Meet the French wine region the experts have their eyes on: Ventoux AOC

Last week, I had the absolute pleasure of hosting a wine tasting event in the sky. Why would I hang from a crane 100ft above terra firma to talk to an audience over dinner about wine, you may ask? We did it to highlight the magic ingredient that one unsung hero French wine region has that means it will be one to watch in the future as the world gets hotter. That region is Ventoux AOC and the magic ingredient is altitude. 

What and where is Ventoux AOC?

You’ve seen those films that make you want to buy properties in the south of France, right? Luberon, the Vaucluse Mountains…You may also be a keen cyclist and an avid follower of the Tour de France. This part of the world is where you will find Ventoux; nestled in the south-eastern part of France’s Rhône Valley, signposted by the famous ‘Giant of Provence’ aka Mont Ventoux, sitting at 1912m ASL and  providing a beautiful - and very useful - backdrop to a winemaking revolution that has been taking place over the last twenty years.

Wines with Altitude

Helena hosting the Ventoux event with London In The Sky

Ventoux is an AOC, which stands for Appellation d’Origine Controlé. It’s a wine term that describes a delimited area where there are strict winemaking rules around what grapes and techniques you can use, with an aim to maintain the character of the wines from that area and to keep the quality high. To date, Ventoux has been more of a hidden gem region, outshone by its more glamorous, famous neighbours such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas, despite having wines of similar styles (and lower price tags!), but the focus is starting to change. Why? Global heating is a sad reality and the difference these extra degrees are having on grape production are really starting to show. Some say that in ten years, the more famous regions may even be too hot for growing fine wine grapes.

Enter Mont Ventoux, with its higher altitude vineyards that benefit, crucially, from much cooler night time temperatures than many other Rhône regions. What this diurnal swing does to the grapes is cool them quickly, thus concentrating aromas and flavours and preventing the wines from tasting cooked and flabby. This is the reason that wine writers and winemakers alike say that they would put their money here in Ventoux.

Ventoux AOC wine grapes & wine styles

Ventoux is most famous for red blends, which make up 54% of all the wines. Pinks sit at 40% and whites at just 6% currently, but watch this space for more Ventoux blancs; white grapes love limestone from the windy slopes of the mountain. 

In Ventoux, you’ll find classic, familiar Rhône valley blends but wines here certainly have a distinctive freshness. The rosé wines are fragrant and fruity, with notes of ripe cherries, raspberries and flowers. The white wines are generally floral, citrussy and elegant with characteristic notes of hawthorn and acacia and the reds offer rich notes of leather, liquorice, truffles, black fruit, and pepper. Keep an eye on Syrah from Ventoux, by the way. It’s one of the red grapes really starting to turn heads.

The boyband and girlband of wine grapes.

You know me and my ‘vinalogies’, well I have always thought of the red and white blends of the Rhone Valley as pop bands, made up of grapes that each bring their own distinctive personality. The main players for reds are Grenache Noir, who is the youthful, cute one. Think soft strawberry and subtle spice. Next up it’s Syrah, the brooding, complex soul who probably plays the guitar. Think plum spice, grilled meat and herbs. We also have the party animal, Mourvèdre, the one with wild hair and who is full-on and meaty, needing the other grapes to tame it. Joining these three are Carignan and Cinsault, the former offering the geeky piano playing and lyrics skills that while a bit skinny, can scrub up quite nicely when needed and the latter, the light-hearted, perfumed pretty boy that gets lots of attention.

On the white side, the leads are Clairette, the elfish blonde who is lean and saline with flowers in her hair; Roussanne, the sassy redhead with her richly aromatic notes of  lime and blossom; Grenache Blanc, the curvy one giving good body a complex herbaceous note and finally, Bourboulenc, the exotic, if a touch needy one, which when treated properly, can give great acidity and structure with a hint of smoke and spice. 

Ventoux wines to try

At the event in London in the Sky, we tasted a fair few fabulous wines. Here are our top pics from the night:

PINK

Rhonéa ‘Passe Coline’ 2020  (Grenache noir 95%, Carignan 4%, Syrah 1%)

A punchy, pretty and fruity pink with an interesting backstory about a demanding lady called Colline who wouldn’t pass the bottle around the table. Almost luminous in the glass, it’s a vibrant pink that’s great by itself or with lighter bites, such as cold cuts. 

Find it here for £10.50

WHITE

Cave de Lumières ‘Aubépine’ 2020  (Clairette 40%,Grenache Blanc 30%, Roussanne 30%)

A light, fresh and floral style with the most stunning bottle you’ll see! Aubépine means ‘hawthorn’, which properly sums up this crisp and refreshing white. 

Find it here for £12.90

Château Pesquié ‘Quintessence’ 2019  (Roussanne 80%, Clairette 20%)

Another legendary producer and this is the top of their white wine tree. The Quintessence leads gloriously with sassy Roussanne, offering a white that’s lemon-lime and viscous, with a refreshing saline note and great aromatics.One to be savoured in the glass. 

Find it here for £18.50

RED

Domaine de Fondrèche ‘Persia’ 2019  (Syrah 90%, Mourvèdre 10%)

This icon red from Fondrèche is brooding and complex with notes of grilled meat, licorice and dried herbs. It’s a meal in a glass with an effortless freshness. You could even keep this for a couple of years and it will sing.  

Find it here for £20.99

Chêne Bleu ‘Abélard’ 2012  Grenache Noir 85%, Syrah 15%)

From another stellar producer, the Abélard is big, bold and beautiful, all about ripe blueberry, spice and chocolate. It’s a gloriously indulgent, rich, velvety red where the extra years of aging add tobacco leaf and cedar complexity. Have it with red meat or a stew - or even some hard, nutty cheese. 

Find it here for £55

Can Music Make Wine Taste Better?

Music: A simple, yet incredibly complex pleasure with the power to alter our emotions and even change the way we perceive things. It has been at the forefront of human expression for thousands of years and over time has become even more powerful as new forms continue to emerge.

