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.
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.
At last the weather is being kinder and we feel like getting out into our gardens. The CGS pruning courses are in full swing and many students are volunteering their gardens for a summer prune!
Rambling roses
Some roses flower once, spectacularly, in early summer. American Pillar, Rambling Rector, Wedding Day, Banksia and many others are a delight when scrambling through trees, over pergolas and even over arches and along ropes. Unlike other roses these are pruned after flowering to remove flowered branches and tie in new ones. They really are not for the faint hearted and many mistakes have been made. They are happiest rambling through a large tree or hedgerow where they can be left without pruning like our native dogrose.
Fruit trees
Trained apples and pears are summer pruned by reducing the long growths to a couple of buds encouraging fruit spurs. This helps keep them tidy and reduces growth as well as allowing light and air into developing fruit. Best done in August/September otherwise you may be doing it twice! Plums, Cherries, Almonds, Apricots and all stone fruit should always be pruned in summer and never in winter due to disease risk. It’s easy to remember just prune when picking!
Spring flowering shrubs
These include Weigela, Forsythia, Chaenomeles, Philadelphus, Deutzia, Syringa and Kolwitzia. I see many of these trimmed with hedgecutters and clients wonder why they have never flowered. This is because they flower on two year old wood so if trimmed every year you are cutting off next year’s flowers. I prune ornamental quince (Chaenomeles) constantly in Summer so you can see the flowers and developing edible fruit. It fruit on older wood and you can clearly see where it flowers if you look carefully. If any of these shrubs have become overgrown and need cutting right back you can start the pruning regime again after the second year.
Wisteria
This needs it’s own heading!
Anyone who owns one will know how mad it can grow in the summer. Cut off the long whippy shoots to a shorter one ready for the February prune. Don’t start too early after flowering or you will be repeating it several times! Leave until September if you can but sometimes it does need an untangle from tiles, drainpipes, sky dishes as well as preventing it actually growing into windows!
Evergreens
Hedges, topiary and large evergreen shrubs can be pruned all Summer to encourage new growth and regeneration. Laurel hedges should be done with secateurs to avoid leaf shredding. New hedges should be left until they reach the desired height before pruning the tops but do a formative prune to encourage side shoots.
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.
We chat to Marc Almond of Soft Cell who will headline at Rochester Castle Concerts as well as Peter Hook, the Sugababes and more, 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th July
Q. What is your favourite festival moment?
“I have had so many. 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.”
Q. Which performer are you most excited about seeing this summer?
“OMD are always special, and I love Glen Gregory and Heaven 17.”
Q. Do you have anything on your rider?
“I have the most basic rider of tea, honey and lemon. Preparation for most performers is a set routine you go through – I do some vocal warm up exercises (though never enough) and begin getting ready about an hour before.”
Q. What’s your earliest memory of music?
“I had young parents who were always listening to music, this would be the early 1960s and I suppose in many ways they were quite ‘on trend’ then.”
Q. Who was your hero growing up?
“Marc Bolan and David Bowie – they both spoke to me about being outsiders, exploring gender and image, and I loved the theatrics and performance art surrounding them. It was through them too that I was introduced to a wider genre of musical styles.”
Q. What are your festival survival tips for those venturing on their first one (or parents preparing to send their youngsters off on one!)?
“I don’t think I’ve ever been to a festival, outside of performing at them. It comes from the fact that I was relatively young when Tainted Love was a hit and being recognised so easily you tend to shy away from large gatherings. But my nephews go to festivals and their tip is get a £10 motion detector alarm to put in your tent when you’re not there. It will deter thieves!”
Soft Cell headline Rochester Castle Concerts Friday 7th July, at Rochester Castle in Kent. The festival runs across four days from 6th-9th July and also features Nile Rodgers & Chic, Sugababes, Icognito, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Ibibio Sound Machine & Peter Hook & The Light who support Soft Cell on the 7th. For tickets please visit Rochester Castle Concerts.
