It's English Wine Week. Here are nine places to drink and party

Monday, June 17, 2024 at 1:52 pm

Once a national joke, British wine is now a national treasure, and every year brings better news and more plaudits. England has risen to ninth place in the International Wine Challenge medal table, taking 13 gold, 54 silver and 58 bronze this year. All the more reason to raise a glass to English Wine Week…

Over the past four years, we've enjoyed an incredible 200% increase in sales and a 74% expansion of vineyards, meaning there are more amazing places to visit than ever before – something attested to by the 1.5 million visits to UK vineyards in last year. .

It's English Wine Week, from 15 to 23 June, so it's time to get that bottle or better yet, visit a vineyard and take part in some of the fantastic events happening across the countryside.

Black Chalk in Andover is hosting its first summer supper club on Saturday 22nd, pairing great sparkling wine with the best of British seafood (£65 per head blackchalkwine.co.uk) and on Sunday 23rd it holds its annual Hampshire Fizz Fest where people can indulge in… A bunch of bubbles in the sunshine (£38.62 vineyardsofhampshire.co.uk)

One of the world's most distinguished and award-winning wines, Gusbourne is offering a selection of events including a Midsummer BBQ (£65 gusbourne.co.uk) on 21 June with live music, a private masterclass and a bottle of special rosé With them. They've also teamed up with luxury train travel star, Belmond, to create a day of epicurean Art Deco travel from Victoria Station that combines a relaxing brunch on board the train with a day out in the vineyard (£560 belmond.com)

For those local to Henley, there will be a celebration in the town square on June 16 from 11am-4pm with delicious local food and tastings from vineyards including Hundred Hills, Fairmile and Wyfold Vineyard (£6 pavilionfoods.co.uk) during English Wiston Estate at Wine Week West Sussex offers free tasting sessions at their cellar door (Wednesday to Saturday 10am-4pm) enticing anyone who stops by to try their award-winning wines.

Gallivant Camber Sands, a charming boutique hotel across the beach, is hosting a series of tasting sessions with a variety of English producers such as Oxney and Squerryes (thegallivant.co.uk).

In Essex, New Hall Estate kicks off English Wine Week with an estate open day from 10am-4pm with top-of-the-barrel tastings with winemakers, a barbecue and live music, and they end the week with an English wine and cheese tasting (newhallwines.com).

Searcys, Britain's oldest catering company, will introduce a new English wine specially made for them by Greyfriars winery in Surrey in its bars, including the temporarily misnamed 'champagne' bars at St Pancras and Battersea Power Station. In fact, it debuted everywhere just before English Wine Week.

Nanette's Rosé, made by Kent's Balfour Winery, won gold at this year's Rosé Global Wine Masters, besting entries from the famous Provence region – long the standard in pale pink – by taking advantage of our cool climate to create a light, refreshing rosé. For every bottle purchased, Balfour makes a donation to the Kent Wildlife Trust to support the county's wildflower meadows too (£19.99 for Grapebrittania.co.uk).

East Sussex's Artelium, founded in 2020 and known for its art exhibitions and collaborations in its vineyards, has become the first still English wine to partner with the Chelsea Flower Show, where its Rosé, White Pinot and Pinot Noir will be presented.

Rathfinny in Sussex has launched the UK's first 50cl mini coffee, perfect for two people to share in a more convenient size. Pours four cups, perfect for watching alcohol intake, reducing waste and when you only have time for a few cups. Unusually for the smaller size, the wine has been fermented in the bottle, making this product even more special and delivering the great flavor that fans love (£26 Harvey Nichols). The Three Choirs Vineyard in Gloucestershire is holding private wine tasting sessions on 19 and 20 June between midday and 2pm, where guests can sample five wines and enjoy a full glass of sparkling Classic Cuvee along with cheese pairings.

If this has whetted your appetite and you're looking to explore further, head to winegb.co.uk and check out the English Wine Week events page.