Press Release

Sharpham wine wins accolade of "best wine to accompany South Devon Crab" from judges during English Wine Week

Celebrating English Wine Week, Visit South Devon has announced the winner of its search for a Devon wine to accompany its famous South Devon crab that has its own Festival dedicated to it during the summer.(30 July - 5 August).www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk/crabfestival

The 2010 Sharpham Estate Selection from South Devon Sharpham Estate was pronounced the winner by a distinguished panel of judges with an honourable mention given to Knowle-based Lily Farm's Brut Sparkling Rosé. Those taking part in the blind tasting of 16 wines from an assortment of producers across Devon included international wine writer Susy Atkins, who is one of the regular wine experts from BBC1's Saturday Kitchen together with Master of Wine Xenia Irwin, local wine merchant Nick Borst-Smith, Ben Foster of Newton Wines, James Dart from Dart's Farm and Jonathan Woollatt from Chris Piper Wines.

The judges were invited to the Devon Country House and Wine School by Visit South Devon and owner and Master of Wine Alastair Peebles to find a wine that would go really well with the assortment of South Devon crab dishes which had been created by Devon Wine School's Carol Peebles from fresh crab donated by David Markham from crab specialists, the Blue Sea Food Company.www.devoncrab.com

The Sharpham wine (£10.95 fromwww.sharpham.com) was pronounced a winner by all the judges with Susy Atkins saying, "It had just the right balance of crisp acidity and juicy fruit flavours to go with the crab." All 16 wines were tasted blind so the judges had no idea of their provenance. A sparkling wine was also given an honourable mention because as Master of Wine Xenia Irwin commented, "It sang out in its glass," and is perfect for those wanting to add some extra fizz to the festivities.

Devon is home to some of the UK's renowned and award- winning vineyards which produce some classic wines but it is particularly fitting that a wine from a South Devon producer has come through in a blind tasting to be the perfect partner for South Devon crab. The winning wine will be showcased at the forthcoming South Devon Crab Festival.

Other Devon vineyards which showed well at the tasting were Eastcott Estate in Northlew, Summermoor Vineyard in Swimbridge, Manstree Vineyard in Shillingford St George, Pebblebed Vineyards from Topsham and Yearlstone Vineyards from Bickleigh.

Susy Atkins commented, "The quality of wine being made in Devon today is very high - hugely improved from a decade ago. Devon's wine scene is now exciting, modern, dynamic - as the line-up in this blind tasting showed."

Stephanie Cherrett, Marketing Manager of Visit South Devon, said, "The South Devon Crab Festival has become a popular annual event for celebrating some of the best food that Devon has to offer and so we thought that it would be a natural progression to invite some of our excellent local wine producers to get involved. We are delighted that the winning wine comes from the Sharpham Estate which is also in South Devon and was judged as the best wine to match the excellence of our tasty crab."

Visitors will have the opportunity to try the winning wine alongside other drinks when they attend one of the new and extended 2012 crab festival events at Dartmouth, Dawlish Warren and Teignmouth.

Highlights of The South Devon Crab Festival 2012 include:

30 July - Festival Launch day

3 August - The South Devon Crab Fete in Dawlish Warren

3 August - Crab Street Party in Teignmouth

5 August - Crab Street Party in Dartmouth with Mitch Tonks and Nathan Outlaw

Photo Caption (L-R) James Dart, Nick Borst-Smith, Xenia Irwin, Susy Atkins, David Markham, Jonathan Woollatt, Alastair Peebles, Ben Foster

Notes to Editors:

The Wines tasted blind were:

Gribbleford White Eastcott Estate, Northlew

Summermoor Dry White Summermoor Vineyard, Swimbridge

Yearlstone No 6 Yearlstone Vineyard, Bickleigh

Manstree Mayval Dry Manstree, Shillingford, St George

Sharpham Estates Selection Sharpham Winery, Totnes

Furzehill White Eastcott Estate, Northlew

Manstree Old Vine Manstree, Shillingford, St George

Pebblebed Rosé Pebblebed Vineyards, Topsham

Sharpham Rosé Sharpham Winery, Totnes

Summermoor Rosé Summermoor Vineyard, Swimbridge

Yearlstone Number 3 Yearlstone Vineyard, Bickleigh

Eastcott Estate Brut Eastcott Estate, Northlew

Yearlstone Brut Yearlstone Vineyard, Bickleigh

Sharpham Sparkling Brut Sharpham Winery, Totnes

Pebblebed Brut Sparkling Rosé Pebblebed Vineyards, Topsham

Lily Farm Brut Sparkling Rosé Lily Farm Vineyard, Knowle

About Devon Wine School

Devon Country House and Wine School run by Master of Wine Alastair Peebles and his wife Carol is a wonderful place to come and stay and enjoy good wine and food. Just 25 minutes from Exeter and set in beautiful rolling countryside the Country House has VisitEngland's highest rating of 5 stars with Gold Award, and also has five very comfortable bedrooms.www.devonwineschool.co.uk

About Visit South Devon

Visit South Devon is the area tourism partnership responsible for promoting South Devon to national and regional audiences. The main aim of the company is to increase the number of visitors to South Devon for the benefit of the local tourism economy. Visit South Devon works with Visit Devon the Destination Management Organization for Devon.

Visit South Devon is a Community Interest Company existing solely for the benefit of the local tourism community. It is a public-private company limited by guarantee and not for profit - ensuring all revenue is put back into marketing initiatives for the area. The company operates a membership scheme for local tourism businesses who want to gain national exposure.

Visit South Devon is funded through membership and South Hams and Teignbridge District Councils but aims to be fully self-financing within 5 years.

For more information about Visit South Devon, go towww.visitsouthdevon.co.ukor contact Marketing Manager, Stephanie Cherrett Tel: 01803 864 894.

For further press information please contact:

Jane Adkins T/: 01935 813114

M/: 07960 698089

E/:jane@aheadforpr.co.uk

Gail Livingstone T/: 01823 252415

M/:07767 055595

E/:gail@aheadforpr.co.uk

June 2012 (VSD 23)