In the past decade, plenty of research has been carried out to suggest music can even affect the ways in which we interact with wine. So, let’s delve in to this and find out just what power music has when it comes to wine, and whether it can really change the way we perceive, purchase and even taste our vino?

Can Music Influence What Wine We Purchase?

According to a theory known as the 'Priming Effect', the answer to this is yes. There have been various studies over time monitoring this phenomenon, but one of the most significant took place in 1999 when scientists decided to look into the influence of music on wine purchases in wine stores.

When German music was played, a much higher concentration of German wines was purchased and the same was the case for both Spanish and Italian music and wine. It seems this 'Priming Effect' increases a particular area of our memory, influencing other decisions we make, which in this case means the wine that we purchase.

Can Music Influence How We Taste Wine?

A chap named Adrian North partnered up with Montes Winery to explore how listening to different types of music could affect the tasting notes we give the wines we drink. In order to do this he first found 4 songs and associated 'characteristics' with them, without any wine being involved. He then formed 5 different groups based on those songs:

·       Group 1: Powerful and heavy characteristics (Carmina Burana by Orff)

·       Group 2: Subtle and refined characteristics (Waltz of the Flowers from Tchaikovsky's 'Nutcracker')

·       Group 3: Zingy and refreshing characteristics (Just Can't Get Enough by Nouvelle Vague)

·       Group 4: Mellow and soft characteristics (Slow Breakdown by Michael Brook)

·       Group 5: Control group characteristics (No Music)

Participants in each group were given a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon and Chilean Chardonnay, and after 5 minutes of tasting, they were asked to describe the wines. The researchers found that the participants tended to describe the wines in similar ways to the characteristics of the music that was playing, regardless of whether they were drinking a red or white whereas the control group had a totally different set of results.

This explains why the ambience of a venue is so important and therefore why the majority of high-end restaurants will always have elaborate music playing in the background. It would also explain why people spend a lot more money in restaurants that play classical music as opposed to other forms.

Can Music Directly Affect the Quality of Wine?

Now, this question still leads to a very mixed answer although there is some evidence to suggest that music may improve the quality of wines. In fact, big names such as Cloudy Bay and De Morgenzon have already taken to the art of music in attempt to improve their wines by using outdoor speakers to play music to their vines 24 hours a day.

According to Hylan Applebaum (owner of De Morgenzon winery), music has strengthened his vines and enhanced their health. His reasoning is that as the vines increase in size due to the effect of the music, they gain a larger surface area, which in turn increases the rate of photosynthesis, sugar, and therefore concentration of flavor within the grapes.

While some laugh at his views, scientific research in South Korea has actually shown that when classical music was played to rice plants, it triggered two genes within the plant (rbcS and Ald), resulting in a better quality crop. The same was found when a similar experiment was carried out with onions!

So, there you have it. We've discovered that music can influence the types of wine we buy, allowing us to perceive we've made a better purchasing decision. We've also come to understand that music can alter the tasting profiles we give wines, deeming them as better quality. Finally, we've explored the possibility that music can trigger genes in plants, possibly resulting in better quality crops.

While more and more evidence is producing compelling results to suggest that music can in fact make our wine taste better, a lot of skepticism still remains. You've read the story. Where do you stand?

Your Wine Travel Guide to Kent

Kent is a county in southeast England known colloquially as the Garden of England thanks to its historical importance for growing cereal crops, hops and fruit. With the increase in vineyard plantings however, things are changing quickly and Kent has already become one of the leading areas for top-quality wines in the UK. Below, we discuss why this is, give you the big names to look out for and suggest what else you can do while you’re there...

Despite evidence dating back to Roman times showing that winemaking practices have been common in England for over 2000 years, the buzz surrounding the exciting rise of English wine is actually pretty recent. The big success story here is sparkling wine made in the traditional method (now officially known over here as the ‘classic method’), with ‘new’ grape varieties i.e. Chardonnay. Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier; the grape varieties famous for making the great sparkling wines of Champagne. Before this practice took off, Kent and the rest of England were working more with still wines made with the aromatic, Germanic varieties that did better in the cold, such as Madeleine Angevine, Rondo and Bacchus. 

Why is Kent wine doing so well?

So why the new grapes and the success with wine in Kent particularly? Fruit growing temperatures and conditions in Kent have always been excellent and the soils, particularly those under the North Downs in the north of the county, share the same chalk ridges as the famous region of Champagne in France. This discovery led to trialing out the Champagne grapes mentioned above and to great success. Climate change has also meant that in the right conditions, grapes are able to ripen just that little bit more than they used to, which makes all the difference for wine production. Add to this the modern techniques by winemakers who have travelled the world and improved disease control and you have a recipe for success - so much so that we are even seeing famous Champagne houses snapping up land, such as Domaine Evremond, owned by the Taittinger family, who have planted vines down in Faversham. 

There are now over fifty wineries in Kent alone and the area is quickly becoming a real destination for fine wine production and gastro tourism, the latter helped by the picture perfect villages, cottages, landscapes and oasthouses of the county. If you’ve seen the film ‘The Holiday’, you’ll know exactly what we mean. A group of these wineries have also got together to support each other and boost the reputation of Kent wine under the title ‘Wine Garden of England’. These are Biddenden, Gusbourne, Balfour at Hush Heath Estate, Chapel Down, Domaine Evremond, Simpsons and Squerryes. 

Beer and Spirits

Drinks lovers will also note that Kent also has a strong association with growing hops for beer and we can still see some of these oast houses dotted around the county, though they are more often used as posh housing nowadays. Distilleries are also popping up, with some offering some fantastic experience for visitors, such as Copper Rivet over in Chatham that offers distillery tours and tastings and also has a new cocktail bar and fine dining restaurant on site. 

Notable wineries of Kent

Of the fifty or so wineries dotted around the county, there are several that stand out. While these names will change over time with new ones being added regularly, these are the need-to-know producers currently making a splash and well worth a visit:

• Gusbourne

• Balfour at Hush Heath

• Simpsons

• Biddenden

• Woodchurch

• Herbert Hall

• Squerryes

• Chapel Down

• Mereworth

• Look out for Domaine Evremond too; the Taittinger family project, recently planted.

