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Feature Item:
Wine & Dine
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
THE NEW INN RESTAURANT & BAR Welcome to The New Inn Restaurant & Bar set in the beautiful village of Sampford Courtenay near Okehampton Devon. Situated on the edge of Dartmoor and owned and run by Master Chef Malcolm Whybrow and his wife Karen, The New Inn Restaurant & Bar is everything you would expect from an old country inn, with its log fires in the Winter, local ales, a relaxed ambiance full of style, comfort and charm with its smart interior, and candlelit tables. The New Inn has a host of Changing Real Ales and Ciders including Ginger Tosser from Skinners, Otter Ales Dartmoor Breweries, and many more from the West Country, look out for us in the Good Beer Garden Guide. Having worked in some of the world’s most reputable culinary establishments, Malcolm creates gastronomic delicacies using Devon’s finest produce which has earned him a reputation of running some of the finest restaurants in Devon with seafood being one of his pieces de resistance. With a well thought out wine list to compliment the food, along with a high level of service, one can look forward to good simple food cooked to perfection and something just that little bit special. Whatever the occasion, wine and dine and relax in comfort and style whether inside or alfresco in our gardens at The New Inn Restaurant & Bar here in Sampford Courtenay near Okehampton Devon. For all bookings & enquiries please contact The New Inn Sampford Courtenay on telephone: 01837 82247.
CHARLES STEEVENSON WINES Budget ~ Wine ~ Budget ~ Wine ~ BudgetAnother budget looms - Wednesday 21st March, giving our Chancellor yet another opportunity to raise the excise duty on wines even further. Whilst we must sympathise with the Chancellor’s plight to raise taxes are you, the final consumer, aware of the current tax implications? On a standard bottle of wine the excise duty is currently £1.81 per bottle and £2.32 for sparkling wine. Do not forget the addition of the VAT ~ a tax on a tax! All in all, if you buy a bottle of wine at £5, 53% is actually tax. Another thing ... call me a cynic but it is not very apparent that as we build up for the imminent budget, the Government are all too keen to enlighten us to the perils of alcohol abuse - could this actually be their way of justifying the inevitable pending duty increase? All this predictable annual gloom can be checked by what is actually inside the bottle. Never before has wine quality been so dependably good; new wines, new vintages and meticulous attention to detail by dynamic innovative winemakers, make the current times very exciting and rewarding for the wine buffs. It is the unique attributes of ‘The Vintage’ that makes the release of a new vintage such an eagerly awaited occasion. Yes, one can control the husbandry in the vineyard ~ the grape choice, soil management, the nurturing of the vines ... yes, the skills and interpretations of the winemaker will maximise the quality of the finished wine, but it is the part played by Mother Nature, that being the weather, that really holds the trump card and, indeed, the weather’s influence will also be fundamental in controlling the final selling price. Of late we have been blessed with a plethora of great vintages; vintages which allow us to enjoy wines in their relative youth yet displaying true grape varietal expression. Take the 2011 Beaujolais, some say the best ever, ripe, juicy, fruit laden and oozing vibrance. Statistically it is worth noting the wines of Europe are on a roll .... lighter alcohol, more purity, elegance and compatibility with modern style foods. Pinot Grigio is still dominant with wines in general under 12% alcohol and seen to be on most people’s shopping list, hence the restrained wines of Europe are very much in demand. In contrast, I can confirm a very tangible slide in popularity in the big wines of Australia and the New World. So much to consider, yet remember wine is for pleasure so enjoy it as you like it. A final thought ... with every bottle you drink, you are actually helping the country’s economy!
THE TAVI FRIAR Come along and visit our newly refurbished restaurant and enjoy a nice homely atmosphere with great food that is easy on the pocket.
You can be sure of a warm welcome and we serve only the best quality fish frozen at sea and our chips are from locally grown potatoes cooked to perfection in sustainable vegetable oil.
You can have your fish served in Devon batter or Griddled in butter.
We also have a full range of items on our menu to support most tastes and serve gluten free fish and chips daily on request.
Look our for some exciting new additions to our menu coming soon.
We look forward to greeting you soon.
Copyright Tindle Newspapers Ltd Sunday, 19 May 2013
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