Three Cheers for English Wine

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!

Oz & James Drink to Britain and Visit Sussex Vineyard

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!

Phew the Calendars are Ready!

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?

White Clover Wine Tour Places Available

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

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

Recommended English Wines and Tasting Notes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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