Send us a text

Today we will be talking wine and wellness with Jackie Wilks from Terlingham Vineyard in Kent.

Jackie’s family originate from South Africa but came to the UK in 2007 and, a few years later, they stumbled upon Terlingham, a boutique vineyard in Folkestone that was up for sale.

They decided to take the plunge and have since grown the vineyard into a beautiful retreat where the focus is not only on the natural wines they produce but also on mindfulness. 

We talk about what it's like growing a family vineyard business,  how the wine tourism of South Africa has influenced their approach and why natural wine and wellness are such a perfect pairing.

To find out more about Terlingham and wellness stays at the vineyard visit terlinghamvineyard.co.uk and you can follow Terlingham on Instagram @terlingham_vineyard. For more information about Elham Valley Vineyard follow @thefifthtrust.

Thank you for listening to today's episode of The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review and to hear future episodes as they are released, hit subscribe on your podcast listening platform.

To find out who's joining me next week, follow @thesouthernquarter on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, visit thesouthernquarter.co.uk and sign up to my newsletter.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

Send us a text

This week, on the last episode of series two of The English Wine Diaries, I am joined by William Lowe, founder of the world's most innovative distillery – the Cambridge Distillery. 

William has worked within the drinks industry for 23 years and has taught over 10,000 individuals through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, which has led him to be awarded WSET Educator of the Year twice. 

In 2012, he set up the Cambridge Distillery and has since created a collection of ground-breaking gins, including a truffle gin and the world’s first insect-based gin. 

It’s not surprising the distillery has been named Most Innovative Distillery in the World three times! William is also the first Master Distiller to ever become a Master of Wine.

We talk about the science behind wine and gin making, what led him to push the boundaries with his gin recipes and his latest release Three Seasons Gin.

William and his team host Distillery Masterclasses at the Cambridge Distillery each Saturday and Sundays at 2pm. To find out more, or purchase one of the award-winning gins, visit cambridgedistillery.co.uk. You can also follow @cambridgegin on Instagram for updates. 

Thank you for listening to today's episode of The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review and to hear future episodes as they are released, hit subscribe on your podcast listening platform.

To find out who's joining me next week, follow @thesouthernquarter on Instagram and for more regular English wine news, visit thesouthernquarter.co.uk and sign up to my newsletter.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

Send us a text

This week my guest is Master Sommelier Laura Rhys.

The early days of Laura’s wine career saw her working alongside some of the industry’s finest including World Sommelier Champion Gérard Basset, before she went to head up the wine team at Michelin-starred Chiswick restaurant La Trompette.

In 2009 Laura won the UK Sommelier of the Year award and the following year, became a Master Sommelier – one of only 267 (and only 34 female master sommeliers) in the world!

She became the Kent-based vineyard, Gusbourne’s global brand ambassador in 2015 and that is where she joins us from today.

We talk about what inspired her to following a career in wine, her early years at Hotel du Vin and her favourite wine memories.

You can book a tour and tasting at Gusbourne by visiting  Gusbourne.com and keep up to date with their latest news and releases by following @Gusbournewine on Instagram, @gusbournewines on facebook and @Gusbourne on Twitter. 

Thank you for listening to today's episode of The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review and to hear future episodes as they are released, hit subscribe on your podcast listening platform.

To find out who's joining me next week, follow @thesouthernquarter on Instagram and for more regular English wine news, visit thesouthernquarter.co.uk and sign up to my newsletter.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

Send us a text

For this week's episode of The English Wine Diaries,  I have not one but two guests joining me.

Kit Ellen started his wine journey over 20 years ago when he joined the Majestic Wine graduate scheme, where he won the prestigious Gonzalez Be-ass Scholarship before moving to Free Run Wines, where he focussed on supplying grower Champagnes and sparkling wines to the UK market. It was a natural path into the world of English wine and today he is the Managing Director at Exton Park vineyard in Hampshire. 

My second guest is Charles Carron Brown, who is otherwise known as The Natural Sommelier. Charles is Head Sommelier of chef Simon Rogan’s Henrock restaurant, which sits in a beautiful location overlooking Lake Windermere and is one of only a handful of restaurants in that is serving Exton Park’s exciting new range of Reserve Blend wines.

We talk about the relaunch of Exton Park and its library of reserve wines, vintage versus non-vintage, sustainability in winemaking and the multiple different entries into the wine industry.

You can taste Exton Park's Reserve Blend wines by ordering at extonparkvineyard.com or visiting one of Simon Rogan's restaurants.

Keep up to date with the goings on at Exton Park by following @extonparkvineyard on Instagram and you can follow Charles @thenaturalsommelier.

Thank you for listening to today's episode of The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review and to hear future episodes as they are released, hit subscribe on your podcast listening platform.

To find out who's joining me next week, follow @thesouthernquarter on Instagram and for more regular English wine news, visit thesouthernquarter.co.uk and sign up to my newsletter.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

Send us a text

Today's guest is Simon Robinson, founder and owner of Hattingley Valley in Hampshire and current chairman of Wine GB, which is the national trade association for grape-growers and winemakers in the UK. Next month, he will hand over the Wine GB reigns to Sam Linter, from Bolney Wine Estate. 

Simon was previously a senior partner at city law firm Slaughter and May for 24 years, before he planted his first vines in 2008. The debut vintage was released in 2013 and since then Hattingley Valley has gone on to win multiple awards for its English Sparkling Wines and has quickly established itself as one of the UK’s most successful wineries.

We talk about why Hampshire is such a great county for growing grapes, who's behind Hattingley's award winning wines and what made Simon change his mind about pink wine.