Gusbourne

Location: Appledore, Kent

Gusbourne and its head winemaker Charlie Holland have been turning heads all over the vinous world as their vintage sparkling wines gather inordinate amounts of awards. Even their first releases in 2006 (Gusbourne Brut Reserve and Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs), which were released in 2010, commanded attention immediately. Since then, the English wine world has watched in awe as the team crafts the vintages every year, adding new cuvées and styles to their repertoire. The winery now produces several white and rosé sparkling wines as well as an impressive range of still wines, each with their own personality. This is a real, fine wine producer of Kent.

On Site Experiences

Tastings & Tours
Guided and self guided tours with wine tastings are available from £25 pp.

Food

While there is no restaurant or café at Gusbourne per se, picnics are available to buy and consume overlooking the stunning Boot Hill vineyard at the top of the estate. You can however, also pre book an extended tour and tasting which includes a 3 course lunch for £95pp or for something less formal, try the discovery tour, which involves a tasting and a casual lunch for £75 pp. Locals say to try the Ferry Inn in Oxney or The Woolpack Inn in Warehorne for great pub grub if the tasting lunches don’t work for you. Also, make sure you pay a visit to Miss Mollett's High Class Tea Rooms in Appledore if you’re staying there. 

Accommodation

None on site but there are several very pretty Air BnBs down the road in Appledore, about 30 mins walk away through the vines.

Kiddie friendly: No. 
Dog friendly: Yes outside, or possibly inside if clean and very well behaved. 

Address: Kenardington Rd, Appledore, Ashford TN26 2BE
Tel: +44 (0)1233 758666
Website

Balfour at Hush Heath Estate 

Location: Near Stapleford, Kent

The 16th century Hush Heath manor is the home to Richard and Leslie Balfour-Lynn who acquired the 400 acre estate that surrounds it in 2001 after it came up unexpectedly in an auction. The couple had the foresight to plant grape vines alongside some of the apple trees and now, twenty years later, they are producing award-winning sparkling and still wines alongside their beers and high class ciders that are made just like their fizz. With their new terrace called ‘The View’ and its sweeping views across the estate, it’s a lovely spot for a tasting with a sharing platter. 

On Site Experiences

Tastings & Tours

At Hush Heath, you can do simple guided and self-guided walks around the estate culminating in a tasting or you can upgrade the offering to include sharing platters at The View. They offer several types of other experiences, including self-tutored tastings, masterclasses, wine and dine experiences and corporate and private events where they pick you up from the station!

Food

There’s no restaurant or café at Hush Heath as such, but sharing platters of cold cuts, cheeses and other local products are available on the day.  

Accommodation

The Balfour family own several gastro pubs with rooms in the area (and elsewhere), the closest of which is the Goudhurst Inn five minutes drive away. They also own the Tickled Trout in Farleigh, the Woolpack on Tenterden high street, the Ship Inn in Rye and The Windmill in Hollingbourne, all a bit further away. 

Kiddie Friendly: Yes on the terrace and in The View. Under 10’s are not permitted on the winery tour.

Address: Hush Heath Estate, Five Oak Ln, Staplehurst, Tonbridge TN12 0HT
Tel: +44 (0)1622 832794
Website

Simpsons English Wine Estate

Location: Canterbury

Run by veteran winemaking couple Charles and Ruth Simpson, this estate is tucked away on the chalky slopes of the North Downs, sheltered from the weather by stunning English woodland. A relative newcomer on the English winemaking scene, Simpson’s first wine releases of traditional method sparkling wines in their sleek, dark packaging impressed from the off and they’ve gone on to produce some serious still wines too from the same Champagne grapes, including one that’s, unusually, made from 100% Pinot Meunier. 

On Site Experiences

Tastings & Tours

Simpsons offer weekday and weekend tours and tastings as well as sought-after, Friday Sunset Sessions with food platter.

Food

No restaurant or café, but platters are available on the Friday sunset sessions. 

Address: The Barns, Church Lane, Barham, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 6PB
Tel: +44 (0) 1227 832200
Website

Biddenden Vineyards

Location: Biddenden

Biddenden is Kent’s original vineyard, dating back to 1969 when the first vines were planted on the Barnes family’s orchard farm. Unlike many of the other new wineries in Kent, Biddenden doesn’t just focus on the three Champagne grapes for its wine but celebrates eleven different grape varieties, including what we could now call the ‘heritage’ English grapes such as Bacchus, Ortega and Huxelrebe. A true location for quintessentially Kentish produce, Biddenden also produces cider, juices and sells a range of local produce. If you want to know Kentish wine, you should start here. 

On Site Experiences

Tastings & Tours

Self guided tours and wine tastings are available 7 days a week and group bookings for up to six people are available Weds-Sat. 

Shop

As well as wine, cider, beer and gin, Biddenden has a shop that stocks a wide range of local and regional products and snacks, such as cheese, meats and condiments from independent and artisan producers.

Address: Biddenden Vineyards, Gribble Bridge Lane, Biddenden, Kent. TN27 8DF.
Tel: +44 (0)1580 291726
Website

Woodchurch

Location: Woodchurch

Woodchurch is a relatively new, family-owned winery located on the edge of the picturesque village of Woodchurch in Kent, overlooking the ancient Romney marsh down to the English channel. Established in 2009, their vision is to create some of the world’s finest sparkling wines with a hand-made approach in their state-of-the-art winery and minimal intervention.

On Site Experiences

The cellar door shop and new terrace bar are now open again and they serve wines by the glass with some free tastings. There’s no need to book ahead for this. 

Tastings & Tours

Guided tours with four wines are available for £20 per person, lasting about an hour and a half.

Food

Cheese and Charcuterie boards are available too, 11am - 4pm but it’s wise to pre-order. 

