Helen McGinn Last Saturday saw the start of English Wine Week and to celebrate we shared a selection of some of my current favourites on Saturday Kitchen. Sadly the Sparkling we had from Terlingham in Kent has since sold out but I’ve popped another one of their wines (a rosé!) in this week’s recommendations below. Then on Sunday I went to my first book festival of the year, the Borders Book Festival in Melrose – an old favourite – and hosted a big wine tasting with a fabulous bunch of wines/people. I also took part in the festival’s version of Celebrity Mastermind hosted by ACTUAL Clive Myrie and got to sit in the original Mastermind chair! My specialist subject was Jilly Cooper, which in hindsight was quite a bold move compared with the others (let’s just say they were a little more erudite). But honestly, I loved every second. All 270 of them.
In other news, my Teetotal Tipples book from a few years ago has had a makeover and is being republished next month (click here for details) so forgive me if go on about alcohol free drinks more than usual. But for now, back to wine.
Current rose in the fridge: Terlingham Manor Rosé
Price: £19.00 - Buy From Terlingham Vineyard
When the Wilks family moved to the UK from South Africa, they hadn’t planned to make wine but the house they bought came with a vineyard. Fast forward fifteen years and they now farm their 1.5ha vineyard as naturally as possible. And the results are fabulous, from their sparkling wine to the white and rosé, the latter made from Dornfelder and Rondo grapes. Think grapefruit and rosehip flavours. Serve chilled, obvs.
Current red in the rack: Lyme Bay Pinot Noir
Price: £25.19 - Buy From Lyme Bay Winery
Most of the Pinot Noir planted in the UK is used to make sparkling wine but when the conditions are right (meaning warm enough!) we’re starting to make pretty good red wines too. The winery that makes this is in Devon but the grapes are grown in Essex, a bit of a hot spot for grapes as it turns out. Gorgeous with light (but not thin) black cherry fruit flavours along with a dash of spice from a touch of oak ageing. One of the best English reds I’ve tasted to date. On a hot day, pop this in the fridge for 2o minutes before serving.
