If you have ever had a problem parking when visiting us in Eton it is worthwhile parking on the Windsor side of the bridge.

The nearest Windsor car parks are marked on the map and all but one are less than ten minutes walk away.

Gilbey’s Bar and Restaurant is located in Eton High Street just over the bridge from Windsor.

Another vineyard year has begun as we started the winter pruning last weekend.

What does this year have in store for us? It is unheard of for us (and almost so for all other Northern hemisphere growers) to be looking back on no less than three good years in a row. We won silver medals for both our 2009 and 2010 bacchus (currently selling) and have high hopes for the 2011: the juice direct from the press was utterly delicious. The sugar and acid levels were bang on too.  Gold medal this year? Wait and see. Vince, our winemaker, doubts it … but he is always cautiously pessimistic, having been in the winemaking game for over twenty years now. Oh yes .. we also got a silver medal for our Brut sparkling from grapes grown in 2008.

We can take inspiration from our great great grandfathers who owned Chateau Loudenne in the Haut Medoc (Bordeaux). Part of an article from ‘Viticulture in France’ 1887: The French government grant annually in each department a Gold Medal for the best cultivated, and the most successful vineyard of the year, and it cannot but interest the scientific agriculturalist to learn that Messrs W & A Gilbey to improve the growth and character of the vine and arrest the progress of the phylloxera in the district of the Medoc have been so successful as to secure for them the award of the Gold Medal for the department of the Gironde, a department which includes the most celebrated claret producing vineyards of the world, such as Chateau Margaux, Lafite, Latour, Mouton Rothschild etc . Inspiration indeed!

It’s January – and to beat the winter blues all we really want is cosseting with uncomplicated ‘comfort food’ and a cracking glass of wine.

At both restaurants to fulfill this need we have introduced a one course dish-of-the-day for only £12.00.   Have a look at our website for all our current menus.

We have also started shipping our own wines again in order to continue to offer you the best possible value.    The wine list is shorter but the wines therein have all fought for their place and we are sure you will enjoy them.  We would love to have your feedback.

Don’t forget we are of course running our ever popular and great-value Set Menus also -  two courses at £18.50 and three Courses at £24.00, together with our Sunday Lunch Set Menu which should not be missed – two  courses at £19.50 and three courses at £25.50.

Come and enjoy … …   We look forward to welcoming you.

Thank you for all your support throughout 2011 and we do look forward to many more happy moments in 2012.   We thought we ought to let you know our plans for the Christmas period.

Christmas closure: We shall be closed from Saturday 24th December and will re-open for lunch on Friday 30th December.

New Year’s Eve: We are fully booked at Old Amersham, but still have a few tables left at Eton.   Hurry, hurry, hurry.   We always have fun at New Year. Do give Emma a ring on 01753 854921 to book your table.

Sunday, 1st January: A gentle day for all!  Both restaurants will be open from midday, serving soothing comfort food and wine through to fairly early last orders in the evening.

Monday 2nd January: Back to normal – seven days a week!

Christmas comes but once a year and we love it.  We put the lights up with great joy, only to find half of them do not work and so it’s a trip to Homebase or maybe even an exciting visit to the local garden centre where you can buy anything naff your heart desires.

Then come the delightful decorations, some of which may have seen better days.   So … it’s a trip back to Homebase to replenish the stock and then off for another exciting trip but this time to the recycling centre to discard the less than perfect.

Once up, everything looks very Christmasy – oh b …… er!  – a light has gone so we will have to rewire that section of Christmas lights.   I fear yet another trip to Homebase coming along.    What jolly fun!

Adam Whitlock, our Head Chef at Gilbey’s Restaurant, Old Amersham is the Guest Chef for Nick Coffer’s Weekend Kitchen live on BBC Three Counties Radio 95.5fm/103.8 fm/104.5 fm this coming Saturday (29th October, between 12 noon – 2.00pm.).

Adam will be cooking a three course dinner with plenty of tricks and treats you can try over Halloween.   Top chefs, well-known food writers and authors, talented home cooks, passionate foodies and wine experts join Adam and Nick for a two hour lunch party with inspired food, lovely wine and brilliant company.   Recipe packs will be available on-line … so … tune in and get cooking! 

