FOOD + DRINK
How To Wine Tasting cont ... from regions you may not be familiar with – maybe a region or country that goes under the marketing radar – Portugal is a great example . These regions don ’ t come with the prestige ( read price tag ) of the big names and so often cost less but you are still getting great quality . You ’ ll also broaden your wine knowledge and experience really quickly .
• Small region = great wine . If you buy a wine that says ‘ South East Australia ’ you are buying a bulk wine – the quality simply won ’ t be great . A best approach is to try and get the regional name on the label . The small region provenance means you are much more likely to be buying wines with a story behind them , a sense of place and craftsmanship .
• Buy local - part of the cost of wine is transportation . If your wine has come from your local vineyard , rather than Chile , you ’ re simply paying for great wine . Our favourites in Kent are Fox and Fox , Chapel Down , Hush Heath and Mereworth to name but a few . In Kent , we are of course blessed with great soil , a wonderful climate , and chalky south-facing slopes , so why not make a glass of English wine your treat ?
• Join us for wine tasting events , lunches , masterclasses & professional courses , and much more – all hosted in Tunbridge Wells .
For those looking for an expert hand to guide them when they shop for bottles to take home , visit The Goods Shed ( www . thegoodsshed . co . uk / press-wine-services ) in Canterbury . The wines on sale at the Goods Shed ’ s Press Wine Services are selected specifically to deliver quality , typicité and expression , and are chosen by Kent ’ s very own Master of Wine , Clive Barlow , from independent importers and producers . Instead of shelves full of large global brands you will find wines from smaller , quality focused growers and winemakers who aim to create individual characterful wines for individuals . As well as wines from Kent , Clive has meticulously selected bottles from Sussex , Surrey and Cornwall , as well as plenty from the classic regions of Europe . The wines range from simple good drinking wines giving good levels of fruit and balance to fine age-worthy creatures , which deliver complexity , harmony and texture .
70