There is something magical about the sound of a cork popping on a bottle of sparkling. That joyous little sound signals something special. A good bubbly turns the ordinary into the extraordinary, whether for a celebration or no real reason. I am often reminded of Madame Lily Bollinger who, talking about Champagne (but could equally be applied to fine English sparkling!), once famously said:
"I drink Champagne when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it — unless I’m thirsty."
On the culinary front, for me, truffles evoke the same sense of jubilation. Winter truffles are my favourites; I love Périgord truffles (native to southern Europe) and have a passion for Alba truffles. I even went on a ‘pilgrimage’ to the Italian town, home to the eponymous white truffle.
Truffles and bubbly - a match made in heaven
Sampling prized truffles AND fine sparkling wine directly at source is just my thing, and happily, if it is yours too, you don’t have to leave these shores to get your fix. You can experience premium examples of both delights and go on a truffle hunt right here in the UK, in the beautiful Surrey Hills to be precise.
High Clandon Vineyard Truffle & Cuvée Experience Day
High Clandon Vineyard - in East Clandon, Surrey - is hosting its Truffle & Cuvée Experience Day on Saturday, February 15th, coinciding nicely with the romantic celebrations of Valentine's Day.
The family-run vineyard is renowned not just for its exceptional cuvées but increasingly for its prized black Perigord truffles, which can be found in its truffière (that is, its secretly located truffle orchard).
Truffle & Cuvée Experience Day - something unique
Master truffler James Feaver of the English Truffle Company will give the lowdown on these rare, delicious 'black diamonds' aka Périgord truffles in High Clandon's cosy art-filled ‘Glass Barn’ whilst you enjoy a coffee. You’ll learn what makes these truffles so exceptional, how they grow, and how they can transform a dish into something extraordinary before heading off into the truffière with James and his trusty truffle dog for a hunt.
Then it's back to the Glass Barn for a delicious two-course lunch with wine followed by a talk about and tasting of High Clandon’s multi-award-winning English sparkling wines (find out more about the Shakespearean Cuvée 2019 Prestige Vintage Brut and the Gloriana Cuvée Prestige Vintage Brut). You may even learn to sabrage – the Napoleonic flourish with a sword to decapitate a bottle of fizz!
Then you'll finally get the opportunity to taste those freshly unearthed truffles; sliced over truffle-infused eggs on brioche alongside a glass of High Clandon Cuvée.
The perfect gift of a perfect day! You can book this unique experience here: truffle and cuvée experience day.
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