Liz Nicholls chats to the pioneering DJ & record producer Roni Size, 53, ahead of his star turn at Readipop Festival in Reading on 14th July
Q. Hello Roni. What’s your first memory of music?
“I’m fortunate: I was brought up in a family of music because I come from Jamaican descent. Every weekend, whether it was my parents’ house or a cousin’s house they would have a gathering with lots of reggae music, soca, Red Stripes for the adults. We’d be sent to bed early; you could still hear the beats of the bass and the chattering of voices from downstairs. The sounds helped me fall asleep, and they’re embedded into me. I’d wake up in the morning and the house would be back to normal so it would be like some kind of musical dream.”
Q. Can you tell us a bit about Sefton Park Youth Centre & what a difference it made to your life?
“Yes. This was a building I stumbled on by accident with my cousins – we used to wander around St Andrews, where I lived in Bristol. There wasn’t much to do there. I wasn’t a fan of school so I didn’t really go; they didn’t mind, they didn’t care. The youth centre had a bunch of guys and strong-willed women who would ask you what you wanted to do, not tell you what to do, like a curriculum. They got some nets for us to play basketball, but I wasn’t that good because I’m only 5ft8. They asked what else we might like to try and we said photography so some people gravitated towards that. I said I liked music so they got turntables, a sound flow, mixer, some second-hand records and I loved that. It escalated into them building a studio, which became the Basement Project.
I used to spend all my time here, and became one of the tutors. The kids would say ‘what are you doing’ and I’d say ‘well, I’m learning how to scratch, how to mix, how to work the sound flow, work this drum machine…’ and they’d say ‘oh can you show me?’ OK! That’s how I became a youth worker. That was it for me – from there on in I was in the dark basement, making music and showing the kids how to make music. We started to use it as an outreach project and that was my calling, working five days a week, showing people how to make music. So many people who are successful in music in Bristol have gone through Sefton Park.”
Q. The Readipop charity team offer a lot of support with mental health. How do you take good care of your mental health?
“That’s a great question. I’ve gone through stages. You start off making music surrounded by people who are your best friends, who’ve got your back, then you drift apart… and that’s a story in itself. It can affect you mentally. The internet and social media seemed a great way to reconnect with old friends when it came in at the beginning, but it’s not real. I think being on social media is a challenge mentally: people are clicking the camera and smiling, then as soon as the camera’s off they’re dead inside, and that is a real issue. I don’t have the answers but it helps my own mental health to leave my phone off for two days – if I can – and just do my thing, go to the studio, enjoy making music. I keep myself active, have a routine. I’ll get up and do my 20 push-ups or 20 pull-ups and then I’ll make breakfast. I make sure I’ve got something positive to counteract whatever negative is coming; the news doesn’t help. There’s a lot of stuff out there that works against us so find what works for you.”
Want to keep reading?
Download the FREE Round & About App to view the full article.
We’re serving up summer sensations thanks to Sally Codling, a chef at Gordon Ramsay Academy in Woking
Chef Sally’s pea scotch eggs
Offering a change from the normal sausage meat, these vibrant green, fresh & herby Scotch eggs are vegetarian; perfect for summer picnics or lunches al fresco. Serve warm with a little salt.
Ingredients
• Six eggs • 1 tsp olive oil • 3 shallots, finely chopped • 250g frozen peas • Few sprigs of mint, leaves picked • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • 40g Pecorino cheese, finely grated • 40g plain flour • 60g panko breadcrumbs
Method
1. Half fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Gently lower in four eggs (saving two for the coating) and cook for six minutes. Lift out using a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of iced water to cool completely. Carefully peel the eggs (they will feel soft so be gentle) and set aside. 2. Add the oil to a medium frying pan over a low heat and fry the shallots for 5-8 minutes or until softened. Add the peas and cook until defrosted, about two minutes. Tip into a food processor with the mint leaves and season to taste. Blitz until to a rough paste. 3. Scrape the mixture out into a bowl and mix in the Pecorino. Leave to cool. 4. In the palm of your hand, flatten a heaped tablespoon of the cooled pea mixture. Put a peeled egg in the centre and carefully push up the edges of the mixture to cover and enclose the egg. 5. Carefully roll into a ball and repeat with the other three peeled eggs and pea mixture. Place on a baking tray or plate, loosely cover and chill for 30 minutes to firm up. 6. Put the flour in a shallow dish. Beat the remaining two eggs together in another dish and spread out the breadcrumbs in a third. 7. Roll each ball first in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs to coat. 8. Preheat a deep-fat fryer to 180°C. Carefully lower in the eggs (you may have to cook one at a time or in batches to stop the oil temperature from dropping too much) and fry for 2-3 minutes or until crispy and golden brown all over. Scoop out onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain any excess oil. 9. Sprinkle with a little salt and serve warm.
