Chef Wise

Hush Heath Estate in Kent, one of England's top premium wine producers, has been developing its Balfour 1503 traditional method English sparkling wines since 2014. Today these wines, all made from estate grown Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, can be found in wine aisles across the UK priced from under £20 per bottle. On an international level, Balfour 1503 Rosé is now the first and only English wine in Ontario in Canada, available from the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), which is the biggest single buyer of wine in the world. Every bottle of Balfour 1503 has been crafted by winemakers Owen Elias and Victoria Ash to deliver wines that are typically English (vibrant acidity, fresh fruit flavours) and Hush Heath Estate's signature finesse, to customers of Majestic, M&S, Co-op, and most recently in the UK, Tesco. The name of Balfour 1503 references Hush Heath Estate's history and draws attention to the provenance of the wine.  Built in 1503,...

Hush Heath Estate in Kent, one of the top premium wine producers in England and a hospitality business born out of the winery in Staplehurst, Kent, is championing the best suppliers of food in the county at the company's local pubs. Located in West Farleigh, The Tickled Trout is the newest addition to the Hush Heath Estate group having opened its doors in December 2015. With six boutique hotel rooms and a restaurant that supports local Kent producers, the dining area also features a fresh 'Oysters on Ice' bar where guests can eat or drink in a relaxed and sophisticated environment.  Most recently the modern and stylish pub celebrated its first year with updated menus from chef Fabio Vinciguerra, highlighting that the business only works with local food suppliers who can offer an abundance of beautiful, wholesome produce.  Based at The Tickled Trout, Fabio has refreshed the pub restaurant's offering so that alongside traditional pub favourites and elegant cl...

For anyone struggling to find the right gift for the wine lover in their life, an English Wine Tasting Tour Gift Voucher offers the perfect solution. Experience gifts are growing in popularity, and an English Wine Tasting Tour Gift Voucher provides an all-inclusive and extremely memorable experience day. It is the perfect way to get an up close and authentic experience of the English Wine industry and the opportunity to taste an array of English wines. English Wine Tasting Tours are more than your average Vineyard Tour and Tasting gift.  What makes them so unique is that they pick you up from central London (no one has to worry about driving) and take you for a full day tasting English Wine, with a small group of fellow wine lovers. Their English wine tours include a visit to two acclaimed English Vineyards for a tour, and tutored tasting, with a very English inspired gastro pub lunch in-between, with a discount on all wines purchased. For 2017 they are launch...

A glass of Taylor's First Estate Port is a sublime marriage with chocolate! One of the great joys of Port is its extraordinary versatility to complement the most challenging food flavours, from salty, blue cheeses to rich chocolate desserts. It's easy to recognise how the succulent sweet fruit found in Port is such a winning match with cheese; the same can be said about its role with chocolate. Take a young Port like Taylor's First Estate, with its robust, sweet plum flavours, and see how well it complements the sour cherry notes that can often be found in dark chocolate.  The bitter components in the chocolate work so well with the sweet fruit in the Port making it a glorious palate match. Taylor's First Estate is a blend of young red Ports which have been matured for several years in large oak vats.   It has a concentrated fruit nose bursting with blackcurrant, plum and liquorice flavours.  A luscious, sweet palate is supported by firm tannin...

A glass of Taylor's First Estate Port is a sublime marriage with chocolate! One of the great joys of Port is its extraordinary versatility to complement the most challenging food flavours, from salty, blue cheeses to rich chocolate desserts. It's easy to recognise how the succulent sweet fruit found in Port is such a winning match with cheese; the same can be said about its role with chocolate. Take a young Port like Taylor's First Estate, with its robust, sweet plum flavours, and see how well it complements the sour cherry notes that can often be found in dark chocolate.  The bitter components in the chocolate work so well with the sweet fruit in the Port making it a glorious palate match. Taylor's First Estate is a blend of young red Ports which have been matured for several years in large oak vats.   It has a concentrated fruit nose bursting with blackcurrant, plum and liquorice flavours.  A luscious, sweet palate is supported by firm tannins and res...

During the scorching hot day at the Taste of the West Food Fair on the Green on Tuesday 19th July, Sharpham Wine and Cheese were amongst 60 Gold Award winners lucky enough to meet HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. Celebrating 25 years of success, Taste of the West invited Prince Charles, in his capacity as Patron, to meet a selection of Gold Award winners from the Taste of the West Awards. Both Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall visited the Sharpham stand, where managing director Mark Sharman talked them through the cheese and wine ranges on sale, and the Prince of Wales accepted a taste of their Sharpham Pinot Noir 2013, whilst the Duchess tasted their Sharpham Rustic cheese. Talking about the day, Mark says: “Prince Charles is a keen advocate of rural food businesses, so it was superb to get the chance to showcase our products to him, and he was very complimentary when tasting our Pinot Noir.” Mark continues: “Prince Charles is also pat...

