I have decided that watering is a very specialised subject and I feel I could run a 10-week course on the subject!
The challenges for getting water to the roots of plants this year and last is off the scale. I remember saying how important it was to harvest the rainwater as it is so precious and would love to know how many of you did that?
Soil improvement
Anyone who knows me knows that I champion soil improvement and liken it to the gut biome! My go to compost to improve fertility and water retention is wool and bracken compost. I have covered my garden in it this year and those of many clients. We are reaping the benefits.
Harvesting the rain
We complain about it in the winter but in the last two summers have prayed it will fall out of the sky! I have been like a mad woman filling up water bottles by the thousand and installing water butts everywhere as well as leaving out trugs and trays to put in thirsty plants. I am now watering my plants with harvested rainwater as another hosepipe ban looms!
Watering the garden
New planting will need watering. If you have improved the soil or mulched this will be possible. If it’s just dusty dry soil it will just run off. Mulch now to absorb the water you put on. Spray to wet the mulch and then allow as much water into the soil as you can. If you are not sure just scrape the surface or dig down with a trowel to see if it’s wet. Use spiked bottles or tubes to get the water to the roots, do not just spray the plants.
Watering the lawn
Do not waste water doing this! A sign of a good gardener is a ‘dead’ lawn in the summer. It will revitalise as soon as the rain comes, it’s not dead it’s summer dormant.
Pots
Someone once said to me ‘It doesn’t rain in pots’ so make sure you still water. If it’s hot and sunny you will need to water more than when it is cool and cloudy. Do the plants need it? Are they wilting because they are dry, waterlogged or damaged by pests? Is the pot heavy or light? Is it normal multi purpose compost or wool compost? Is it a desert plant or a tropical rainforest plant?
If in doubt stick your finger into the soil!
CGS Courses
Please ask for details as I am now meeting potential students for Autumn and Spring Courses as well as bespoke workshops. I can also come and teach you in your own garden and am happy to chat over a coffee at Ashdene. Consultancy gift vouchers available too.
Former English Cricketer Monty Panesar, who’s remembered as one of our greatest modern spinners, will give a live interview at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford at 7.30pm on Thursday, 10th August.
Monty is a folk hero with England cricket fans. Known as much for his terrible fielding in his early days as for his world-beating left-arm spin, Monty became a household name and helped England to become the number one Test team on the planet.
Born in Luton, he played 50 test matches for his country, took 167 Test wickets, saved an Ashes Test with the bat alongside Jimmy Anderson, claimed Sachin Tendulkar as his first Test wicket, won a Test series in India, was friends with Shane Warne and captured the public’s imagination with his joyous celebrations.
In conversation with national broadcaster Matt Stadlen (BBC Two This week, BBC Two The Daily Politics, LBC presenter) the first England spinner to take a five-wicker haul at the WACA will take us behind the scenes of his record-breaking career. What was it like bowling at Tendulkar, Dravid and Gilchrist? How did he hit Muralitharan for six? How did he deal with the pressure of Ashes cricket? What was Sir Andrew Strauss like as a captain? How did the Barmy Army help him succeed? What was his greatest England victory? What’s his verdict on the summer’s Ashes?
Don’t miss this chance to come face to face with one of English sport’s best loved characters. Presented in association with Clive Conway Productions.
For more information and to book tickets, visit: Yvonne Arnaud Theatre or call 01483 44 00 00 (Monday-Saturday, 10am to 5pm).
The Egham Royal Show takes place on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th August at the showground in Whitehall Lane.
Last year for the first time, the show provided children’s rides free of charge. This was a huge success so again this year, these rides will be free – including go-karts.
Egham Royal Show has a reputation for offering something for everyone. As well as the traditional rare breeds animals and horticulture/crafts competitions, there will be live music, trade stands, a model marquee, dog show, flight simulator, vintage and classic car display, archery, Morris dancers and a community marquee with real ales. The main arena will feature a variety of entertainments including birds of prey and motor bike stunt riding. There is free parking on-site.
Entry costs £12 for adults and £10 for concessions. Children under 15 accompanied by an adult come in free of charge. Advance tickets can be bought via the Show website at a discount.
Tomorrow’s STEM talent has been honoured at the Oxfordshire High Sheriff Young Engineer Awards
Well done to everyone who took park in the recent High Sheriff Young Engineer Awards Abingdon & Witney College to recognise students who show great promise in the fields of engineering, resistant materials and design technology.
State schools across the county were invited to nominate students aged 12-18 across three age categories in the awards sponsored by Abingdon & Witney College, The Engineering Trust and Lucy Group Ltd, a long-standing Oxford company that engineers smart electrics for the built environment.
