“This is the life,” my husband whispered as we walked upon a bank beside the river Orwell on the Shotley Peninsula at the weekend.
Looking out to the Port of Felixstowe as the usually baked mud flats swelled at high tide, a refreshing breeze whooshed between us – blissful respite from the dry, oppressive heat of the surrounding fields.
It's a lovely part of the county for a stroll. Especially at this time of year, when wading birds flutter over the water, and with a bounty of sea aster and samphire ripe for the picking.
We often take in a circular walk here, stopping for a drink at Shotley’s harbour. But on Sunday managed to bag a few coveted seats with friends at Shotley Vineyard for pizza and wine.
I can think of few better ways to spend an hour or two than nattering over good food and wine, followed by a stroll, and the vineyard has been on my must-visit list for a while.
There are just a few opportunities left this year to try out one of their rustic dining experiences – which have proved so popular over the last two summers, selling out quickly.
A short drive down the charmingly-named Frogs Lane will lead you to the top parking field. Leave your car here and amble down through the vines to the cellar door shop. It’s a simple affair – a few shaded benches, and seating in the modern building itself (usually reserved for tour guests). But the sense of peace and calm is priceless.
Various foodie traders have set up camp at the vineyard over the past month or so, including barbecue maestros Que & Hollar. This day it was lovely Paolo and Chiarina of Reggia Pizza, who hands-down make some of the very best pizza I’ve eaten in Suffolk. The kind that has an impossibly puffy charred crust, sweet crushed tomato sauce, real mozzarella, and authentic toppings.
Booking via Shotley Vineyard is simple. Tickets are free, and you pay for food and drink when you arrive. This system means the venue and food vendors know exactly how many they’re catering for – and waiting times are barely noticeable.
Within less than 10 minutes of ordering, we were tucking into lunch. For him, a puttanesca smothered in kalamata olives, salty capers and umami anchovies, and for me the Vesuvio, spread with spicy ‘nduja, and an added portion of fried aubergine from the seasonal special).
Both pizzas worked a charm alongside Shotley Vineyard’s wines – which is the whole point. Owner Charlotte Davitt-Mills has selected food businesses she knows will go down a treat with her vintages.
Charlotte, who took on the established vineyards in 2017 with her husband, and now manages 16 acres (even growing commercially for the likes of Camel Valley Vineyard), has worked hard to ensure Shotley’s bottles are of the highest quality.
Tasting the samples, she’s done a grand job.
The 2021 sparkling, for example, stands up to some of the best of British. Produced using the Charmat method (like prosecco) the wine blend has been steered away from Champagne’s ‘holy trinity’, with Charlotte choosing instead to combine French and German varieties – Chardonnay, Auxerrois, Seyval Blanc and Reichensteiner.
The result is an almost crystal clear, effervescent glass, with a touch of creamy vanilla on the nose, and flushes of stone fruit and citrus...without that biscuitty, malty finish redolent in English and French fizz.
Shotley Vineyard’s Bacchus is in its third vintage. Bacchus grows very well in East Anglia, and has proven a hit with consumers, who love its juicy similarity to Sauvignon Blanc. Charlotte’s Bacchus is a smooth, easy summer drinker. Served chilled, but allowing the glass to warm gently in the hands, the off-dry wine lingers on the palate with elderflower, gooseberry and lime.
The vineyard’s third success story is its Pinot Noir. English red wine is rare as hen’s teeth – many winemakers afraid it won’t stand up to the complexity of full-bodied Old World varieties.
But there’s a lot to be celebrated in this young wine. Served lightly chilled, it’s soft, plummy and bright. Just the thing to serve with cheese and picky things when you’ve got friends over.
The trio of wines can be sampled if you visit the vineyard from 10am to 2pm Friday to Sunday, when it’s open to the public for coffee and cake.
And just three events remain for the summer and autumn.
This Saturday (August 20) a few slots are available for Pizza in the Vines with Taste of Naples (5pm to 6.30pm). On August 27 book for the Sparkling Cocktail Evening at 7pm (tickets are £5, redeemable against your first drink). Finally, learn the art of coffee cupping on September 18 (£20).
Find out more at shotleyvineyard.co.uk
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