To find out more about Hattingley Valley, visit the website or follow on Instagram @Hattingleywines, on facebook @Hattingleyvalley and on Twitter @HattingleyWines.

Thank you for listening to today's episode of The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review and to hear future episodes as they are released, hit subscribe on your podcast listening platform.

To find out who's joining me next week, follow @thesouthernquarter on Instagram and for more regular English wine news, visit thesouthernquarter.co.uk and sign up to my newsletter.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

Send us a text

Today my guest is wine business entrepreneur Lucy Dalwadi.

In 2020 Lucy founded Lucy’s Wine, an online wine delivery service which focuses on natural and organic wines from across the globe.

Lucy previously worked in the luxury fashion sector, but during lockdown decided to make the jump that she’d dreamt of since university – coupling her entrepreneurial spirit with her love of wine.

We talk about her first introduction to wine how that led to her writing her own wine blog and why she is now sharing her passion for organic produce to educate people about the world of natural wines. 

You can follow Lucy on instagram @Lucys.wine and shop her curated collections of natural and organic wine at Lucys-wine.com.

Thank you for listening to today's episode of The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review and to hear future episodes as they are released, hit subscribe on your podcast listening platform.

To find out who's joining me next week, follow @thesouthernquarter on Instagram and for more regular English wine news, visit thesouthernquarter.co.uk and sign up to my newsletter.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

Send us a text

Today my guest is wine writer Liz Sagues, whose latest book, Sussex by the Glass focuses on  two of the county's pioneering wine estates, Ridgeview and Bolney.

The book takes the reader through a journey of English wine, from the early formative years right through to the emergence of powerhouse producers like Nyetimber, before focusing on the Ridgeview and Bolney stories.

Both of these family-run vineyards have recently celebrated milestones – Ridgeview marked its 25th anniversary last year and Bolney is 50 this year – are are also led by female winemakers, Sam Linter and Tamara Roberts.

As well as talking about Liz's latest work, we discuss her 2018 title, A Celebration of English Wine,  which at the time was the first book in a decade for consumers on the subject, and her first taste (and what she thought) of English wine.

Sussex by the Glass is available online from Ridgeview (£14 including delivery) and Bolney (£12 + P&P)or by visiting either of the estates.   

Thank you for listening to today's episode of The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review and to hear future episodes as they are released, hit subscribe on your podcast listening platform.

To find out who's joining me next week, follow @thesouthernquarter on Instagram and for more regular English wine news, visit thesouthernquarter.co.uk and sign up to my newsletter.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

Send us a text

We're back with a second series of The English Wine Diaries podcast. 

This week my guest is Steven Edwards, who in 2013 was crowned the sixth winner of BBC TV show Masterchef The Professionals. At the time, he was one of the youngest ever winners of the competition at 26 years old and his food was described by Michael Roux Junior as ‘faultless’. 

Following his win, Steven set up etch, initially as a pop-up concept touring venues across the country, including Nyetimber Vineyard in West Sussex, before he opened his permanent restaurant, etch. by Steven Edwards in Hove in 2017. 

Last year, he opened a second restaurant at the Bingham Riverhouse hotel in Richmond and this summer, he will be returning to his former workplace, South Lodge, near Horsham, for an eight-week summer residency.

We talk about how he feels about returning to his roots, his latest venture with The London Vermouth Company and how  English wine will continue to play a huge part in etch, which will be re-opening in September following a major refurb.

You can keep up to date with Steven by following him on Instagram @stevenxedwards and Twitter @stevenxedwards. Find out more about etch by Steven Edwards at etchfood.co.uk.  

Thank you for listening to today's episode of The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review and to hear future episodes as they are released, hit subscribe on your podcast listening platform.

To find out who's joining me next week, follow @thesouthernquarter on Instagram and for more regular English wine news, visit thesouthernquarter.co.uk and sign up to my newsletter.

 

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

Send us a text

Today my guest is Camilla Jennings from Jenkyn Place in Hampshire. Camilla's father, Simon Bladon, planted the first vines at their family home in 2004 and Camilla joined the business 10 years later.

We talk about her decision to join the family business following a career in property, how English wine got under her father's skin (and in turn hers) and the vineyard's other-worldly visitors which has given it a reputation as one of the spookiest places in England. 

"I've never seen any but my mum says she thinks she might have. We've certainly never had any bad experiences – they're happy ghosts!"

Jenkyn Place opens for tours at weekends - visit jenkynplace.com and follow @Jenkynplace on Instagram and @Jenkynplacewine on Twitter for more information. 

Thank you for listening to today's episode of The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review and to hear future episodes as they are released, hit subscribe on your podcast listening platform.

To find out who's joining me next week, follow @thesouthernquarter on Instagram and for more regular English wine news, visit thesouthernquarter.co.uk and sign up to my newsletter.  

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

Send us a text

This week my guest is Ruth Simpson from Simpsons Wine Estate, in the village of Barham in Kent.  Ruth and her husband Charles have been making wine at their property in the South of France for almost two decades but in 2014 decided to bring their expertise back to the UK, establishing Simpsons, right in the heart of what is now known as the Wine Garden of England.

Ruth’s background is working in the charitable and humanitarian sector and she is a fifth-generation member of the Grant family, who are responsible for the Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Hendricks Gin brands so, some would say she has alcohol running through her blood!

We talk about what it's like working with your respective other, innovation in wine making and how Simpson's famous helter skelter came about!

Thank you for listening to today's episode of The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review and to hear future episodes as they are released, hit subscribe on your podcast listening platform.

To find out who's joining me next week, follow @thesouthernquarter on Instagram and for more regular English wine news, visit thesouthernquarter.co.uk and sign up to my newsletter.  

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.