The Pheasants Ridge Vineyard Volunteers

If we get away without Spring frosts (which we did this year) … then Wimbledon fortnight is the next big challenge, because that is when flowering takes place in the vineyard.   If you remember, they needed that new roof over Centre Court quite a few times this year, which means the weather wasn’t great.   As a result our flowering and our fruit set wasn’t great either.   Many of the bunches are uneven, some with very few grapes that ripen much earlier than the others and which therefore go rotten before other bunches are ready to pick thus helping to spread disease.   The bacchus are almost ready to pick (for our still wine) but the faberrebe (for our sparkling wine) will not be ready till much later in October, if they haven’t all gone rotten by then that is.   So, these are some of the trials, tribulations and worries we go through to bring wine to your table … although we do have a lot of fun in the process.   Anyway, watch this space for further news!

Our fabulous Studio Apartment guest accommodation is fast becoming the ‘best kept secret in town’. We have recently discovered that once our guests have stayed with us they are reluctant to tell their friends about our hidden gem for fear of it being previously booked the next time they wish to visit.   So, if they are not prepared to tell you, then we will!

During the months of September, October and November from Sunday – Thursday night we are offering two consecutive night Autumn Breaks staying in our luxurious Studio Apartment. This offer is based on two people sharing the double room @ £175.00 per night (inc. VAT).

It includes Continental Breakfast left in your room and a £40.00 Gilbey’s Voucher for you to enjoy – maybe for lunch or dinner in our restaurant or to pre-order a chilled bottle of champagne to be in your room on your arrival.

Why not spoil yourself and come and enjoy all that there is to see and do in Eton, Windsor and the surrounding area.   Apart from the main attractions of Eton College,Windsor Castle, the Theatre Royal and fabulous shopping there are many more suggestions to help you enjoy your stay.   Do ask us or visit the Windsor Tourist Board

For reservations and any other enquiries please ring Emma on 01753 854921 or email eton@gilbeygroup.com

Andrew     Kacey     Paddy

KACEY, PADDY and ANDREW will all be leaving Team Gilbey’s at Old Amersham very shortly and it goes without saying that they will be sorely missed.   They have been the most incredible and steadfast support to Pip, our Restaurant Manager, in looking after our wonderful customers.   With all the hard work that goes into running a restaurant we have also had a huge amount of fun working together.   Thank you to each and every one of you and may we all take this opportunity to wish you every success in your new ventures.

KACEY leaves us after six years to do a journalism internship at Montpelier in the south of France with William Reed, the publishers.

PADDY leaves us after three and a half years, having gained a 1st Class degree at Oxford Brookes University, to do a Masters degree in Politics & Finance at the LSE in London.

ANDREW leaves us after a year and half to start a four year course at Oxford Brookes University studying International Hospitality Management.   However, before he starts his course he is taking a well-earned holiday for a month in Bali.

Apologies for the short notice, but we thought some of you might like to hear about the English Wine Festival this weekend … where, among others, our Pheasants Ridge will of course be featured.

Michael Gilbey and Vince Gower - Winemaker at Stanlake Park Vineyard

English Wine Festival at Stanlake Park Vineyard, Twyford – Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th July

A number of vineyards are included in the Thames & Chilterns Region:  Brightwell, Bothy, Oakengrove, Dropmore, Parhams, Beaulieu, Pheasants Ridge, Manor Fields, Chiltern Valley and Stanlake Park.

All these vineyards are offering you a stunning opportunity to try a wide range of their award-winning wines this weekend.   Stanlake Park will be open from Noon – 6.00 pm.   Entrance will be £5.00 per adult (cash) … children enter free.

What’s more they will also be offering short expert wine talks by a Master of Wine, winery tours, cheese platters and snacks, and wine by the glass to drink on the premises.   In short, for wine-lovers such as yourself, a chance to really see and taste for yourself just how far English wine has come.   It should be interesting!