The English Vine Tours Blog

The Waterside Hotel - Regional France Wine Tasting

2009-12-16T22:13:00.000-08:00

The evening was kicked-off with a sly glass of Carr Taylor Sparkling Brut. A cheaky comparison to the wine following. On showing both the clear winner by far was the English Sparkling Wine!!

Many Happy Returns to Sarah Hesse on her 34th birthday, duely embarassed by all tastees singing (out of tune) the happy birthday anthem and being presented with a wee cake with the ubiquitous sparkler!

Cremant d’Alsace
NV/Oberlin/Alsace
A classic sparkling wine from Alsace made in the same way as Champagne is using traditional Alsacian grape varieties; Riesling, Muscat & Pinot Noir

Riesling Reserve 2007
Jean-Remy Haeffelin/Alsace
Classic Alsacian Riesling, dry with subtle apple, citrus notes with hints of petrol which is classic for this region. Lingering on the palate. Perfect with sea-food.

Chablis “le classique” 2008
Pascal Bouchard/Burgundy
100% Chardonnay, unoaked with stainless steal fermentation. Classic, crisp and mineral-laden with subtle notes of apples/citrus.

Cotes du Rhone 2007
Gabriel Meffre/Rhone
Meffre is one of the biggest and one of the most famous producers in the region. Using classing Southern Rhone varietals – Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourdevre creating a warming, soft, easy drinking wine.

Domaine Rive Haut
Tannat/Merlot 2008/Languedoc Roussilion
The south of France is one of the most dynamic and modern growing regions in the country. This is a blend of the easy going soft and plumy Merlot with the tough, dark colouring and tannin laden Tannat creating a rustic and warm southern blend.

Cheateau Vielle Tour La Rose 2006
Saint Emilion/Bordeaux
Merlot predominates here along with some Cabernet Sauvignon. A forward enjoyable Bordeaux that can be appreciated without too much cellaring indeed. Classic copper/earthy notes on the nose with soft tannins and notes of redcurrants on the palate.

Next wine tasting is January 27th – Regional Italy and 24th Feb – Regional Spain. (£16 per ticket/spaces available). 7pm Kick-Off

Indian Ocean's Hat-Trick with Taylor and Shroff Wines

2009-12-03T12:15:00.001-08:00

The Indian Ocean in Manchester was our next launching venue, partnering our unique wines with this outstanding, multi-award winning restaurant was a union made by the gods. The curry gods at least!

Fayaz and Nahim Aslam have won the award for best Indian Restaurant in the NW of England via the famous UK Curry Awards for three years running. If this had been a football match they would be presented the match ball, a hat-trick of awards I believe has never been achieved before, this was something to celebrate.

The event, as organised by PR Guru Guy Parker (GAP Marketing & PR) was a combination celebration of the Indian Ocean’s unique achievement and their partnership with Taylor & Shroff. As such Guy and Fayaz pulled out all the stops, invitees came from far and wide to celebrate with us, loyal customers, Tameside Radio, Revolution Radio, Chimp Magazine and many more too-boot!

Pre-meal awards and presentations made (with additional special thanks to Enam Ali and to Peter Grove), we all tucked into the Taylor & Shroff wines, poured over ice and without food during the reception. This was indeed a true test of the wine’s credentials, yet this polished assembled group of Mancunians and alike drunk with glee!!

The sit down meal for 120 guests was a selection of 4 starters and four main courses. Served on time, hot and delicious a marvel to the fluidity and efficiency of the restaurant kitchen staff, floor staff and management. This alone was award winning in my book.

We look forward to a long and successful relationship with the Indian Ocean and Fayaz and wish to thank them and Guy for a truly wonderful event!!

Next up for Taylor & Shroff – Mother India in Glasgow on Monday 1st February 2010.

ben.furst@btinternet.com
07787448506

Taste of India in Hampshire and Taylor & Shroff

2009-11-26T02:39:00.000-08:00

A wonderful event, celebrating 20 years of this great restaurant and Luthful’s incredible efforts in fund raising - £100,000 has been raised through events at this restaurant and we need congratulate him for such an amazing achievement indeed!!

Joining us last night for this auspicious event was Peter and Colleen Grove of Mood Food & Menu Magazine and authors of “Curry Culture”, TV Chef and International Best Selling Author – Mridula Baljekar as well as David and Linda Carr Taylor of Carr Taylor Vineyards and Taylor & Shroff Wines UK Ltd.

As usual all five wines from Taylor & Shroff were open for sampling with the great food from Taste of India on offer. In fact Luthful had included a free glass of wine along with the meal in the price, a really good offer indeed. Luthful set off sampling everyone who even came in for a take away – Mr Keith Sherry was one, collecting an order for himself and his good lady on the occasion of her birthday. So impressed with the wine that he bagged a bottle to take home with his meal. Thanks Keith!!

Peter Grove and Mridula Baljekar both spoke eloquently indeed and both have been instrumental in all the progress and exposure that Taylor & Shroff have received to date, so many many thanks to both of them as well.

The next venture and launch event for Taylor & Shroff is to the multi-award winning Indian Ocean Restaurant in Manchester. Launching to around 100 guests and promises to be another fantastic evening indeed. 2nd December.

Ben Furst – 07787448506 (Taylor & Shroff, Made For Curry!!)

Mother India in Glasgow and Taylor & Shroff Wines

2009-11-24T06:26:00.000-08:00

Meeting with Monir Mohammed was a rare treat indeed! Operating arguably the most famous of all the Indian Restaurant Groups in Scotland you may have thought that he would have been on the edge, hard wired and Sir Alan Sugar “like”? Well quite the opposite, a more laid back guy I have yet to meet. Monir met me at his (Imli-esq) tapas curry house – Mother India Café, opposite the magnificent Kelvingrove Art Gallery. Similar to Imli’s in Soho (Rajesh Suri), Monir has created a relaxed, fun environment that brings in the whole family to share dishes and that is not too taxing even on the lighter wallets.

We sampled Taylor & Shroff that evening, Monday in a cold and very wet Glasgow, full!! Not a table empty, couples and families alike waiting for up to 15 minutes for tables. The wines were extremely well received, in some cases there were discussions as to which wines each preferred and indeed some of the ladies requested second helpings of their freebie samplings – well I never!! Indeed a couple of ladies were so enamoured that they simply had to buy some bottles there and then!! Many thanks to all the team at Mother India Café in Glasgow for their superb effort and assistance on the night!

Mother India have also recently expanded into Deli/Diners and once their alcohol licenses are in place, they will be able to sell the wines by the bottle for that Mother India take-home and dine-in experience. However, we are delighted to announce that Monir has agreed to list and launch the wines at his Glasgow restaurants from the end of Jan 2010 with a small, quality and bijou launch to take place at his new “Dining In” Deli/Diner on Argyle Street in the West End of Glasgow. Following on from this we are also hopeful to be launching with him in Edinburgh too!

Mother India Glasgow – 0141 334 3815, a must eat experience!!
Imli Soho/London – 0208 287 42 43, a must eat experience!!
Taylor & Shroff – 07787448506, a must drink with my curry experience!!

The Waterside Hotel - Eastbourne Wine Tasting

2009-11-19T02:07:00.000-08:00

The Waterside Series
“The New World”
18th November 2009

Finca La Chamiza Sparkling Brut
Argentina – Mendoza
Chardonnay & Chenin Blanc
Soft and creamy mousse with apple and pear drop nose. Fairly light on the palate but smooth and very easy quaffing. Not too sure why they used Chenin though as not enough acidity bite I felt!

De Bortoli Sauvignon Blanc VAT 2 – 2008
Australia – SE Australia
100% Sauvignon Blanc
Light and floral with notes of citrus and apples. An easy going wine that whilst didn’t jump up and announce itself was pleasant none the less.

Old Coach Road Sauvignon Blanc 2008
New Zealand – Nelson
100% Sauvignon Blanc
Classic NZ SB, aromatic nose of cut grass, asparagus, nettles etc etc. Clean with crisp acidity. A nice wine indeed.

Mountain Range Carmenere 2006
Chile – Maipo Valley
100% Carmenere
An interesting fellow. Soft grippy tannins with decent black and red berry fruits. I liked this as it was more European in style. Rustic, pleasant and quaffable.

Ferngrove Shiraz 2004/5
Australia – Western Australia
100% Shiraz
Difficult to say if I enjoyed this as I really am not a fan of Ozzy reds per-say. However it was enjoyed by most present at the tasting so who am I to disagree!?

Trivento Malbec The Professional 2007
Argentina – Mendoza
100% Malbec
Ahh, now we are talking. I could rabbit on and on as to the merits of Argentinean Malbec. The new Cabernet Sauvignon for sure, positioning Argentina is a strong place to become the premium producer of New World world-class red wines!

Next Event…December 16th, A Taste of France.
The Waterside Hotel, Eastbourne.
£16 per ticket

The Waterside Hotel, 11-12 Royal Parade, Eastbourne. Tel – 01323 646 566, Mark Coleman.

Or

Ben Furst, Tel – 01323 732 001 or 07787448506

MayaSurbiton

2009-11-15T02:32:00.001-08:00

Another year and another UK Curry Awards ceremony which seems to grow each year. The 2009 event, as organised by the highly influential Enam Ali MBE was hosted and presented by Sir Trevor McDonald and David Cameron.

Amongst the winners was Indian Ocean in Manchester (3rd year running!!) and Maya Surbiton. MayaSurbiton were finalists in the New Comer category, having only opened in March this year (2009) this is no mean feat but a tremendous accolade indeed.

