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Tasting notes: June

18.06.25

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2 min read

TO DRINK
TO EAT
TO EXPLORE
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English winemakers are doing things their own way—no dusty rulebooks, just bold ideas and brilliant bottles. At Artelium, we drank it all in: juicy still wines, plenty of sunshine, and a lunch we’re still dreaming about. MasterChef semi-finalist Michael Notman-Watt served up BBQ leeks with romesco, Sussex Wagyu tartare, and oyster mushrooms with black garlic. He keeps his secrets, but we’ve got a few lookalikes you can try at home.

TO DRINK

For the love of English wine

Dear Noodles Rosé, from Sugrue, is a bold, full-bodied take on English pink—dry, complex, and made with intention. Its label (or lack thereof) nods to a more playful, defiant spirit: a love letter to wine that doesn’t try to fit in. Simpson’s Roman Road Chardonnay is great: mineral, focused, and expressive of the chalk seam that links Kent to Burgundy. And Camel Valley produces a Bacchus Dry that is zesty and coastal; Atlantic Dry is floral and rounder. Easy to love, and unmistakably Cornish.

In a field of their own

We've lined up a mini wine festival of our own: bottles that match the beat, ready to decant while you decamp. Think citrusy whites with seaside swagger, rosé that’s loud and proud, and reds with a smooth groove.

Forget lukewarm lager - this is mainstage headliner material. Oxney's Organic Chardonnay is indie surf rock in a glass – zippy citrus, coastal freshness and a laid-back groove. Tillingham's rosé turns up the volume with bold blood orange and rose petals - it's pure electroc-pop: dry, bright and a little wild. Domaine des Jeanne's JJ Prestige Rogue brings the smooth rhythms of jazz-hop, – ripe fruit, soft tannins and an easy lingering finish, perfect while listening to Ezra Collective.

TO EAT

So good we tried to recreate it

Romesco—peppery, nutty, addictive—was made for grilled leeks and crisp sips of Chardonnay. Steak tartare sounds cheffy, but with the freshest grass-fed mignon from your local butcher and crisp chips, it’s a surprisingly doable match for Pinot Noir. And for a weeknight winner? Oyster mushrooms noodles with black garlic and herbs: 15 minutes, max umami, best with Pinot Gris.

Bites for your night to party

Fallow’s chicken and waffles is be a festival fave, but you can easily make it at home—golden crunch, savoury spice, and a cheeky maple drizzle. Corn ribs with chilli salt and lime bring the messy, addictive street food energy, with irresistible smoky charred edges. And when you want to freshen up, a peach and burrata salad drizzled with balsamic feels like summer on a plate—light, juicy, and festival-ready.

TO DISCOVER

On our radar

A new docudrama dives into the life of Irish modernist legend Eileen Gray—Corbusier’s rival and the woman behind one of the most radical seaside homes ever built. Sheffield's finest Pulp are back with their new album More - witty, nostalgic and unmistakably British. And The Ballad of Wallis Island is fun new comedy with Carey Mulligan and Tim Key about a folk group who reunite to play a gig to 1 person who has won the lottery on a remote island

48 years after its release, the Talking Heads classic “Psycho Killer" gets a new video treatment by Mike Mills – starring Saoirse Ronan dancing through the daily grind. Anya Hindmarch’s Ice Cream Project is back with unexpectedly good flavours (Sirracha, sea salt, olive oil). And the Killed podcast looks at magazine stories that never made it to print with some of the biggest names in Journalism.