Wine

The South East of England is less than 90 miles north of the French champagne region and has an almost identical geology. So it is no surprise that this is a wine-making area and that the wines are actually very drinkable, delightfully so.

An easy way to get started on visiting these vineyards is to obtain a copy of the "South East England Wine Trail" map guide, published by "South East Food Group Partnership". It lists 20 vineyards with details for each and shows you where they are.

There is an interactive version of the "Wine Trail" and the printed version can be ordered through the same site: www.BuyLocalFood.co.uk

This site name reveals that the vineyards usually sell not only their wines, but also local food products, so a visit is an all-round tempting experience.

These businesses are spread across the region; grapes are grown in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight so getting to one is relatively easy, indeed perhaps more than one in a day ...

Delightful vineyards in the South East include The Wickham Vineyard in Hampshire which supplies wine to the House of Commons, while Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey is one of the largest privately owned vineyards in Europe. Then there's the award-winning Carr Taylor Vineyard in Sussex, which makes still and celebrated sparkling white wines.

It is possible to have a guided tour of the vineyard and its processes and enjoy a wine-tasting. For the really dedicated, there are gourmet breaks which serve up not just wine but fine food to accompany it. That's a real temptation!