A COUPLE from Lewdown are celebrating a double dose of success, following an announcement at a national competition in London last week, writes Jane Honey. Andy and Rowena Whiteman, new owners of the Harris Arms near Lewdown, won the Country Pub of the Year at the Devon Life Food and Drink Awards this spring. Now they have scooped the ?Wine Offering of the Year? title at the national Publican Pub Food Awards 2004, with their award being presented at the Savoy Hotel. Andy and Rowena said winning the title topped a brilliant first year at the Harris Arms. The couple said they were delighted to receive the award on behalf of their team at the pub, together with the wine merchants, growers and makers and, not least, the customers who buy and drink their wines. Rowena said: ?We are both really passionate about wine ? we went to New Zealand to learn how to make wine, where we won a silver medal for a Pinot Gris we made. ?We then went to France where we lived for a couple of years and worked with French wine makers. ?We came back to England last year and bought the Harris Arms in December ? to win two awards by now is absolutely brilliant!? Rowena said wine was ?really close to our hearts? and the couple felt Devon was a ?fantastic? place to provide really good quality food, hospitality and wine. ?Devon is really up and coming, it?s really happening here and the local produce is so good.? Rowena said she and Andy aim to provide their customers with ?honest food with style and substance?, using locally produced, fresh ingredients cooked with some Mediterranean and European influences. The couple, who are now both qualified winemakers, source their own wine and make sure all the staff approve of the choices, carrying out regular tastings for everyone, down to the last pot-washer. The next challenge for Andy and Rowena is to produce their own wine in West Devon. ?We want to start planting some of our own vines next year,? she said.