Meeting with the dynamic Shamim Malek for the first time I was struck by his ease and comfort in his surroundings. Confident with his very slick and modern take on the cuisine, decor and whole feel of his restaurant.

Having discussed the Taylor & Shroff wine concept with Shamin Hoque of Curries Online (the UK's premier portal for on-line curry ordering) a meeting was set. Taylor & Shroff are delighted to announce, from this recent meeting, that MayaSurbiton are now serving Taylor & Shroff Wines by the glass. A possible small launch event will be discussed for the early part of 2010 also.

To visit MayaSurbiton - 31-33 Brighton Road, Surbiton - 0208 399 4434.
To Stock Taylor & Shroff - 01424 752501/07787448506
To Be Listed With Curries On-Line - 0845 051 4252/0797697 1549

London Launch with Rajesh Suri and Imli. Taylor & Shroff come to town!

2009-10-12T02:06:00.000-07:00

Thursday 8th October 2009, a date to remember. The date that Taylor and Shroff, British Wines for a British Dish, was launched with tremendous success with the famous Rajesh Suri at his Imli Restaurant in Soho/London.

The guest list included a range of Curry-istas and Asian "AllStars" as Imli's was the hottest ticket in town that night with late requests of attendance having to be turned down! Guests such as Rajesh Suri (of-course), Mridula Baljekar, Manju Malhi, Tiny Deol, Monisha Bharadwaj, Paul Sagoo (Asian Runway), Emma Harvey (The Big Curry, Tesh Parmer (Indian Ocean), Arfan Razak (The Curry Lounge), Shamin Hoque (curries Onine) etc etc...

Having been launched successfully now in India, the production of Taylor & Shroff (made at Carr Taylor in East Sussex by the award winning Alex Carr Taylor), was brought forward early due to the successes of launches and listings with The Curry Lounge in Nottingham, Jali in Hastings and interest gathering from other cities throughout the UK.

Rajesh had created 5 unique canapes, made exclusively to match the 5 flavours of Taylor and Shroff. White, Red, Apricot, Cherry and Ginger were all poured, either with the canapes, with the main buffet or with the Gulab Jamin ice cream dessert. What a feast and what a great night indeed. With guests arriving promptly for 6pm and staying through until 10ish. As we left Imli was still heaving, filling us with tremendous confidence that Taylor and Shroff will be poured like the Niagra Flows at Imli!

Further launches to be held with Assam in Glasgow, Indian Ocean in Manchester and Birmingham as well as in Jersey where a distribution deal has been agreed with Michael McCabe.

For further details about these unique wines, orders, samples or general queries please call or e-mail Ben Furst - 07787448506/01424 752501 (ben.furst@btinternet.com or sales@taylor&shroff.com

2009-09-28T01:11:00.000-07:00

A collaberational event between The South Lodge Hotel in rural Horsham/Mid-Sussex, Carr Taylor (award winning English Vineyards) and Ben Furst of English Vine Tours.

The award winning chefs of South Lodge, in-conjunction with hotel manager Rupert Spurgeon had created a unique menu specifically to match a range of elegant, beautifully made English wines from Carr Taylor Vineyards. A glorious evening, the sun setting over the lush fields of green on what had become a magnificent Indian Summer September. Not only creating a wonderful atmosphere for the evening but further ensuring that 2009 is going to be a bumper crop for the English Vigneron.

Smoked Chicken Salad with Rapeseed Oil Dressing and Quails Eggs - Matched with Carr Taylor Sparkling Brut NV. Bordeaux Wine Challenge Winner 2009.

Slow Cooked Sussex Fillet of Beef, Caramelised Onions with Honey Jus - Matched with Carr Taylor Sparkling Rose. Mainly Made from Pinot Noir and the first commercially available sparkling rose made in England.

Vanilla Panna Cotta with Prune Compote - Matched with Carr Taylor Ginger Wine. Gold Medal Sussex Taste Awards.

Cocoa Loco Organic Chocolate Mille Feuille with Praline - Matched with Carr Taylor Mead.

And to finish....fresh coffee and petit-fours. A fantastic event, set in a wonderful location and executed magnificently by arguably one of the very finest hotels in the UK. Thank you to Rupert, his superb team and the The South Lodge Hotel in Sussex. Look out for Hot & Spicy Foods matched with English Wines next...

Carr Taylor Sparkling Brut NV
2009 Award Winning Wine!

This terrific wine is the only British winner of a medal at this year's "Challenge International du Vin 2009"!

It won the Bronze, an achievement which makes it, quite literally, a unique British Sparkling Wine!

Made from a carefully selected blend, the Brut has an aromatic nose, a hint of honeyed sweetness and a warm, full flavour. It is ideal for parties and barbecues and other celebrations.

Carr Taylor Sparkling Rose NV
Having rested briefly on the skins to produce the delicate colour, the secondary fermentation has enhanced the fruit flavours of the Pinot Noir grape, creating this mellow, flavoursome sparkling wine. It was the first commercial quality sparkling Rosé in England. Grape Varieties: 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Meunier.

Carr Taylor Ginger Wine
Gold Star Award Winner at Great Taste Awards 2009 Ginger Fruit Wine

Sweet - 11.5% vol - 50cl It has a delicious, warming flavour. It can be mixed with whisky to make a Whisky Mac, or brandy to make a Horse’s neck. Good with pears and rhubarb or poured over ice cream. Wonderful in stir fries to give an oriental flavour. Great with Christmas pudding.

Carr Taylor Mead
A sweet honey based wine ideal for summer!

This sweet wine made from honey has been popular in England since Medieval times. We follow the age- old tradition of fermenting grape and apple juices with honey, using modern fermentation techniques to produce this invigorating beverage. It is even said to be an aphrodisiac. It makes a good hot toddy when mixed with whisky or makes a mouth- watering dessert when added to thick natural yogourt. A perfect honeymoon or wedding wine.

Ockenden Manor Fine Wine Tasting

2009-09-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

The evening setting of Ockenden Manor in West Sussex is simply stunning. The sun was starting to set, the air was cool and refreshing and the wines were opened!

A nice group of 7 directors from a London based firm were the tastees, they were staying at Ockenden for a power meeting with a wee stay-over, cause they can!!

On show I was presenting 6 mixed and interesting wines; Bloomsbury 2006 Sparkling Wine from Ridgeview in Ditchling, Clos de Ratier Menetou Salon 2006, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru La Chanteniere 2007, Crozes Hermitage Les Gravieres 2006 Jean-Luc Colombo, Chateau Liversan Cru Bourgeis 2006 and Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2006 Cantina di Negrar.

Suffice to stay they were all superb, the white were served chilled but not too cold as to close them down, the reds were are carefully decanted;

Bloomsbury Sparkling Wine 2006
Ridgeview Vineyards/Ditchling
61% Chardonnay, 27% Pinot Noir & 12% Pinot Meunier
An award winning estate run by Mike Roberts. Quality English sparkling wine made in the Traditional or Champenois method, the same grape varieties as Champagne, similar soil and sub-soil structures. One of the many internationally acclaimed English Vineyards and wines today.

Clos de Ratier Menetou Salon 2006
Domaine Henry Pelle/France
100% Sauvignon Blanc. A lesser know classic Loire wine region. Just South West of its more famous cousins Sancerre and Pouilly Fume. The vines are grown on similar soils as Sancerre and the best wines from the region are hard to tell apart from Sancerre. The wine is produced and aged in tanks on the dead yeast cells or lees until bottling, adding a weightier and more aromatic style of wine. A similar process is carried out with Muscadet (Sur Lie), which lies at the mouth or estuary of the Loire near Nantes.

Saint-Aubin 1er Cru La Chateniere 2007
Domaine Gerard Thomas/Burgundy-France
100% Chardonnay
The white wines of Saint-Aubin (1er Cru), are classic white Burgundians. A stone’s throw away from both the villages of Puligny and Chassagne Montrachet situated in southern Burgundy. 20% of this wine is in new oak and ageing is for 10 months. Whilst good young this wine will mature and fatten over the next 3-5 years.

Crozes Hermitage Les Gravieres 2006

Jean-Luc Colombo/Northern Rhone
100% Syrah
Arguably one of the finest producers in Northern Rhone today. The vineyards of Crozes Hermitage are just on the outskirts or the surrounding lower slopes of the Hermitage. The vines are on average 40 years old, hand harvested and matured in small, new oak barrels for no less than 6 moths. The resultant wines are deep in colour (long maceration period during fermentation), notes of raspberries, blackcurrants and vanilla hints. Smooth with soft tannins and will mature further over the next 2-4 years.

Chateau Liversan Cru Bourgeois 2006
Grand Vin de Bordeaux
60% Merlot, 49% Cabernet Sauvignon & 1% Cabernet Franc
Liversan has been a classified growth in Bordeaux since 1932 and has never lost this classification, which is testament to its consistency of quality. Each grape is fermented separately then blended after a period of rest then matured in new French oak for no less than 12 months. The heavier depth of Merlot makes a more forward style of Bordeaux and is more easily accessible from a younger age, yet will/can benefit from further ageing.

Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2006
Cantina di Negrar/North Eastern Italy
Corvina, Rondinella & Molinara
One of the most famous wines from Italy. A blend of three indigenous grape varieties that have been hand harvested and left to dry over straw mats for a period of 3-4 months. The resultant grapes are shrivelled leaving less water and higher sugar and potential alcohol. Soft and rich on the palate with heady notes of dried fruit, prunes and red berries.