The judging panel comprised Richard Dick (executive chairman, Lucy Group), Sally Scott (High Sheriff of Oxfordshire), Andy Linfoot (engineering director, Lucy Electric) and Mark Vingoe (CEO, The Engineering Trust). Prizes included £400 for the winning student in each category and £1,000 for the students’ respective school or college. There were also runner-up prizes in each category, a Team Award and an overall High Sheriff Award.
Richard Dick, judge and founder of the Oxfordshire High Sheriff Young Engineer Awards, said: “The calibre of entries this year was excellent, so I applaud everyone who was nominated. The next generation of students who choose STEM careers will be instrumental in finding the scientific and engineering solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges. Seeing how these promising young engineers think – and turn concepts into reality – gives me every reason to believe that we will be in good hands.”
The winners
Year 12 & 13 award
Winner: Kye Gustafsson – Abingdon & Witney College Kye is an avid CAD user who designed and made a working centrifugal pump. The judges were particularly impressed that he constructed the impeller, drive shaft, bracket and housing. He CNC milled the impeller blades, turned the drive shaft on a lathe and milled the keyway into it. He then fabricated a bracket from sheet metal and 3D printed the housing.
2nd place: Michael Vereker – King Alfred’s Academy As an integral member of the tech team for school productions, Michael designed and produced load-bearing structures for many of the stage sets using CAD/CAM processes. He also worked alongside a professional lighting technician to programme the productions lights. Michael has a passion for DT and has completed work experience at the Veolla Nuclear Solutions HQ (Abingdon), where he also participated in a Solidworks CAD class.
Joint 3rd place: Emily Saunders – UTC Oxfordshire Emily is studying for a BTEC Extended Diploma in Engineering, A level product Design and A Level Maths. She was a volunteer at a nursing home, where the staff had a specific requirement for supporting one eldering gentleman with disabilities. Emily developed an aid that enabled the disabled resident to carry out everyday activities, such as writing and doing puzzles, from his wheelchair, while meeting other criteria of the brief: easy to use, deploy and store.
Joint 3rd place: Olivia Estevez – Wood Green School Olivia likes to explore materials and product design and has developed two notable concepts. The first is a mug, inspired by Chindogu product design principles, that pushes the boundaries of function and form. The second is a landscape design for the redevelopment of wasteland at school, using natural materials to create architectural sculptures that connect different areas into one harmonious outdoor breakout space.
Year 10 & 11 Award
Winner: Tom Wigley – St Birinus Tom designed and made a metal desk lamp. The judges noted his attention to detail in respect of both ergonomics and aesthetics. His design included the electric circuitry and wire harness, while he demonstrated considerable metalworking skills in fabricating and assembling the components. He also considered the practicality of putting his prototype into production. Tom is a founding member of the school’s Enginerring Club and has helped support Y7 students with slot car designs and construction.
2nd place: Lilly Broome – Burford School Lilly has demonstrated extensive engineering design and production skills, using a variety of processes such as heat treatments, finishing, centre lathe work – including knurling and thread cutting – and the use of CAM and CNC machinery, enabling her to create products to an outstanding level of tolerance. Examples shown included an attractive red & black pivot desk lamp with an hourglass shaped hood.
Joint 3rd place: Jed Thorburn – Futures Institute Jed’s projects have ranged from desigining and building a water turbine as part of a project linked to Intermediate Technology, designing a glider for an RAF competition, redesigining a school from scratch (a theoretical disaster recover competition from the international education organisation BIEA) and designing an app to encourage children to spend more time outdoors.
Joint 3rd place: Leon Conway – Burford School Leon has demonstrated excellent design and production skills, utilising a wide variety of manufacturing processes – including cutting, wasting, routing, finishing, electronics and the use of CAM and CNC machinery – across various classes of material. He has created final products to a high level of tolerance, including a wooden guitar made from high quality sustainable materials.
Year 8 & 9 Award
Winner: Lucy Busson – Fitzharrys Lucy’s research-driven approach to Design & Technology strongly appealed to the judges. In addition to freehand drawing skills, she uses CAD with great accuracy. She communicates her design ideas well and uses research to good effect when analysing a brief. She is methodical and practical, working with tools and machines with a high degree of precision. Lucy is also interested in materials and sustainability, exemplified by a bird feeder design project that supported her nomination.
2nd place: Olivia Taylor – Chipping Norton School Olivia designed and made a decorative lamp using a range of materials, including wood, plastic and metal. This involved forming the plastic shade out of acrylic, using a commercial oven and a jig, cutting and shaping hardwoods using hand tools (including a tenon saw and chisel), and using electrical woodworking equipment such as a band facer and pillar drill. She also cut metal to size to form pivot points for the mechanism. Olivia finally decorated her product with a range of beads sourced from the Textiles department.