English Wine Producers (EWP) are celebrating winning the International Wine Challenge (IWC) 'Consumer Campaign of the Year' for English Wine Week. Julia Trustram Eve, Marketing Director of English Wine Producers, attended the IWC Awards Dinner and Presentation last night with EWP team members, Charlotte Marshall, who oversaw the campaign and Mags Gilbert, who supported Charlotte and Julia with the planning and logistics of English Wine Week. “We are over the moon to win the IWC 'Consumer Campaign of the Year' and delighted that our work in introducing more consumers to English wine has been acknowledged by such a prestigious competition. We have been supported by an ever growing and enthusiastic trade and wine industry and the fact that we've managed to reach a much wider audience gives us all a huge sense of pride and achievement. I am so proud of my team and would like to thank them for their commitment and sheer energy as demand for promotional materi...

Oxney Organic Estate, a new vineyard and winery near Rye in East Sussex, has been awarded the Waitrose Rosé trophy for the Most Outstanding Still Rosé Wine at this year's English & Welsh Wine of the Year Competition, the results of which were announced earlier this week. The award winning wine, Oxney Organic Estate English Pinot Noir Rosé 2015, is the vineyard's second vintage and made by winemaker Ben Smith with David Cowderoy as consultant winemaker.  The light pink rosé is described as “totally dry, very fruity and has a good acid balance”.  Clean and healthy fruit was harvested late October despite some challenging conditions during the end of summer 2015. The grapes were crushed and destemmed and left to soak in the press for twelve hours.  After fermentation the wine went through partial malolactic fermentation to naturally reduce the acids and add texture. “This trophy is an incredibly important endorsement of the work the team is doing in the w...

It's that time of year again, when we're all looking for gift ideas. But what do you give the person who has everything!? English Wine Tasting Tours have come up with the perfect solution.  A gift of a great day out tasting English Wine and fabulous food in the beautiful English Countryside, with an English Wine Tasting Tour Gift Voucher. An English Wine Tasting Tour Gift Voucher isn't your average Vineyard Tour and Tasting gift.  What makes it so unique is that they pick you up from central London (no one has to worry about driving) and take you for a full day tasting English Wine, with a small group of fellow wine lovers. The day includes a visit to two acclaimed English Vineyards for a tour and tasting, and the opportunity to speak to the wine maker with exclusive tastings such as comparing vintages.  Plus a very English inspired gastro pub lunch in the middle, and discount on all wines purchased. ''Our gift certificates are proving to be ...

This result shows that in a good year like 2010, an English red can out perform reds from some of the big name wine regions of the world. English Vineyard Wins Double Gold in International Wine Competition Sedlescombe, a Sussex based vineyard, has won 4 major medals at the recent ‘International Organic Wine Awards’ contested by nearly 1,000 wines from 20 countries. Sedlescombe Pinot Noir-Chardonnay Brut a 2013 vintage sparkling wine won a gold, and Sedlescombe 2010 Regent, an oak-matured Red wine became possibly the first English red wine to win a gold medal internationally. Two other wines from Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard, a white sparkling and a still rosé wine each won a Silver medal in their class. Under the direction of sensory expert Martin Darting, the 26-member jury of the 6th International Organic Wine Awards evaluated and documented the wines in three days (12th- 15th June 2015) of tastings according to the PAR evaluation system . Here are the  Resu...

As part of the celebrations to mark English Wine Week (23rd May - Sunday 31st May 2015) Saltwood on the Green restaurant, near Hythe on the south Kent coast, is to host a special gourmet  Wild food & Kentish wine   evening  on Tuesday 26th May, with Biddenden Vineyard. English Wine Week is a national campaign, designed to raise awareness of English wine across the country through retail outlets, including supermarkets, independent wine merchants, delicatessens, hotels, pubs, bars and restaurants. Vineyards across the country will also be opening their doors to welcome visitors, offering tours, tastings and special offers.   The special gourmet evening begins with a welcome Saltwood Spritz aperitif – with dandelion and burdock. The first course will be a Bittercress pannacotta, slow-cooked egg, cured meats, wild-leaf salad and will be accompanied by Bidenden's Bacchus, 2013. A plate of razor clams follow served with sea purslane, gourge pickl...

Bordeaux Quay in Bristol is hosting a trade wine tasting on Thursday May 28, led by Rebecca Hansford, owner of multi-award winning Furleigh Estate in Dorset. In celebration of English Wine Week, Furleigh Estate has partnered with South West Vineyards for this special tasting, which will showcase its 2014 vintage release. English Wine Week (May 23 – May 31) is a national campaign, designed to raise awareness of English wine, which typically sees vineyard owners, wine merchants and supermarkets across the country getting involved. The complimentary trade tasting takes place on May 28 from 1-4pm. This will be followed by a wine tasting for the general public from 5-9pm, costing just £10 per person, or £55 for those who choose to stay for a Winemaker Dinner at 7pm. Situated on Bristol's Harbourside, Bordeaux Quay ( www.bordeaux-quay.co.uk ) is a restaurant, brasserie, bar, deli, bakery and cookery school housed in an elegant, converted warehouse, offering the very b...