This hearty salad from Chef Sally is packed with fresh herbs to give it tons of flavour, while the addition of punchy blue cheese and bulgur wheat make it feel like a substantial meal in itself. Celebrate new-season asparagus in spring and early summer, or you can use courgettes, green beans, peas or cucumber as alternatives.
Ingredients
• 150g bulghur wheat • 250ml water • Sea salt • 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 2-3cm lengths • 75g pumpkin seeds • Large handful of parsley, roughly chopped • Large handful of mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped • 200g Gorgonzola (optional) • Pecorino, to serve (optional)
For the dressing
• Zest and juice of two lemons • 100ml olive oil • 1tsp Dijon mustard • 1tsp runny honey
Method
1. Add the bulghur wheat and water to a pan, season well with salt and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and take it off the heat. Leave to sit for 20 minutes. 2. Once all the water has been absorbed, take the lid off the pan and allow to cool. 3. Fill another pan with water, season with salt, bring to the boil and blanch the asparagus for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. 4. Mix together all the dressing ingredients (in a bowl or pop in jam jar and shake together). 5. Mix the asparagus, pumpkin seeds and chopped herbs through the bulghur wheat. 6. Pour over the dressing and toss well. Crumble over the Gorgonzola in rough chunks and shave a little Pecorino over the top with a vegetable peeler. Ready to serve alongside any barbecue!
Maracas player, party animal & dad Mark Berry, AKA Bez, 59, shares his thoughts on music & life
Q. Who was your hero growing up? And now?
“George Best, and when I got a pair of his boots I was so excited I thought I was playing for Manchester United myself! And now it has to be my lovely wife Firouzeh.”
Q. What’s your first memory of music?
“Listening on my uncle’s headphones to The Beatles and wondered how adults enjoyed the music as at the time I thought it was for children.”
Q. What’s your best festival memory, and why?
“The year The Happy Mondays headlined Glastonbury – we took our own laminating machine and printed so many passes for all of our friends backstage, it looked almost as busy as it was out the front of the stage.”
Want to keep reading?
Download the FREE Round & About App to view the full article.
Summer holidays and longer warmer days are just begging to be filled with fun and with so many attractions and events to enjoy, you’re spoilt for choice
Bracing yourself for cries of “I’m bored, what can I do?” Don’t fret, there are so many activities and events on offer to entertain the little ones and not so little ones this summer, they’ll soon be wanting time to just do nothing!
Hatchlands Park is bringing everything but the sea to Surrey this summer. Children will love dressing up and captaining the straw bale boat in the Walled Garden complete with ship’s wheel and bell! There’ll also be games and sports on the lawn and early years play by the new donkeys’ stables. Inside the house, discover extracts from the letters between Admiral Boscawen and his wife, Frances and explore the fascinating stories of some of the sailors who sailed with the Admiral. Plus outdoor theatre in the evening! www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/surrey/hatchlands-park
Journey back through British motorsport and take a trip in a vintage-style car up the infamous Test Hill or along the Members’ Banking of the old race track at Brooklands Museum near Weybridge.
There are animals to view and pet at Godstone Farm, hop on-board the popular tractor ride, explore the indoor and outdoor play areas or simply enjoy the cute farm animals. Want more animals? Merrist Wood near Guildford has recently been granted a zoo license, so this summer you can get up close to an amazing array of animals.
