THE PERFECT
FOOD + DRINK
© Vinicius Muller / Unsplash
THE PERFECT
PAIRING
WHERE THERE IS GOOD WINE THERE HAS TO BE GOOD PAIRINGS , AND KENT HAS PLENTY OF BOTH . NEVER WAS A MORE JOYOUS UNISON MADE IN KENT THAN WITH OUR COUNTY ’ S HOMEGROWN FOOD AND OUR AWARD- WINNING WINE . WHEN PUT TOGETHER , THIS MAKES AN EPICUREAN ’ S DREAM . FULL-ON FLAVOUR COMES OUT IN FORCE THROUGH QUALITY PRODUCE , WHETHER IT BE MEAT , DAIRY , FISH , FRUIT OR VEG - THE GARDEN OF ENGLAND HAS ALL THE PERFECT PARTNERS TO ACCOMPANY A GOOD GLASS OF KENTISH VINO .
Here is insideKENT ’ s autumn guide on where to visit in order to get those pairings just right ; the Kentish way .
MEET THE EXPERTS
First comes selecting your bottle . Although there are a plethora of vineyards here in Kent to visit ( as seen on pages 68 - 71 ), with most having their own onsite shops in which to purchase wine , there are also plenty of independent wine specialists and stores perfect for perusing shelves and speaking to the experts . Here are just some of insideKENT ’ s favourites :
Village Wines , Bexley www . villagewines . co . uk
With over 400 wines in stock , Village Wines aims to develop their personal working relationships with their wine producers rather than just take a ‘ cold commercial approach ’. Pete Foley , owner of Village Wines , said : “ Perhaps it is the business they are in , but many of our producers are great individual characters , which is often personified in their wines .” Although individual bottles are of course available to buy , with plenty of expert advice if required , Village Wines suggest purchasing a preselected mixed case , which will include wine from their favourite winemakers to get a true taste of variety and quality .
Village Wines also hold wine tastings throughout the year and run three different types of tastings , all of which are held at their shop in Bexley Village . These include :
Tutored Tastings : Held on weekday evenings or on Sundays at midday . These tastings include a guest speaker and a buffet lunch or supper . There is a charge for this style of tasting and spaces are limited to 20 or 25 customers . Early booking is essential !
The Saturday Slurp : From time to time , Village Wines pick a theme and have a few bottles open in the shop all day on Saturdays . “ This is a very informal style of tasting ,” says Pete . “ Customers come and go throughout the day and are free to bring friends and relatives .” These tastings are usually free of charge .
Christmas Open Day : Village Wines annual Christmas party tasting . “ Once again , it ' s an open house ,” says Pete . “ Customers come and go throughout the day and we are happy for them to bring friends and family . At this time of year we introduce our new wine list ready for the festive season ! We tend to concentrate this tasting on the new wines from this list . It is a great way to introduce these wines to our customers and for us to find out what they think .” This tasting is free of charge .
86