TOPPING UP THE WINE RACK - SPRING FERMENTATIONS

As many amateur winemakers know, the craft of fermenting goes on throughout the year. Nothing could be more delightful than gathering your own grapes in October -  grown organically - frozen for a few months, and then enjoyed after the business of creating a wine of your choice. For the March edition of the fabulous magazine HOME FARMER (W H Smith and most good newsagents), I wrote about a superb English winemaker, Bert Mower, who lives in my home town and whose wines have won dozens of international awards. Bert kindly gave me some of his vine cuttings (Rondo and Seyval Blanc) and these have been growing in our back garden for a couple of years now.