Address: Susan's Hill, Woodchurch, Ashford TN26 3RE
Tel: 01233 860276
Website

Herbert Hall

Location: Marden Tonbridge

Herbert Hall is the name of a colourful character who was also a tenant farmer who arrived in the village of Marden at the end of the 19th century and worked on the ten-acre site to the west of the village. On the estate, he grew hops, apples, pears and plums and his farm has remained in the Hall family for three generations. It was in 2007 however that his great grandson, the now winemaker Nicholas Hall, chose Herbert’s original site to plant a vineyard with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes. Today, with fellow winemaker Kirsty Smith, he now produces vintage, English Sparkling Wines with a focus on organic viticulture and meticulous fruit selection.

On Site Experiences

Tastings, Tours & Food

The Herbert Hall bar is open on Saturdays 12pm-8pm and Sundays 12-6pm during the summer, but is currently weather dependent. The bar also serves beers, cider and soft drinks, as well as still wines, their own sparkling wines, and charcuterie and cheeses.

Address: Poultry Farm, Plain Rd, Marden, Tonbridge TN12 9LS
Website

Squerryes

Location: Westerham, Kent

The Warde family motto, which can be seen above the door at Squerryes Court, reads ’Licet Esse Beatis’, which means: ‘it’s permitted to be joyful’ and this is a place that embodies that perfectly. Located just outside Westerham at the foot of the North Downs, the family have lived here for eight generations over 300 years, with Sir Patience Warde one of the first generation, trading wool from the Estate with the French for red wine. Fast forward centuries later and the family turned down offers from a Champagne house to buy some of their land. It was the right decision as now, Squerryes is making a solid name for its vintage, sparkling wines in their own right.

On Site Experiences

Tastings & Tours

Squerryes offer tours that culminate in tastings that include their signature Brut release, the Rosé and Blanc de Blancs. Tours run on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays every weekend through to October.

Food

Squerryes is a great choice for when you want to make a day of it, with a tour, then a tasting and a proper lunch or dinner in The Terrace restaurant or The Bottle Store restaurant. There is Al Fresco dining at The Terrace between April and September and you can look forward to small, seasonal dishes and sharing plates with select cuts of prime meat and seafood, created by their estate chef, Alexander Baillieu. 

Private Hire & Weddings

You have found your perfect location for a party or a wedding. Squerryes Court has featured in many a period drama and could be the perfect backdrop to your big day. The winery space is also available to hire. 

Address: Squerryes, Beggars Lane, Westerham, Kent, TN16 1QP
Tel: 01959 562345
Website

Chapel Down

Location: Tenterden, Kent

Chapel Down might well be the name in English wine that you are most familiar with as they were one of the first to go big and get ‘out there’ in mainstream shops and restaurants. Located just outside Tenterden and pretty close to Gusbourne and Woodchurch, this is a great location to start an English wine tour, especially as there are some great pubs with rooms nearby. Chapel Down themselves also offer a range of experiences, from guided tours, wine tastings and full-on masterclasses, to lunch at their restaurant ‘The Swan’. There are also accommodation packages you could look at with their partner hotels.

On Site Experiences

Tastings & Tours

You can do guided and self guided tours around their vineyards and herb garden. There are various options from simple tours and tastings to full, deluxe tour packages. Cheese and wine tastings are also available.

Food

Chapel Down boasts a two AA Rosette and Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants specialising in modern British cuisine and locally sourced seasonable produce.

Lease the vines!

Chapel Down also has a vine lease programme where you can buy or gift someone their very own Bacchus vines and create personalised wines. There are also events for the leaseholders to attend and you are able to visit your vines at any time to see how they are coming on. 

Address: Chapel Down Winery, Small Hythe, Tenterden, Kent TN30 7NG
Tel: 01580 763033
Website

Mereworth Wines

Location: Mereworth, Kent.

Mereworth is a pretty ancient Kentish site that even gets a mention in the Domesday book! The area, like much of Kent has a long history of growing fruit and hops and now, Mereworth has its own winery, swapping hops for grapes. It’s a new winery on the scene but is already making a splash with its first vintage of 2018 sparkling wines winning prestigious awards already. It’s rapidly becoming a serious destination for wine lovers thanks to its calendar of events such as their Indian wine supper and their Champagne Vs England sparkling wine tasting. 

On Site Experiences

Tastings, Tours & Food

Mereworth Wines runs tours and tastings, with an option of masterclasses and wine-and-cheese pairings too. Check their website for their events too.

Address: Brewers Hall, Tonbridge Rd, Mereworth, Maidstone, ME18 5JD. 
Tel: 01622 817795
Website

Places to stay in Kent for your wine tour

The Woolpack Inn, Warehorne.

Tickled Trout in West Fairleigh

Woolpack, Tenterden high street.

The Ship Inn, Rye.

The Windmill, Hollingbourne.

The Oxney Barns, Oxney.

Shepherd’s Huts, Oxney.

Want to know more about English wine? Here are some need-to-know producers to seek out. Or you could try this article for the best UK vineyard hotels. Or this one for the best places to drink English wine in the UK!

The Best Places in the UK to Drink English Wine

Happy English Wine Week! We’re raising a glass to the finest homegrown pours by taking a tasting tour. Here are some of the best places to try wines made in the UK, this week, next week and beyond…  

The Wine Bar

Grays & Feather

The epic setting is reason enough to visit: in the heart of Covent Garden, Grays & Feather is sprawled across two storeys in Charles Dickens’s former 1860s publishing house. But the other draw of a visit to this wine bar? A succinct but superb by-the-glass vino list that lets lesser-known English producers shine. Order up a pour of quince-noted Forgotten Monarchy Cuvée, a fizz from West Sussex, or biscuity Herbert Hall Brut from Kent to start. Then, move on to Stopham Pinot Gris, all aromatic peach and spice, followed by juicy, cherried Sharpham Pinot Noir.

