Today Essex’s gastronomic scene will literally make your mouth water. With an eclectic mix of tastes from every corner of the world served with a cosmopolitan ambience, there’s something to suit all palettes, occasions and pockets in a variety of bars, cafes, restaurants and pubs.

Essex has produced excellent wines since Roman times, thanks to the ideal growing conditions in this part of the world.

Essex boasts a number of vineyards with wine making experts making the most of the excellent climate – so there’s plenty of choice when it comes to selecting a local tipple to complement your meal.

Today there are over 20 vineyards around Essex for you to sample.

New Hall Vineyards, at Purleigh, is one of the oldest and largest in Britain.

This 92 acre vineyard is open daily and includes a farm trail, vineyard walk and wine tasting in the cellar shop.

Visit the newest vineyard in Essex, West Street Vineyard at Coggeshall which was bought by the Mahon family in 2009. It was the meeting of two loves: wine and Coggeshall. The 900 30 year old vines were in need of a lot of love and care, but now their wines are winning awards nationally and their onsite restaurant is hugely popular.

Dedham Vale Vineyard set in 40 acres of rolling English countryside. It has seven acres of vines with trails you can follow through woodland, around lakes and through wildflower meadows.

The winery is also totally powered by wind and solar energy.

There’s also a micro-brewery at the Mersea Island Vineyard so if you are brave enough to “mix grape with grain” then don’t miss a pint of Mersea Mud or Yo Boy! before you leave!

For more on these and lots more great places to visit, check out www.visitessex.com