Ben Furst has been involved in the wine industry for 20 years. Having gained his WSET Diploma several years ago, Ben regularly presents wines to corporate and private groups throughout Sussex as well in London. Ben also consults for an English Vineyard as well as arranges group tours (and tastings) of English Vineyards, in addition to sourcing and advising on fine wines to private clients.

ben.furst@btinternet.com
07787448506

Taylor & Shroff at The Curry Lounge in Nottingham

2009-09-18T05:57:00.000-07:00

The Taylor and Shroff story continues to grow. The next port of call was to Nottingham where Arfan Razak (Raz) and The Curry Lounge beckoned! Since appearing with Gordon Ramsay on the Kitchen Nightmare’s programme Raz has been inundated with caller, journalists and mores the point – a full and heaving restaurant.

Wednesday 16th September, The Curry Lounge and Taylor and Shroff joined forces and offered every diner a free sample or two of these unique wines along with their meal. The food is second to none and you can tell by the clients that Raz has built up a great reputation and die-hard local diners who cannot get enough of his great food.

Also there on the night was BBC Radio Nottingham who not only interviewed Raz about Taylor and Shroff but also interviewed the customers. The response was excellent as agreed that the food matching was second to none.

Many thanks to The Curry Lounge in Nottingham for all their help and are now officially the 2nd quality Indian restaurant in the UK to be pouring Taylor and Shroff!

Next stop is Imli in London then Indian Ocean in Manchester followed by Assam's in Glasgow. The story grows......for further information or if you wish to stock the wines please contact - ben.furst@btinternet.com

Taylor and Shroff at The Taste of India with Mr Karim and Mridula Baljekar

2009-09-01T08:19:00.001-07:00

Taylor and Shroff at The Taste of India with Mr Karim and Mridula Baljekar

A superb meeting of minds today as Taylor and Shroff continues its development into the hearts, minds and restaurants of the finest spice merchants in the UK. The Taste of India Restaurant was established by Mr Karim 20 years ago. Not satisfied in running a first class Indian/Bangladeshi Restaurant Mr Karim is involved in his local Mosque, raises £000’s for Breast Cancer as well as being involved in the revival of the Bangladeshi Caterers Association.

The Taste of India is the next fine restaurant to be listing and pouring Taylor and Shroff wines, over ice and by the glass. On 25th November there will be a gourmet celebration of his 20 years there which will be attended by Mridula Baljekar, one of our finest curry chefs and author’s today. Mridula has also recently finished her latest book which ties into her new TV series, soon to be aired. Keep an eye out for her new website too where there will be live web-cam cookery demonstrations.

For those interested in attending the forth-coming gourmet evening at Taste of India in Ash vale/Surrey, call Mr Karim – 01252 334046…..http://www.thetaste.info

Taylor and Shroff marches onwards and upwards and will soon be at a restaurant near you!

News Updates...

2009-08-26T07:15:00.000-07:00

New Gift Voucher Facility
We are constantly reviewing our website and hope to make it as user friendly as possible. Therefore we have amended our Gift Voucher Facility and are using the Paypal system. Recipients receive a redemption code and will need to have a Paypal account in order to redeem their voucher. It is simple to use, setup and is most of all, secure. Gift Vouchers can be redeemed against any English Vine Tour.

Private and Corporate Wine Tastings
Have a look at our new section on-line offer you private and / or corporate wine tastings. Themed tastings in your own home, office, venue tailored to your needs. Looking at a range of wines from classic regions or looking at a range of wines from the same grape variety or simply just for fun! Log onto - http://www.englishvinetours.co.uk/page/ben-furst

With this in mind a new concept hot off the press is - "How To Buy Supermarket Wines". Having a dinner party, need help choosing or even putting your menu together then let me know, I can help!! With over 20 years experience in the wine industry and a great knowledge of food and cookery I am able to help you create that simple yet delicious meal, matched with great wines bought from a supermarket!

Taylor and Shroff Launch at Jali in Hastings

2009-08-06T22:37:00.000-07:00

Well the day finally arrived and Taylor and Shroff was revealed to the waiting world! Jali played hosts with a sumptuous buffet and array of dishes. Once again many thanks to Jali for all their help, a further thanks to all the guests who came.

On the guests list were, Mike McCabe of Healys, Anthea Gerrie of Gerry Associates, the world famous TV Curry Chef, Author, Presenter - Manju Mahli, Tim and Sue Cobb from Cobb PR, Stephen and Jane from Hastings Borough Council, Sedlescombe Village Stores and Brian Sagar of Gaby Hardwick. Arrival drinks were Talylor and Shroff Red or White over ice and a dash of soda water.

After a few introductory words from myself, David Carr Taylor dispatched an empassioned presentation on Taylor and Shroff, it's creation from a chance meeting with Nainaz Shroff - three years of develpment in India through to today. Touching upon why Taylor and Shroff works with all hot and spicy foods like no other wine does. Being ushered along by Linda (Carr Taylor) the presentation over and the food began in earnest.

What a display of food - Chicken Tikka, Gosht Ki Seekh, Macchli Koliwada, Chilli Garlic Prawns, Bharwan Khumb, Badani Paneer Tikki, Chicken Makhani, Kheema Pasanda, Makai Mutter Palak, Dal and a variety of rice, sauces and chilli pickles. An incredible array of delicious food. Once the guests were seated we started pouring the rich fruit wines, Taylor and Shroff Apricot Wine with the more subtler flavours and spices, moving onto Taylor and Shroff Cherry Wine with more robust spices and finally Talor and Shroff Ginger Wine, which in fact was drunk with every course by many guests they loved it so much.

Jali is now the very first restaurant in the UK to be pouring Taylor and Shroff, our London Launch is to be held at Rajesh Suri's award winning Imli Restaurant in Soho on 8th October with possible further launches at The Curry Lounge in Nottingham and Indian Ocean in Manchester. For further information on Taylor and Shroff, Wines for Curry please contact me;
Ben Furst, 07787448506 or ben.furst@btinternet.com

Paul & Natalyia English Vineyard Tour

2009-07-26T03:22:00.000-07:00

Well the weather was kind to us having poured down the previous day. Natalyia had treated her significant other, Paul, to a great day out, wine tasting in glorious East Sussex.

Pelham Hotel in Lewes for coffee, tea and croissants in the garden, surrounded by art, wisteria in full bloom and happy looking breakfast-ers! Fed, watered we set off for the first stop at Carr Taylor Vineyards near Westfield in East Sussex. The vines are flourishing, flower burst had turned into bud burst with grape bunches now developing nicely. Standing amongst the rich greeness, sun on our backs it was almost transcending, very beautiful and idylic indeed.

Having viewed and discussed an established vineyard we took a look at a recently grubbed-up and re-planted vineyard. Swiftly followed by a look into the workings of a winery, followed by the tasting.

Ah the tasting, this is where it gets good. We are always amazed at others reactions to how good English wines are. "Wow I really never knew English wines were this good!!" A regular exclamation and one that brings a smile to our faces, we moved elagantly from dry/aromatic whites, to rose through to three sparkling wines and then onto the versatile fruit wines!

After a lovely Sussex Ploughamn's Lunch we drove only 15 minutes further down the road to the village of Sedlescombe and into Sedlescombe Organic Vineyards. Roy was pottering about on his tractor, Irma was charming and their vines looked great. The Solaris swelling up magnificently, the Regent too also looked great. True eco-warriors they exemplify what others talk about but never do! From the converted caravan into an office, their self-build home, lazy door-stop cat, flourishing vegetable plot, self-maturing manure, hand-sewen clover ground cover for added nitrogen the list is endless. It is always a tremendous pleasure in bringing our guests into this unique and much loved vineyard. The wines are not too shabby neither!!

A great day was had and once again Georgie & I are honoured to be playing hosts cum tourguides to an array of such really wonderful people, may it continue...........

Taylor and Shroff with Rajesh Suri at Imli

2009-07-22T23:27:00.000-07:00

The project continues with Taylor and Shroff, English Wines made for Curry!

Having now confirmed and finalised the Sussex Launch for 6th August at Jali restaurant in Hastings we needed to get our skates on to secure a London Launch too. There are many many top curry restaurants in London, Tamarind, Imli, Quillon, Benares, The Brilliant are just a few but there are many!

We met with one of the most respected, energetic and dynamic figures in the London Curry Scene, Rajesh Suri at his unique QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) Imli in Soho. A very funky design, attracting a healthy lunch crowd as well as early evening diners, Imli has been a superb success.

Upon arriving there, Rajesh introduced me to Samir and Mohit his able assistants at Imli and it was obvious from the start that Rajesh new what he was talking about. The wines were enjoyed and really suited the venue and style of their cuisine and presentation. So we have a tentative date of Thursday 8th October for our London Launch at Imli as well as gaining our first London listing for Taylor and Shroff which is really fantastic news indeed!!

Rajesh and Samir will create 5 types of canapes to match each of the 5 Taylor and Shroff Wines to be followed by a set buffet. I can't wait and I am confident that Imli are going to do fantastically with these new unique wines! I look forward to working with them, it is always great working with somebody of such calibre and knowledge.

The Dentists do Wine

2009-07-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 15th July, 2009. The weather looked over cast and there was a distinct possibility of rain! The West Terrace Posse where mustering in numbers, gathering at 8.45am outside their house for the enamellay challenged (aka - West Terrace Dental Practice).

The chiefs, Toby and Sam had arranged a half-day vineyard tour with a nice lunch as a group day out, team bonding or just a jolly to a vineyard?! The weather was holding, which I was glad about as Sam was wearing a decidedly (rich) blue light summery number with a lovely pair of matching sandals. Whilst a nice summer outfit indeed, not great for a muddy vineyard with lashing rain, so I quietly prayed to Bacchus, Dionysus and anyone else whom I thought would listen to me.
Having safely arrived, traversing the beautiful East Sussex countryside, the historic town of Battle, quaint Westfield we arrived at our vinous destination of Carr Taylor. Tea and coffee dispatched off we set to look at these things called vines. Rich green, and healthy looking the vineyards looked a picture of billowing green-ness and the prospect of a bumper harvest remains whispered but unspoken as not to tempt fate too much!

