As I hope this issue once again shows, we are spoiled for choice living in the British Isles. There are so many wonderful destinations to visit, whether on a staycation or visiting from overseas, and I hope our magazine will inspire you to extend your holiday - or book another! Highlights this issue include a wonderful 48 hours in Alderney, an epic journey through the heart of Scotland, from Edinburgh to the Caledonian Forest, and finding utter bliss at the new idyllic riverside luxury estate, Monkey Island, near Bray.
GUSBOURNE APPLEDORE NEAR
GUSBOURNE APPLEDORE NEAR ASHFORD, KENT Appledore is said to be the seconddriest place in England, which has helped Gusbourne’s vineyards prosper. Self-guided tours cost £25 and end in the beautiful modern wooden tasting room known as “The Nest”. Hosted tours are also available for £65pp and feature rarer wines and lunch in The Nest. gusbourne.com 4 Where to stay Chilston Park 17 miles north of the Gusbourne Estate, Chilston Park is like spending the weekend at the country house of a gentleman acquaintance. It became a hotel in 1983 but still has the feel of a family home with an eclectic collection of paintings and a very small bar tucked under the great oak staircase. handpickedhotels.co.uk/ chilstonpark 30 BritishTravelJournal.com GUSBOURNE BRUT RESERVE 2015 This wine clearly benefits from being grown on clay and sandy loam soils on a south-facing escarpment. It’s bright gold in colour with hints of apple, pear and citrus and an elegant finish. Gusbourne produces just three wines: Brut Reserve, Blanc de Blancs and Gusbourne Rosé. So popular is the wine that people subscribe in advance to be guaranteed 12 bottles a year, four of each. CAMEL VALLEY BRUT RESERVE Because of a damper climate than Sussex, Camel Valley Vineyard blends its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with 50% Seyval grapes. Moreover the planting on a loam soil rather than the traditional chalk slopes of southern England results in a very fresh wine, fruitier than most UK sparkling wines. Camel Valley Brut Reserve has won many awards and has a citrus character with a touch of honey on the palate. WE LOVE
DENBIES DORKING, SURREY This eighteenth-century estate was established as a farm by Thomas Denby but today contains the largest vineyard in Britain, a visitor centre and – surprisingly – the Surrey Performing Arts Library. Many wines, still and sparkling, are produced at Denbies and there is also an on-site brewery. A range of tours is offered starting at £11.50 pp. denbies.co.uk Where to stay Denbies Vineyard Hotel Actually on the Denbies Wine Estate itself. Our surprise entry, the recently upgraded farmhouse B&B, following a £4m transformation, has opened as the UK's first-ever vineyard hotel. Stay in one of the 17-bedrooms in the new Denbies Vineyard Hotel and enjoy outdoor dining in the orangery garden restaurant, in the heart of the wine-making experience. denbies.co.uk CUBITT BLANC DE NOIRS 2013 Denbies produces a wide range of still white wines as well as eight sparkling wines, some named Cubitt after the master builder, Thomas Cubitt who redesigned the estate in the nineteenth century. The Cubitt Blanc de Blancs 2013 won silver in Decanter’s 2019 World Wine Awards. There are notes of apple and citrus with hints of vanilla and minerality. 5 CAMEL VALLEY BODMIN, CORNWALL The Camel Valley Vineyard overlooks sun-drenched valley slopes west of Bodmin. This Cornish winery produces 11 wines, seven of them sparkling, and has recently been granted Royal Warrant status as a regular supplier to HRH Prince Charles, Duke of Cornwall. A guided tour for two people costs £19. camelvalley.com WE LOVE Where to stay Camel Valley Estate There are two barn conversion cottages on the estate and a complimentary bottle is supplied for each new arrival. During fishing season, guests can, by arrangement, use the vineyard’s own private stretch of the Camel River. Salmon and sea trout have been caught here by experienced anglers. camelvalley.com 6 BritishTravelJournal.com 31
