14 December 2012 - 11:00am - 15 December 2012 - 5:00pm
Join the 2012 UK Winemaker of the year, Ian Edwards, at Furleigh Estate as he takes on the Champenois at their own game: a sparkling wine challenge, judged by YOU!
Following England’s successful debut performance in the 2012 Sommelier Wine Awards, English and Welsh wine have been given their own sparkling wine category, alongside Prosecco, Champagne and sparkling wines from other countries.
As deputy director of the competition, I must declare an interest in this. It was wonderful to see the English contingent come from nowhere to score a dozen medals – only three less than California.
Three of these medals were Gold, plus both a Critics Choice trophy for RidgeView’s “textured” Knightsbridge Blanc de Noirs 2009 and a By the Glass gong for Furleigh Estate’s “complex” Classic Cuvée Brut.
"Consider the senses," says Alex, before describing how a very old La Guida Manzanilla Pasada sherry straight from the barrel reminded her "of walking the dog in the early morning, the smell of rich nutty earth strong in my nose and the invigoratingly fresh autumnal air exciting the senses as the sun begins to warm the sky."
Fancy yourself as David Bailey or Mario Testino? Ever visit great pubs? If the answer is "Yes" to both questions, then there's still time – just – to enter Saltaire Brewery's Pride in Pub Life photography competition.
Entries close on 31 October, and the winning snap will be featured as part of the marketing for the brewery's new Saltaire Pride cask bitter. The top three photographers will receive cash prizes, and the best images being included in an exhibition in early 2013.
Focusing on local, whether it be food, drink – or personalities – Kingston Food Festival takes over the Royal Borough once more from Monday 6 August.
With a variety of events during the week, drinks come to the fore from Friday 10 August with The English Beer, Wine & Cider Festival, and wine workshops over the weekend from Plumpton College's Dr Belinda Kemp,
Simon Woodhead used to work in Formula One racing. Now he's overseeing his young vineyard as it heads towards full production. Planted in 2007 with a selection weighted towards his favoured region, Alsace, the first full harvest took place in 2010.
Calling all Olympians and cycle lovers, what’s the best way to start the Olympic fortnight proper? Head to Surrey’s award-winning vineyard, Denbies, to see the Men’s Race on Saturday and the Women’s on Sunday.
The UK's largest vineyard, Denbies is hosting a major bike Expo and local food and drink festival to mark the race traversing its vines, along the A24 on the way to the challenging Box Hill circuits.
“Furleigh Estate has arrived,” said a delighted Ian Edwards in response to winning the 2012 Winemaker of the Year accolade in the UK Vineyard Association's annual awards. “We had taken a bit of a risk,” he admitted about his youthful winery, still less than a decade old.
With no major producers nearby, he and his wife Rebecca were quite literally ploughing their own furrow when they bought the farm her father used to own and planted their vines back in the early noughties. “It shows it was all worth it,” he smiled.
And the wines what won it for them? Two trophy winners – the best sparkling wine for his Classic Cuvée 2009 sparkler, and the most outstanding oaked wine trophy, for his Bacchus Fumé 2010 – his prize is the modest size wooden ornament you can see in the image – plus a pair of Golds for two other sparkling wines.
Fancy finding out a little more about some of England’s finest wineries?
Well the Wine & Spirit Education Trust might have just the thing for you.
Teaming up with English Wine Producers’ Julia Trustram Eve they are launching their first evening masterclass on English wine, The Pursuit of English Excellence, this Thursday 12 July.
Following England’s successful debut performance in the 2012 Sommelier Wine Awards, English and Welsh wine have been given their own sparkling wine category, alongside Prosecco, Champagne and sparkling wines from other countries.
Alex Harper has beaten a talented group of would-be hacks to the Young Wine Writer of the Year award. Her piece, 
Fancy yourself as David Bailey or Mario Testino? Ever visit great pubs? If the answer is "Yes" to both questions, then there's still time – just – to enter Saltaire Brewery's Pride in Pub Life photography competition.
“Furleigh Estate has arrived,” said a delighted Ian Edwards in response to winning the 2012 Winemaker of the Year accolade in the UK Vineyard Association's annual awards. “We had taken a bit of a risk,” he admitted about his youthful winery, still less than a decade old.