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| 24 Apr 2019 | |
| Written by Will Males | |
| Lifestyle |
| Tourism Network |
| The English wine scene is flourishing, with the 2018 harvest reaching record production numbers of 15.6 million bottles across England and Wales - over 9 million more bottles than the previous record set in 2014. It’s not just the quantity of wine that has increased either. At the 2018 International Sommelier Awards, English and Welsh wines won more awards than Champagne for the first time. Champagne houses Pommery and Taittinger have also invested in land in Kent and Hampshire to plant their own vines. Despite its growth, English wine remains something of an unknown and underappreciated drink. This isn’t helped by the fact that many supermarkets are still selling ‘British Wine’ – cheap wine made in the UK from low quality, imported grapes. Will Males (WW 03-08) has now launched a company called 'Cycle The Vineyards,' that will be the first to guide small groups on cycling tours to a selection of English vineyards. It aims to help cycling and wine lovers get to know English wines better through a number of guided wine tastings and winery tours, as well as to enjoy the scenic road biking routes of the South East. Above: Picnic at the Gusborne Estate, Appledore The two-night ‘Wine Garden of England’ tour stops at four vineyards, all of which are part of the Wine Garden of England group, celebrating Kentish wines. As well as being able to taste their wines, guests will be provided with food pairings, from platters of local produce for lunch at Hush Heath and Gusbourne Estate, to 5 and 6 course meals at Squerryes Winery and The Swan at Chapel Down. As an added special touch, dinner on the first night of the first tour on the 15th May will welcome guests into Squerryes Court – home of the 8th generation of Wardes to live there, and frequently used in films and TV, most recently Vanity Fair. Will Males, founder of Cycle The Vineyards, said: “We wanted to create something that was more hands-on for guests than your typical wine tasting, so we have worked with the vineyards to create some really exciting experiences on the tours. From a ‘sabrage’ masterclass at Chapel Down, to disgorging your own bottle of Gusbourne’s sparkling wine, as well as a private dinner at Squerryes curated by the Head Chef and their Master of Wine, our tours will be filled with unforgettable moments!”. The first two tours will run from 15th-17th May and 26th-28th June, with prices from £1,250pp. There will be two further 2-night tours and two 4-night tours running later in the summer – dates to be announced soon. To find out more, visit: |