Here’s a different but charming way to spend a day during the hols. Meet The Llamas at Merry Harriers where every Saturday you can dine and meet the furry creatures. The trekker will take you to the field where you can feed them, stroke and learn a little about the lovely herd of 12 llamas. Book at [email protected]
Bucks
For a more relaxed day out explore the woods at National Trust property Hughenden during the school holidays with geocaching. Compete against each other in garden games or croquet on the lawn. Dress up in costumes for the performance stage area and get creating in crafting workshops. Booking not necessary for the Summer of Play which runs from July 22nd to September 4th.
Buckinghamshire’s much-loved family arts and literature festival, WhizzFizzFest, is back for 2023 and this year it’s going on tour over three weekends in July sharing the creative activities and memorable experiences all on the theme of friendship. Sunday 2nd, WhizzFizzFest @Aylesbury on Sea with Aylesbury Town Council lands in Vale Park bringing a vibrant celebration of children’s creativity alongside plenty of beach-based fun at Aylesbury on Sea. Saturday 8th WhizzFizzFest @Desborough Carnival with High Wycombe BIDCo for a celebration of music and culture, free creative workshops, circus performances, street entertainment and more. WhizzFizzFest at Hats Off Chesham with Chesham Connect celebrates Chesham’s High Street, with added creative fun for all the family. Music, magic shows, crafting, climbing walls, giant bubbles and more on Saturday 15th – just don’t forget your hat!
Zip wires, Tarzan swings, rope ladders and a variety of obstacles and crossings are the challenges in store at Go Ape Wendover Woods. High up in the Chilterns, the leafy hideout is a hidden gem in the county and includes an ‘extreme’ site where you can take on the thrills and spills of the Chilterns Crossing and the Monkey Shuffle among other feats. Tree Top Adventure gives younger adventurers a chance to battle through obstacles and fly down zipwires with over 30 different crossings and two 80m zipwires for your little monkeys to try out.
Oxfordshire
Experience the thrill of being a medieval falconer and get up close and personal with magnificent birds of prey. Witness these graceful creatures soaring through the air, diving for their prey, and showing off their incredible hunting skills in Oxford Castle & Prison’s Castleyard on July 22nd. Join Knight School this summer there too. Don your armour, sharpen your sword and prepare to set out on a quest. Join in the Castleyard for medieval weapons training, jousting and archery – all under the supervision of the Castle’s knights. Once you’ve been trained, you will be knighted and presented with your own sword to take home. Select dates between July 24th and August 14th.
Abingdon’s Abbey Meadows is the scene for The Puppet Theatre Barge, one of the UK’s most unique venues, a 50-seat puppet theatre inside a converted Thames barge. The theatre will visit Abbey Meadows this summer with their new show The Selfish Giant, a puppetry production for all the family from July 22nd to August 13th.
Cogges Manor Farm‘s legendary Beer and Cider Festival is back with a bang on August 5th. Join them for a celebration in the Barns, for the 10th annual festival. Try over 40 different craft beers and 15 ciders, with live music to get the crowd dancing if the beer doesn’t help to loosen your inhibitions. The historic farm is also the location to enjoy summer theatre in the barn with Wind in the Willows on July 9th while Illyria bring Pride and Prejudice to the lawn on July 11th and Robin Hood on August 23rd.
Keep younger members of the family amused with Oxford Playhouse shows during the holidays including Zog, July 18th to 23rd, with his adventures through dragon school; go on an interactive adventure around the brain with Mind the Monsters at BT Studio, July 19th to 30th for 5-11 year olds. Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour is the ultimate curiosity adventure with monster trucks, excavators, and garbage trucks galore. Shake your wiggles out and OJ Twist your way through this brand-new musical party from August 15th to 26th for 2-7 years.
West Berks & Wiltshire
Wildfest 2023 on July 15th is BBOWT’s summer celebration at the Nature Discovery Centre in Thatcham. Guided walks, talks, music and family activities will fill the day, with local food and drink to enjoy. The newly-refurbished visitor centre offers a fun day out while the lakeside location is a haven for wildlife, woodland and trails to explore. bbowt.org.uk
The beautiful surroundings of Shaw House are the setting for a Summer Fair on July 16th where you can browse over 45 craft stalls from local makers with hot food and drinks from local caterers. Live music, craft activities with Ugly Duckling Pottery, performances from Mr Muddle the Magician and children’s rides will add to the fun and don’t forget your four-legged friend to enter into the dog show.
