Dartmoor, with its sweeping moorlands and rugged landscapes, harbours a treasure trove of natural wonders. Among its many hidden gems is the humble gorse flower, which blooms profusely across the moors, adorning the landscape with vibrant splashes of yellow. Gorse is pervasive in the landscape, you can even see it from our our holiday rental properties, and while often overlooked, these delicate flowers hold a secret waiting to be discovered—a secret that unfolds in the form of Dartmoor Gorse Flower Wine.

Crafted with care and tradition by local artisans, Dartmoor Gorse Flower Wine is a testament to the region’s rich heritage and the ingenuity of its people. For centuries, Dartmoor has been a place where communities have thrived in harmony with nature, harnessing its resources to create unique and distinctive products. Gorse flower wine is just one such example, born out of a deep appreciation for the land and its bounty.

The process of making Dartmoor Gorse Flower Wine is a labor of love, requiring patience, skill, and a keen understanding of the natural world. It begins in the early spring when the gorse bushes burst into bloom, carpeting the moors with their golden blossoms. Harvesting the flowers is a delicate task, requiring careful selection to ensure only the freshest and most aromatic blooms are chosen.

Once gathered, the gorse flowers are gently infused in a base of white wine, allowing their delicate flavour and fragrance to permeate every drop. This infusion process can take several weeks, during which time the wine slowly takes on the essence of the gorse flower, transforming into a golden elixir that captures the very spirit of Dartmoor.

The result is a wine unlike any other, with a delicate floral aroma and a subtly sweet flavour that dances on the palate. Dartmoor Gorse Flower Wine is a celebration of springtime on the moors, evoking memories of sunny days spent wandering through fields of golden blooms. Its golden hue mirrors the landscape from which it springs, a testament to the natural beauty of Dartmoor and the craftsmanship of those who call it home.

But Dartmoor Gorse Flower Wine is more than just a drink—it’s a symbol of community and connection, a reminder of the importance of preserving and cherishing the land that sustains us. Each bottle tells a story, not just of the flowers that went into its making, but of the people and the traditions that have shaped Dartmoor’s identity for generations.

In recent years, Dartmoor Gorse Flower Wine has gained recognition beyond the borders of the moors, finding its way onto the tables of connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike. Its unique flavour profile and artisanal craftsmanship have earned it a place among the finest wines produced in the region, showcasing the diversity and richness of Dartmoor’s culinary heritage.

Here’s a recipe for Dartmoor Gorse Flower Wine:

Ingredients:

– 1 litre of water

– 1 kg of sugar

– a lemon, thinly sliced

– an orange, thinly sliced

– 150 g of gorse flowers (freshly picked, ensuring they are free from pesticides or other contaminants)

– 1 teaspoon of wine yeast (or bread yeast as an alternative)

– 1 teaspoon of yeast nutrient (optional, but recommended for better fermentation)

Instructions:

1. Begin by preparing the gorse flowers. Carefully remove any stems or leaves, ensuring only the yellow blossoms are used. Rinse them gently under cold water to remove any dirt or insects, then place them in a clean bowl.

2. In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, remove it from the heat and pour it over the gorse flowers in the bowl. Allow the mixture to steep for 24 hours, allowing the flavours of the flowers to infuse into the water.

3. After 24 hours, strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean, sterilised fermentation vessel, discarding the gorse flowers. Be sure to press down on the flowers to extract as much liquid as possible.

4. Add the sugar to the strained liquid, stirring until it is completely dissolved. Then, add the thinly sliced lemon and orange, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

5. Sprinkle the wine yeast (or bread yeast) over the surface of the liquid, followed by the yeast nutrient if using. Stir gently to combine.

6. Cover the fermentation vessel with a clean cloth or lid fitted with an airlock to allow gases to escape during fermentation. Place the vessel in a cool, dark place, maintaining a temperature between 18-24°C (64-75°F) for optimal fermentation.

7. Allow the mixture to ferment for approximately 1-2 weeks, or until fermentation activity begins to slow down and the liquid clears. During this time, you may notice bubbles forming on the surface and a slightly yeasty aroma.

8. Once fermentation is complete, carefully siphon the wine into clean, sterilised bottles, leaving behind any sediment at the bottom of the fermentation vessel. Seal the bottles with cork or screw caps.

9. Store the bottles in a cool, dark place for at least 3-6 months to allow the flavours to mature and develop. The longer you allow the wine to age, the smoother and more refined its flavour will become.

10. After aging, serve the Dartmoor Gorse Flower Wine chilled and enjoy its unique floral aroma and delicate sweetness. 

Whether enjoyed on a warm summer evening or shared with friends around a roaring fire, Dartmoor Gorse Flower Wine is a taste of Dartmoor’s past, present, and future. It’s a reminder of the beauty that surrounds us and the bounty that nature provides, a toast to the spirit of Dartmoor and all who call it home. So raise a glass and savour the taste of tradition—Dartmoor Gorse Flower Wine awaits, ready to transport you to the heart of the moors with every sip.

