Latest news with #Rathfinny
Daily Mail
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
How to spend a weekend in Alfriston, East Sussex
SATURDAY 10am Check-in at The Alfriston (doubles from £150 per night, isn't until 4pm, so we drop our bags, score a coveted table at tearoom The Singing Kettle (above) and order an English breakfast tea (£3.50), iced oat latte (£4.20) and sausage sandwiches (£7.75 each). 11.30am Time to explore the medieval High Street. We admire the timber-framed cottages, marvel over the antiques at Emmett & White, peruse the designer archives at the Dressing Room (above), and flick through the secondhand volumes at Much Ado Books. 2pm At family-run wine estate Rathfinny we skip the tour (£30pp, for sparkling rosé (£69 a bottle) and a cheese and charcuterie plate (£15.50 each) at its outdoor bar. The rolling views of the vineyard and surrounding South Downs are splendid. 4pm Back to The Alfriston. While many original features remain, the 14th-century manor has been renovated – our bedroom has exposed beams, pale blue walls, Pooky lamps on pink bedside tables, and a bed with an upholstered patterned headboard. 7pm Dinner at the hotel restaurant 1554 Brasserie with a bottle of Aix rosé (£50). First, potted smoked trout (£12) and cauliflower popcorn (above, £8) – a favourite, we're told. Then chicken milanese with creamed spinach (£24) and a big portion of fish and chips (£20). SUNDAY 8am Waking early (is it the fresh country air?), we hop from our king-size bed to the hotel's The Orangery for a help-yourself breakfast. There's a decent spread of teas and coffees, yogurts, fresh fruits, pastries and all the ingredients needed to build a full English. 10am With a couple of hours left until check-out, we consider our options. Pétanque on the lawn? A board game in the bar? We opt for a dip in the outdoor pool, but not before slipping on our robes and flip-flops and sweating it out in the sauna and steam room. 12pm Showered and dressed, we borrow Muck boots from the hotel's 'welly wall' and head through the kissing gates behind the hotel for a walk along the banks of the Cuckmere River. We pass grazing cows and cross a footbridge for the return stroll. 3pm Sunday roast in the village at The Star (£30, with its 15th-century façade, oak beams, herringbone brick floor and fiery hearths in winter. We eat in the courtyard then, sated, drop the wellies off, grab our bags and cab it to the station.
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
King Charles and Camilla's favourite sparkling wine has huge discount for English Wine Week - here are the best deals ahead of Wimbledon and Henley Regatta
With English Wine Week in full swing, there's no time like the present to refresh your drinks collection. Taking place from 21 to 29 June, the annual event - organised by WineGB - celebrates the quality, innovation and community spirit of English winemaking, with a strong focus on sparkling wines. This year's theme, Create New Traditions, invites wine lovers to explore and enjoy homegrown bottles in fresh, meaningful ways. And with summer events like Wimbledon and the Henley Royal Regatta just around the corner, there's no better excuse to stock up on something special. Browse our curated selection of standout English sparkling wines at exceptional prices - including a discounted sparkling rosé from Highgrove, the official residence of King Charles and Queen Camilla. Highgrove English Sparkling Rosé NV, 75cl £30.56 Crafted exclusively for Highgrove by Herbert Hall Winery in Kent, this pale pink blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay features aromas of wild strawberry, peach blossom and fresh acidity. It's ideal as an elegant aperitif. Shop Rathfinny Wine Estate, Classic Cuvée Brut, 75cl £33.95 This Sussex sparkler delivers aromas of grapefruit, red apple and brioche, with zesty acidity and a creamy, biscuity texture. Perfectly paired with truffle-infused arancini or a cep and onion tart. Shop Tesco Finest English Sparkling Wine, 75cl £21.50 From the award-winning Balfour winery, this crisp blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir delivers apple, citrus and subtle brioche notes. Best enjoyed chilled as a refreshing aperitif. Shop Flint Charmat White, Norfolk, 75cl £19.80 Made sustainably in Norfolk, this sparkling white features notes of lemon, pear, melon and green apple. Fermentation in oak and tank gives it both depth and vibrancy. Shop Chapel Down A Touch of Sparkle 2022/23, Kent, 75cl £13 One of the UK's leading winemakers, Chapel Down, blends Bacchus and Chardonnay grapes grown in Kent. Expect fresh floral aromas and tropical fruit notes, including pineapple and grapefruit. Shop Furleigh Estate Dorset Coast Special Reserve, 75cl £25 Boasting a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, this sparkling wine is made in the Dorset countryside. It has earned numerous accolades for its refined character. Shop Harvey Nichols English Sparkling Brut NV, 75cl £31 Produced by Digby Fine English, this traditional method blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is aged for two years on lees. It boasts citrus, green apple and stone fruit flavours with a creamy biscuit finish - great with canapés or seafood. Shop Waitrose Leckford Estate English Sparkling Wine, 75cl £30 From Waitrose's Leckford Estate, this one-off vintage offers a slightly sweeter profile with a creamy mouthfeel. Celebration-ready, it's perfect for toasting or enjoying with light desserts. Shop Bolney North Downs Classic Cuvée NV Brut, 75cl £25 An outstanding wine from Bolney Estate, this vintage blend has aromas of green apple and tea roses, with lemon oil and brioche on the palate. It's complex and structured - great with delicate canapés or shellfish. Shop Sainsbury's Ellercombe English Sparkling Wine, Taste the Difference, 75cl £17 Made from grapes grown across top vineyard sites in Southern England, this wine combines Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Expect green apple, citrus, toasty brioche and a hint of elderflower. Shop
