Monday 26 February 2024

Planning is underway for our trip to Cornwall later this week. Apparently, not only are Lady P’s rellies from there but so are Jacki’s (the Kidd connection). And of course, there is supposed to be some good seafood as well.

Not wanting to leave too much food in the fridge, we have a good fry up breakfast with Alyssa’s help. She mentioned Champagne. Flashy smiled. Lady P grimaced. But we are heading out at 1.30 pm for a wine tasting, so alas, no sparkling for breakfast.

After lighting the fire and having another inspection, it was time to walk to Denbies Winery. Across from our driveway is a path up the hill, through the woods and down the other side, through the 265 acres of vines that is Denbies Estate. A short, 20 minute walk.

Denbies, as a cool climate, loam over chalk, south facing terroir, is identical in that respect to the terroir of Champagne. So, they specialise in sparkling wine, mainly. According to the forced friendly receptionist, who conducted the tasting, Denbies bottle half a million bottles annually and use 80% within their restaurant and wedding business. Probably what keeps them afloat.

We were in discussion with the two Irish ladies at the conclusion of the two sparkling, one white and one red, 25ml tasting. We had their cheapest wines. Pretty average we agreed. The tasting lady proudly explained that the non vintage, blended white and red were ‘eleven quid’ bottles at Waitrose. And advised us that she prefers to add ice to her red – the cheap one – on a hot day, just like the Spanish. Well, I wouldn’t be holding up much of value to the Spanish these days.

In the shop we saw the much praised and untasted sparkling for £20 and realising that we didn’t have said wine type in our fridge, Alyssa purchased one. By the time we got home it was almost cold enough to drink, which we did with some good English cheese and oat biscuits.

Dinner was home made lasagna with a pretty good Chianti.

Denbies Estate Winery

The track through the woods to the winery