Team Award
Winner: UTC Oxfordshire – Hannah Weston, Charlotte Turner, Maddie Pryce, Floyd Rayner, Thomas Bristow, Cambell Payne.
This team of year 12 students is taking part in the Engineering Development Trust (EDT) Industrial Cadets Gold Award, working with Abingdon-based aerospace company Reaction Engines, who have set them a challenge of recovering heat and converting that to energy. The UTC team consists of 50:50 males/female students and a mix between Engineering and Science students.
The students attend fortnightly meetings with Reaction Engines, project managing themselves, and work as a close-knit team to engineer a waste heat to power solution. They attended a residential at Bath University as part of the programme, where they worked on the project alongside their mentors from Reaction Engines. The judges were influenced by the ambition and aptitude of the students, who are using industrial CAD packages (Fusion 360) and complex maths to model their concept before manufacturing the high-precision prototype using nanotubes and machining 0.8mm holes using CNC milling processes.
High Sheriff Award
Winner: Kye Gustafsson – Abingdon & Witney College The judges deemed Kye worthy of the overall High Sheriff Award due to the sheer professionalism of his end-to-end centrifugal pump design and build project (described above), including full supporting documentation.
The fifth Fi.Fest on Saturday, 8th July at Stroud Farm in Forest Green Road will star Scouting For Girls and The Feeling
Preparations are under way for Maidenhead’s biggest music festival. UK chart toppers The Feeling will play some of their best-known hits, including She’s So Lovely, Elvis Ain’t Dead, Heartbeat, Fill My Little World, Love It When You Call and Never Be Lonely alongside many others. About 5,000 people are expected to attend the event, which brings friends and families together for a brilliant day out for all ages.
Organisers Lee Page and Alex Kinloch say: “We can’t wait to welcome back our festival family, 2023 is set to be the biggest event yet. We have been planning this for nearly a year and can’t believe it will be all coming together in a couple of weeks’ time!
“We’re extremely grateful for the loyalty and support shown by Fi.Festers, who come back each year to enjoy a day of music and entertainment. We know that households are being squeezed by the cost of living and it means a lot to us that they make the effort to attend the festival.”
Barrioke will make a Fi.Fest debut, as he brings his smash hit UK tour to the main stage. Festival goers can get up on the main stage in front of 1000’s and sing with the ex EastEnders and Extras star.
Alongside the main stage, the festival has a dedicated kid zone with several free activities to keep younger Fi.Festers entertained and engaged, including dedicated kid stage shows, dinosaur show, crafts, inflatable theme park, circus skills and more.
New to 2023 is a “second stage”, where festival goers can listen and support local talent and discover new bands.
The festival is proud to have two amazing local charities Alexander Devine and Windsor Horse Rangers joining them at the festival with two pop up stalls and representatives looking to raise funds and spread awareness of their charity work.
Tickets are still available for the event online at Fi.Fest (fifest.co.uk). Festival goers are urged to buy tickets in advance to avoid disappointment. Prices go up just before the event and will come off sale once sold.
Gardening expert Cathie Welch talks all things roses to mark Rose Awareness Week, June 19-25
As it’s rose awareness week I’ve been asked to write about roses. Well these are a plant that did not faulter in the heat or the cold, in fact they have thrived. There are many types of roses and it’s my job to educate and inspire so here goes…
Anyone who knows me will be aware that Rosa ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ named after the iconic garden designer is my favourite for scent, colour and sheer beauty! It comes from David Austin roses and can be a bush rose or a climber. I also adore ‘Munstead Wood’ for fragrance but this one is sadly no longer available. Instead opt for ‘Gabriel Oak’ or ‘Desdemona’ among others. These are all traditional or old fashioned rose types.
Roses for cutting need longer stems and a fabulous one is ‘Queen Elizabeth’ (pink) and ‘Alexander’ (orange). For a classic red rose choose ‘Fragrant Cloud’ one of many hybrid teas. These are all modern roses and there are many suppliers of these in garden centres and nurseries as well as online retailers. Plant fairs abound throughout summer and there is no better feeling than a car full of scented roses! There are also wild roses and single roses which are more bee friendly and even ground cover roses and those for the smallest patio. They really are a delight and worth their high maintenance reputation.
Cultivation
Roses are very hungry plants and need rich soil. They love a clay soil enriched with well rotted manure in full sun. Many of them are grafted onto rootstocks of wild roses so occasionally you get suckers which need to be cut off at ground level. Regular feeding is important in the form of compost and a high potash rose fertiliser. Ash from the woodburner is a traditional favourite. Pests and diseases can be a problem depending on variety but regular checking can catch them early. Try to be as organic as possible when selecting sprays. Dead head regularly after flowering to encourage more blooms.