Cheers to the taste of Dartmoor’s natural bounty!

PS. Wine is not the only use for gorse flowers

Growing flowers on Dartmoor, where the weather can sometimes have a mind of its own, can be a challenge.

January has proven quite a busy time in the garden at The Old Armoury – not everything is dormant and especially not the gardener.

Though we are in the generally warmer South West we are also on Dartmoor and so expect a variety of weather.

As the South West is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean it is quite rare for us to have snow, we have seen it just three times in eleven winters, but this year we have had much frost which is not usual. A few years ago we had nasturtiums – a plant originally from the frost free tropics – in flower outside Old Armoury Barn until the first icy night of winter in January killed them off.

In the beds of The Armourers Forge the snowdrops, crocuses and cyclamen have brought vivid dashes of white, purple, red, saffron and other colours to the edges of the beds.

Thankfully they are working hard as the viola have been disappointing this year. The planters outside Old Armoury Barn are bursting with shoots as the tete-a-tete surge upwards and in the pots the early tulips have broken the surface.

Sowing of flowers to be enjoyed much later in the year is well underway. Guests love having sweet peas in their rooms and in the summer months we pick them every day. We have sown successionally three varieties of sweet peas this year and have chosen varieties known for their fabulous scent including the always popular “Incense Mixed”. Antirrhinum are also sown as well as three varieties of dahlia, French marigolds, salvia and cosmos. It will be another month before the sunflowers and geraniums start their journeys. So growing flowers on Dartmoor can still pay off.

We aren’t just about growing flowers on Dartmoor, though, and so vegetable sowing has also started. “Ailsa Craig” onions and “Musselbugh” leeks are in and an early crop of tomatoes, “Yellow Delight”, is being tested. Broad beans – “Giant Exhibition Long Pod” – are already poking through the soil. Germinating indoors we are trying asparagus which we never have before and there is the possibility we may have a crop in the first year. Essentials like chilli peppers have made a strong start – less than a month after harvesting the last of the 2020 crop.

Whatever time of year guests stay there are always fresh flowers in the bedrooms and reception rooms. These are a mixture of those we grow ourselves and those from nearby commercial growers – we especially like the cutting garden at the Hill House Nursery in Landscove just two miles away. Wherever the flowers come from, we hope that you enjoy them.

A glorious sunset behind the Coffin Makers Barn, lets hope the shepherds are delighted 

Broadband speed in rural areas is in the news, not least as the political parties woo your vote. Pricing seems often the barrier to solutions but sometimes creativity and sweat equity may unlock solutions.

When Old Armoury Barn was rebuilt in 2013/2014 BT Openreach quoted me £3,500 + VAT to install a telephone line which was so far out of budget that instead we installed a series of  repeaters to extend an existing wireless service. This was good enough for guests in 2015 when we simply sent e-mail and texts but with time and the emergence of video on demand and online gaming the service fell short of 2019 expectations. One guest who was unable to watch greyhound racing from Hong Kong in the small hours was quite disappointed!

However, rather than pay BT Openreach a kings ransom,  instead we have laid a data cable ourselves through six rooms, one garage and two attics requiring eleven holes to be drilled – one of which was though a three foot thick stone wall.

The result is impressive. We have gone from a download speed of 2 Mbps to 21 Mbps – far Eastern gambling at three am has never been so exciting.

Oh, and it cost me half a days work for an electrician and an “all you can eat” dinner for two teenage boys (don’t underestimate how much that will cost).

We converted Old Armoury Barn from a dilapidated shell almost 6 years ago now. As a listed building in a conservation area we had to work closely with the planners and when it came to roof lights the requirements were particularly demanding. We used Lumen roof lights from therooflightcompany.co.uk and 6 years on I can say that they were one of the best investments we made. The light floods in and I have had almost zero maintenance – I have re-seated two seals in 6 years taking under 5 minutes total. 

We were so impressed we also used them for The Coffin Makers Barn and will be using them in future builds too. They may be expensive, but you really do get what you paid for.

It has been claimed that some extreme athletes find the immense repetition required to develop and sustain excellence a transcendental or spiritual experience. I have never been sufficiently driven or focused to achieve anything like these heights but do find the weekly ironing of bed linen for a dozen guests is beginning to become less dull as I listen to radio programmes that otherwise I would not find time for. Whilst I doubt that I shall find enlightenment at the ironing board, I may find education and enjoyment.

Om.

After lunch today I was weeding a border that had been left alone for almost a month. I was struck by how lush the weeds were, they looked much like those mysterious, expensive salad leaves from a luxury retailer. Perhaps I should have bagged a few and put them out for sale.

Whilst weeding I found a splendid large green frog, perhaps he is the one who has been croaking of late, and also a juvenile newt approximately 3 inches long. Both were transported to some dense, shaded leaves adjacent to the pond.