Our wine partners at Heritage Wines have been nibbling their way through the June Cheesemonger's Selection which showcases three of our favourite British 'Territorial' cheeses. Each of these cheeses expresses the locality of where it is made with unique flavours of the soil, pastures, weather and season. Heritage Wines specialises in wines made in England and Wales, so read on to discover tempting pairing suggestions that keep it British as well as enhancing the taste of these fabulous cheeses.

“I instantly knew the grape I wanted to pair with Wild Garlic Cornish Yarg: Bacchus. Garlic is a fantastic pairing with the herbaceous, citrus and gooseberry flavours of Bacchus, although not all Bacchus wines are dominated by these flavours so it’s best to do a little research before buying. Or let us do the work for you!

Wild Garlic Cornish Yarg has a much more pungent garlic flavour than I was expecting, so I was delighted to find Astley Vineyard Bacchus a fantastic match. Refreshing notes of lemon zest and elderflower paired beautifully with the garlic kick, whilst its acidity was nicely balanced by the slight creaminess of the cheese.


Situated in Worcestershire, Astley Vineyard is one of the UK’s most northerly vineyards. It was established in 1971, making it also one of the UK’s oldest commercial vineyards. In 2017 it was taken over by the Haywood family, who have rebranded and refocused the vision of the vineyard, which is planted with Germanic grape varieties including Bacchus.

When tasting Astley Vineyard’s Bacchus with the other two cheeses in Slate's June Cheesemonger's Selection, Mature Kirkham’s Lancashire and Appleby’s Cheshire, I found it just didn’t have the same impact. Nice indeed, but a Pinot Meunier by Simpsons Wine Estate was that much more delectable.


Simpsons’ Derringstone Pinot Meunier is a unique and flavoursome wine. Vinified from red grape varieties as a white wine, it has notes of red berries, stewed peach and balsamic nuances. Lees ageing has added further depth, particularly a creamy texture that matched the buttery flavours of Mature Lancashire wonderfully. Whilst flavours of winter fruits contrasted the more herbal and savoury characteristics of Appleby’s Cheshire. These two cheeses and Simpsons’ Derringstone Pinot Meunier certainly had an indulgent feel to them.

Simpsons Wine Estate is located in Barham, Kent in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The vines were first planted here in 2014, with a further 20 hectares of vines being planted more recently during 2016 and 2017. Simpsons produce a range of sparkling and still wines which are created with minimal intervention, promoting the purest expression of the fruit, with their state-of-the-art winery located mere minutes from the vines.”

Both wine recommendations are available to purchase for nationwide delivery from www.heritagewinesuk.co.uk.