A monster truck display and rides, a motorcross display team, skydiving and aerobatic flying displays, hot air balloons, arena displays, live music and fireworks are all part of the attraction at Newbury Summer Fest on July 22nd, new for 2023. This big family day out is the way to start your summer holiday.
Top Gun: Maverick screams across the open air big screen at Cobbs Farm, Hungerford on July 22nd and there’s Shakespeare in the Garden the same night at The Hinds Head, Aldermaston when four actors will play numerous parts in Open Bar’s production of Twelfth Night.
Berkshire
All summer long you’re invited to come and play at Basildon Park. From July 1st to August 31st, take part in a variety of outdoor play activities. Test your skills on the wild play trail, where you can balance on logs, create your own ball run, and explore the great outdoors. Or try your hand at some lawn games, perfect for a family friendly competition. For the more active family members, there are a range of outdoor games to keep you moving. Don’t forget to take a picnic and enjoy a break in the beautiful grounds. Go along and join an adventure-filled summer at Basildon Park.
Building Royal Connections: Three women of Greys Court is a new exhibition running at the charming Henley property from July 20th until the end of October. Learn about the exceptional lives of three women, and how their influence contributed to the shifting landscape of Greys Court. Enter the worlds of Lettice Pennyston (c.1485-1558), Katherine Carey (1523-69) and Lettice Knollys (1543-1634).
Silent Summer Screenings are your go-to outdoor cinema for an unforgettable movie experience this summer. Whether you’re looking for a romantic night out, a family-friendly activity, or just fun with friends there are a variety of movies to choose from including at Henley’s Mill Meadows where you can enjoy Notting Hill on July 13th and Cool Runnings on July 14th.
Hants
Here’s a great way to get the summer off to a spectacular start. The Vyne Music Festival runs at the popular National Trust site from July 7th to 9th with three nights of music featuring Feel Good Friday when The FB Pocket Orchestra come complete with all of their electronic gadgets and the Still Moving DJ’s with their upbeat vibes, live percussion, ships’ lanterns, original vinyl records, gramophones, tankards and…dinosaurs! Absolutely Elton John takes to the stage on Saturday with a Gin & Jazz Party rounding off the weekend when you can grab your pearls and party like it’s 1929! Booking essential, https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/hampshire/the-vyne/events
The Vyne is also the setting for some fabulous outdoor cinema in July. Watch Elvis, 28th; Dirty Dancing, 29th; Top Gun, 30th and Mamma Mia, 31st. On August 5th join the star-crossed young lovers Romeo and Juliet as the Lord Chamberlain’s Men invite you to take your seat under the night sky. Bring your picnics, blankets, camping chairs and torches to the north lawn for an evening of lively entertainment. Book at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/hampshire/the-vyne/events/d865e0b2-8794-48f2-a1b1-38f149970531?origin=search
This summer, join young Mary Lennox on a journey of discovery as she is sent to her uncle’s house in the countryside, where mysteries and secrets lurk around every corner in The Secret Garden… As she makes new friends and encounters magical creatures, Mary has one burning question: where is the location of her uncle’s secret garden, and where has he hidden the key? This enchanting story, loved by children and adults alike, is presented in the historic surroundings of Winchester Cathedral’s Lower Deanery Garden. Relive this tale of secrecy and curiosity in what will be one of the highlights of the summer on July 29th. Book at winchester-cathedral.org.uk/event/the-secret-garden-by-chapterhouse-theatre-company/
Want to keep reading?
Download the FREE Round & About App to view the full article.
Book your tickets to enjoy Sigur Ros at wonderful Wasing Estate on 2nd July
As far as life achievements go, soundtracking David Attenborough’s Planet Earth II for the BBC, as well as being the only band in the world to have acted in both Game Of Thrones AND The Simpsons is pretty unbeatable.
Step forward Icelandic rock royalty Sigur Rós who this week surprised fans with the release of ÁTTA , their first new studio album in ten years.
