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Focus Winter 2017
When the world’s finest wine tasters gathered in Burgundy
recently to test their skills, the French confidently expected
to demonstrate their prowess. Instead, France suffered
what L’Express news magazine described as the “ultimate
affront” of finishing nine places below Britain in the
24-team contest.
The championships were won by Sweden with 115 points
while British tasters scored 107 to come second. France gained
just 75 points. The result underlined large gaps in French wine
culture, observers said. “Every French person thinks they are a
connoisseur but we only know our own wines and not those
from other countries,” said Philippe de Cantenac, organiser
of the event for La Revue du Vin de France, a wine market
magazine.
Now in its 30th year, the World Cheese Awards is the
largest international cheese competition on the planet.
This year British cheeses featured in the awards with over 10
obtaining the coveted status of Super-Gold allowing them to
be entered into the super 60 list of top cheeses in the world.
Most of the winners have websites which we have listed
below. So if you want to find out about these prize winners
or buy some of the cheeses please go to the appropriate
website.
Super Gold British Cheeses :
Brinkburn : Northumberland cheese company
www.northumberland-cheese.co.uk
Rachel and Pave Cobble : White Lake Cheese Ltd
Yorkshire Pecorino : Olianas Super Gold
www.olianas.co.uk
Montgomery’s Extra Mature Cheese :
J.A. & E. Montgomery
Kit Calvert Old-style Wensleydale : Wensleydale Creamery
www.wensledayle.co.uk
Saval : Caws Teife Cheese
www.teficheese.co.uk
Harrogate Blue : Shepherds Purse Cheeses
www.shepherdspurse.co.uk
Spenwood : Village Maid Cheese Ltd
www.villagemaidcheese.co.uk
Cornish Kern : Lynher dairies Cheese Company
www.lynherdairies.co.uk
Brighton Blue : High Weald dairy
www.highwealddairy.co.uk
Chestnut Group Ownership :
The Black Lion, Long Melford Opened October 27
th
2017
The Pack Horse Inn, Moulton
The Rupert Brooke, Grantchester
The Northgate Bury St Edmunfds
The White Horse Easton
The Blackbirds Inn, Wood Ditton
Philip Turner said, “Our aim is for The Black Lion to be a place
that locals are proud of and a destination of choice for the
growing number of visitors to the area each year. We are a
Suffolk-based business investing heavily across the region to
showcase what East Anglia has to offer in terms of food,
attractions, countryside and hospitality.”
The Black Lion has 10 rooms including family rooms plus a
restaurant and Bar
https://www.theblacklionhotel.com/
Tel: 01787 312356
British Wine Experts stun the French
Wine tasters at work
The Black Lion, Melford
British Cheeses win Super-Gold
Brinkburn
Chestnut Group Buys The Black Lion
The Black Lion hotel and restaurant in Long Melford has been
the recent subject of a major refurbishment following its pur-
chase by The Chestnut Group.
The Chestnut Group was established in May 2012 by Philip
Turner, who had the vision to create a family of hostelries,
under the Chestnut umbrella, which would defy pigeon-holing
into the standard classifications of pub, hotel or restaurant, but
be simply synonymous with a great experience.
The group’s continued development strategy is to identify and
purchase freehold sites in the East Anglian region, which as a
result of under capital investment, are not delivering their full
potential. The group has so far bought 6 establishments
including The Black Lion and now the refurbishment is
complete the Lion is open for business.