Press Release: Grape & Grain Tours announces two new tours in South of England
Grape & Grain Tours, an award-winning* food and drink day tour business in the South of England, has announced two new tours for 2019, the Vineyards of Surrey Tour and the Sparkling South Downs Tour. The Vineyards of Surrey Tour launches during English Wine Week (25th May – 2nd June) and will visit three of the five Vineyards of the Surrey Hills, a newly formed collaboration of five multi-award winning wine producers based in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Sparkling South Downs Tour, departing from Winchester, Hampshire is offered as part of The English National Park Experience Collection, an initiative launched in early 2019 supported by Visit England. Grape & Grain Tours has been selected to provide one of 70 new bookable experiences across nine of England’s National Parks, supported by quality accommodation providers.
Departing from Winchester rail station on 22nd June, 26th July and 24th August, guests will be collected in a luxury mini coach and travel through the stunning South Downs National Park on the way to the first stop, England's oldest commercial vineyard, Hambledon. After a vineyard tour and wine tasting, a delicious two course gastropub lunch and beer tasting will be provided in the picturesque village of West Meon. The last stop is a premium gin and chocolate pairing session at Winchester Distillery with Winchester Cocoa Company chocolates.
Grape & Grain Tours’ owner and tour guide, Joel Eastman, who has over 12 years’ experience in the drinks industry, both here in the UK and in his native Australia, launched Grape & Grain Tours in Hampshire and Surrey last year. He is passionate about increasing tourism and educating in a fun way about the exceptional quality of food and drink that’s produced here in the South of England.
Joel comments: “A recent study by Sojern, highlighted in Travel Weekly last week, found that UK holiday searches and bookings are up by a third on this time last year, with more British holidaymakers opting to take domestic breaks this Summer. Our itineraries are perfect as part of a 'staycation', giving our guests the opportunity to enjoy the English countryside, taste superb quality wine, beer, gin and food and support the businesses in this growing industry.
“2018 was an incredible year for our locally made drinks, particularly for gin, which according to the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, had its best year of sales yet, and English Sparkling Wine, with the high quality, abundant grape harvests across the South of England reaching national news. It’s a great sign of things to come for food and drink tourism in the UK.”
For more information about Grape & Grain Tours, to purchase tickets, personalised gift vouchers or to enquire about private tours and tasting events, please visit www.grapeandgraintours.co.uk or call Joel on 07429 498423.
*Grape & Grain Tours won the Best Food and Drink Event/Initiative at the 2018 Surrey Life Awards