Who would have thought that Monmouth was the wine producing region of Wales? I don't suppose it's…read morethe only one, but it's certainly the closest to Cardiff! Wernddu Vineyard are a pretty small producer, but less is definitely more where they are concerned. Their white wine is exceptional! (And that's from a predominantly red wine drinker too!) They also produce perry and cider, but I'm not too keen on alcohol made from apples and pears, and so rarely go near it. My friends, however, are more than happy to testify that it is as equally good as the wine! For a small business, they are pretty self-contained. Wernddu Vineyard process and bottled all of their beverages on site, and then they retail it too, meaning that they manage to cut out all of the middle men. This is good news fr everybody as it keeps the price down, but still allows Wernddu Vineyardto make a healthy profit, ensuring that they stay in business for a good time to come! All of their beverages are available direct from their winery, or you can buy it from a number of farmers markets as well.

English Wine is something I'm not really too familiar with... I do love a nice glass of something…read moreon a warm day (or a cold day, I'm not fussy), but am more familiar with wines from warm climates than I am with the more local stuff. This is why a whole festival of English wine really appealed to me... A good chance to educate myself and test my palate. The ticket price of £15 seemed to be really good value, but with a Yelp discount - it ended up being £10 for entry. We (myself and Dan G) also opted to go for the brunch package which was an additional charge. On a cloudy Saturday, we wanted down to the Bond to grab some food before the tasting. Firstly, the food was amazing. Salmon, ham, pastries and all kinds of delicious stuff washed down with great company and a glass of bubbly (or two)... This was a perfect way to kick off our bank holiday weekend. We entered the venue at 12pm for doors and made our way around the stalls to have a look. With around 40 different wines to try, we certainly weren't bored! With local wines from Malvern, Tamworth, Herefordshire and then a bit further afield (turns out it's easier to grow vines down south where the climate is a bit warmer), not only did we get to try many varieties, we also got chat to some of the producers about the difficulty of growing in the British weather and the special ways they kept their stock to protect it. Think British red isn't worth shouting about? Think again. We tried amazing sparkling, red, white and rose during the time we were there (which ended up being about 4 hours). We ended up coming away with a couple of interesting bottles and a head full of knowledge. I loved the venue (The Bond), the food and the wines on offer. The venue wasn't huge, but catered well to the crowds that were there. It was a bit of a shame that vendors (on the whole) only accepted cash and cheque (there are no cash points around the venue), but this might have just saved my wallet. I imagine this is the kind of event which will grow year by year... in 2016 - be one of the first to buy a ticket! I'll see you there, no doubt!

England isn't really somewhere you associate with wine production but there's some fantastic…read morevineyards out there utilising the rich soil and varied climate to their advantage. We headed down to The Bond on a Saturday morning to sample the delights of English wine and were not disappointed. Having decided to pay a bit extra and go for the bubbly brunch option was a great decision. We were greeted with a glass of sparkling wine and sat down to a fabulous brunch of smoked salmon, grilled asparagus, cheeses, cooked meats, pastries and fruit whilst chatting away with our fellow diners on the banks of the canal whilst the wine flowed freely. The Bond is a fantastic venue, perfect for this kind of event and after finishing our brunch we headed inside to check out the offerings. 40 different wines were on offer for us to try from vineyards located across the land. The standout offerings for me were from XVI ridges who produced some of the nicest wines I tried and the lady working the stand was lovely, interesting and informative. Food was on offer as well as masterclasses which we didn't choose to do but from all accounts were great. A fantastic event which opened my eyes to the world of English wine.

Tom has an excellent manner and an equally good nose for wine. I highly recommend giving him a…read morevisit.

From the owner: Tom I'Anson Wines is an independent, boutique wine merchant specialising in hand crafted wines and…read morefine wines. We also host and organise regular tasting for wholesale, corporate and private customers.

Clink is a lovely little craft bar in the Custard Factory. When I say little, I mean tiny as only a…read morehandful of people can fit in at any one time. I popped in with a group of friends on Saturday night. Although I am not a craft beer drinker even I could appreciate the wide selection of beers that they had available. Even better, they sell prosecco by the glass so I was happy. As I mentioned the interior is very small, with a small bar area downstairs and a spiral staircase leading to a seating area upstairs. The guy service on the bar was very nice and happy to offer advice to anyone.

Great little bar situated at the Custard Factory. Loads of choice of cans and bottles to takeaway…read morefrom many independent brewers. Usually 6 beers on tap. Quick friendly service and good prices-independent Birmingham card gives you a discount too. Worth checking out if you like beer! Don't go expecting cocktails!;)