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Devon Wine Week - 24th May - 1st June 2008

After a very successful Devon Wine Week last year, there will be even more to enjoy during the week this year, including new vineyards to visit.

Over the week, there will be something taking place every single day, at the vineyards and participating outlets. A host of different activitites, both informative and entertaining, are being laid on for your enjoyment, giving a wide range of opportunities to get to know these many award-winning wines better, and really see just how versatile and delicious they are.

Vineyards taking part in this year's Wine Week include:
Yearlstone
Pebblebed
Manstreee
Sharpham
Old Walls
Willhayne
Highcroft
Summermoor
Ashwell

Devon's Sparkling Wines vs Champagne:

Following the 2007 Challenge where Devon wines took on the best from New Zealand, the main event of this year's Devon Wine Week will be "Devon's Sparkling Wines vs Champagne" on Wednesday 28th May hosted by Master of Wine Alastair Peecles at the Devon Wine School in Cheriton Fitzpaine, judged to professional standards by some of the top names in the profession.

Background:

The explosion of planting in Devon which began in 2000 has now reached a total of 24 vineyards - up from 6 in the late 1990's. It's estimated Devon wines have already captured 1% of the wine market in their home region. Yearlstone Vineyard near Bickleigh has just been named Fastest Improving Vineyard in England in the presitigious Wine Report 2008. Sharpham Vineyard near Totnes is now selling in excess of 100,000 bottles a year. Pebblebed Vineyard near Topsham won a Gold Medal with its first rose at the English & Welsh Wine of the Year competition. Old Walls, Manstree and others are also making waves in the English wine world.

For more information, please visit www.devonwineweek.co.uk.

Taste of the West Awards 2007 - Devon Winners

Unsurprisingly, at this year's Taste of the West awards, Devon had more winners than any other county in the region - with 22 in total! Please see below details of all the winners and their categories:

Accommodation

Gold - Percy's Country Hotel, Virginstow
Silver - Prince Hall Hotel, Yelverton
Bronze - The Dartmoor Inn at Lydford

Dining Pub

Gold - The Jack in the Green, Exeter
Joint Silver
- The Grove Inn, Kings Nympton
- The Merry Harriers, Cullompton

Tea Room / Cafe

Gold - Georgian Tea Rooms, Topsham
Joint Silver
- Fremington Quay Cafe, Barnstaple
- The Venus Cafe, Blackpool Sands
Joint Bronze
- Food Dreckly - Cattle Market Cafe, Tavistock
- The Venus Cafe, Bigbury-on-Sea

Restaurant

Gold - Ode, Shaldon
Silver - Combe House Hotel and Restaurant, Honiton
Bronze - Cafe Paradiso @ Hotel Barcelona, Exeter

Local Retail Outlet

Joint Gold
- D J Haggett Butchers Ltd, Silverton
- Darts Farm, Exeter
- Real Grub Local Food Centre / Stokeley Farmshop, Kingsbridge
- Lifton Strawberry Fields Farm Shop, Lifton
Joint Silver
- Pipers Farm, Exeter
- Gribbles Butchers @ Delicatessen, Ivybridge
- Jacksons, Newton Abbot
Bronze - Downes Farm Shop, Crediton

Michelin rising star for Combe House, near Exeter

Combe House, near Exeter, Devon has been awarded a Michelin Rising Star for the second year in succession for its culinary excellence in the 2008 Michelin Red Guide, which is one of the most recognised and influential restaurant guides in Europe featuring only 122 restaurants in the UK with one or more stars.

Rising Stars were introduced in 2005 by the Michelin Guide to draw attention to restaurants that represent the gourmet dining 'stars' of tomorrow. Combe was one of just five establishments across the UK listed as being in line for their first Michelin Star.

Hotels and restaurants are visited anonymously on several occasions by Michelin inspectors to gauge the consistent quality of products and services offered to the customer; they settle their own bill. Readers' comments are also a valuable source of information in the selection; inclusion in the guide is free, entries are updated annually and the criteria for the various classifications are the same in all 21 countries covered by the guide.

Combe has won numerous hotel and dining awards since coming under the ownership of Ruth and Kent Hunt ten year's ago, but the tributes for this latest accolade go to the hotel's two resident Master Chefs of Great Britain; head chef Hadleigh Barrett, 30, and sous chef Stuart Brown, 28. "This honour reflects the outstanding contribution to food excellence by our two Master Chefs", said a delighted Ken Hunt. "We owe it to their relentless pursuit for culinary perfection".

According to Hadleigh Barrett, "We couldn't have achieved this without the people who supply us with such superb local home-grown produce. Having the West Country's larder right on our doorstep, means we are spoilt for choice. It makes it a joy to create and prepare dishes full of taste and flavour."

They are ardent about sourcing the freshest and best quality local ingredients for their menus; fish is bought most days from Brixham and hand-reared Ark Chicken from Morestone Barton Farm, Cullompton while the lamb, pork and beef comes from Gatcombe Farm, Seaton. Vegetables are from Bakers Farm, near Ilminster, run by Devon man John Rowswell, and all preserves are made on the premises using fresh seasonal fruit.

Hadleigh's cookery has progressed through his experience at some of the top hotels in the country including two years at the five star Pennyhill Park, Surrey and a year at the two Michelin starred L'Ortolan restaurant in Berkshire. Since joining Combe House in 2001, he has developed his own distinctive style that focuses on using the finest local produce and presenting it in new, exciting and contemporary ways.

Sous chef Stuart Brown came to Combe seven years ago as Chef de Partie from the Horn of Plenty, Tavistock, Devon.

Other recent awards include The Good Hotel Guide, UK Country Hotel of the Year 2007 and the England for Excellence, South West Small Hotel of the Year Gold Award 2007.

Use the following link to find out more about Combe House Hotel and Restaurant.

Blackdowns food and drink guide released

Food and drink lovers can find out more about the whole range of local produce on offer in the Blackdown Hills thanks to a new colour brochure that is now available.

The Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Food & Drink Guide contains information on 40 local producers of all kinds as well as caterers and farm and village shops. The guide was developed by Amanda Binnie, the Blackdown Hills food and drink project officer.

"I am really pleased with the quality of the brochure and delighted that so many different producers and businesses have participated," said Amanda, who is part of the Local Products Strategy (LPS) team based at the Blackdown Hills AONB Partnership.

"Buying locally not only reduces 'food miles' and a lot of unnecessary packaging but also enables people to explore the fantastic range of local produce available on their doorstep."

The booklet includes farm shops, breweries, cider farms, a vineyard, bakeries, trout farms, caterers specialising in local produce, a wide variety of meat producers and many more. There is even a gluten-free pastry company offering a selection of gluten and wheat-free dishes.

"The new brochure certainly demonstrates the wealth of delicious food and drink products available in the Blackdown Hills," said Amanda.

The guide contains information, contact details and websites for 40 food and drink producers and businesses operating in the area, all illustrated on a map. It also has a useful list of all the village and farmers' markets in and around the Blackdown Hills. Many of the producers and businesses listed are shown on the new Blackdown Hills food and drink website - www.blackdownhillsfoods.co.uk

The guide has been funded through the European Leader+ programme and the Rural Enterprise Gateway, with support from the Blackdown Hills AONB Partnership and Somerset Food Links. Copies of the guide are available at Tourist Information Centres in Tiverton and Honiton as well as other outlets in and around the area. Copies can also be picked up from the Blackdown Hills AONB Partnership at St Ivel House, Station Road, Hemyock, or ordered by calling 01823 680626.

Meanwhile, if you would like view and download a PDF version of the guide, please click here.