Pruning
This is what sends everyone into a panic as it’s all dependant on the type of rose you are growing. Bush roses are usually Hybrid tea or floribuda so they have single large blooms or clusters. Hybrid teas are generally cut harder. Climbing roses are pruned similarly but usually spur pruned onto a framework during the winter months. Ramblers that flower once are pruned after flowering in the summer, taking out flowered shoots and tying in the new ones. Shrub roses often have hips and don’t need such drastic pruning, if they can be left then occasional renovation can work. Don’t be tempted to trim with hedgecutters unless a hedge!
CGS Courses
Please ask for details as I am running pruning courses throughout Spring and Autumn. Each plant has a different requirement and learning about pruning techniques is addictive! I can also come and teach you in your own garden.
James Ewing tells us all about a great day out for all the family at Lion Green on Sunday 28th May
The very popular Haslemere Classic Car Show sees Lion Green full to bursting with an array of nearly 250 interesting pre-1980 vehicles and several thousand visitors enjoying themselves on the Green.
The show has become a ‘must’ on the classic car calendar – we were fully booked with entrants within a couple of weeks of launch and have an extensive waiting list for places. The day also appeals to the vintage, food and craft markets.
Some of our entrants go on a morning drive through the beautiful local countryside and then return to take part in the afternoon show. The display on the Green has everything from exotic sports cars, elegant pre-war tourers, everyday family classics to Americana and hot-rods, with entries from most of the major marques.
Many of the cars taking part will be ‘affordable’ classics but we always have a good selection of unique and special vehicles. There is limited space on Lion Green, so only vehicles that have pre-booked and are displaying a numbered pass will be able to park at the show ground.
We hold two great competitions on the day – car owners are encouraged to dress in period outfits to match their cars and enter the ‘Best Dressed Car and Crew’ award and we have a ‘People’s Choice’ where the public gets a chance to vote for the car they would most like to take home.
The show has something for everyone, even if you are not ‘in to’ cars. The Green will be edged with stalls selling quality produce, crafts, vintage, art and classic car related merchandise as part of a traditional Vintage Fete with jazz, teas, a bar and entertainment for all the family.
Public entrance to the show is free, we just ask visitors to support the event by buying a copy of our lucky programme. The day has become one of the best loved events in the local calendar and it’s great that we are able to provide free entertainment for the people of Haslemere and the surrounds while still raising money for the Haslemere Festival and helping to fund other events in the local community.
The show is organised by James Ewing, a Haslemere based classic car restorer and broker and is supported by many local business’ and individuals.
Please look at our new 2023 website HCCS Home (jamesewing.co.uk) for more information and to see pictures of previous years events.
Acclaimed national touring artist Mark Harrison brings up his unique music back to The Phoenix on May 20th with Charles Benfield
There is no one in music quite like Mark Harrison. He is widely considered one of the most original and interesting artists around.
His highly individual, all-original music has taken him to some of the top venues and festivals in the UK, attracting acclaim wherever he goes. Appearances on BBC Radio 2, as guest on Cerys Matthew’s show and on the Pick Of The Week show, have further added to his growing reputation.
Described at BBC Radio 2 as ‘quirky’ and an artist who ‘makes you think afresh’, Mark is a totally original songwriter, a stunning guitarist, and a master storyteller. Mark’s live shows are well-known not only for the music but also for his introductions and explanations of the songs, delivered in a manner often described as ‘wry’ and ‘dry’.
Mark’s songs cover all manner of non-standard subjects. With catchy tunes, lyrics that intrigue and engage, and striking rhythms, they make you smile, think and move. He takes elements of roots music, including folk and blues to create something new that is very much his own genre. Each song is a snapshot of life or has a story to tell.
A thrilling, rhythmic, finger-picker and slide player, with a very distinctive style, Mark tours extensively. He has released six albums which have been unanimously acclaimed across a wide range of areas of the music world, receiving a very great deal of airplay and highly enthusiastic reviews in the UK, Europe and the US, the latest being the double album The Road to Liberty.
Learn more about the wines of Rioja as Round and About’s wine columnist shares his thoughts on the best red and white Riojas on the UK market
Hello. A game I like to play sometimes is wine keywords – I’m too old for an Xbox, and I don’t drink enough port to be good at bridge. The aim of the game is to encapsulate a wine region’s history in as few words as possible and have people guess where you’re talking about. Trust me, this goes down a storm with men of a certain age with model railways and a subscription to Decanter!
So, Bordeaux could be, ‘British-owned. British invented. British drunk while Champagne could be ‘Monasteries. War. Billionaire brands.’ Which region, though, would be, ‘Bugs. Trains. A fascist’.