Viticulture (growing grapes) was far more interesting for most than I am sure they had expected and the trip into the actual winery where vinification (wine making) is explained was also educational for most. Thus the tour over, on with the wine tasting! We sampled at least 10 wines from Carr Taylor (Carr Taylor Vineyards, Westfield, East Sussex). Sparkling Rose, Sparkling Brut, still whites, still rose and fruit wines. Whilst not everyone enjoyed every wine, which is normal for a group of this size (14) they were enjoyed by most and opened up a whole new world of possibilities to another dedicated group of wine drinkers. Drink English, it's good for the planet!!

After a sumptuous Sussex Ploughman's Lunch, the group waded in with their boots, wallets and all and seriously raided the shop before departing. A really good day out for everyone was had.

Wine & Dine with English Vine Tours

2009-07-12T00:25:00.001-07:00

Well the weather was not great and slightly damp under foot but at least the deluge had abated for the time being. Lucy and her mum, Henrietea, made their way from London to Battle in East Sussex. Ready for a superb day out in glorious East Sussex visiting one of the UK's finest examples of an organic vineyard then to be followed by a superb lunch at one of Sussex's finest restaurants.

Sedlescombe Vineyards in the village of Sedlescombe is a unique experience. Roy and Irma cook have embraced organic viticulture to its full, not only growing grapes and making wines organically but building their own home, growing their own vegetables and recycling everything. Roy is a fine example of a wannabee eco-warrior.

We toured a vineyard and looked at the various ways in which organic growing works and discussed the various benefits of it, as well as in general smaller production and on the whole the vibrancy and dynamism of English Wine. Irma talked us through the wines, sampling a wide variety starting with their sparkling rose, soft and fruity barrel matured red and various aromatic whites and their unique rose made from Roy's current favourite grape variety - Regent.

Now with a fine taste of wine on the palate we swung by Carr Taylor Vineyards for a brief look and a quick sample of their wonderful sparkling brut. From their we made our way to the famous Wild Mushroom Restaurant. Owned by the ubiquitous Paul Webbe and we were warmly welcomed indeed. Lucy and Henrietta enjoyed a lovely meal and by the end were suitably pink-cheeked and ready for the journey home.

Le Raj, Enam Ali and Taylor and Shroff wine for curry

2009-07-08T10:57:00.001-07:00

8th July 2009, a good date! Gathering at arguably the UK's most celebrated Indian/Bangladeshi restaurant, Le Raj in Epsom Downs. Taylor & Shroff on the eve of our UK launch arranged a meeting with the famous and influential Enam Ali MBE at his flagship restaurant - Le Raj.

Amongst us, as well as Enam were Peter Grove from Mood Food, Shamin Hoque and Mark Gray from Currys Online as well as Taylor and Shroff's driving force and raison d'etre Mr David Carr Taylor.

Meeting Enam and Shamin & Mark was a complete pleasure, industry leaders, proud Brits and incredibly lovely human beings indeed. On discussion was Taylor and Shroff wines for curry, we sampled all five flavours to guage the response. Well we couldn't have wished for more. The meeting lasted from 12 until 4pm and could have continued. Enam arranged some fantastic dishes from the kitchens of Le Raj, one of which was his world famous Chiken Tikka Massala. Each dish was in turn matched with the Taylor & Shroff wines.

Although Enam & Shamin did not drink, they could nose the wines aromas and feel the heat of the debates that ensued. Offering wines by the glass to match individual dishes dependent on heat is a revelation withn the indistry and all present were tremendously excited by the idea. Taylor & Shroff are offering sampling stock along with point of sale materials and a branded back bar light with all accounts opened.

Enam seemed confident of listing the wines, with UK stocks available from the middle of August. Additionally we discussed the idea of Taylor and Shroff sponsoring the drinks reception at this year's UK Curry Awards. To be discussed. It seems that the wines went down extremely well and both Enam and Taylor and Shroff will meet again very soon to discuss listing the wines at Le Raj and his other restaurants as well as introductions to others and the future for enjoying your curry with wine to match looks good indeed. Many thanks to Enam Ali MBE for his kind and warm-hearted hospitality!

For further information regarding Taylor and Shroff please contact Ben Furst at ben.furst@btinternet.com

Wine and Art, A Great Day Out

2009-06-28T05:47:00.000-07:00

The weather was superb, the vines are starting to flower setting up bud bloom for this years crop of grapes and our budding artists were poised and waiting.

Meeting at the wonderful award winning Carr Taylor vineyard in the heart of glorious East Sussex this multi-day experience consisted of a half day vineyard tour, tutored wine tasting and lunch. The afternoon was spent with professional artists Katie Sollohub. The eager beavers were mum and two daughters as well as English Vine Tour Director Georgie Furst and able water carrier and all round gofer Ben.

The vines are in full swing now with excellent growth and flower bust, forming the buds for this years harvest and future wine for us all to enjoy. Dave, our tour guide was excellent as usual and entertained us with his knowledge and wit. On sampling was Carr taylor's dry white 1066, Alexis dry, dry Rose, sparkling Brut, Sparkling Rose. All were excellent and offer great value for money. Next up were the fruit wines, enjoyed over ice, with the sparkling wines or even still wines.

After lunch our resident artist, Katie Sollohub took command of the group. Introducing the tutorial and discussing with all about various artists, styles, materials and themes. Talking the group through colour, style, method, material the art flowed like wine! Colour was everywhere as were multi-coloured hands, giggles, laughter and a whole lot of artistic fun. Each student had to use a variety of at least 3 different types of brushes and three different types of paint/colour medium. Using large white paper on boards, swapping ideas off each other the afternoon was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

A very special thanks to Katie, Roopa and her family, Georgie and Carr Taylor for making this such a unique and enjoyable day!

We plan to organise more tours of this sort including digital photography workshops. Also check out Georgie's blog for the process behind the workshop.

Hastings Sea-Food Festival, 19th September

2009-06-26T02:04:00.000-07:00

Forth Coming, must see event!

One of the most successful recent Sussex events is without a doubt the Hastings Sea-Food Festival. A celebration of local food, wines and sustainable fishing. Organised by Hastings Borough Council this event has grown from 8,000 to 50,000 in only 3 years. So much so that hotels gain bookings from France, Germany, Spain and even further a field.

This year, English Vine Tours are organising the Events Marquee for Saturday 19th September. Promoting local wines and foods in 3 one-hour tastings at the low cost of only £12.50 per ticket per event.

First event, 12-1pm is Organic English Wine with Sedlescombe Vineyards. Established by Roy and Irma cook, Sedlescombe are amongst the finest English producers of organic wines. Located in the gorgeous Sussex hamlet of Sedlescombe Roy and Irma completely embrace the organic lifestyle, even to the extent of building their own home. 6 wines will be on offer with an insight into the difficulties and the joys of producing organic wines in the UK.

2nd event, 2pm-3pm, is a combination entitled English Wines with Curry. Matching the unique wines from Taylor and Shroff (Carr Taylor) made exclusively to match hot and spicy foods with some fine Indian nibbles provided by Jali Restaurant. Presenting will be Alex Carr Taylor, the award winning wine maker at Carr Taylor and Benjamin Furst of Taylor and Shroff. Having enjoyed a sample of these wines with Jali's Indian cuisine people can enjoy the full experience at Jali as they will be the very first Indian restaurant in the UK to be listing the unique wines from Taylor and Shroff.

3rd event, 4pm-5pm is entitled, The Art and Science of Making Wine. Presented by Plumpton College, Paul Harley and Plumpton students. Plumpton is now one of the finest viticulture and vinification colleges in Europe with students from across the globe. An institution we should all be very proud of indeed. Sampling 4-6 wines as made by the students at Plumpton and available for sale on the day after or during the presentation.

For any further details or ticket enquiries please contact Ben or Georgie from English Vine Tours or Stephen Potter from Hastings Borough Council. Tickets are available to reserve from July onwards.

The South of England Show 2009

2009-06-14T22:03:00.000-07:00

Once again the weather turned out great for this superb annual event held near the Sussex village of Ardingy. The South of England Show (SOES) is arguably the largest agricultural show/festival in the UK today. Hundreds of exhibits, shows, stalls, English Cheeses, Relishes, Wines etc etc.

The English Food & Wine Pavillion proved to amongst the most popular destination for festival revelers. Free samplings of some of the finest produce in the UK, cheeses, chutneys, pickles, curry sauces, wines, chocolates, ice creams, oils and much more.

English Vine Tours were of course there promoting their superb English Vineyard Tours for small private and corporate groups. On sale with English Vine Tours were also the superb organic wines from Meopham Vineyards in Kent. EVT were promoting their forth coming Vine & Art tour on 27th June. Visiting Carr Taylor Vineyards near Hastings for a half day vineyard tour followed by an afternoon art tutorial with a professional artist. As well as two full day vineyard tours for 22nd July and 22nd August.

On either side of the English Vine Tour Stand were two superb local producers of Indian relishes and chutneys. Meher of The Spice Shelf makes all her own chutneys and relishes, recipes hand down by her mother. Mark & Barbara from The Relish In Spice Co were on the other side sampling their home made chutneys, sauces and relishes too. Not so spicy but completely natural ingredients and now available in Waitrose.

Once again the SOES, despite the downturn and doom and gloom, was a raging success with thousands visiting every day.

