The Credentials:
A 45-minute train journey from London will whisk you to The Vineyard at Stockcross – previously a 19th Century hunting lodge; now a five-star hotel nestled in the postcard-pretty town of Newbury. It’s owned by Classic FM founder Sir Peter Michael, known for his love of all things high culture.
Dine:
As the name suggests, the Vineyard at Stockcross is all about the wine with a whopping selection of 23,000 wines (trust me, I’ve seen them). Luckily, the Sommelier of the Year 2011 will help you tailor your wine to your meal. We tried some of the finest wines to ever grace our lips; one of my favourites being a 2007 chardonnay from Sir Peter’s very own vineyard in California – a comforting flavour of apple crumble and vanilla custard with a zesty zing to finish.
Voted Sixth Best Restaurant in the UK, the food is not to be overlooked. The short menu focusses on seasonal produce. Our exquisitely-presented dishes were bursting with colour, texture, shape and flavour – even the amuse-bouches were angular works of art. The free-range pork was heavenly – a celebration of swine with the plate boasting black pudding, roasted loin and braised belly served with a sticky caramelised apple. The other half favoured the roasted squab, which had a berry-like flavour and was silky in texture, nesting in Moroccan-style couscous to which he exclaimed, ‘That was so good; if it was socially acceptable to regurgitate it to eat it again, I would’.
Sleep:
We stayed in the split-level Atrium Suite with the lower level leading out onto a balcony. I yawned my way from the immense bed to the spa for an invigorating full body massage. We won’t mention the bath; I’m still upset I couldn’t take it with me.
Who Goes There?
Culture-junkie/foodie couples. Surrounded by regular Stockcrossers, it was obvious that this hotel is a regular favourite for many of the guests.
Out & About:
We strolled into the nearby Postman Pat-style Newbury town and ventured further by train to Bicester Village – the discounted designer labels were beckoning. If we had more time we could have also visited The Corn Exchange Theatre, known for putting on big comedy acts or the local race course which hosts many music events.
The Best Thing:
Apart from the obvious (the wine), there are more than 1,000 original painting and illustrations on display at the Vineyard. We found ourselves choosing our favourites and giving the paintings nicknames (I discovered a selection of Boris Smirnoff illustrations particularly beautiful).
The Worst Thing:
We weren’t keen on the murals on some of the ceilings (sorry, Lady M, the hotel’s interior designer). The wine theme was a bit overpowering with the rooms being named after wine labels, corkscrews mounted in frames and wrought iron vine leaves decorating the restaurant.