Sigur Rós are set to play a rare UK live show at Wasing Estate, near Aldermaston as part of this summer’s On The Mount At Wasing series of outdoor concert spectaculars.
Widely-known for their track Hoppipolla which soundtracked David Attenborough’s TV series, Sigur Rós will play as a UK outdoor festival exclusive nestled amongst the beautiful treescape in Wasing’s natural amphitheatre on Sunday, 2nd July.
ÁTTA, their first studio album in more than a decade – released on the same day they headlined the prestigious Meltdown Festival at London’s Royal Festival Hall, their only other UK live show of 2023.
Few bands cut through the noise and distractions of the world to bring you a pure elemental truth or feeling like Sigur Rós. As can be heard on ÁTTA (which boasts collaborators including the London Contemporary Orchestra), there’s a renewed compulsion and drive to the band that comes with the new formation of their line-up. Multi-instrumentalist Kjartan Sveinsson is back in the fold – having left the band in 2012 – to join frontman Jónsi and bassist Georg Holm.
In a post-pandemic world torn apart by war, economic turmoil, culture wars, and brutally divisive discourse, Sigur Rós’s music feels like a balming and unifying bond.
Talking of the new album ahead of the band’s Berkshire live show, Jonsi said: “We wanted the music to be really sparse, floaty and beautiful. When we do this, we always talk about each album as if it might be the last. We’re always thinking about climate change, doom-scrolling and going to hell. The world felt a bit bleak making this album, but maybe there is hope. When there is darkness, there is light.”
Sigur Rós (plus special guest Bat For Lashes) play Wasing Estate, Berkshire on Sunday 2nd July 2023.
egendary Abbey Road in the UK and a number of studios in the US.
The wondrous Wasing Estate is the suitably dramatic setting for the only UK date on the otherwise sold-out Sigur Ros tour. Final remaining tickets available now via ticketmaster.co.uk/on-the-mount-at-wasing
Think you know Portuguese wines? Round & About’s wine columnist says it’s time to drink again as he explores the cool climate wines of the Douro Valley
One of the great joys of wine is discovery. From new vintages of old favourites to wines from regions you’ve not encountered before, there’s always something to arrest your attention.
Every now and again, however, you come across wines that are not merely surprising but revelatory. Such epiphanies don’t come often, but when they do, they can change the way you think about wine.
I had just such an experience last week when I toured Portugal’s Douro Valley. To most wine lovers, the Douro – and Portugal as a whole means one wine, port. That fabled, seemingly immortal fortified wine is one of the world’s greats, but as I discovered on my trip, there’s a lot more to the Douro than just port…
“Fresh, elegant, tangy, and precise.” These are Portuguese tasting notes I’ve published precisely once, just now. Until recently, I thought of Portuguese wines as being big, intense, powerful wines which can take years of cellaring to open up, and that was just the whites. My recent trip showed me how things have changed. A quiet revolution has swept winemaking in this stunning land, and now delicate whites and refreshing, complex reds are popping up all over the upper reaches of the valley.
The Douro Valley: A Hotbed of Cool Climate Wines
So, let’s set the scene. The Douro Valley lies in northern Portugal on schist – I said schist – and granite soils. With steep slopes, plenty of sun and just enough rainfall, it’s an ideal place to produce grapes. Here endeth the Wine Spirit Education Trust (WSET) lesson. What WSET doesn’t make sufficient note of is the region’s altitude. The Douro can rise to over 700m, which provides the cool conditions required to produce fresh, elegant, tangy, and precise (second time) whites, reds, and even ports, as the following show.
The Pedra No. 03 White Port, Quinta Da Pedra Alta NV (N.D. John Wine Merchants £17.95)) tastes as good as it looks. And let’s face it; it looks beautiful. Three firsts for me here. One, being offered a cocktail – Pedra No. 03 with tonic – at a wine tasting. Second, tasting a white port I loved – I’ll be discovering unicorns next. And thirdly, being told by a winemaker not to worry too much about the grape mix. Portugal has more native grapes than any other country in the world – 250+. Chilled on its own, this presents a lovely peach, pear and honeysuckle nose with just a hint of almonds. In the mouth, it’s generous, flavoured with a combination of white berries, grapes, citrus and honey. There is sweetness, but the freshness keeps it balanced and clean. This crowd-pleaser is well-worth seeking out.
