Easter Multi-Experience Vine Tour

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

White Clover English Vineyard Experience

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

Taylor & Shroff English Wine & Curry

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!

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!

Learn About The English Wine Industry Today

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.

Valentine's Day Wine Tour Experience

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

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.

1. English Wine Tour & Golf Day/Weekend - tour and taste the wine at an English vineyard, followed by lunch and a round of golf.
   
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. English Wine Tour & Helicopter Rides - instead of taking the mini-bus, drop down into the vineyard for a wine tasting via a helicopter.
5. 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

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!

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

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

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

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

English Wine Tasting 2009

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.