From Bacchus to Berkshire The Art of English and Welsh Wines

Global Warming

Wine Grapes

One of the unexpected good side effects of “Global Warming” is the growing acceptance of English and Welsh wines.

Along with the increase in the warmer British summers over recent years, the home wine industry is thriving.

At the moment English and Welsh wine sales combined account for just 1% of the domestic market, but in recent years English sparkling wine is slowly but surely beginning to be recognized as among the best in its class, in fact one brand “Theale Vineyard Sparkling Chardonnay 2003” beat off stiff competition from fine Champagnes and top sparkling wines to make it into the world’s Top Ten of Sparkling Wines.

An English wine, produced from vineyards in Kent.

Chapel Down Flint Dry

At the last official count, there were over 350 vineyards producing wine throughout England and 17 in Wales.
English and Welsh wines should not be confused with “British Wines” these are wines produced from imported fermented grape juice or concentrate and so can originate from anywhere in the world, therefore not true home grown wines. And if you happen to be in India the term “English Wine” also refers to "Western spirits".

English Sparkling wine

Fine sparkling wine from Nyetimber

We have the Romans to thank for English and Welsh Wines as it was them that introduced it into the United Kingdom William the Conqueror mentions over 40 vineyards in the Domesday Book
Henry VIII recorded 139 vineyards and Henry being Henry took the best 11 and dedicated them to the monarchy.
Nowadays the largest vineyard in England is Denbies Wine Estate in surrey which has 265 acres
England also produces some very excellent sparkling wines, the best is without a doubt is Nyetimbers and when compared to the best French Champagne wins hands down.

W.B.Yeats wrote
Wine comes in at the mouth
And love comes in at the eye;
That’s all we shall know for truth
Before we grow old and die.
I lift the glass to my mouth,
I look at you, and I sigh.

English sparkling wine

The best of English Sparkling wine

Oz Clarke, wrote: "If someone wanted to make a Champagne look-alike, one of the most potentially successful sites would be in the counties of Kent and Sussex on the hills and slopes just above the English Channel".
To me, the finest of all the "English" sparkling wines has just got to be Nyetimbers "Classic Cuvee"

Another quote

Sommelier Knife

“Wine is bottled poetry.” Robert Louis Stevenson
If I were to pick six of the best in English wine producers I think it would have to be

• Nyetimber
• Ridgeview
• Curious Grape
• Three Choirs
• Davenport
• Denbies
And of the Welsh wines

• PENARTH estate Pink Sparkling
• GLYNDWR Medium White
Have to be among my favourites

A wine from a vineyard near my home in Sussex

Sussex Reserve

After the 2nd, World War wine production in Britain practical came to a stop, but in 1945 Edward Hyams and Ray Barrington-Brock started trials of different grape varieties in their gardens and English wines began their comeback
The next 50 years saw a rapid rise in vineyards in both England and Wales to today’s wonderful Wines.

Wadhurst

A Sound from the past, and why the people of Wadhurst were happy

Sussex where the downs kiss the sea

Sussex where the Downs meets the sea

The county of Sussex is split into two, comprising of east and west Sussex (my home county) it lays on the south coast of England, with sweeping down-lands a stunning coastline, and a history going back to the very start of time it is certainly a great place to live in.

I happened upon this story about a small village (We have many these in Sussex, mostly Anglo-Saxon) called Wadhurst, the residents there heard something they have not heard for almost 50 years, and that is the church clock chime.
The clock stopped in 1968 and although the local vicar raised enough money to fix it four years later the chime was never fixed, and so residents were able to see the time OK but never again did they hear the clock chime, until now.

Celebration

St. Peter & St. Paul Church Wadhurst

As a celebration for the Queens Diamond Jubilee, the parish council had it fixed and now after 50 years it is chiming once again, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony as the chimes rang out Steve Andeman one of those who helped repair the chimes said "It's going to bring the sounds back to the village... generally people are very happy to see that their clock will be striking and chiming again."

The church of St. Peter & St. Paul dates back nearly a thousand years and is under the jurisdiction of the Archbishops of Canterbury, but is by no means the oldest church in the UK, that has to go to the Temple of Claudius (Colchester Castle) built in the 1st century 60 after the birth of Christ, a Norman church was built on the remains in 1076

Neolithic farmstead

Reconstruction of Homo heidelbergensis

The oldest building in the UK is A Neolithic farmstead, and is probably the oldest preserved stone house in northern Europe was first built in 3700 BC it is called the Knap of Howar and can still be see in Papa Westray Orkney Scotland

Now you all know I am mad about all things steam, so I dug out this old video of The steam engine Britannia no.70013 'Oliver Cromwell' going through Wadhurst Station

I wonder if the church bells rang?

Arundel Castle

The majestic Castle looks down upon its mother Arundel

Looking from the outside

Arundel (Pronounced Aow-ren-del ) is a small quaint English town built on a hilltop, the two main churches are St. Nicholas Church this is a unique church in that it is both Roman Catholic and Protestant, the soaring spire of Roman Catholic Cathedral the other main point of religion in Arundel was designed by Joseph Hansom, it was he who invented the Hansom cab.

Arundel is the quintessence of an old English town it has an amazing mixture of medieval and Victorian architecture, the cobbled streets and narrow lanes are full of antique shops, Arundel has several small museums and tea-rooms and of course no British town would be seen dead without its array of quaint and cosy pubs. The town nestles in the South Downs Twix the rolling hills and the sea.

Sitting right at the top of the hill is the Castle it sits in 40 acres of downland

Looking from the South

Arundel Castle holds nearly 1000 years of history
From the days of King Henry 1st to the present Queen.
Looking over the river Arun which winds its way down to Littlehampton and the English Channel the castle was built by the Earl of Arundel Roger de Montgomery in the 11th century

The Castle now the seat of The Dukes of Norfolk (The Howard family), houses priceless works of paintings, furniture, tapestries and stained glass, china, clocks, sculptures and carving, heraldry and Armour all set in stunning rooms it is open to the public and no visit is complete without a visit to the Castle.

It's one of the castles Cromwell knocked about

A view from the outside

Some famous members of the Howard family are Lord Howard of Effingham, who with Sir Francis Drake helped beat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, the 3rd Duke of Norfolk (1473-1554) was the uncle of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, both later became wives of King Henry VIII (1491-1547).

The motte, an artificial mound was built in 1068 King Henry I (1068-1135) left the Castle and lands to his second wife, Adeliza of Louvain, during the Civil war, in 1643 the original castle was badly damaged by the cannons of Oliver Cromwell’s army he used the steeple of St. Nicholas’ Church to fire cannon shot, the Castle was later restored in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Full of history, it’s a must place to visit

Under the wall

Arundel Castle now stands in its entire magnificent splendour looking over the town and its churches, it is one of the many majestic Castles found in the British Isles and stands as a reminder to the days of old when Knights were bold, and fought for lady's honour.

All the pictures are by the author.

WWT Arundel

I had a great day out yesterday at Arundel Wetland Centre now it's spring the babies are beginning to show up another event happening and for the kids its Pond Dipping Every Saturday, Sunday until 23 July 2015 - 11-1pm and 2-4pm for more information click Arundel WWT whatever time of the year there is always something to see.

I did this short video a while back so make a visit to Arundel WWT the next time you are near

WWT Arundel is one of nine wildfowl and wetland nature reserves managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, a nature conservation charity in the United Kingdom.Wikipedia