I wanted to find out more about House of Townend and their wines, so asked a few questions…

Can you tell me about the history of the House of Townend?

Our history began with sport in the city of Hull, where we still operate today. The business was started by Jack Townend, a professional Rugby player for Hull Football Club. His popularity as a sportsman led to him opening a pub named the Rugby House in 1983. He then began to establish himself as a grocer before specialising solely in wine and spirits.

Post WW1, Jack was joined by his sons Charles and Jack. In 1934, John Ernest Townend took control of the business and ran it passionately until his move into politics in 1992. Current owner John Charles Townend carries his family’s deep passion for wine forward into the modern era, having expanded the business into a more wholesale focused sector as well as the acquisition of the Lakeland Vintners in 2012. Now over 110 years old, House of Townend remains a firm favourite for fine wine collectors and wine consumers across the UK.

What difference does being a family run business make?

The experience that the Townend family bring to the business can’t be overstated – they have travelled the globe to source the finest wines and build relationships with enviable vineyards. It’s also a more welcoming and inclusive place to work as a result of these family values. There are 63 people who work for the company, averaging over 10 years service each.

How do you choose the wines you sell?

Every single wine is chosen with an audience in mind. We cater to everyone – from casual drinkers to collectors. We source all of our wine from regions and vineyards across the globe and aim to offer something to suit all tastes.

What’s your favourite wine?

It depends on the weather. If it’s warm, a crisp dry white. If it’s colder or late into an evening, nothing beats a bold red such as a rich Malbec, a briary Shiraz or a fine Bordeaux.

What would you recommend for lockdown?

If it is a warm and sunny day in your back garden, where we would recommend something light and refreshing such as the Macon Azé Cuvée Jules Ricard 2016. Otherwise, a rich red in the evening would be our choice as early Spring still has plenty of colder nights in which sipping a rich and plump red such as Irvine Springhill Merlot from Australia, can bring comfort and make you dream of distant shores.

Described as having both citrus and spicy notes, with a chocolatey aftertaste, the gin lends itself to something special. Sweet, classic and sophisticated, it’s a refreshing drink for the summer that makes you smile just looking at it, as well as drinking it.

First launched in 2011 and distilled in London, Edgerton Pink Gin gets its hue from the  pomegranate seeds, that are combined with a further fourteen unique botanicals. It always amazes me just what goes into a spirit of quality, and alongside juniper berries, here we find damiana, used in some places as an aphrodisiac, spicy coriander and ‘grains of paradise, alongside citrus peel, lemon and the raspberry tasting orris root. As well as tasting great, you could even argue that sipping it is good for you. Liquorice has anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties, almond powder is a great source of vitamin B, E and calcium sweet orange plays a role in reducing blood pressure as a result of its high potassium levels, and cassia bark considered a fundamental herb in Chinese medicine.

Colour plays a huge role in our perception of taste, which is something that Martin Edgerton Gill,  formerly owner of the London Gin Company, knows. In 2010 he sold the world’s first blue gin London No 1 Blue to Gonzalez Byass of Spain, and it’s been a huge success. His passion for pink gin was inspired by his father’s years in the Royal Navy during World War II, and his discovery of the spirit. A traditional nautical tipple, consisting of gin and Angostura bitters, was launched in 1824 initially as a cure for seasickness.

Its popularity grew, and it became a favourite in fashionable civilian bars. Martin is credited with pioneering the use of herbal teas with spirits, and combined his knowledge and experience to create the enticing Edgerton Pink Gin. Expertise not only comes in the creation of a spirit, but knowing how to mix it. The company have created a collection of spring cocktails, using some of the seasonal flavours to add a new twist on the classics Mojito, Martini and Gin & Tonic.

My favourite was certainly the Gin Fig Martini. Crafting this one involves a little more work, but no less taste. Including brewed tea, a homemade fig syrup, and plenty of ice (shaken, not stirred), it’s an endeavour that’s well worth the effort.

Gin & Tonic is my go to summer afternoon beverage, but  I’ve learned that it works equally as well as an aperitif before a Sunday meal when you try this take. Simply by combining gin and tonic, with three sliced strawberries, ice, and a twist of black pepper the well-known drink is given a whole new angle.

And for something more fun, why not a martini? Combining blueberries with the mint, lime and sugar for a Blueberry Mojito Royale, finished off with a cinnamon stick, this variation is sweet, sharp and spicy, all in one go.

At £25 a bottle, this isn’t the kind of thing that you just pick up on a Friday night to let of steam in a stupor. It’s worth taking the effort with. Taking the time to savour it, enjoying the taste, delighting in the aroma – and of course smiling at the colour.

With a name like The Society Club, I expected something rather fine, a little eccentric, and somewhat individual. Turning off from the hubbub of Carnaby Street, around the corner from Pret and the like, I walk into what seems to be rather fine although higgledy-piggledy sitting room.
Books adorn the walls and shelves, piles of new books, first editions, rare copies and magazines all around. Although billing itself as a bookshop cum gallery, the venue/shop/café (what is the correct noun for a space as eclectic as this?) also stocks London honey, Laundress Cleaning Products, vintage hotel ashtrays, Constance Spry vases and a selection of delicious and retro Tunnock’s treats. ‘Gosh, it’s like my ideal living room.’ I exclaim.
Perched next to the Tunnock’s biscuits that are trustingly and simply in the centre of the long communal table, is one of the hand-written menus – scraps of paper clipped together, revealing a fondness for coffee and cocktails created with flavour in mind. I order an Americano which is buzzingly brewed in the corner, and my friend and I sat down to discuss the event we hope to organise. The close proximity of everyone means that conversations are not private, and we soon have people tapping our shoulders with advice and ideas, which we are only too thrilled to receive. The ambience of the place means that we’re pretty sure that people in here are people like us.
Just then we are asked if we could be quiet for a few minutes. A book reading is taking place this evening, and they would like to film and interview with one of the authors. Just five minutes they promised, and as my fascination of all things wordy was in full pelt this afternoon, I am only too happy to hear secrets of the craft. We listen, we learn. The fifth time this happens, my curiosity is starting to wane as my deadline and need to talk looms. I am still captivated by the tales of those who have suffered for their art, but practical measures need to be taken, and so we do the unthinkable – we retreat to Pret. I will berate myself for this for days to come. But to offset the guilt, I first scribble the next five events taking place into my diary, and look forward to the poetry readings, story slams, and exhibitions that await.
See the original post at Jammatology.