The Chronicle
Latest dispatches
19 results across all types
- news
From Last of the Summer Wine to Yorkshire’s Wine Town — How Holmfirth Became the Place for Plonk in God’s Own Country
How Holmfirth swapped Last of the Summer Wine for two vineyards, buzzing wine bars and a spot on the new Yorkshire Wine Trail.
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Picnics in the Vines: Vineyard Picnics for National Picnic Week
Celebrate National Picnic Week with a vineyard picnic - from luxury hampers to BYO blankets among the vines.
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Welsh Wine Week 2026: A Guide to Welsh Vineyards and Tastings
For ten days each spring, Welsh vineyards open their gates, lay out the glasses and let you taste what they have been quietly getting very good at. Welsh Wine Week 2026 runs from 29 May to 7 June — the sixth edition of the festival, organised by the Food & Drink Wales Drinks Cluster and...
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How English Sparkling Wine is Made: A Guide to the Traditional Method
English sparkling wine is having a remarkable decade. It is made using exactly the same method that gives Champagne its bubbles — the traditional method, or méthode traditionnelle — but on chalk and flint soils that are geologically continuous with the great vineyards of the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims. The grapes are...
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The Best UK Vineyards with Restaurants (2026 Guide)
English vineyard dining has come of age. A decade ago, “lunch at a vineyard” usually meant a sandwich on a picnic bench. Today the country’s leading wine estates run proper restaurants with serious chefs, Michelin recognition, AA Rosettes and the kind of dining-room views that make Tuscany look overrated. This is a guide to the...
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5forests Acquires Wine Cellar Door, Completing an End-to-End Platform for the Wine Customer Journey
The acquisition brings together agency, research, and consumer discovery under one roof — and expands Wine Cellar Door’s reach to four new markets. London, 21 April 2026 — 5forests today announced the acquisition of Wine Cellar Door, the UK’s leading independent guide to vineyard visitation in England and Wales. The move completes a flywheel spanning...
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Birthday Tasting for English Wine Week
I’ve talked before about tastings with friends and this being both English Wine Week and the birthday of one of our group, I was asked to run a suitable tasting. I’ve just been away for a short trip to Devon and hadn’t had time to stock up or to visit vineyards in advance, so I...
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Solo Vineyard Visits – A Great Day Out on Your Own
It may sound a wee bit daunting, but have you ever thought about spending time at a vineyard on your own? Maybe it’s a gorgeous sunny day, your friends or family are all busy, and you just fancy a glass of delicious wine and some peace amongst the vines. It’s not like visiting a pub...
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All About Visiting a Vineyard – What You Need to Know
I’m sure that most of you are wine lovers out there, but have you ever enjoyed a vineyard visit? If you’ve not had the pleasure of spending quality time in a glorious vineyard in the UK, this summer is a perfect time to start. Most vineyards that are open to visitors only do it for...
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English White Wine Grapes: A Guide to UK Varieties & What They Taste Like
England and Wales now produce a wide range of still white wines — crisp, aromatic, mineral, off-dry and everything in between — made from a mix of cool-climate German crossings, classic French varieties and a few delicious oddballs. Most are lesser known than Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, but they thrive in our cooler climate and […]
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The One About White Wine Grapes
As well as world-class sparkling wine, the UK also produces wonderful still white wines from a variety of grapes. They are mostly lesser known than the likes of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, but nonetheless very drinkable. Most of these grapes thrive in our cooler climate. This is a short guide to the characteristics of some...
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UK Vineyards with Alfresco Dining: Picnics, Terraces & Outdoor Eating
Come the warmer months, there’s nothing quite like eating outside, and few places do it better than a UK vineyard. Picnic baskets in the rows, wine gardens with chalk-soil views, terraces facing the South Downs, summer wine bars, alfresco BBQs in the vines: this is a guide to the best UK vineyards for outdoor dining, […]
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Vineyards with al Fresco Dining
Come summer, the British do their best to recreate that classic holiday feeling by eating outdoors – perhaps more this year than ever before. And what could be a better option than one of our glorious vineyards, surrounded by rolling hills and leafy vines? We’ll take a look at some vineyards where you can dine...
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Tasting Wine with Friends
I belong to a wonderful wine tasting group called The Early Swirlers… because that’s what we do, we just can’t wait! We met many years ago at formal wine appreciation classes with German wine expert Michael Schmidt but sadly he returned to his homeland. So, rather than join another class, we decided to do it...
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The Mixed Blessings of Budburst
April is both an exciting and a nerve-wracking month in a UK vineyard. The vines will be stirring and the new shoots eager to emerge after the long winter, but there is still the possibility of a late frost which can damage that delicate new growth. What is Budburst? The warmth of spring awakens the...
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A Time for Riddling and Disgorging Sparkling Wine
The aging cellars of wineries, that stood silent over winter, are now coming alive with the noises of riddling and disgorging. As the vines outside are prepared for the coming year, the time has come to ready the sparkling wine bottles. Preparing for Second Fermentation In the traditional method, the still wine made immediately after...
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Ever Wondered what’s the Messiest Job in the Winery?
The elegance and sophistication of wine does not lend itself to the image of winemakers covered in wine and spent grapes. But so often, art and chaos go hand in hand. You couldn’t imagine an artist finishing a masterpiece and not being covered in paint. So, is there a “messiest” job in the winery? Yes....
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What each grape variety brings to the party
Back in pre-COVID-19 times, we were no strangers to arriving at a party with a bottle of wine in hand, but what does each grape variety bring to that party? We’re breaking down the three grape varieties key to creating our English Sparkling wines, and taking a look at Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs...
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Vintage, Non-Vintage or Multi-Vintage Wines
The world of wine is a pretty great place but all the terms can be off-putting. Here, we explore what vintage, non-vintage and multi-vintage wines are. This applies to wines from across the world, but we’re going to focus on wines from the UK. If you are shopping online or in-store, you’ll notice that they...