What is Regenerative Agriculture?
My name is Alexa Young
Humans have farmed for the past 12,000 years. But over the past 100 years, farming changed beyond recognition. While crops have produced unprecedented yields, much damage was done. Now there is a new way forward: regenerative agriculture. It holds the potential to feed the world, rejuvenate ecosystems and revive dead soils.
Farming is a key opportunity in the fight against climate change and in the regeneration of soils. As the latest report from the Soil Association shows, the UK organic market grew by 5.2% in the past year, its tenth consecutive year of growth, breaking through the £3 billion threshold for the first time.
Image copyright The Regenerative Viticulture Foundation
New York Wines - Three Wine Men
...That isn’t the only similarity between the burgeoning scenes in England and New York State. Both are moving fast with producers working hard to define the unique cool-climate character of their wines and there being a strong camaraderie between producers – each pushing their shared category forward.
Both represent an opportunity for wine drinkers to seek out and engage with young industries of small-scale producers with youthful international distribution networks and therefore limited visibility in export markets compared to the well-established set.
Championed strongly by somms and the wine trade and gaining traction with wine-drinkers locally in their respective markets (having New York City and London on your doorstep as a producer is no bad thing…), both English and New York wines still need to be intentionally sought out in the other’s market. They reward the intrepid explorer – and I get the sense that both are on the up… the wine drinkers of the next generation won’t have to search so hard… get involved now and you’re sticking your mark on their history.
Perfect Pale Ale - Five Hops You Should Know
My name is Alexa Young
There’s more to beer than meets the eye. Pale ales, with their hop-forward character, originally came about in the 1700s when brewers in England started making beer with malt that had been roasted with a fuel that had a high carbon content and low smoke yield. This gave it a paler colour than the popular porter of the time.
Like grape varieties in wine, there are lots of hop varieties and they grow in cool-medium warm climates the world over, from Belgium and California to Kent in the UK. Each has its own distinct characteristics and a brewer can alter the taste of the finished beer depending on when they add them to the brew – before the boil they bring bitterness in varying degrees, after they express their aromatics more clearly.
Here are the five you should know to really get the most from your Pale Ale.
Tom shares his top five picks for Christmas reds under £20
Summer Road Old Vine Grenache, £8.49
Country: Australia
Why I Like It: It isn’t just about rich, classic reds at Christmas. You need some freshness and lift in your day too. This is a smashable, lighter-bodied, red cherry and raspberry-scented grenache from old vines that offer way more character and charm than your average. Fresh acidity and soft tannins mean you could even chill it if you like.
Pair It With: Duck, turkey or goose – basically any type of fowl. I can even imagine this working with a hot smoked salmon fishcake.
Cheese & ham toastie, and Garnacha
... I find myself alone downstairs seeking something easy to take the edge off the week-so-far and anything I can grill in five minutes on the George Forman for dinner. Nutrition, be damned.
My mind wanders to El Berrakin. Snuffling about the place and bumping things over. Nudging the sofa and denting the plumped cushions. All muscle and stiff hair and tusks. That’s a good idea. Let’s have some of that, I think. And a cheese and ham toastie.
El Berrakin is the brilliant Grenache (Garnacha, we’re in Spain here) made by Daniel Ramos in the little-known, mountainous wine region of Gredos, near Madrid. The wild boar warning sign on the label gave me the excuse for the ridiculous intro. This is incredibly pure and bright, medium-weight, cherry and red berry fruited, elegant Grenache. A long way from the ripe, dark fruits and stewed strawberry, chewy wines I so often associate with this grape. If you like new world Pinot Noir, you’ll be enthralled by this...