It is none other than the beloved region of Rioja, which is the subject of my latest ode to wine.
The Wines Of Rioja: A Very, Very Brief History
Wines have been produced in Rioja in northwest Spain for donkey’s years. The Romans introduced viniculture here, and the wines enjoyed an excellent local reputation. The wines came to international prominence in the 1850s when phylloxera – a root-chewing bug – devastated much of France’s vineyards, most notably in nearby Bordeaux. Bordeaux winemakers in need of work decamped to Rioja, bringing expertise in the use of oak, amongst other things, and helped take the wines to a whole new level.
Around this time, the railway finally reached the wine towns of Haro and Logrono. This meant that Rioja could be transported easily to the rest of Spain and the ports, which have them access to international markets.
Owing to the world wars and the Spanish Civil War, the region fell on hard times in the early part of the 20th century, and it was only with the rise to power of Franco that its fortunes were restored. Franco was mad about wine and wanted to see Rioja take its rightful place on the world stage. In one of his (extremely rare) good deads, he helped ensure that the wines were produced to high standards and became sought after again.
Rioja Today: New Classic Wines
Today, Rioja is rightly regarded as one of the great wine regions of the world. Its capacity for value is unrivalled, and there’s a surprising level of diversity in the nature and styles of wine, between the traditional and the modernist. In this article, I will offer you the benefit of my 30-odd-year obsession with this beautiful, complex, generous wine region, which I hope will whet your appetite for these extraordinary wines.
Let’s begin with the wine that started my love affair with Rioja, the Cune Crianza (Sainsbury’s £9). I first encountered this as Harrods’ Rioja when a Spanish colleague Carlos recommended it as a star staff buy. He wasn’t wrong. To this day, I can remember it. As someone who’d been brought up on Bordeaux and wines from the Midi and the Rhone, this was a revelation. A wine packed with exuberant red and blackberry fruit, spices, citrus peel, and creamy vanilla, it was as if I’d been drinking black and white wines, and this was my introduction to colour. I had the 2018 last night and found it just as diverting as I did all those years ago.
Next are two whites. White Rioja was, for the longest time, something that was best avoided. The Riojans’ idea that wood was good, so more wood is better, worked well (to an extent) with the reds, but for whites, it was often folly. A familiar tasting note for white Rioja in the 1990s was, ‘Smells of old chip fat, colour of old chip fat, tastes of… old chip fat.’ Happily, those days are gone, as these two contrasting corkers show.
The Muga Blanco (Majestic £12.99) is a modernist interpretation and is bottled summer. A blend of mainly Viura and Malvasia, the nose is bright, full of apple blossom, pears, and a hint of honey. In the mouth, it’s clean and delicate, yet the persistent fruit notes of pears, honeydew melon, apricots, and tangy gooseberries give it oomph.
By contrast, the Cune Barrel Fermented Rioja Blanco (Waitrose £10) is an altogether more rounded, richer, mellow, traditional iteration. This is one of my favourite white wines, and I must have had close to 30 different vintages. The consistency is remarkable, and it never fails to please. The latest vintage has the same ripe, soft mouthfeel and generosity of fruit I’ve come to expect, but this time out, there’s a nutty edge to buttery peach, apricot, and green apple fruit. A great wine for summer sipping.
I mentioned my adoration for the wines of Contino in my last column, and I make no apology for mentioning one again this time. This time, it’s the Contino Reserva 2017. You can often tell a lot about the quality of wine and the vintage by the wine’s classification. In Germany, higher levels of sugar are revered and in rare vintages, you get the mighty trockenberenausle, which has so much sugar in grapes that it can take months to ferment and end up with 6 or 7 degrees of alcohol. In Champagne, it’s if a wine is vintage or not, and in Rioja it’s about the level of oak ageing the wine can sustain. Categories such as Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva all have pre-release ageing requirements in barrel and bottle, and as a crude rule of thumb, the more it can take, the better the wine is and the higher its designation.
The Contino Reserva 2017 (Noble Green £22) is an outstanding glass of wine. 2017 was a ‘challenging’ year – in the same way that nailing water to a wall with a hammer made of ice is challenging – yet by virtue of having a sublime vineyard and uncompromising winemakers with exceptional skill, they have turned out a sumptuous wine.
The nose in an inviting blend of smoked black fruit, tapenade, and cranberries. The voluptuous palate is medium-bodied, full of brambles, strawberries, hints of chocolate and raspberries, and a good helping mixed spice. As hard and angular as a bubble bath in a paddling pool, this won’t make seriously old bones, but it’s seriously good now.
