The Southern Quarter’s pick of the best English wine-related things to see and do this month
Read this: New British Wine
The rise of sustainable winemaking methods, youthful experimentation and a warming climate mean that Britain is no longer the home of just a few fine sparkling wines but a whole roster of dynamic reds, pinks and even oranges.
In this new book from indie publisher Hoxton Mini Press, drinks writer, broadcaster and presenter Abbie Moulton interviews the inspiring people who are growing, producing and championing the best of new British wine.
Filled with stunning original photography by Food Photographer of the Year shortlisted freelance photographer Maria Bell, this sumptuous coffee table book takes you on a tantalising tour of Britain’s fast-growing, eclectic wine scene from Cornish vineyards to Scottish wine bars.
Book this: A Taste of England with Susie Barrie MW
A Master of Wine, international competition judge and Chair of the WineGB Awards, as well as co-author of The Essential Guide to English Wine (with her husband, Peter Richards, also an MW), Susie Barrie certainly knows a thing or two about wine.
Join her at Exton Park on April 14 for an unforgettable English food and wine experience that will showcase the delicious and diverse produce that Hampshire has to offer, cooked by the estate’s talented chef, expertly paired with top picks from England’s flourishing wine regions.
Tickets cost £180 pp. To book email elise@extonparkvineyard.com
Start saving for this: UnSpiral Cellar
British luxury wine storage brand Spiral Cellars has launched a ground-breaking new wine storage system with their new UnSpiral Cellar. Famed for its iconic underground spiral cellars, the company has developed a new wine storage system that is as much suited to a contemporary new build as it is a traditional, period property.
Composed of a range of 38 ready-made and inter-changeable modular pieces, which can be arranged to create countless design configurations, the system allows the flexibility to create a storage configuration that best suits each individual’s cellaring needs. Modules can be used to create an under-the-stair wine showcase, stacked to create a full height wine wall running the length of an entire room, or simply placed side by side to create a small furniture style piece.
Made from the same limestone concrete that the company uses to produce their iconic underground Spiral Cellars, the UnSpiral is suited to ambient storage, however, it can also be fitted with climate control for serious wine collectors who want the same aesthetic and professional cellaring conditions of an underground cellar but without having to dig down. And for those who want that little extra touch of sparkle, all modules can be fitted with LED lighting.
Prices vary according to arrangement and number of components, starting from £5,000, spiralcellars.com
Take the family here: Ridgeview
If you’re looking for an alternative way to spend the Easter weekend, why not head to a vineyard? From Good Friday to Easter Sunday, Ridgeview, in East Sussex is hosting a fun-filled day out for all the family with a free Peter Rabbit Easter Wildlife Trail taking you from the vines, past the bluebells and into the woodlands. You’ll discover honeybees, and a bug hotel along the way, with a chocolate treat for the children when they complete the trail. And for the grownups, there’s a complimentary wine tasting at the winery shop too. No need to book, simply collect an activity pack from the winery shop anytime between 12 and 4pm.
Drink this: Gusbourne English Rosé 2022
The 2022 vintage of Gusbourne’s English still rosé – a Provence-style wine with a delicate pale pink hue – has been released with a brand-new look and feel. The bottle is decorated with a pattern of diamond-shaped prisms around the base, and is topped with a glass stopper and wrapped in a newly designed label.
An ode to English summertime, the crisp wine has enticing aromas of summer berries and orange zest and a fresh fruit driven palate of strawberry, raspberry, and redcurrant, followed by delicate hints of blossom and ginger on the finish.
Perfect to enjoy on a warm spring evening or alongside fish or seafood, the wine is available to buy from the end of April at gusbourne.com for £25, and customers at The Next will be
Offered complimentary tasting from April 29 to May 1.
