust colour, smokey, fruity bouquet, loaded with blackberry and raspberry fruit flavours, ample tannins and oaky complexity.

Nutbourne Vineyards, Sussex
Sussex Reserve - £12.95
Made from a blend of Nutbourne grapes, this is a dry, fragrant wine with delicate fruit - perfect as an apertif or with lighter meals.

Biddenden Vineyards, Kent
Gribble Bridge Ortega Dry White - £9.95
Crisp, medium dry wine produced from the Ortega Grape. To enjoy this wines fresh fruity character and off dry style, it is best served slightly chilled as an aperitif or with pasta, poultry, seafood and salad.