Marqués de Cáceres is one of those Rioja brands – like Campo Viejo – that seemed to lose their way some years ago. For the longest time, their red, white, and rosé wines were a supermarket staple, and while they were OK for the money, that’s all they were. Today, they are back in a big way. Flagship wines like Gaudium are well worth their £40+ price tag. For rather more modest money, the Marqués de Cáceres Reserva (Majestic £12.99) is deep joy. This is the old-school Rioja. High extract with lots of dried blackcurrants, plums, warm spices, vanilla, and orange peel; this is perfect for red meats and hard Spanish cheeses.
Generally speaking I don’t tend to go for Gran Reserva wines. Rioja’s – unfair – reputation as wood aged in wine stems from this style. Eager to use the impressive designation, too many industrial producers have subjected wines that didn’t have the fruit of the extract to carry such a weight of oak, and the results weren’t great.
When done well, however, Gran Reserva Rioja can be glorious. Take the Beronia Gran Reserva 2015 (Majestic £21). Hailing from a great vintage, even after 28 months in cask, it remains deeply coloured, with a bramble, red cherry, and plum scented nose. In the mouth the fruity continues to take centre stage, with layer-upon-layer of black and red berries rounded off by creamy oak. Great now, this has a long future.
Roda may not be a winery you’re familiar with, but in the course of 30-odd year life, it’s taken Rioja by storm. Roda is the picture of modernity in a traditional region. They restrict the amount of oak, favour French (subtler, more expensive) over American, use cooler fermentation temperatures, and aim to bring a subtle expression of Rioja to life. The resulting wines are fascinating, combining traditional flavours with an arresting delicacy of approach. The Roda 1 2016 (Master of Malt £29.95) offers a great introduction to these beguiling wines.
Still with me? Good, only two to go, and what a pair…
Vina Real is another traditional wine, but there’s a delicacy and a flair to their wines that I’ve always loved. My latest encounter with this noble wine was the Vina Real 2016 Reserva (Tanners £21.50). This is a red berry and spices wine. The colour is paler than some thanks to four years in barrel, and buttery oak runs through it like Brighton through a stick of Brighton rock. It doesn’t overwhelm, however. Instead, it adds cream tones to the wide range of juicy berries, and gives a wine that was made for food.
And finally, a budget-busting classic, the Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva 2010 (Petersham Cellars £275). Now, £275 is an awful lot of money for a bottle of wine, but this is a rare beast. Only mad in exceptional years and aged for five years in oak and a further five in bottle – sometimes even longer – this a wonderful curio. Showing none of its age, it’s bright red and youthfully intense. Medium-bodied, mouth-filling, creamy and exotic, there’s everything from blackcurrants and cherries to Asian spices, coffees, dark marmalade, and charcoal. It’s a great Rioja experience, at a price.
Well, that’s it for now. All this talk of Rioja has given me a thirst the size of CVNE’s barrel hall.
Summer is on its way which means festivals season! Here’s our guide to the best festivals near & far and the chance to win tickets.
Are You Listening? Black Honey, Thomas Headon & dozens more will rock Reading in aid of Mencap on 6th May; areyoulistening.org.uk
The 44th international Newbury Spring Festival will also offer classical highlights aplenty, 6th-20th May; newburyspringfestival.org.uk
The Investec International Music Festival features world-class concerts including Tenebrae, Julian Bliss Quartet, Sitkovetsky Trio, Gary Hoffman & Wu Qian, walks and talks across the Surrey Hills, 2nd-13th May. Visit iimf.co.uk
“I’m so excited to be hosting Pub in the Park in Marlow,” Tom Kerridge tells us, “of course, we’ve got some incredible chef hosts topping the bill and I can’t wait for a weekend of good food and good vibes. Top-notch food is at the heart of what we’re all about and I know we’ll have the very best festival food around from our incredible restaurants… we can’t wait for you to try it!” The shindig, 18th to 21st May, also has a sizzling music line-up, too, including Sugababes, The Jacksons, Tinie Tempah, a Dick & Dom DJ set, Ministry Of Sound Disco and Bananarama. pubintheparkuk.com/marlow
“Probably the finest free music and beer festival in the world…” Rokefest will rock its new home The Chequers, at Berrick Salome, near Wallingford, 26th-28th May, with great bands & more, all for great causes; rokefest.com
Let’s Rock the Moor in Cookham, Bucks, on 21st May offers OMD, Roland Gift, Kim Wilde, Space, Soul II Soul & more; letsrockthemoor.com
Andy C, Annie Mac, Camelphat, Swedish House Mafia & dozens of other dance titans will star at Creamfields South in Chelmsford, 26th-28th May. Visit creamfieldssouth.com.
Want to win tickets to Creamfields South? Find out how at the bottom of the article.
