SOME people drink wine to celebrate a happy event, but throughout English Wine Week, Eastcott Vineyard near Northlew will be celebrating wine itself!

English Wine Week, which aligns with Devon Wine Week, is designed to celebrate the best wines made in the county, with events going on every day of the week.

Between Saturday May 28 and Sunday June 5, Eastcott Vineyard will be offering free entry to the winery for tastings and sales.

The owners of the business Hilary and Richard Waller will be on hand to present the wines and offer complementary tasting. There will also be two talks on how to set up a vineyard in your garden, covering vine varieties, site selection and preparation, planting and seasonal management, and knowing when to pick the grapes. Hilary and Richard will give the talks.

The vineyard has six acres of vines with seven varieties, and formerly redundant agricultural buildings have been turned into a state-of-the-art winery. Every stage of production is carried out on-site.

Hilary said: 'We started from scratch, but we're now into our fifth year at Eastcott, and in the third phase of planting, which is where we want to be at right now. We've been selling wine for two years.

'The planting was designed so that we could make sparking wine with traditional methods. But it all depends on the summer to see what wines we make!

'We look at the fruit and see what wines would be best made with them. We currently have a sparking white, a still rose, and a dry still white. Over the Wine Week, we will be launching a new medium still white wine, which we're excited about.

'We have decided to also mark the week with talks about how people can grow vines themselves. We've had so many visitors asking, "how do I do it myself?"

'As well as still doing tours, we've added these talks, which are something a bit different.

'So for any amateurs out there willing to give it a go, come along and find out how!'

The wine is available from the farm gate, local shops, and also at http://www.eastcottvineyard.co.uk">www.eastcottvineyard.co.uk

The National Trust has recently begun stocking the wine at nearby Castle Drogo.

To find out the full schedule for English Wine Week at the vineyard, visit http://www.eastcottvineyard.co.uk/wineweek.html">www.eastcottvineyard.co.uk/wineweek.html

To book a place at one of the two talks on how to set up your own vineyard, call 01837 811012.