Exclusive Christmas discounts and offers for Stray Ferret subscribersHarrogate villagers bid to set up online wine business from homePop-up wine bar to appear on Harrogate streetDid you know that there’s a vineyard only 12 miles from Harrogate?Boroughbridge vineyard hosts first food and wine fair

A North Yorkshire vineyard is to host its first food and wine fair this weekend.  

Dunesforde Vineyard is a six-acre site in Upper Dunsforth, four miles from Boroughbridge. The vineyard produces cool climate wines in one of the most northerly locations in the UK.

The fair will take place on Saturday (April 20) from 12pm to 6pm. The event is free to attend and will see local artisan food businesses showcasing their products, alongside the vineyard’s wine.

The site was established in 2016 and is owned and managed by the Townsend family. A total of 6,000 vines across four different grape varieties are grown at Dunesforde.

Dunesforde’s head of wine development, Peter Townsend, will host talks throughout the afternoon where visitors can learn about the vineyard and sample wine.

He said:

“Our wines pair excellently with a wide range of foods and it will be fantastic to bring them together with the very best in local artisan food.”

 For more information click here.

The vineyard’s first harvest wines were released in 2019.

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Harrogate pub Christies reopens after refurb

Harrogate pub Christies has reopened after closing for a month-long refurbishment.

The watering hole on Kings Road, owned by Punch Pubs and Co, welcomed customers to take a look at the new-look pub last Thursday.

The building has had a fresh coat of paint and builders have been busy giving the bar and outside a makeover.

Despite some changes, new managers Lee and Ben say every effort has been made to ensure the pub keeps its “traditional unique character and pub-like atmosphere”.

For drinkers there is a choice of five draft lagers, four cask ales and a selection of craft beers.

There is also a finger food menu that includes burgers and hot dogs.

Previous landlords Marik Scatchard and Jo Jarvis left the pub in July after over 14 years.

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Ripon wine experts share top picks for your Christmas gifts and pairings

This article is sponsored by Yorkshire Vintners.

As the festive season draws closer, you might find yourself wondering what to gift that awkward relative – or even how to impress your in-laws with the ‘correct’ wine for each course of your Christmas dinner. Ripon-based wine merchant, Yorkshire Vintners, is here to help ease that stress.

Since launching over a decade ago, Yorkshire Vintners has been supplying Michelin Star restaurants, pubs, bars, hotels and event venues with wine and spirits. The experienced team offers a professional, knowledgeable, and friendly service at the store on Ripon Business Park – with free off-street parking and even a tasting room!

Yorkshire Vintners is now open every Saturday until Christmas, giving you even more chance to discover your new favourite drink. Saturday shoppers will also receive a complimentary glass of mulled wine.

With over 1000 wines and spirits on offer, there’s a lot to choose from – so here are Yorkshire Vintners’ top Christmas picks.

Christmas Wine Cases

From £95 for six bottles

Sorting out Christmas food is stressful enough; ditch the hassle of also picking your tipple with an expertly curated Yorkshire Vintners Christmas wine case.

Each case contains six bottles of either red or white wine from around the world, and a tasting sheet with great Christmas food pairing suggestions.

With three price levels of cases, each made up of six bottles, you’ll be free to enjoy your celebrations. Prices are £60 for an Everyday case, £95 for the Discovery case, or £150 for the Classic Christmas case.

Within the Red Discovery case, you’ll find the Queulat Cinsault Gran Reserva 2016 Ventisquero, with aromas of wild berries and spices, which is delicious with roasted turkey.

Or if you prefer a white wine, why not pair your cheeseboard with the White Discovery case’s Riesling ‘Riverbank’ Wente Vinyards, USA dry white wine, which features fresh aromatics of pear and honeysuckle.

Order your Christmas wine case here.

Nyetimber

The Nyetimber range

From £29 for a classic cuvee bottle

The full range of Nyetimber English sparkling wine is available at Yorkshire Vintners. Situated in the rural heart of the South of England, Nyetimber uses only the finest estate-grown fruit to craft these award-winning, world-renowned wines.

Classic Cuvee, Nyetimber’s signature wine, is a classic blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier and offers a balance of elegance and intensity. It’s perfect when paired with delicious seafood, especially smoked salmon or scallops.