Classical music fans will love the 16th English Music Festival at Dorchester Abbey, 26th -29th May; englishmusicfestival.org.uk
ShyneFest at Merrist Wood College in Worplesdon, on 3rd June, will star Republica, Rhythm of the 90s, The Replicants, Sarah Dearlove, Doubting Thomas, Ashes & you’ll find bucketloads of family-friendly fun such as escape room games & animal encounters, food, plus camping & glamping options. shynefest.uk
Cornwall is worth a visit anytime, especially 2nd to 4th June when Great Estate Festival near Redruth will dazzle with a stonking music line-up starring Primal Scream, The Selecter, Ibiza Symphonic with DJ Andy Joyce, A DJ set from Bez of Happy Mondays (watch this space for our interview next month), Cuban Brothers & more; greatestatefestival.co.uk
Wychwood Festival will rock Cheltenham Racecourse, 2nd-4th June, with Happy Mondays, Travis, Sam Ryder, comedy, a kids’ lit fest, headphone disco & idyllic camping beneath the Prestbury Hills; wychwoodfestival.com
Arrive thirsty for Twyford Beer Festival, raising money for male cancer charity Orchid, 9th & 10th June; twyfordbeerfest.co.uk
Hampton Court Palace Festival offers legends including Grace Jones, Kaiser Chiefs, Björn Again, Rick Astley, Soft Cell, Kool & The Gang and Tom Jones, 6th-17th June. With British Fine Foods picnics & bouji hospitality packages, this is a classy affair… hamptoncourtpalacefestival.com
KITE swoops back into Kirtlington, near Oxford, 9th-11th June, with Hop Chip, Dame Joan Collins, Suede, Candi Staton, David Holmes, Sir John Major & David Baddiel. kitefestival.co.uk
The Isle of Wight Festival, the iconic shindig just over the Solent will offer great vibes, starring Pulp, George Ezra, The Chemical Brothers, Robbie Williams, Blondie, Groove Armada & more, 15th-18th June. Visit isleofwightfestival.com
Blenheim Palace is the superb backdrop for the Nocturne Live performances from the likes of Lionel Richie, Gabrielle & Pete Tong (with his Ibiza Classics), 16th-19th June. Tunde Baiyewu who will perform on 16th tells us: “Blenheim is an amazing venue so I feel blessed. I’m a fan of Gregory Porter as well as Emeli Sandé who are performing on the same date as me so I’m going to be enjoying it as much as any other member of the audience.”nocturnelive.com
Scouting For Girls, The Feeling and Barrioke, (with EastEnders star Shaun Williamson) will make for a great Fi.Fest in Maidenhead on 8th July; visit fifest.co.uk
A$AP Rocky & Tyler, the Creator will star at Wireless Crystal Palace, 1st to 3rd July and Cardi B & Nicki Minaj at Finsbury Park (8th-10th July); wirelessfestival.co.uk. Hold on to your hats: Guns n’ Roses will star at BST Hyde Park on Friday, 30th June. And that’s not all: there’s Blackpink on 2nd July, P!nk on 25th June and Take That on 1st July. Visit bst-hydepark.com
Rag’n’Bone Man, Westlife, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Ministry of Sound Classical, the Kanneh-Mason Trio and Jack Dee, as well as an Aretha Franklin celebration will make for another great riverside reverie at Henley Festival, 6th-10th July; henley-festival.co.uk
Sugababes, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Peter Hook & The Light, Incognito, Gentleman’s Dub Club, Soft Cell and more will star at Rochester Castle in Kent, 6th-9th July. Marc Almost tells us: “Doing festivals is always so great. There is such a feeling of ‘out for a great time’ and people really are so up for it and generous. This summer, I’m excited about seeing OMD who are always special, and I love Glen Gregory and Heaven 17. For tickets & more info please visit rochestercastleconcerts.com
The fourth Camberley Comedy Festival will take place on Saturday, 8th July, starring Phil Wang & more, in a mini big top tent; camberleytheatre.co.uk. And Haslemere Fringe Festival promises another community culturefest; haslemerefringe.co.uk
Jack Savoretti, The Human League, Haçienda Classical, and Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra will star at Kew The Music at Kew Gardens, 13th-16th July; kewthemusic.org
Jungle Brothers, Professor Green, Sleeper, Roni Size & many more will dazzle at Readipop in Caversham, 14th-16th July. Established in 1998, the highlight helps vulnerable young people and older folk, plus aspiring artists; readipop.co.uk
Hot Chip, Gaz Coombes, Erol Alkan (disco set) Fabio & Grooverider Kaleidoscope at Alexandra Palace on Saturday, 15th July, kaleidoscope-festival.com
Royal Blood, The Vaccines, alt-J, Shy FX & David Rodigan are among the delights Truck is packing, 21st-23rd July in Steventon; truckfestival.com
Our fave bash (and that of our cover star Noel) PennFest is back in Bucks with another bobby dazzler on 21st & 22nd July. As well as Mr G’s High Flying Birds, Johnny Marr will star, along with Gaz Coombes, Bad Manners, Kenny Kenn, Corinne Bailey Rae, DJ Fresh & Jumping Jack Frost. Organisers Nick Billinghurst & Matt Smith said: “We’re so excited about this year’s PennFest. With two such incredible, world-renowned headliners we feel it’s our strongest ever. It’s going to be epic!” pennfest.co.uk
Want to win tickets to PennFest? Find out how at the bottom of the article.