Enjoying Taylor & Shroff

2009-05-30T09:45:00.000-07:00

What a glorious day for an English Vine Tour and wine tasting. The temperature was into the 80's (old money that is!), the vines are on the point of bursting forth into vibrant life just before flower set and bud set. David and Linda Carr Taylor, along with Ben Furst entertained a most wonderful couple! Peter and Colleen Grove from Mood Food.Com. MoodFood.Com is arguably now the UK's foremost and most influential online magazine focusing on ethnic cuisine, with it's main emphasis being towards the curry industry in the UK. over the past 10 years or more Peter and Colleen of MoodFood have delivered solid advice, acted as a point of reference, promoted and influenced the curry industry in the UK. With strong working relationships with Atul Kochar, Enam Ali, Cyrus Todiwala et al.

It was with anticipation that Peter and Colleen ventured down to sample the newest wines about to be launched in the UK. Produced in the heart of East Sussex uniquely to be matched with hot and spicy foods. The range of Taylor and Shroff consists of an off-dry white, an-off dry red, a cherry wine, a ginger wine and an apricot wine. Each wine was served with ice and with the food. Food and wine matching is not always easy and not always an exact science but with Taylor and Shroff it's made easy. Not only were the wines matching and enhancing the food like other wine has ever done, they were fun and exciting with each wine bringing a different experience and opening up over ice wonderfully.

Taylor and Shroff aim to launch in the UK around end of July, early August, starting at Jali restaurant in Hastings on 30th July and being followed by a bigger event to be held at The Nehru Centre in London towards the middle of August and via several events throughout Sussex thereafter. The superb response from Peter and Colleen and their desire to work with Taylor and Shroff in helping to create a successful launch will ensure that these new wines are going to be a massive hit!

The Grand Hotel Eastbourne & English Vine Tours

2009-05-20T05:35:00.000-07:00

The Grand Hotel in Eastbourne, a bastion of old fashioned style, elegance and tradition in today’s modern fast, sometimes trashy and throw away society. Situated on the Kings Parade Seafront in Eastbourne, commanding superb views over both The Downs and The Channel.

Andrew Boon, the Food and Beverage Manager of The Grand is on a half-day vine tour experience so taste first hand the sights of the Sussex countryside, the quality and charm of local wines and vineyards as well as enabling us to sign off combined experiences with The Grand and English Vine Tours. The weather was glorious and the day looked good.

Bud set is now taken place and all the future grapes are in fact in place now as tiny bud sets on the vine growth spurs/shoots. The crop for this year already looks great, the vines looks incredibly healthy, a great omen for this year’s crop and wine.

Having just returned from Champagne Andrew was amazed and pleased to see how clean the vineyard was at Carr Taylor and how fresh and healthy everything looked. Again experiencing a smaller vineyard he got a better grip and understanding of what a vineyard is all about, unlike his recent visit to Champagne where production is so vast that you can’t get a true feeling and taste of a working vineyard.

Carr Taylor, not being satisfied with their recent awards for their wines, are in the process of replacing an entire vineyard, as well as new plantings and vineyards near Bodiam Castle, the future of this venerable English estate has never looked better.

Suffice to say that Andrew thoroughly enjoyed his visit, enjoyed the wines and hopes to be working with Carr Taylor more in the future. Additionally for those of you who wish to experience the joy of The Grand Hotel in Eastbourne, coupled with an English Vineyard Tour, look no further!

Three Cheers for English Wine

2009-05-14T00:03:00.002-07:00

Three Cheers for English Wine

It was International Wine Awards time again this week, another year where accolades of medals are handed out to the wines that tickled the judges fancy. Most years a plethora of medals are awarded to wines bottled under multiple labels (Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference etc), as well as the usual plethora of French and Australian wines. Seeing as they enter the most wines for judging it is no surprise. One does wonder if the wines being entered by these giants are in fact what is finally or has been put in the bottle, or am I just being cynical.

Anyway, hurray!! A fantastic year for awards to English wines. A reflection of the strides forward the industry has made in a short period of time. Proving that we have the capability, the right climate, soil and desire. No longer are we a laughed at being a backwater wine producing country, as each year passes our wines grow in respect. Indeed possibly too much as much of the land in the south and south east seems to be falling into Johnny Foreigner’s hands. As a cynic it may be the case that the land and vineyards that are bought by French interest might be a sign that Champagne may not be all it’s hyped up to be?

So the English awards tally was great – 24 medals, 1 Gold (Camel Valley Bacchus), 4 Silver, 7 Bronze and 12 Commended. Out of that 4 were for red wines, this is very interesting. Whilst the awards were for Rondo, Dornfelder and Pinot Noir, I would expect Pinot Noir to continue to develop here and in the not so distant future we will be challenging New Zealand’s Pinot achievements. 13 awards for sparkling wines, they don’t get better anywhere in the world!

A big big well done to Camel Valley, Chapel Down, Whickam Vineyards, Astley Estate, Sharpham Vineyards, Ridgeview Vineyards, Carr Taylor Vineyards, Balfour Estate and anyone else that I may have forgotten.

We all need to be drinking more English wine, it’s clean, fruit driven, made locally and you know where it’s come from, cheers!

Sussex Down College

2009-05-11T11:58:00.000-07:00

It's adult learning week and on show was a sampler 2 hour tutorial entitled - An Introduction to Wine. A 5 week course in two parts covering a professional approach to tasting, noble grape varieties and classic wine regions. Part II focuses on English wines with an English Vine Tour.

There were 10 attendees, eager to sample wines, understand more, a desire to be able to decipher the bunkum on the labels of mass-produced hamburger-like wines and much more. As nervous as I was initially I have to say that I really enjoyed myself and I think that all attending had a great time too. Fingers crossed that we have managed to convince a few already to sign on the dotted line. Total costs, including a 5 week course, wines, English Vine Tour is very reasonably priced at £97 per person.

On tasting for the sampler were the following - Alexis Dry White-Carr Taylor Vineyards in East Sussex, Carr Taylor Sparkling Brut NV, Bodegas Vina Cerrada Rioja Joven, Peter Lehmann Wildcard Shiraz and Nathalie Estribeau Cotes du Rhone. We swirrled, sniffed, sucked, spat our way through them all and digested, discussed and debated!

The course can booked direct from Sussex Down College in New Haven, East Sussex from June and starts Thursday 24th September.

Crimson Clover May 2009

2009-05-10T00:13:00.001-07:00

It was a fabulous sunny day and our day looked good. First stop was off to Westfield in East Sussex to Carr Taylor Wines. Carr Taylor was established by David & Linda in the late 1960's and were the pioneers of the English wine industry as we know it today. Gaining gold medals way back in the mid-70's and always looking forward.

We sampled some of the finest wines made in the UK, with out a doubt. The dry aromatic Alexis, as good as many Sauvignon Blanc on the market, sparkling Brut and some cracking fruit wines. With this in mind David did mention to us about his latest project - Taylor & Shroff, English wines for curry, I'll keep my eyes out for these!

Having sampled most of the delicious wines on offer at Carr Taylor we headed on down the road to Sedlescombe, a complete contrast. Roy and Irma Cook established their organic vineyard also in the late 60's and early 70's. They were determind from the start to go organic and not only with their wines. Their office is an old caravan and they have even built their own house - a remarkable achievement indeed.

So we sat in the sunshine and sampled some great organic English wines. The diversity in English wines is fantastic, we need to be drinking more of them and not the swill and rubbish that is being continually offered out as so called offers by the multiples!! Come on drinkers of Great Britain lets get patriotic to the core because we're worth it!!

Britain's Heating Up! Chillies Ahoy.....

2009-05-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Real Food Show, Earl’s Court May 2009. A celebration of real food, produced by real people in the UK. Anything from Jersey oysters to Riverford Foods and local cheeses were on display and available to taste.

On the whole a good show but one thing did stand out – Chillies! Chilly jam, chilli chutney, chilli sauces, chilli pickles, chillies everywhere. It seems that anyone with a few spare meters in their allotment are growing chillies, are we becoming chilli mad? Well as chilli is a main ingredient in many Indian and Curry dishes it is not surprising. The curry industry in the UK turn’s over £3.2billion and employs over 10,000 people on a regular basis. At the heart of the business there have been several MBE’s awarded and now with Benares Restaurant there are Michelin Stars up for grabs.

So I spent a merry afternoon heating up my palette between Aggy’s Sauces, David’s Chilli Oil, Manda Foods Limited, South Devon Chilli Farm, Cafe Spice Namaste (Cyrus Todiwala) and Gurkha Fine Foods (without the ubiquitous Miss Joanna Lumley!)

The problem I have always found is, as much as we all love a good curry what do you drink with it? Regular wine doesn’t really fit and beer is too gassy. The problem it seems has now been solved by David Carr Taylor from Taylor & Shroff (Carr Taylor Wines). Taylor & Shroff, located in East Sussex have created a sweet wine that’s high in alcohol and low in acids and tannins. We sampled some together and I was extremely impressed, the sweetness and high alcohol work in tandem with the heat and open up the fuller flavours of the spices. Taylor & Shroff, David went on to tell me has been successfully launched in India and will be launched in the UK towards the end of June. So the next time you are out for a curry, ask for Taylor & Shroff is the message.

Britain it seems is curry mad and long it may continue.

Recommended Place to Stay: The George Inn, Rye

2009-05-08T05:17:00.000-07:00

We're privileged to work with some super and unique hotels across the South East. This month we're pleased to announce that we'll be working with The George Inn in Rye.