Location: Covent Garden, London
Website

The Restaurant

The Loch and the Tyne

What pairs perfectly with English wine? Fine British produce, especially when it’s been reared sustainably from local vegetable gardens and orchards. That’s what you’ll get at chef Adam Handling’s Windsor outpost, The Loch and the Tyne – the menu showcases seasonal asparagus, Jersey Royal potatoes and Ogleshield cheese, all washed down with a clutch of hand-picked English wines by the glass or bottle. Historic Windsor feels an apt setting for such a Great British feast, but if you can’t make it there Adam also has restaurants pouring English vino in London and Cornwall.

Location: Windsor
Website

The Online Tasting

The English Vine

You don’t even need to leave the house to celebrate English Wine Week. The English Vine runs Zoom wine tastings where, from £50pp, you can sample an array of British-made wines over an hour-long, expert-led session with your nearest and dearest. Once you’ve given everything an initial try – and learned about how it’s made – you can order by the mixed case, too (for example, The Ultimate British Wine Case is stuffed with Nyetimber sparkling and Chapel Down rosé, among other treats).

Location: Your living room!
Website

The Wine Shop

Hawkins Bros

Hawkins Bros knows its English wines inside-out – in fact, it stocks such an extensive range, if it weren’t for the expert-led recommendations that come with every shopping experience, you might have trouble choosing one. Pop into branches in the Surrey Hills and West Sussex for a tasting of everything from bubbly Bacchus-based sparklings to elegant Pinot Noirs, all vetted by the owners’ top palates for quality. Keep eyes peeled for winemaker-led events, too!

Location: Surrey Hills and West Sussex
Website

The Winery

Renegade London

If we’re being technical, much of what this urban winery makes is ‘British wine’ rather than ‘English’ – because they import some grapes from the EU. But that’s not a reason to discount it. Set in the heart of London’s Bethnal Green, Renegade is focused on making interesting, exciting wines from the best-quality grapes it can find, then putting its distinct stamp on them – to delicious effect. If you’re determined to get a taste of local this week, though, they can certainly oblige. Order up a quirky hopped English sparkling wine, a quaffable Bacchus Pet Nat, or an on-trend Orange Bacchus Wine, available for free UK-wide delivery.

Location: Bethnal Green, London
Website

The Pub

The White Horse

It’s not just swanky restaurants who serve up a good glass of English fizz – fine UK-made tipples are increasingly available in pubs, too. At this seaside stalwart in Brancaster, Norfolk, you can down three different varieties of award-winning Nyetimber fizz – the Classic Cuvee NV, Rose NV, or Blanc de Blancs – alongside best-ever oysters from the waterways beyond. And, as if that wasn’t already the ultimate in English food and wine pairings, afterwards you can sip a glass of Cobble Hill Bacchus, made from a nearby family-owned winery, while you devour a North Atlantic lobster drenched in garlicky butter.

Location: Norfolk
Website

The Hotel

The Idle Rocks

Boutique pad The Idle Rocks, tucked in the pretty Cornish coastal town of St Mawes, has a heavy English wine list for such a small stay – you can sip your way through Cornish sparkling rosés from Camel Valley, or the aromatic ‘Harlyn’ white blend from Trevibban Mill, or even their own-label ‘Lazy Lady’, all pretty floral notes (and made in conjunction with the same producer). Pull up a seat on the restaurant terrace, with its comfy chairs overlooking the picturesque harbour, and reflect over the Cornish scene as you work your way through a bottle. It doesn’t get more English than this… 

Location: Cornwall
Website

Wondering where you can get your hands on a bottle of some delicious English wine? Then look no further than Helena’s Top 10 English Wines You Need To Try and if you fancy fully immersing yourself in a British wine experience then check out these Best UK vineyard hotel stays!

Great Gifts for Father's Day

Father’s Day is nearly upon us and it’s highly unlikely he will genuinely want new pants and socks, or so we have been told! So, this year, give him something special just for him - though he may even share it with you if you’re good! Here’s our pick of special boozes and other thoughtful items. There’s something for every budget.

Red Wine

Bodyguard 2017 from Daou Vineyards, Paso Robles, California

For when only a full-bodied, velvety red will do. This stunning looking bottle wrapped in a large, Gustav Klimt-esque label with gold foiling looks as good as it tastes. A powerful blend of 60% Petit Verdot and 40% Syrah, it has a bit of everything you want in a fine, red wine from juicy cassis, raspberry and cherry fruit to notes of warm, cooking spice, truffle and cocoa with a waft of freshly crushed herbs and tobacco leaf in for good measure. It’s big and brooding - a winner with steak or simply alone in the man cave with a good book.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14.7%
Find here: UK From £45 // US $33.08

Champagne

Bollinger PN VZ16

A very special, brand new iteration of James Bond’s favourite fizz, the PN VZ16 is made exclusively from Pinot Noir from Verzenay in Champagne and the house describes it as “an inimitable vision of an iconic grape variety”. The base for the wine is the fantastic 2016 vintage with older, reserve wines, the oldest of which being 2006. The PN collection was created to celebrate all the unique expressions Pinot Noir can give and this is the second in the range. Think red apple skin with tangy notes of rhubarb, plum and pear, hints of tropical fruit, a cool saline core and a pleasing, nuttiness on the finish. A simply stunning wine that’s drinking now or will keep. Very smart packaging too!

Size: 750ml
Find here: £80

Rum

Eminente Reserve Rum Aged 7 Years

This fabulous new rum from central Cuba has been made using 100% sugar cane and aged for seven years in white, ex-whisky, oak barrels. It’s extraordinary in that it manages to harness the freshness of a traditional Cuban white, light rum with the subtle complexity of a more aged one. We love it for its spicy notes of pepper and ginger, which mingle seamlessly with fresh cherry and plum flavours and quirky notes of tobacco, cocoa and coffee bean. Glorious neat, over ice, with simple mixers or even in cocktails. 