Richard Ashcroft, plus Ocean Colour Scene & The Sherlocks, will star at Englefield House in Berkshire on Saturday, 22nd July. Promoter Giles Cooper tells us: “We’re so excited to be promoting this show with Richard for Heritage Live. I remember seeing The Verve’s first London gig at the King’s Head in 1991, when I worked at NME, with just ten people in the audience. It culminated with Miles Leonard agreeing to sign them by the end of the night!” Hozier will star with Far From Saints on 23rd. Pre-register for tickets at arep.co/p/richard-ashcroft
Fairport Convention will star at the Fleur De Lys in East Hagbourne on 23rd July ahead of FleurFest, the community institution, 28th-30th July, along with Scott Doonican, Gregg Cave & more; thefleurdelyspub.co.uk
Building bridges, not walls’ is the motto of the inclusive WOMAD, the World of Music, Arts and Dance Music festival, returns to delight Charlton Park near Marlborough, 27th-30th July. womad.co.uk
Wilderness, at Oxfordshire’s Cornbury Park, 3rd-6th August, offers The Chemical Brothers, Christine & The Queens, Fatboy Slim, feasting with Adam Handling & Olia Hercules, mindblowing boutique camping options, theatre & more; visit wildernessfestival.com
Fancy a trip to the past, maybe with a hair do to match? Enjoy vintage steam at Retrofestival in Newbury, 11th-13th August; retrofestival.co.uk
Stowaway near Buckingham will stimulate all the senses, starring David Rodigan, Irvine Welsh, Little Dragon, with feasting, revelry & more, 18th-20th August; stowawayfestival.co.uk
Retro fave Rewind South in Henley 18th-20st August will star Soft cell, The Boomtown Rats, and many more; south.rewindfestival.com
It’s time to go deeper! Chapter Two: The Twin Trail is the theme of the fabulous Boomtown. The team are building the Main City for a revitalised living theatre festival on the theme of The Gathering, 9th-13th August in Hampshire’s Matterley Estate, boomtownfair.co.uk
Jools Holland will also headline at Weyfest, the boutique festival at Tilford’s Rural Life Museum, 18th-20th August. weyfest.co.uk
Wondrous Towersey Festival will bring you comedy, music & fun, 25th-28th August at Claydon Estate near Buckingham. The line-up includes The Proclaimers, Frank Turner & The Divine Comedy; towerseyfestival.com
Reading (& Leeds) is back to rock the August bank holiday weekend, 25th-27th August. Sam Fender, FOALS, Loyle Carner, Billie Eilish & The Killers are on the line-up; readingfestival.com
Big Feastival on Alex James’ Cotswolds farm will serve family fun, food and frolics, 25th-27th August. Perennial favourite Justin Fletcher will delight along with Sigrid, Rick Astley, Blossoms, Melanie C & a DJ set from Hot Chip. Food stars will sizzle, including Big Zuu, Ching He Huang MBE, Asma Khan & Nathan Outlaw. Alex says: “With even more fantastic acts to be announced in the coming weeks, this is shaping up to be our best line-up yet.” Check out the full menu at thebigfeastival.com
Want to win tickets to The Big Feastival? Find out how at the bottom of the article.
Love cars, love music? Then you’ll love CarFest, the family music & motoring festival founded by Chris Evans in 2011, at Laverstoke Park, 27th-29th August; carfest.org. Car-lovers will also enjoy The Billing Off Road Show, home to the most exciting off-road courses in the country; thebillingoffroadshow.co.uk
Wallingford’s BunkFest is in its 21st year. The free-access community festival returns with its winning brew of beer, music and dance, 1st-3rd September; bunkfest.co.uk
Curated by Dub Pistols frontman Barry Ashworth, in association with Tonic Music for Mental Health, Mucky Weekender at Vicarage Farm near Winchester, 8th & 9th September, stars The Selecter, Stereo MCs, Goldie, Bez’s Acid House Party, Woody Cook, Eva Lazarus, Stanton Warriors & more with an outer space dress code. Visit mucky-weekender.co.uk
