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surreylife.co.uk | January 2018 Welcome... 2018 Your ultimate guide to the year ahead in

PLUS: The Esher restaurant with a celeb chef following Why you New year should visit FITNESS Haslemere 1 QUIRKY What’s next for ’s alternatives Wildlife Aid to the gym Foundation? Television and stage actor STEVEN TOMPKINSON £3.99 on his love of WEYBRIDGE ARE WE NEARLY THERE YET? CONTACT adeleparks.com @adeleparks With bestselling author Adele Parks

THIS month, my insatiable quest to discover Surrey’s many treasures, took me to the Wine Estate, in . Family owned and run since 1984, Denbies vineyard was planted in 1986, and has become one of the largest wine producers in the UK. Competing on an international level, Denbies have won multiple gold awards for sparkling wine production. Not adverse to a bit of sparkle, I wanted to know more about what’s being produced with such flair, on my doorstep. On this occasion I ditched my family (my husband is teetotal) and invited three friends along for a day out. My friend, Sam, kindly offered to drive, undoubtedly the short straw when heading off to a wine tasting experience and I doubt she was much amused by the constant and keen repetition of the question, “Are we nearly there yet?” the equipment used in the wine While we are not ladies who production. The aroma was lunch on a regular basis, we took Bottoms up! wonderful, yeasty, fruity and up this opportunity with notable promising. I was proud of my enthusiasm. The chance to sample Despite being the first to admit she friends who asked questions. some English sparkling wine can enjoys a glass or two of wine, bestselling Their intellectual curiosity induce severe keenness, I find. author Adele Parks has never visited the disguised my sharp desire to get We were booked on the indoor to the tasting part! wine tour, although outdoor tours vineyards on her doorstep. This month, she That took place in the are offered when the weather is sampled some award-winning home-grown atmospheric cellars, where we more clement; I’m certainly keen wine at Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking sampled three different wines; to go back in autumn when there’s Demi-Sec, Whitedowns Brut the possibility of picking fruit. and Greenfields. Gently opening The vine and dine experience the bottles with a hiss, our offers a snapshot of the working marvellous guide effortlessly day at a vinery. As the work is no Don’t forget to gifted us phrases that we can all drop by Denbies doubt backbreaking, a snapshot Wine Estate from use at future dinner parties to seems suffice! Monday January impress our guests. We know a Our tour started in the winery’s 29 to Sunday bit about the size of the bubbles, flat screen cinema, where we February 4, when where the taste happens on the watched an interesting film, The the winning tongue and can now speak with Vineyard Through the Seasons. snaps from some confidence about the grace, We learnt about the geology Surrey Life’s the liveliness and the intensity. Beautiful Surrey and history of the estate and Sipping was encouraged, spitting Photography were given some idea about the Competition will was optional. changes (and challenges) that the be on display in Denbies has a small art gallery, vineyard faces. I learnt a lot and the gallery. a comfy café, a village green farm surprised myself by cultivating a shop and a gift shop, but we chose genuine appreciation of the wine to finish our day in the third- making-process – from vine to floor Gallery Restaurant, which bottle – previously I’ve been offers spectacular views reaching more concerned with bottle to Above: Adele over Box Hill and the North glass, to mouth. with her friends Downs. The seasonal menu was While walking through the at Denbies impressive, delicious, we didn’t Left: Some of the working winery, we were given vineyard’s want to leave. Sam’s big tip, leave a guided commentary regarding sparkling wines your car at home. Š

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