Eight years ago, before I started my food tourism journey in Chester, I enjoyed a glass of wine. But, if I’m honest, my appreciation for the magical world of the grape was fairly limited.
Red wine was my go-to, usually ordered with confidence, but without really knowing why I liked it.
Fast forward to today and things have changed rather dramatically.
Since launching Walking Food Tours UK in 2018, I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside some truly brilliant independent venues and passionate wine people. Places like Vin Santo, A Tavola, Lunya, Bunch, and Queens Wine Bar and Bistro have all played a part in opening my eyes, and my tastebuds, to the incredible diversity of wine.
One of the best parts of hosting food tours is that you’re constantly learning. Venue owners and sommeliers love sharing the stories behind the bottle, and when you’re guiding thousands of guests from around the world, those conversations naturally rub off on you.
Before long, I was tasting wines I’d never even heard of before.
Orange wine? English sparkling? Welsh wine?
Suddenly, wine became less intimidating and far more exciting.
Taking the WSET Level 2 Course
Encouraged by my good friend Mikey Fell, I decided a few months ago to enrol on the WSET Level 2 course.
Now admittedly, the opportunity to sample around 40 wines over three days definitely helped with motivation!
But what surprised me most was just how fascinating the course was.
Learning about grape varieties, climate, food pairing, wine regions and production methods genuinely transformed how I experience wine. You stop simply ‘drinking wine’ and start appreciating the craftsmanship, geography and stories behind every bottle.
Thankfully, I passed the exam – much to my relief – and Mikey and I are now even more passionate about showcasing brilliant wines and the superb independent venues serving them.
Mikey, with a little support from me, leads our Liverpool Wine Tour, while I host our Cheese & Wine Tour in Chester. And honestly, seeing guests discover a new favourite wine for the very first time is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
English & Welsh Wine Is No Longer a Secret
Unless you’ve been living under a very large cork, you’ll probably have noticed that English and Welsh wine has exploded in popularity over the last decade.
And deservedly so.
What was once viewed as a novelty is now earning serious recognition. Producers across England and Wales are creating wines that can comfortably sit alongside some of the best-known names in the world.
One reason for this success is geography.
Much of southern England shares the same chalky soil structure found in the Champagne region of France, which is ideal for growing classic sparkling wine grapes such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
Add in a cool climate that helps grapes retain freshness and acidity, plus a wave of passionate producers investing heavily in quality, and you can see why English sparkling wine is making serious waves.
But it’s not just about sparkling wine anymore.
Still wines from England and Wales are growing rapidly too, with producers creating increasingly impressive Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Bacchus and rosé wines.
Welsh vineyards are also expanding, with ambitious plans to grow the industry significantly over the next decade.
What I particularly love is that many of these vineyards remain fiercely independent and proudly local – something we’re massive supporters of at Walking Food Tours UK.
Introducing The Cheshire Wine Experience
Which brings me nicely onto something we’re incredibly excited about.
Keen to showcase fantastic local producers and create even more memorable food and drink experiences, we’re launching our first special vineyard experience in partnership with Goldford Wines.
And yes, this one involves slightly less walking and a little more relaxing, because there’s a mini bus involved!
The experience gives guests the chance to escape the city, visit a vineyard, meet the makers, hear their stories and, most importantly, taste the wines right where they’re produced.
For us, that connection between producer and guest is everything.
Wine always tastes better when there’s a story behind it.
Discover The Cheshire Wine Experience
We’ve got plenty more exciting food and drink experiences in the pipeline too, and myself and the team genuinely can’t wait to welcome more guests to discover incredible independent venues, producers and wines with us.
Cheers
Gareth 🍷