Size: 700ml
ABV: 41.3%
Find here: £43.95

Tequila

Pancho Datos Reposado Tequila

If dads need to be a bit more ‘reposado’, then a bottle of top end, sipping tequila could be the answer. This is a 100% agave reposado that has been ‘rested’ for six months in white oak barrels that previously held bourbon whiskey. There will be no shotting this with lime and salt though, please! Think creamy vanilla fudge notes here with a classic earthiness from the agave itself and a lovely salinity that keeps it fresh. Have it alone over ice or it makes a banging Paloma Reposado! (1 part tequila to 3 parts pink grapefruit soda, lime or grapefruit garnish). The name Pancho Datos by the way, celebrates the work of historian and poet Ricardo Grijalva de León who made his name during the Mexican Revolution in 1910. 

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £49.95

Irish Whiskey

Bushmills 21 Year Old, Triple Distilled, Rare whiskey

For a sipping whiskey that will knock anyone’s socks off, this 21 year old, blended, Irish superstar from the whiskey gem in Northern Ireland’s crown is hard to beat. With 19 years spent in oloroso sherry and bourbon-seasoned casks, it then spends a further two years in madeira casks. The result is a silky smooth and unctuous spirit with enormous depth of flavour. Every sip will offer something new, from fruit cake, to cocoa, chocolate, raisins, hazelnut and caramel. Just, wow. 

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £159.90 // US $268.79

Scotch Whisky

Spirit of Art Whisky Range by Distillers Art

If your father is a fan of Scotch and beautiful landscapes, this spirited gift combines the two beautifully. Like us, the company believes that Scotch whisky, like wine, is synonymous first and foremost with the place it comes from, from the soil and aspect to the barley, the water… everything. What Distillers Art do is look at the character of an area and commission an artist to create a limited edition, signed print to go with it, which comes with the whisky (inside the tube, so frame is not included). We just adore this concept of where art meets spirits. Choose from the stunning landscapes of the Spey, Ben Rinnes hill, Islay and more with famous whisky names such as Clynelish, Caol Ila and Craigellachie.

Size: 700ml
ABV: From 53%
Find here: From £130

English Whisky

Masthouse Column Malt Whisky from Copper Rivet

Hailing from Copper Rivet Distillery in Kent, this limited-edition whisky is only the second in their Masthouse range. It’s also the first column still single malt ever to be released by a British distillery (Scotch whisky must be produced in a pot still) and is made with Belgravia barley malt, which is grown locally on the Isle of Sheppey. Unfiltered and matured in first and second-fill ex-bourbon casks, what you get is a lighter style of whisky with appealing notes of caramel, banana and baked apple pie up front with creamy, orchard fruit flavours on the palate. It’s fresh and perky and each bottle comes with a copy of Copper Rivet’s own Invicta whisky charter.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 45%
Find here: £44.95

Shanky’s Whip Black Liqueur & Whiskey Blend

A quirky, retro one in looks this. Thoroughly Irish, Shanky’s Whip is a sweet and creamy liqueur made from a blend of black Irish whiskey and other Irish spirits blended with natural vanilla and cream flavours before being infused with caramel. The box is inspired by the look of vintage Irish matchboxes and features fantastical Irish jockey, ‘Shanky’ who was the wild boy of racing. His character was known for being one that always one bucked the trends and once, when thrown from his horse, he returned to a race with an ostrich, a cart and a whip. Naturally! Lots of fun and there are many ways to drink it. 

Size: 700ml
ABV: 33%
Find here: £23.95

No-Lo

OTO CBD Cocktail Bitters

We’ve tried and tested this (non-alcoholic) product over time and can honestly say that it works and is fabulous. Not only does it add an intriguing, warm and spiced flavour to cocktails with its extracts of licorice, cacao and lemongrass, but we’ve also had it in a our morning decaf latte and mixed it with a little warm water at night, so it’s wonderfully versatile. CBD in the right quantities can melt away anxiety in a way that does not make you feel anything specifically; it’s more about the bad stuff that it makes you stop feeling. Just add 4 dashes to your drink of choice and there you are. 

Size: 100ml
CBD: 1800mg
Find here: Currently £63.20 on offer (usually £79)

Juke Cordialities

Created by well-known wine writer Matthew Jukes, Jukes Cordialities are a very swish looking, intriguing take on non-alcoholic wine, so we expected these to be good! Made using fruit, vegetables, fresh and dried herbs, spices and flowers with a backbone of fine, organic apple cider vinegar, these are complex, interesting and very tasty non-alcoholic drinks that actually mimic the complexities of wine very well, while offering some intriguing, new flavour profiles. Naturally made, these are ultra low calorie, unfiltered and unfined without any manipulative techniques so they can also throw a small sediment. Quirky, beautifully packaged and worth a go if dad is trying to moderate. The gift box includes 9 small bottles, enough for around 15-18 glasses. 

Size: 9 x 30ml bottles
Find here: £35

Cool Stuff

The Checkin Journal

With Father’s Day coming at the end of Men's Health Week (June 15th - 22nd), we wanted to highlight a thoughtful gift to help men become more aware of their thoughts and feelings with an eye to improving their mental health. This simple, beautiful journal does this with its space for daily checkins. It’s a collaboration between MAL Paper and Matt Johnson, a Mind Ambassador and TV Presenter with the express aim, as Matt says, “to help the user connect with their emotions in an unapologetic way, without fear of judgment.” It’s simple and incredibly effective. Even better, for every journal sold, Mål Paper donates £2 to Mind Charity.

Find here: £21.95

Glencairn Whisky Pipette

After hundreds of requests from fans of their iconic Glencairn whisky glass, Glencairn have released their very own whisky pipette to go with it. The perfect length for the glass, this pipette is made from hand-blown glass and holds the ideal amount of water to help moderate flow (1ml).  It also has a very sweet little mini glass to weight the top. For £6, it’s a bit of a no-brainer and it is also available to buy as a set with a Glencairn Glass or a jug.