The George is a distinguished hotel in Rye. This romantic and luxurious hotel has a restaurant with a menu that offers both fresh and seasonal food. Ingredients are sourced from the local farms of Kent and Sussex. The fish and seafood menu is sourced from the trawlers of Rye Bay. Guests can also experience the romance of the Georgian Ballroom. The George is available for wedding receptions, and aims to be one of the most romantic wedding venues in Sussex.

You can check out exclusive English Vine Tours wine tasting tour packages in conjunction with the George Inn on their website. You might spot someone familiar on their blog too....

An Introduction to Wine @ Sussex Downs College

2009-05-05T08:03:00.000-07:00

Sussex Down College Newhaven Faculty

An Introduction to Wines
5 Part Series

Enjoy wine and want to learn more? An Introduction To Wine offers you the opportunity to look at wines more closely. Over the 5 tutorials we shall be looking at how to taste wine and assess its quality professionally. Using this knowledge we will then look at classic grape varieties as well as a look at some classic wines from around the world. The last two tutorials focus on English wines, looking at the grape varieties used as well as visiting an English vineyard for a hands on field experience. An additional £5.00 supplement per tutorial for the cost of the wines plus £45.00 for the last tutorial, which will be the field trip. The vineyard trip includes all travel to and from the college, fully guided tour, tutored wine tasting and light lunch. We also recommend that you bring a small bottle of water for drinking during the tutorials.

Tasting & Assessing Wine
£5.00 wine supplement per person
Each student needs to bring 1 glass and water
A look at grapes, basic wine production methods. Sampling 2/3 wines analytical tasting approach and assessing quality
1.5 hours (11 – 12.30)

International Grape Varieties
£5 wine supplement per person
Each student needs to bring 1 glass & water
Looking at 6 classic grapes varieties and tasting together using techniques learned previously. 4-6 wines to sample
1.5hours (11 – 12.30)

Classic Regional Wines
A systematic approach and look at 6 classic wine of the world. Looking at unique styles, flavours of their main grape varieties and characteristics.
1.5hours (11 - 12.30)

An Introduction English Wines (Part1)
£5 wine supplement per person
Each student to bring 1 glass & water
Sampling between 4-6 English wines we assess their quality and unique styles. Focusing on 2-3 vineyards
1.5hours (11 – 12.30)

An Introduction to English Wines (Part 2)
Visit an English Vineyard, in Sussex. Guided vineyard tour, winery tour and tutored wine tasting. This can be run in the morning with a lunch afterwards.
Fully escorted with collection from and return to the college.
£45.00 per person
(10am – 1pm) Collection and return from college

Thursday Tutorials

4 x 1.5 hours from 11-12.30

1 x 3 hours from 10am-1pm

2009-04-22T23:52:00.001-07:00

St George’s Day celebrations are running throughout the land this week in celebration of our Patron Saint. Leaden Hall Market in the centre of the square mile in The City of London, as organised by Nick Johnstone, be-decked in Union Jacks was the central point for sampling English wines.

A magnificent setting in the heart of London, set just behind the famous “gherkin” building and full of city high flyers and wannabees! As usual I managed to arrive early and enjoyed watching the hustle and bustle of this busy iconic London market, setting up, taking in deliveries, the local characters going about their business.

Present and sampling were Carr Taylor Vineyards from Westfield in East Sussex, Sedlescombe Organic Vineyards from East Sussex, Bedales Wine Stores pouring Biddenden wines from Kent and David of Meopham Valley Vineyard in Kent. All of these wines are great, clean, fresh, good fruit notes and well balanced. They are all a major credit to the English Wine Industry and many thanks to David of Meopham, Sue of Carr Taylor and Martin of Sedlescombe for making the journey into London to promote our fine English wines.

Taylor & Shroff, English wines for curry (produced by Carr Taylor) was sampled and enjoyed by quite a few passers by at lunch times. On sampling were the Cherry, Ginger & Apricot Taylor & Shroff wines and all went down well. We shall be visiting Leaden Hall on a monthly basis to continue sampling, hopefully from the end of June – Friday’s! Hopefully UK stocks will be available from early June and will start to find their way into the nation’s culinary hearts and minds. Mine’s a Ginger Taylor & Shroff served in a tall glass with ice, with a popadum and some lime pickle please.

A special thanks to Georgie Furst from English Vine Tours for letting me out for the day! Leaden Hall was a great opportunity to talk to people about corporate Vineyard Tours that are on offer. If anyone wishes to know more about these unique bespoke tours, perfect for a corporate day out – www.englishvinetours.co.uk or call Georgie on 01323 732 001.

Easter Multi-Experience Vine Tour

2009-04-13T22:59:00.000-07:00

A superb Easter Weekend Vineyard Experience. Working in-conjunction with Pelham House, Lewes we had on offer a fabulous weekend experience. With a half-day vineyard tour, tasting at Carr Taylor, over night stay in a 4 star country hotel followed by a day at the races, Plumpton Race Course.

The group had mainly come down from London for the weekend, the weather was good and vines beckoned. At Carr Taylor we could see already that buds left from pruning had started to open to create the new fruiting canes for this year. Also at Carr Taylor we saw one smaller vineyard had been completely grubbed up, making way for new trellising, wires, and young vines. Chardonnay is going to be experimented with and possibly a growth in Pinot Noir too. Seeking greater growth capacity for their sparkling wines, possibly even a straight English Pinot Noir too in a few years.

The group having wandered the vineyard and the winery were now keen to sample and what a sampling it was. We tasted their Sparkling Brut, Sparkling Pinot Noir, 1066 Dry White, Dry Rose as well as a range of great fruit wines too. Upon completion of the tasting most of the group ran downstairs to bag a magnum of the Brut whilst on offer!

Pelham House was our next stop where the overnighters were staying, a 3 course meal for supper followed by a classic English breakfast was on the menu. We set off again on the Sunday around mid-day headed for the Easter Meet at Plumpton Races. Plumpton is one of the finest of smaller National Hunt courses in the UK and it proved to be a great day. Throngs were gathered for their day already despite us having arrived early, bets were placed and ......they were off.............

It would be a lie to say that we all won money, that's not really how gambling works unfortunately. However it was an excellent day out and the London crew had a superb time. All in all it was a fantastic Easter break experience and we need to thank a few folk.....Lizzie of Pelham House for efficiency and friendliness, Moppy at Plumpton Races for her efficiency and friendliness too as well as all involved in English Vine Tours for offering the experience in the first place.

Keep an eye out for a multi-day experience towards the end of May and Father's Day in June, for further details; www.englishvinetours.co.uk

English Wine Week Tours Available to Book

2009-04-03T07:31:00.001-07:00

English Vine Tours are delighted to offer three unique wine tour experiences for English Wine Week. English Wine Week runs from 23rd May to 31st May 2009, a great week of events spread throughout England to promote the variety and uniqueness of English wines and vineyards

English Wine Week wine tours are now available to book. Visit our website for more information...

English Vine Tours does BPS Supper

2009-04-03T00:19:00.000-07:00

The 2009 annual British Psychologists Society supper, being held this year at the Holiday Inn, Brighton was organised by Ruth Raven with guest speaker, Miles Thomas.

English Vine Tours and Ben Furst, were invited to present a range of Italian wines, featuring indigenous grapes to a crowd of over 200 guests.

Prior to the wine tasting there was a wine talk on the psychology of wine, enjoyment and purchase by Miles Thomas. A great guy who spoke with passion and knowledge.

Miles covered the many concepts of the psychology of buying wine. He discussed the use of music by wine merchants experimenting how it affects purchasing behaviour of customers in shops. For example those retailers who played classical music found their customers bought fewer bottles of wine but higher value wines.

According to Miles findings, consumers experience of wine is related to the amount they spend as their expectations are higher, ie the more people spend on wine the more they savour and enjoy it.

The wine tasting presented by Ben Furst, consisted of 4 great Italian classics, Fiano, Soave Classico, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Chianti. Ben disucssed the importance of indigenous grapes and terroir, placing an emphasis on wines that have been forged through history and time: not a concoction of kiss me quick international grape varieties with high alcohol and a big bouquet. As such the wine went down well, all bottles were milked dry and as hunger set in Ben bowed away with thanks to Ruth and Miles.

English Vine Tours & Ben Furst are next presenting on 22nd April, for St George's Day - event to be announced. A final word: remember when buying wines, buy carefully with thought to price and provenance. Better to buy local or spend a bit more if buying wines from the new world. That way you won't be disappointed. Drink with a meal and friends and you will get more from your grapes!

White Clover English Vineyard Experience

2009-03-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

March 28th, a lovely day out in the heart of Sussex and Kent. A nice group had gathered for this superb tour, at Pelham House in Lewes for their pre-vineyard experience croissant and coffee. Amongst the group was Simon Majumdar of Dos Hermanos, the world's biggest food blog, we were honored.

Carr Taylor Vineyards are set in rural East Sussex just past the historic town of Battle, 1066 and all that. Established by David and Linda Carr Taylor in the late 60's they were the first to win Gold in France, beating the French at their own game. Since then they have gone from strength to strength and continue to produce great Sparkling wine, still white wine and a range of superb fruit wines.

Despite the threat of rain and occassional drop we ventured into the vineyard to get a close look at the vines. Although not much to see as yet, some early buds are showing after the winter prune, it is these small harmless looking buds that lay the foundations of this year's crop of grapes and resultant wines. After the vineyard and winery tour we ventured upstairs into the tasting room where we sampled no less than 6 wines including some great fruit wines. The tasting was fun, informative and tasty!