With the sun finally shining on the UK, spontaneous summer soirées are on the horizon and Echo Falls has captured the flavours of summer in a range of fruit infusions, Echo Falls' Fruit Fusions, providing the perfect tipple for the season. Partnering with one of London's expert mixologists, Clotilde Lataille, Echo Falls has created three delicious Fruit Fusion cocktail recipes to ensure there is a flavour to suit every sunshine occasion from picnics to garden parties. The range includes three distinct and varied flavours, each displaying unique aromas and tasting notes: White Peach and Mango, a refreshing and tropical white with a crisp, smooth finish; Summer Berries, a sweet fruity rosé with aromas of raspberry and strawberry; and Raspberry and Cassis, a refreshing yet rich fruity red with red berry and juicy plum flavours. Summer Serendipity Ingredients: 70ml Echo Falls Fruit Fusion White Peach & Mango 1 slice of lemon 1 slice of lime 1...

Saltwood on the Green gourmet evening to showcase South African Wine. First of regular monthly wine events One of Kent's hottest new restaurants, Saltwood on the Green located near Hythe on the south coast, is to host a special gourmet evening to showcase new dishes for Spring 2015,  with a selection of stunning South African wines, on Tuesday  24th February. The renowned Robin Davis - founder of the award-winning London-based SWIG wine merchants, who has recently returned from a buying trip to South Africa – will be serving two wines to accompany each of the evening's four courses. “The winemaking scene in South Africa is more dynamic currently than any of the other big three Southern hemisphere producers. So it's a very exciting time to be surfing the wave,” said Davis who has won specialist South African Merchant for four years in succession,” and added, “South Africa walks a line between old world and new world with a slight leaning to the old – th...

'Tis the season to drink Champagne and sparkling wine, and Wine Rack has a selection to suit everyone this Christmas. Whether it's ripe and rich, or delicate and light, there's plenty on offer for everyone in store or at www.winerack.co.uk . 2007 Champagne Prestige des Sacres Cuvée Grenat Was £34.99, Now £26.24 (until 5th Jan) Steeped in history, this tipple comes from the oldest vineyards in Champagne, which provided wines for the coronations of French Kings as far back as the ninth century. This 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir blend undergoes four years of ageing to add complexity and depth of flavour. The high natural acidity in the northern vineyard in which it originates keeps it fruity and fresh. Tasting notes On the nose this wine offers rich brioche aromas, whilst on the palate it has hints of lemon peel and peach, with a zesty acidity. Goes well with…delicate festive canapés. Alternatively, experience the fine vintage flavour by enjoy...

When summer finally comes, burgers are always a popular option, whether on the barbecue or when served with a glass of chilled champagne while escaping Edinburgh's festival fever. This makes a large amount, so would be suitable for a barbecue with friends, or you can reduce the quantities for a more refined supper for two. Ingredients 1 kg Beetroot 1 kg Carrots 1 Celeriac 100g dill 15g caraway seeds Juice and zest of 3 lemons 300 ml extra virgin rapeseed oil Method Peel and julienne the vegetables, making sure you cut them really fine. Mix the lemon juice and zest with the rapeseed oil. Mix together the vegetables, dill and caraway seeds and leave everything to rest for an hour to let the vegetables really absorb the flavour. Serve piled beside high quality burgers and a chilled glass of Pommery Champagne. Heritage Portfolio creative force, Master Chef, Robbie Gleave, created the coleslaw to complement the flavour of the Aberdeen Angus beef f...

Fowles Wine is delighted to announce that it's Are you Game? 2012 Shiraz has been included in Matthew Jukes’ 100 Best Australian Wines. Launched at Australia House in London on Tuesday 3 June, the 11th Edition of 100 Best Australian Wines 2014/15 is a compilation of the finest one hundred Australian wines available in the UK as judged by Matthew Jukes through exhaustive tastings over a 12 month period. Matthew Jukes is the UK's most widely read wine critic and one of the world's leading experts on Australian wine. Speaking about their inclusion in the 11th Edition of 100 Best Australian Wines, Fowles Wine CEO Matt Fowles said: "To have been selected as one of Australia's leading wines by someone of Matthew's calibre is humbling, particularly given the quality and diversity of Australian wine in the UK. We strive to produce the very finest cool climate Victorian wines and feel this accolade is significant recognition for our region, the Strat...