The Sun Inn Promotes English Wine Week with Special Dish Pairings

The award-winning Sun Inn, in Dummer, Hampshire, is promoting English Wine Week (May 27 – June 4) with special dish pairings to encourage customers to swap best-sellers like Prosecco for English Sparkling.

The 2 AA Rosette and Michelin Bib Gourmand gastro-pub hopes to build on its reputation for seasonal cuisine and local produce by using the week to shout about their favourite English wine producers: Hattingley Valley (Hampshire), Camel Valley (Cornwall) and Chapel Down (Kent).

According to the English Wine Producers trade body, a record 1m vines will be planted in Britain in the next 12 months. This will allow growers to produce 2m more bottles of wine a year, making it one of the fastest growing agricultural products in the UK. The number of acres planted with grapevines in England and Wales has grown by 135% over the last 10 years.

Working in collaboration with drinks supplier Matthew Clarke, on the menu at The Sun Inn during English Wine Week is: lamb loin and faggot served with roasted carrots, apricot, spinach, black olive, crushed new potatoes, crispy onions and a red wine jus paired with Chapel Down Union Red 2014/15. A dessert of white chocolate cheesecake served with macerated strawberries, basil and almond praline is paired with Hattingley Valley Entice 2016. The food and wine pairings will be promoted on the menu, blackboards, email campaigns and across social media.

Gordon Stott, The Sun Inn’s landlord and head chef, believes promoting English wine is another step in the right direction for socially responsible pubs looking to support UK food and drink producers and the wider economy.

Gordon says: “While 'locally sourced' has become a buzzword for gastro-pub menus across the UK in recent years, this passion for regional support hasn't so far translated to the wine menu. Customers have been less inclined to step outside of their comfort zone, remaining loyal to the likes of Prosecco.

“We're always pleased to support initiatives like English Wine Week as it offers us the chance to give customers a point of difference to drive footfall, but also reflects our passion for supporting the wider British food and drink industry."
To find out more about English Wine Week at The Sun Inn visit www.suninndummer.com or call 01256 397234.

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