From East Sussex we ventured into Kent, just past the lovely town of Tenderden onto Biddenden Vineyards. Again another family set up established in the late 60's who actually lay claim to producing some the best ciders in the UK. We were only just into the vineyards when the heavens opened and like frightened rabbits we scampered back to the shelter and sanctuary of the tasting rooms. The wines are quaffable and of a good standard although it has to be said that where Biddenden do excell is with their ciders, which were sampled in full!

We ventured home, back to Lewes in the afternoon, many fell asleep in a pleasant wine filled slumber. Decanted and laiden with their complimentary bottle of wine as well as vineyard purchases all went on their merry way home.

Vineyard Escapades Forth Coming - Easter Weekend, two half day experiences which include an afternoon at Carr Taylor, Saturday 11th April and Easter Sunday at Plumpton Race Course for a superb trip to the gee-gees. In May we are promoting 3 unique experiences in promotion of English Wine Week and these can be viewed online at www.englishvinetours.co.uk

Art & Wine Tasting Workshops Available to Book

2009-03-27T10:35:00.001-07:00

English Vine Tours are pleased to announce a unique opportunity for artists and wine enthusiasts to join us in an English vineyard for a day of inspiration and wine tasting.

Using the inspiration and insight gained from the morning wine tour and tasting, the afternoon will be spent in the vineyard or winery exploring the landscape and environment in a variety of media. These art and wine workshops are available to beginners and more experienced artists alike. They are intended to promote experimentation and personal exploration, to gain valuable experience in 'Plein Air' painting and wine knowledge.

Various dates are available during the summer months at vineyards across Sussex and Kent, beginning on April 15th at Chapel Down in Kent. Lunch with a glass of wine is included and prices start at £79 per person

Call Georgie or Ben today 01323 732 001 or visit the English Vine Tours website for more information on the English Vine Tours Art & Wine Workshops

Taylor & Shroff English Wine & Curry

2009-03-05T03:23:00.000-08:00

Another great wine tasting event, presented by English Vine Tours to Healy's solicitors in Brighton. Many many thanks once again to Miss Victoria Reagan for organising the event, also present was the great John Healy himself and Spofforths Accountants.

The first part of the event was a fun blind wine tasting where certain similar wines were covered and all participants had to guess what was what. Most did well but once again the surprising outcome of this tasting was the overwhelming enjoyment of English Wines. We sneaked in a quality English Sparkling wine as well as a dry table wine and tasted them next to an own brand Cava as well as a New World Sauvignon Blanc.

The 2nd part of the evening was matching curry and spicy foods with wines. Whilst most wines tend not to match the great British curry, there is a new wine soon to be launched in the UK to change all this. Taylor & Shroff wines, produced by Carr Taylor in East Sussex, are currently only being offered into India. However they shall soon be available within the UK. Being stripped of tannins and high acidity the wines are part fortified giving them a higher alcohol level and residual sugars. Additionally blending into the base wines some fruit. Taylor & Shroff Ginger Wines, Apricot Wine, Red are three within the range that matched the hot and spicy foods amazingly well. Even the heat from the lime pickle disapated and the flavours opened up magnificently.

The initial hesitation was son left asunder as the wines were guzzled along with the Bombay Potato, Spiced Lentil, Naan Breads and chillies. An amazing success all round.

John & Vicky Enjoying Taylor & Shroff (wines for curry)

Whilst production of these superb and unique wines for the UK market place is not as yet in place, there is some stock for private consumption available from English Vine Tours at £11.95 a bottle. However we hope that we can start to get them placed in all our favourite Indian restaurants towards the end of April-ish! Once again many thanks to all at Healy’s, especially Anita who was a start throughout!

English Wines For Weddings

2009-03-05T01:35:00.000-08:00

A few of our more affordable English wine favourites that would go down really well at any function including weddings...ahhh this makes me crave the warmth of a typical English sunny afternoons :)

Carr Taylor Vineyards, Battle East Sussex
Carr Taylor 1066 Off-Dry Aromatic White @ £5.99
Carr Taylor Alexis Dry White - £6.99
Carr Tayor Dry Rose - £7.49
Carr Taylor Sparkling Brut - £11.95
Prices quoted from their website. Orders can be placed at Carr Taylor's online store.

Sedlescombe Organic Vineards, Cripps Corner East Sussex
Sedlescombe Dry White - £9.95
Sedlescombe Organic Rose - £9.95
Sedlescombe Sparkling Bodium Brut - £17.95
NB Sedlescombe Organic are doing a great wedding offer: 20% off on 60+ bottles ordered - bargain! Orders can be placed online at Sedlescombe Organic's Online Store

For an another amazing English sparkling wine alternative to Champagne try
Breaky Bottom Brut (famously served at the G8 summit held at Gleneagles) - £18.95

For more tasting notes check out our 'Organic English Wine' Blog and 'Recommended English Wine & Tasting Notes' on our website.

Oz & James Drink to Britain and Visit Sussex Vineyard

2009-02-27T11:17:00.001-08:00

In case you missed it, view the final episode of Oz & James Drink to Britain BBC iPlayer until 3rd March

Briefly Oz & James visit the chalky soil of Sussex which boasts characteristics similar to that of Champagne. Heading off to Breaky Bottom vineyard to meet one of the pioneers of English sparkling wine, Peter Hall, Oz sets James the challenge of picking out the English sparkling wine in a blind tasting.

They also pay a visit a winemaker Dermot Sugrue (former winemaker at Nyetimber), an exciting talent in the English wine industry. Dermot has established a new winery on the Wiston Estate, on the South Downs of West Sussex using equipment imported from France, including a vintage Champagne press. We're eagerly awaiting his first production!

Learn About The English Wine Industry Today

2009-02-26T03:58:00.000-08:00

There is a quiet revolution evolving across England’s vineyards. No longer the subject of derision, English wines, particularly English sparkling wines are standing up to and even beating hands down their rivals in Champagne at blind tastings across Europe.

The UK is one of the largest export markets for Champagne but this may be set to change with English sparkling wines winning numerous awards. Tim Atkin, chairman of the International Wine Challenge awards, told The Independent in 2007 "English wine is finally showing that it should no longer be regarded as a cottage industry but as an industry which can produce world-class wines."

A warmer climate, especially across the southern counties, years of hard work and dogged enthusiasm, winemakers are reaping the fruits of their labour. Today, there are around 400 English vineyards across Kent, Hampshire, Essex and Sussex. Wine merchants Berry Bros & Rudd in their ‘Future of Wine’ Report in 2008 believe the amount of English farmland devoted to wine production may rival that of France by 2058.

No longer confined to the recesses of quirky independent wine merchants, the supermarkets are now offering a good selection of English wines including award winners from Estate’s such as Breaky Bottom. Sussex (Gold Medal Winner in the South East Vineyards 2008) and Chapel Down Winery, Kent (IWSC silver medal 2008).

In addition there is now the opportunity to visit many of the vineyards across the South-East, walk through the vines, learn about the inner workings of a winery and taste the wines in production. English Vine Tours is a unique company providing these wine tour experiences across Sussex and Kent.

English Vine Tours have a desire to bring the beauty of the English vineyards and the delights of English wine to a wider audience. Their aim is to promote the English wine industry, celebrate English producers and allow everyone to truly experience the production and effort that it takes to produce a bottle of English wine.

2009-02-25T06:32:00.000-08:00

We're now enjoying life by the sea and have moved our offices.... here's the view :)

Valentine's Day Wine Tour Experience

2009-02-19T11:01:00.001-08:00

Well the weather turned out nice, a relief!

English Vine Tours joined forces with the superb country hotel - Newick Park, Newick, East Sussex for a superb Valentine’s Day Experience. Alice and Richard, whizzed down from south London in their mini-coupe and checked into the hotel for 2pm. Collected in an executive vehicle they were whisked off to Carr Taylor Vineyards near Battle in East Sussex.

We toured the vines, described the grape varieties grown, the English weather and how things are done in the vineyard. Following the vineyard tour we entered the winery and took a good look at all the various pieces of equipment used in the making of still wines as well as sparkling wines. Gaining in knowledge they felt comfortable now to tackle the hard part- the wine tasting.

We sampled dry whites, off-dry whites, rose wines and sparkling wines. Feeling brave we then went on to sample the estate’s award winning fruit wines, which were enjoyed by all. Upon completing this superb experience we drove slowly back to the hotel where waiting in their room was a chilled bottle of sparkling English wine, Sussex chocolates and a dozen red roses. At this point we left our clients in peace to enjoy their stay, 4 course meal and all the comforts offered by Newick Park Hotel.

Our next vineyard extravaganza weekend is an Easter Weekend English Wine Tour set at Pelham House in Lewes, coupled with a half day vineyard tour on the Saturday afternoon followed by an afternoon at Plumpton Races. To book this experience call up Pelham House in Lewes - 01273 488 600, or check our website - www.englishvinetours.co.uk

In the meantime there's still places left on the White Clover One Day Wine Tour to an East Sussex and a Kent Vineyard on Saturday 28th February 09.

Follow the path from grape to glass and book your English vine tour today!

5 Activities Involving English Wine

2009-02-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

We're busy working on our schedule for special day wine tour experiences. We've decided to list our best 5 and would love some feedback as to which one is the most appealing.

English Wine Tour & Golf Day/Weekend - tour and taste the wine at an English vineyard, followed by lunch and a round of golf.
English Vineyard Walks & Trails - walk amoungst the vines, taste the wine and walk onto another vineyard. We'll take any purchases back to the central meeting point for you.
English Vineyard Tour & Art Workshops - tour and taste the wine, have lunch and spend an afternoon amongst the vines painting guided by a professional artist.
English Wine Tour & Helicopter Rides - instead of taking the mini-bus, drop down into the vineyard for a wine tasting via a helicopter.
English Vineyard Tour & Horse Racing - tour the vineyard, have lunch and spend the afternoon at the races for a flutter - £5 tote voucher included.