As our guide, the amazing Ana took us through our itinerary; a question popped into my head. ‘Does Portugal make sparkling wine?’ Before I could ask, she told me we’d be tasting several, and the Chão da Portela Bruto was my favourite. Traditionally made, it showed a nose of apples, peaches and yeast, while on the palate, there were tropical fruits, red apples, melon, red berries, and creamy yeast. A great fizz for what I suspect will be a great price, given what it goes for in Europe; it’s not imported to the UK yet, but when it does come in, stock up.
What can I say about the Manoella, Douro Branco, Wine & Soul 2020 (Tanners £17.95). Well, fresh, elegant, tangy, and precise are all terms that spring to mind (third time). There’s serious complexity here, too though. Layers of green and white fruits, lemons and a good dose of minerals produce a wine that’s made for seafood or white meats, which has the capacity to age and develop.
Port producers have been at the vanguard of these new Douro wines, and Kopke’s Quinta Sao Luiz Colheita Branco (Ocado £12.50) is excellent. Mid-gold in colour, there’s freshness and depth on the nose with musky, orange blossom notes lifted by grapefruit and lemon. The palate’s weighty, full of yellow plums, peaches and apricots, before a strident fresh acidity comes in at the end.
Stepping up a level, we have Quanta Terra ‘Terra a Terra’ Branco (FESTA £21.50). Lemons, limes, and grapefruit make for a mouth-watering opening before apples, peaches in syrup, and green herbs are added to the mix. This is a seriously good wine which has the power and persistence to go well with everything from pork to hard cheeses.
And so, to the reds. I’ve had hundreds of Portuguese red wines over the years. Generally, they’ve been excellent, on the weighty side, and great value. The 2018 Pedra a Pedra Tinto (Taurus Wines £16.99) shows two of these characteristics, but rather than being weighty; it’s lively, red berry driven and soft as a sigh. Raspberries, strawberries, and redcurrants are all on show, with an undercurrent of spices, herbs, and a touch of creamy vanilla—just the thing for roast lamb or roasted vegetable couscous.
The Pedacos Grande Reserva 2018 is another wine that isn’t imported as yet. This is a great shame as it’s a fantastically food-friendly wine. I tried it with wheelbarrow barbecued steak, and it was a marriage made in heaven, even if the nuptials were conducted in an alley behind the winery. Deep brooding colour, I thought it would be an old school bruiser, but beyond the plum, cooked blackberry, and cherry fruit, there was a vibrancy that was fresh, elegant, oh, and tangy. This has time on its side, and it’ll be fascinating to see it and how the Pedacos winery evolves.
I’ll finish, as so many great meals do, with a vintage port, the Quinta da Pedra Alta 2018 Vintage Port (Bancroft Wines £50.99). Vintage port is a rare wine, the product of a single year’s harvest; it makes up a tiny proportion of the port houses’ production, but it is often the wine they are judged by.
At best, it’s sumptuous, complex, rich, and capable of ageing for decades. What it never is, especially in youth, is fresh, elegant, and tangy. The Quinta da Pedra Alta 2018 is, and it’s all the more joyous for it. Even at this tender age, it offers masses of sweetly toned black fruits, cherries, figs, prunes, and herbs, but it does so in an elegantly balanced way. Whereas most vintage ports are about as wieldy as the Isle of Man when young, you could drink this now with food as table wine. It’s that refined and approachable.
I hope you will give Portuguese wines a try – particularly these new-wave wines from the Douro. They can be sensational and make for fascinating drinking.
Next time out, barbecue reds.
More soon…
Giles
Wine Tourism has been extremely popular over the last few years, either through organised tours or so-called DIY trips. If you’re thinking of doing one, I’d strongly recommend the Douro. The region is stunningly beautiful, the wineries are welcoming and the range of wines on the show is as breath-taking as the views.
