October 12th 2013

Interior of Grape Expectations, Newbury, Berkshire

The whole point of this photo-diary-blog is to record over 12 months the things that I stumble across in my daily life.  Today I literally did stumble across this gem of a shop in Newbury, Berkshire. The shop is called 'Grape Expectations' (great name) and is in essence a cheese and wine shop. We were not looking for cheese or wine this morning, but as I like both in about equal amounts the freshness of this shop invited me in. One half of the shop is a smorgasbord of unusual cheeses including the biggest Isle of Mull Cheddar I've ever seen lurking invitingly on the counter. The rest of the shop is a wine tasting area also selling unusual and interesting wines. Separating the two like a citadel of calm is a small seating area ideal to while away a moment or two enjoying the samples of either wine, or cheese, or even both.

 

What a cracking place, open just 10 months and (I later discovered his name via Twitter) Greg Brighouse couldn't have been more accommodating or friendly. We came away with a bottle of red wine enticingly named 'Coffee Pinotage'  and a small amount of blue veined cheese (sadly I have forgotten the name already). The latter I was told is a mixture of cow and sheep milk matured in damp caves somewhere in deepest Spain and then wrapped in maple leaves. A small sample confirmed a quality cheese with flavours to enhance any autumnal day. I may have to pop back again soon .....