Out & About August 2017

OA food & drink

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tipples

Seeing as summer is in full swing, here are some top tips for al fresco drinking for picnics and outdoors. I would also like to welcome two newcomers to the Newbury drinks scene – Inn at home in Newbury and GrapeSmith in Hungerford, both of whom have great suggestions.

Chill that crunchy Loire red I absolutely love eating outside. While on holiday abroad is there anywhere else to eat? Now that summer is here we can all dine al fresco here in lovely West Berkshire. Obviously, sales of rosé and white wine predominate in summer, but nothing quite beats a chilled red on a hot night and this is just the one to try. Domaine Mortier is a small, nine-hectare vineyard located in the Saint Nicolas de Bourgeois AOC, in the Loire valley. The two brothers Fabien and Cyril Boisard started Domaine du Mortier nearly 10 years ago and have been making outstanding wines from the start. They are passionate about developing the

Being a Provence Rosé it will have the beautiful salmon pink colour that we look for and will be crisp and dry to boot. Partner with a picnic and you can do no wrong. Not cheap but just gorgeous.

palate of flavour that really sets this gin apart. £29.99 a bottle from The Naked Grape, Hungerford

2016 Touraine Sauvignon, Domaine de la Bergerie A lovely, grassy Sauvignon just perfect for sitting in the garden at the end of the day. Domaine de la Bergerie is a family estate run by siblings Rodolphe and Ludivin. The domaine’s holdings include 15 prime hectares of Sauvignon Blanc, growing

£24 a bottle from Majestic, Newbury Heart of the Barossa, Shiraz,

Dandelion Wines There’s nothing like a good rich Barossa Shiraz in the great outdoors. This is a wine made from parcels of old vines where the dandelions have been left to grow unhindered (providing weed control and then mulch). The wine is terrific. Intense crimson with youthful purple hues. Generous, mouth-filling Naked Gin, 40% On a hot summer’s evening a good stiff gin and tonic is a must. And here’s just the gin to try. Exclusive to The Naked Grape and to their own recipe, this smooth textured London dry gin is the one to be drinking this season. Juniper and citrus fruits abound, with a subtle and refined wide

on southern exposed, flint and pebble plots,

overlooking the river Cher. A very pale, lemon-green colour, this 2016 Touraine Sauvignon is wonderfully aromatic, combining notes of floral elderflower with ripe greengage and gooseberry. Light and lively on the palate, this is a supple, harmonious, silkily textured wine, which positively dances over the palate. The finish is

life of the soil and plant crops within their vineyard to enhance the diversity of the soil and the flavours found in the wine. This is a very practical method to promote eco-diversity to create stunning wines. Absolutely perfect with cold cuts and barbecued burgers. £18 a bottle from GrapeSmith, Hungerford Whispering Angel, Provence Rosé One of the great classic wines from Provence, if you are after a brilliant wine that is refreshing with smooth strawberry flavours then this is the wine for you.

sweet blackberries, raspberries and plums cover the palate with lashings of sweet spice. Firm but fine tannins and dark chocolaty nuances continue throughout the lengthy palate with a youthful finish. Yummy! £14.95 a bottle from Inn at home, Newbury

zippy, fresh and satisfying. £10.50 a bottle from Haynes Hanson & Clark, Whitchurch Summer Wheat Ale 500ml 5.5% If you’re not sure what season it is the label puts you right. And this is all about summer in a bottle showing lovely balance and freshness. A cracking unfiltered wheat bier. Definitely one to try. £3 a bottle from The Naked Grape, Hungerford

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