When you buy six bottles of Nyetimber (including mixed cases), you’ll receive a free Nyetimber ice bucket.

Order the Nyetimber Classic Cuvee here.

Maple Falls Mulled Wine

Maple Falls mulled wine

£4.95 per bottle, or a case of six for £27

This aromatic, fruity and spicy mulled wine is rich in orange, lemon and hints of red berry fruits balanced with traditional spice aromas of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. It’s a Christmas classic that’s delicious served warm for a traditional mulled wine infusion, or cold as an ideal base for seasonal punch.

Top tip: pour a few bottles into a slow cooker, add some halved oranges with cloves pushed into the skin, some cinnamon sticks, rosemary, and a dash of fresh orange juice. Leave to slowly heat up (making sure not to boil), then ladle into glasses or mugs and enjoy on a cold evening.

Order the Maple Falls mulled wine here. 

Spirit of Yorkshire Cream Liqueur

£29 per bottle 

As a rich, luxurious, and warming, award-winning Cream Liqueur, this is a fantastic local alternative to Baileys.

Yorkshire single malt whisky and single malt spirit (made with 100% homegrown barley) have been gently married together with the richest dairy cream to create a beautifully balanced and complex cream liqueur of exceptional quality and flavour.

It’s best enjoyed on its own, either straight-up or over ice – so simply pour generously. The stunning bottle also makes it a fantastic Christmas gift.

Order Spirit of Yorkshire’s cream liqueur here. 

Graham’s Tawny Port 

Graham’s Tawny Port

From £7.50 for a 200ml bottle

With its nutty character and fruity bouquet, tawny port is a fabulous pairing for dark chocolate, fruit cake, or sweet deserts like apple pie or creme brûlée. In the 200ml size, prices start at £7.50 for the 10-year-old, £10.50 for the 20-year-old, or £16.50 for a 30-year-old. For a perfect present, try the gift set which includes one of each age at the discounted price of £32. If you really want to impress, there’s also a 4.5litre bottle of Graham’s 10-year-old Tawny port in a wooden box, priced at £235.

Discover Yorkshire Vintners’ range of Graham’s Tawny Port here. 

Order online to collect in store, or use code northyorkshire10 to receive free delivery anywhere in North Yorkshire. Pre-order before Friday 17 December for delivery or collection in the week leading up to Christmas.

Visit the Yorkshire Vintners shop at Unit 2, Ripon Business Park, or www.yorkshirevintners.co.uk to find out more.

Vineyard mural celebrates Aldborough’s rich Roman history

The owner of a vineyard near Aldborough has commissioned an 18-square metre mural that recreates how the village looked 1,800 years ago in Roman times.

Aldborough, which is near Boroughbridge, was the administrative centre of the Roman empire in northern Britain, with a population of 3,000, which was similar to York at the time.

Archaeologists found a tablet in the Roman fort of Vindolanda at Hadrian’s Wall, which referred to wine in production at Aldborough.

It inspired Ian Townsend, the owner of Dunesforde Vineyard, to commission what he believes to be the first-ever painting of what Roman Aldborough is thought to have looked like.

Dunesforde Vineyard, which was created in 2016, produces 3,500 bottles of white, rose and sparkling wines a year.

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Working in acrylics, Leyburn artist Lynn Ward took six months to complete the work, which spreads across six boards.

It features almost 1,400 people, 86 horses, 18 dogs, a tiger fighting a gladiator in the amphitheatre and a vineyard.

Mr Townsend hopes the artwork will attract visitors to the vineyard all-year round.

“Everyone involved has worked hard to ensure that this portrayal is as accurate as possible.

“Attracting visitors to your vineyard is relatively easy during the summer. But tempting people at other times of the year can be more of a challenge. We hope this wonderful work of art, along with our other wine-related artefacts, will help attract people all year round.

“Aldborough, or Isurium Brigantum, to give it its Latin name, was an incredible place. It had an amphitheatre, a forum, heated baths, a temple and we have reason to believe there was a vineyard there too.”

According to Mr Townsend, Roman wine was very different to what is produced today.

He added:

“They added a lot of honey so the wine was sweet, and some would water it down. Drinking wine instead of untreated water meant there was less chance of becoming ill. Modern technology would suggest that today’s wines would be superior in quality.”