Email us with your feedback and suggestions

White Clover One Day Maiden Wine Tour Success

2009-01-26T03:29:00.000-08:00

On Saturday 24th January we successfully completed the first English Wine tour of its kind, the ‘White Clover’ one day wine tour. Eight participants were picked up in Lewes after they enjoyed coffee and croissants at a local hotel and driven in a private minibus to Carr Taylor Vineyards, East Sussex. We were lucky enough to be accompanied by winemaker David Carr Taylor, who established the vineyard more than 30 years ago. He guided the group on a lively tour through the vineyards and winery and then treated the group to a tutored tasting of 5 wines including Carr Taylor’s Sparkling Vintage Brut and Elderberry Wine.

After a light lunch, participants were driven to Biddenden Vineyards and Cidermakers in Kent to enjoy another tour of the vineyards, winery and wine tasting. Participants were driven back to Lewes where they received their gift of a complimentary bottle of wine and organic hand made chocolates.

At English Vine Tours we're aiming 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 outspoken supporter said of English Vine Tours that ‘you will not get a better chaparone than Ben and Georgie’

We would like to extend our thanks to all of you who joined us on the day and couldn't think of a nicer bunch of people to accompany on the English Vine Tour's 'maiden wine tour'!

The next wine tour is described as ‘a wine tour with a difference’: ‘Red Hot poker’ Special Day Wine Tour will take place on Monday 23rd Febraury. Participants will begin the day with a tour, tasting and lunch at Plumpton College in East Sussex. The group will spend an afternoon at Plumpton Racecourse and the price includes a welcome drink, access to the premier enclosure and a guided tour of the course. It promises to be a fantastic day and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Phew the Calendars are Ready!

2009-01-15T08:55:00.000-08:00

Phew the calendars are done! My head is awash with dates, times and the logistics of organising a years worth of vineyard tours. You can now take a look at the provisional dates for 2009 but I hasten to add that they may change (unless marked as confirmed) as we bring on board more vineyards and special packages.

Fortunately thanks to 'Oz & James Drink to Britain' there's never been a better time to motivate a nation into celebrating our UK booze and drinks industry. If J & O ever get over being grumpy old men (endearingly so I hasten to add) I'm not sure I believe they will ever be able to find a drink that defines a nation like Britain today. How can they when the quality that makes us so interesting and at times eccentric in the UK, is our diversity.

What has become apparent is the Characters out there dedicated to making great British grog and how they go about doing it, which is fascinating. Whilst personally I don't believe you can define a nation by any one thing, there is something totally unifying about 'having a drink'. (Now I hasten to add that this is not about getting plastered or throwing up in a gutter - quite the opposite).

Let's face it we don't really need all these different drinks. We need food as fuel, we need water to keep us hydrated and everything else is superflous. However having a 'drink' is about pleasure and sensation: the variation of taste, texture, colour and the memories they can invoke. I'm talking about those times when you meet a mate in the pub, pop open a bottle of wine with you girlfriends or just sit, relax and quietly contemplate the end of another day. That's what I love about wine, beer drinkers love about beer, apple juice lovers about apple juice....You stop and think, you become aware of the sensations in your body, your palate, even the smells can take you back to that wonderful holiday you had years ago. Or the day you fell in love or perhaps even fell out of love but had a great night with your friends instead.

Personally my favourite drinking memory came after abstaining from alcohol and pasturised cheese for 9 months before my second son was born. Only moments after the birth I revelled in a glass of Cortefigaretto Amarone and a humungous slice of Dolcelatte cheese - in fact I could have bathed it in given half the chance and I can still taste that moment to this day.

I'm thirsty, fancy a drink anyone?

Now Accepting Paypal

2009-01-09T01:56:00.000-08:00

We're keen on keeping our online customer experience as smooth as possible. We're now accepting online payment via Paypal

The calendars are also in the process of being updated and we're working on some really exciting new packages. We'll be adding a newsletter facility soon to keep you up to date with our news and tours and forward on feedback from our customers. If you would like any further information call us 01273 483312 or email to subscribe info@englishvinetours.co.uk

White Clover Wine Tour Places Available

2009-01-09T01:54:00.000-08:00

The tension and excitement is building as we approach the first English vineyard tour for 2009 on 24th January! White Clover includes a visit to a Sussex winery for a tour, wine tasting and lunch followed by lunch. Participants will then be whisked away to a Kent vineyard for another tour and wine tasting.

We've discounted the ticket price by £20 to only £79 per person. For an entire day's activity that includes lunch with wine, complimentary tea and coffee and a gift at the end of the day, transport to and from the meeting point in Lewes, that's a bargain we say!

Call us today to book your place 01273 48 33 12.

Organic English Wine

2008-12-18T07:31:00.000-08:00

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

Keep it Local, Keep it British

2008-12-11T06:18:00.000-08:00

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.

Recommended English Wines and Tasting Notes

2008-12-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

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.

Follow The Path From Grape to Glass - English Vineyard Tours NOW BOOKING!

2008-11-22T07:57:00.000-08:00

It's official, we've launched and we're taking bookings. After a fantastic evening at The Sussex Wine Company portfolio tasting at the Needlemakers in Lewes, we took this opportunity to tell this fine bunch about the English Vine Tours exclusive service.

We tasted some fab English wine too including those from Plumpton College Estate (tasting notes to follow), Breaky Bottom and Carr Taylor wines. We were lucky enough to have David and Linda Carr Taylor join us for the evening too. We really appreciate their encouragement and support on the English Vine Tours project. Olly Smith also joined us and again would like to extend our thanks to him for coming and supporting this super event.

So now we're looking to January 2009 to get the ball rolling and get out amongst the vines. Celebrate the New Year: never mind the dark cold days because you'll never cease to inspired by just being in the vineyard.

For January we have a couple of great tours including Heath Speedwell Half Day Wine Tour to Carr Taylor Vineyard in Sussex. For only £49 you will all the usual benefits of transportation to and from the vineyard, a tour, tasting, lunch and complimentary bottle of wine.

Also we've running a super offer on the White Clover One Day Wine Tour for only £79 (reduced by £20! per ticket). Visit Carr Tayor vineyards and then go onto Biddenden vineyards in Kent.

All information can be found at www.englishvinetours.co.uk or call us 0273 48 33 12

Make Your Own English Wine

2008-11-12T03:06:00.000-08:00

'Grapes of Good Hope', is an article that appeared in this weeks Sunday Times (9th November) reporting the boom in English winemaking. What's great is that maybe, just maybe, with a warmer climate and a little bit of investment we may well be producing the winemaking superstars of the future and become a recognised and respected wine producing country across the world.

English sparkling wines have received the most rescent positive PR and just remember, it was an Englishman, Christopher Merret who introduced the first receipe for sparkling wine to the Royal Society in 1662 - 30 years before Dom Perignon.

Peter Hall of Breaky Bottom, Lewes talked about the boom in English winemaking in the ST article: “In the past three years, something extraordinary has happened...People with money from the City are getting into it – it is strictly sparkling wine that has caused this lift off." If there is anyone left in the City with money to invest, "it will be an important addition to agriculture."

To view the whole Sunday Times article click here.

English Wine Tasting 2009

2008-11-07T14:35:00.000-08:00

A date for your diary:
English Wines & English Sparkling Wines. A selection of Sussex wines with English Cheeses, 16 Market Street, Lewes on 12th February, 7-8.30pm. Featuring Plumpton College Vineyard wines. £25.00

Tickets can be purchased from The Sussex Wine Company.

Word on the UK Grapevine - News from the Vineyards

2008-11-06T06:44:00.000-08:00

Pessimists have been heard saying that the English 2008 vintage could have been an utter disaster due to a wet summer and lack of sunshine. However, news from the vineyards is, with a little help from a good October, the quantity of grapes was lower than expected but the quality was good.

Unfortunately the South-West was adversely affected by the wet summer, however the rest of the country is looking positive. Sugar levels are good and acids are higher thanks to a warm autumn. Official harvest data will be available in the spring of 2009.

We should remember that English vineyards and wine-makers are a sturdy lot. In true British spirit just when you think that things couldn't get worse and the odds are against us, we end up producing some of our best stuff. It has been said that when the grapes are facing tough times that's when they actually build their quality.

Harvesting is pretty much over now for English wine-makers so the next few months will be interesting to see how the English 2008 vintage goes. In the meantime good years to check out for English wine are 1999, 2003 and 2005.

Launching English Wine Tours

2008-10-30T08:16:00.000-07:00

The English Wine Industry has been somewhat overlooked in the not too distant past. Yet English wine from vineyards such as Bookers, on the Bolney Wine Estate and particularly sparkling wine from artisan winemaker Peter Hall at Breaky Bottom has received some great PR lately. Not only are the English vineyards set within some of England finest countryside they are run enthusiastically and passionately by foolhardy winemakers who have made it their life's work to make these wines work.

We thought it was about time to bring attention to this wonderful industry and boy, are we excited!
At English Vine Tours we're giving the public the opportunity to visit some of England's finest vineyards, taste the delights of English wine and enjoy the beauty of the English countryside. Half day, 1 day, 2 day wine tours are available all accompanied by a wine expert from English Vine Tours and driven in a private minibus. We're also offering special day wine tours which will include the tour of a vineyard, wine tasting and lunch before being taken to the horse races for a flutter or perhaps even the opera.

This venture is clearly about promoting the English wine industry but also local produce, local business and our homegrown talent. It's about celebrating England and supporting our local economy when the global one has let us down so badly!

Welcome to English Vine Tours