Events and News

English Food and Wine Festival 8 June 2019

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO TASTE AND BUY AWARD-WINNING ENGLISH WINES AT THE ENGLISH WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL, June 8th 2019:
BRIGHTWELL VINEYARD, SHILLINGFORD ROAD, WALLINGFORD, OX10 8LJ
Vineyards in The Thames & Chilterns Region are toasting the bountiful 2018 harvest, by holding an English Wine & Food Festival at Brightwell Vineyard, Wallingford, OX10 8LJ on Saturday 8th June 2019, where members of the public will have the unique opportunity to taste, compare and buy award-winning local wines in one beautiful location.
The public can meet winemakers, growers and a Master of Wine specializing in English Wines and learn more about the grape varieties that do well in our climate. Exotic names like Bacchus, Ortega and Phoenix rub shoulders with classic varieties like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, to produce superb wines that reflect the local terroir. Pairing the wide range of crisp, fruity wines with freshly made dishes on offer will make the Festival a must-visit event for wine-lovers and foodies alike.
Wine tastings, vineyard walk and local artisan food and craft suppliers will make this a lively, informal and informative afternoon - a real celebration of the wonderful variety of wines and food that the Thames & Chilterns Region has to offer. 

Opening Times: 11am to 5pm on Saturday 8th June 2019
Entrance: £2 per adult, Children free
 
Venue address: Brightwell Vineyard, Shillingford Road,
Wine Tastings: £10 for 10 tasting (early Bird tickets £8 online through EventBrite)
Activities: wine tastings and sales, vineyard walk, meet the producers, local vineyard information, local artisan hot and cold food, pay bar, local crafts.

Bothy Vineyard Celebrated 40 Years in 2018

25 May 2018 Press Release - Bothy Vineyard, Oxfordshire’s oldest vineyard-winery turned 40 years in 2018. 

There are several reasons for celebration. Besides turning 40, Bothy Vineyard had just successfully bottling its 2017 Vintage.  After several years of being hit by late frosts, the vines came through this cold winter and spring with virtually no frost damage.

“When the vineyard was first planted in 1978, those were pioneering days.  In the early years of the industry no one knew which grapes would do best in our climate and what the productivity would look like. The founders Dorothy and Roger Fisher, however, astutely found a site with 20 feet of sand, sheltered from the winds and in a relatively dry rain shadow. It has not always been easy but forty years on we are still here and producing excellent wines. We are celebrating the founder’s foresight and extending the tradition of wine making in the Vale of the White Horse for many more years!”

English Wine Week  Open Days CANCELLED

Tours

Book now for a personal and informative 2 hours tour of the vineyard.  The season starts towards the end of April and end in September.

Drop in Tour dates will take place at 2 pm on the last Saturday of each month from April to September. Please ring to make sure you have a space tel: 01865 390067.

If you would like to organize your own tour or join an existing tour booking, click here for more information.

​Help needed from Local Businesses to gather More Corks

​Bothy Vineyard has found a way of making corks work harder. Besides using corks to stopper their own wines, this local vineyard is now collecting its used corks and passing them onto Recorked UK, a cork-recycling programme that then donates a penny for every cork collected to a local wildlife charity.

Bothy Vineyard is Oxfordshire’s official collection point, having sent over 7000 corks to Recorked UK.  There is a huge UK demand for this wonderful natural material, which is not currently being met.  The White Hart at Fyfield, Cherwell Boathouse and the Oxford Wine Company are just some businesses that have agreed to give their old corks to this cause.  Can your business do the same?

Please contact Sian Liwicki at Bothy Vineyard, by ringing 01865 390067 or emailing office@bothyvineyard.co.uk
​
Bothy Vineyard has always placed a huge emphasis on sustainable practices – recycling, re-using, energy conservation and wildlife protection.  However this is the first time that a real opportunity has arisen to save corks from landfill.