Find here: £6

CBD gummies by Cold Pressed

The one for stressed out dads who need to take some time for themselves. These cute and tasty gummies by British CBD brand Cold Pressed are made using a cold-pressed extraction method to retain the organic goodness of the CBD. 100% natural ingredients, vegan and with 10mg of cannabidiol in every gummy, these bonbons with benefits are available in strawberry, grape, apple, grapefruit and pineapple flavours. The CBD extraction process they used is brand new to the UK and ensures that all of the added benefits such as vitamins, omegas, nutrients and phytonutrients remain within the extract.

Size: 30 gummies per jar
CBD: 10mg per gummie
Find here: £6.99 per jar

Not found what you were looking for here? Fear not! We have plenty of other suggestions for great wine, spirits, beer and no-lo for you to check out too.

Is This the Future of Wine Tastings?

Like pretty much everything over the past year, wine tastings have gone virtual. And while these have made for some fun nights in – knocking back bottles while winemakers give their spiel on Zoom – in most cases it’s felt like a temporary replacement until we can all get together again and do things ‘properly’.

New brand VIVANT is looking to change all that. This is the first truly digital-forward wine tasting platform we’ve tried and actually, it turns being online into a benefit.

Here’s how it works: For an annual fee (£149, following a one-month free trial) you can join unlimited themed online sessions, though you’ll have to pay extra for tasting samples, generally suitable for two people (price point varies, but around £50 as these are premium wines). The sessions, which are run live by wine ‘advisors’, teach you to taste the wines and include videos from winemakers themselves. The best bit? They’re interactive – as you go, ask questions, answer quiz questions and get feedback on your tasting notes. It’s great if you’re looking to properly learn more about how to analyse what’s in your glass.

Founded by the owner of Burgundy’s Château de Pommard, Michael Baum, VIVANT is, like the château itself, big on sustainability, and promotes producers that are chemical-free and minimal intervention. On our 45-minute tasting called ‘A Sea of Pinot Noir in the Côte de Nuits’, we sampled silky reds from Domaine Antoine Lienhardt and Domaine Rossignol-Trapet (the latter’s Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru was seriously tasty). Even though it was pitched at an advanced level, we thought it would still be accessible for relative newbies – anyone with an interest in wine would get something out of it.  

Most experiences currently involve French producers and given that samples are shipped from the continent, you’ll need to order well in advance to ensure a timely arrival. Double-check the time you’ve booked, too – catering to audiences in different countries, sessions run anytime from weekday lunch breaks up to 11pm on a Saturday night.

You can find out more about Vivant here and if you would like a list of other companies doing online wine or spirits tastings then make sure to have a look through our Companies Running Virtual Wine & Spirits Tastings guide!

6 Stunning Rose Wines For The Summer

As if we needed another excuse to drink more pink, it’s International Rosé Day on June 12th! As luck would have it, we’ve been bathing in the stuff all year already, so are well placed to recommend a few pretty pinks from around the world. You are welcome!

The Hidden Sea Rosé, Australia 2021

A gloriously unpretentious pink packed full of ripe fruit thanks to the blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and some good old Australian sun. What a mix! Even better, for every case of wine they sell, they pay to remove and recycle the equivalent of 60 x 500ml single-use plastic bottles from rivers and oceans. I mean, what better reason do you need to drink pink?

Find it at Sainsbury’s £9 here

Marius Rosé, Chapoutier, Pays d’Oc, France 2019

Marius takes us over to the South of France where this perky little number comes packed with refreshing notes of fruit salad, from white peach and strawberry to a touch of the tropics. Very easy drinking but elegant with it, from top producer, M. Chapoutier. 

Find it at Simply Wines Direct for £7.99 on offer! (usually £9.80)

Babylonstoren Mourvedre Rosé, Simonsberg, South Africa 2021

This South African pink made with the Mourvedre grape took me by surprise with its incredibly voluminous body and silky texture. Everything about this wine is perfectly together from its ripe peach and spicy notes to its refreshing, saline finish. Just gorgeous!

Find it a Wanderlust Wine for £14.90 

Maison No. 9 by Post Malone, Rosé, Pays d’Oc, France 2020

Created by famously tattooed musician Post Malone and named after his favourite tarot card, (we all have them, right?).  Maison No.9 brings together Post Malone’s love for the Mediterrnean lifestyle with his own unique style and messaging about overcoming challenges. The wine itself from the South of France is understated and elegant with notes of pineapple, peach and citrus. You’ll want to keep the bottle too as a piece of art. Available in larger formats too!

Find it at The Wine Caverns for £18.99. Coming to Tesco soon too. 

AIX Rosé Coteaux d'Aix en Provence

AIX is the failsafe rosé wine from Provence which, with every vintage, manages to bring to the bottle what we have all come to expect from the world famous region: Pale colour, super dry, saline twist and a hint of strawberries and cream. Definitely one for the parties too as it comes in ALL THe SIZES! Have fun. 

Find it in magnum from Majestic for £27.99 (mix six price)

Gusbourne Pinot Noir Rosé, Kent, England, 2020

We couldn’t do pink without looking at England and shining a light on the fabulous wines we make nowadays (not that we can take the credit!). We’re proper fangirls and boys of Gusbourne as you know and this, their limited edition pink is particularly special. Made with 100% Pinot Noir, it’s crisp and elegant with notes of wild flowers, crunchy cherry and orange citrus peel. Just so pretty and every so slightly quirky in the best, most English of ways. 

Find it at Gusbourne.com here for £25

Want some more recommendations? Check out our recent piece on English wines, some of the best cocktail terraces in London or even the best canned wines for summer picnics!

The Best English Wines To Try This Summer

June has become a time where English wine is celebrated in all its glory here in the UK and as we gradually creep out of lockdown, there are even more reasons to celebrate it as many wineries open their doors for tastings, lunches, dinners and events. Don’t forget; English Wine Week also falls on the 19th - 27th June this year, so why not support the industry and celebrate by cracking one of these fantastic bottles - all from producers you really need to know. 

