Displaying items by tag: day out

That's French for my birthday (part 2.) This time up North at Flint Vineyard in Earsham. Owner Ben Witchell took us on his two hour Winemaker's Tour which was bloomin' brilliant. If you want to learn how to make wine then this is as good as it gets on an English vineyard tour (and I've done a few.) Ben shared his story of giving up his day job in order to study Oenology and Viticulture at Plumpton College from where he travelled to Beaujolais to take up his first winemaking post. Hannah his wife has accompanied him on his journey and together they now run this cutting edge vineyard. The tour started at 10am with a welcome glass of Charmat Rose, the best time of the day for your tastebuds apparently. Ben walked and talked with us to the vineyard and then on to the winery, which was followed by a tutored tasting of their Silex Blanc, Bacchus and Pinot Noir. We stayed on for the 15 mile lunch (an additional £19.50) but worth every penny and included plates of Baron Bigod and St Jude cheeses, Marsh Pig charcuterie, Hempnall Village bakery bread and Eastgate Larder medlar jelly; all produced a corks pop away from the vineyard. Oh! ... and the lunch includes another glass of wine.

• the 15 mile lunch
• 
• Charmat Rose welcome
• visit to the shop
• a winemakers tools
• one year old barrels
• lunch menu
•  

Today suffolkfoodie decided it was time for an AGM - we haven't had one for a few years - so we're off to various places to eat, drink and investigate the general state of foodie affairs. We'll be visiting the new transport cafe on the A14 looking for Johny Cakes' all time favourite dish liver - any kind - and bacon, and trying some organic food in Fornham. Then we'll go somewhere for lunch.