STILL

Bolney Estate Chardonnay 2020 (West Sussex)

Bolney Wine Estate in West Sussex is becoming well known both for its fantastic wines covering just about every style as well as for its status as an enviable wine tourism destination, thanks to its tasting tours, restaurant and experiences. Their still Chardonnay 2020 is a limited edition that shows off both crispness and texture, combining notes of lemon peel, apricot, lightly toasted brioche, baked peach and honeysuckle. It reminds us of a Premier Cru Chablis, but with a beautiful, British accent.

Find here: £24.99

Denbies Pinot Noir 2018 (Dorking, Surrey)

Planted in 1986, Denbies is one of the largest wine estates in the country and was one of the first on the wine tourism scene with its vineyard hotel and restaurants. Mostly famous for its sparkling wines, this still Pinot Noir is only made in exceptional years when the grapes are perfectly ripe. They get the proper French oak treatment for 17 months, no less. It’s really gorgeous, with enticing notes of dark cherry, cocoa and a waft of vanilla bean, plus a silky, elegant raspberry milk chocolate palate.

Find here: £22.50

BRUT SPARKLING

‘Brut’ is simply the French word for ‘dry’ in the world of sparkling wine. You will see it on sparkling wines from all around the world including Prosecco and English fizz. Here are two you need to try. 

Rathfinny Brut 2017 (South Downs, Sussex)

Rathfinny is rapidly establishing itself as a leading light for Sussex sparkling thanks to its incredible location on a south-facing slope in the South Downs. Here, the climate, chalk soil and aspect make it ideal for producing grapes for fizz. The Brut 2017 is a blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay and has a quintessentially English note of tangy apple skin and lightly baked brioche. Lovely chalky texture too. 

Find here: £29.50

Exton Park Reserve Blend 32 Brut (South Downs, Hampshire)

Exton park is a 60-acre single vineyard located in the South Downs National Park divided into nine separate plots according to terroir and aspect. Since 2011, winemaker Corinne Seely has kept an extensive library of reserve wines in order to create what she describes as an ‘English Bollinger’, where most of the blend (80%) is made up of reserve wines rather than the base from the most recent vintage. This Brut is 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, has had 3 years on lees and uses 32 different reserve wines. Expect notes of apple pie, a golden weight and a cool, mineral core. Weighty and serious.

Find here: £39

BLANC DE BLANCS

Translated literally from the French, blanc de blancs means ‘white from white’, i.e. white wine made from white grapes. With Champagne, this always means 100% Chardonnay as it will also do for English Sparkling wine and many other fizzes from around the world, but not all of them. It’s a style known for making great food matches, especially with the likes of fish and seafood, from lobster and fish and chips, to sashimi and even cheese.

Rathfinny Blanc de Blancs 2017 (Alfriston, Sussex)

The 100% Chardonnay offering from ravishing Rathfinny down in Sussex, is a limited production of only 9,333 bottles, each aged for 36-months on the lees to give it a glorious, golden colour, a creamy weight and complex flavours of tropical fruit, white peach, blossom and a squeeze of lime. A serious wine that’s light on its feet, giving any blanc de blanc Champagne a run for its money. 

Find here: £39.50

Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs 2016 (Appledore, Kent)

Gusbourne is another need-to-know name in English wine as it continues to win just about every award going. 2016 was an exceptional year in England with all that sunshine and this resulting fizz from grapes grown in Appledore in Kent offers a heady mix of flavours taking in ripe citrus, pear and orange peel with subtle, toasty notes and a moreish salinity on the finish. Very elegant. We love it.

Find here: £59

SPARKLING ROSE

Langham Rosé 2017 (Dorchester, Dorset)

This elegant beauty from Dorset was the only pink English sparkling wine to be awarded a Gold Medal in this year's International Wine & Spirits Competition (the IWSC). Made with 54% Pinot Noir, 23% Pinot Meunier and 23% Chardonnay, it’s pale and pretty with a nose of fine strawberry tart decorated with other ripe, red fruits. Refreshing, pure and perfumed. Lovely!

Find here: £29.90

Exton Park Reserve Blend Rosé

Another in the Reserve Blend (RB) range, the Exton Park pink is extraordinary. Made with 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier using 23 reserve wines and 3 years on the lees to give weight and complexity, this is a rich and textured pink that’s dry and savoury with notes of dried rose petal, peach and a hint of spice. Allow it to open up in your glass over time and you’ll be treated to a flavours that change subtly with every sip. 

Find here: £39

Roebuck Estates Rosé de Noirs (Petworth, Sussex)

Roebuck is a relatively new kid on the sparkling wine block and it arrived with a bang, winning a tonne of awards for its inaugural release. This is their first ever rosé, made with 100% Pinot Noir grapes from their stunning Roman Villa vineyard. With a delicate, rose petal hue, this is a classy, elegant wine with notes of red apple, hawthorn, cranberry and soft brioche. A lovely pink with its own personality and it has just won the trophy at the IWC this year!

Find here: £40

Hambledon Première Cuvée Rosé (Hambledon, Hampshire)

And now for something completely different; a very dark rosé made from 100% Pinot Meunier. This savoury fizz is full in body and flavour with notes of smoky strawberry, tobacco leaf and even a touch of grilled meat. With a fabulous texture and no added sweetness, this a great food wine and certainly one for a meaty barbecue in the sunshine. Hambledon established themselves early on as one of England’s top wine producers. Definitely a name to watch. 

Find here: £69.50

DEMI-SEC

Charles Palmer Demi Sec 2014 (Winchelsea, East Sussex)

When you want an elegant fizz with a lighter pudding or even a salty cheese, the Charles Palmer demi-sec has a little sweetness and a lot of personality. With 5 years spent on lees giving it those toasty, brioche notes, this Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blend has got a good amount of age in its too, which adds to the complex and fruity flavour profile. Think apricot, apple and peach compote under a delicate crumble. It’s amazing with pavlova. The palace is also worth a visit and they have rooms! Ideal for after that long tasting tour when you forgot to spit...

Find here: £26

Want to know more about English wines? Check out this piece on The Best UK Vineyard Stays.