KNIGHTOR WINERY
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A little favour....

21/1/2020

 
The tradition of leaving wedding guests favours is a long standing one, originally called 'bonbonnieres' and it used to be that couples would leave small trinket boxes for guests containing sugar cubes. The price of sugar at the time was very high and as sugar became less expensive, the tradition of giving almonds replaced the cubes of sugar. The significance of a bonbonniere was to share good wishes to a new way of life. In the 13th century this then evolved to sugar coated almonds (called confetti) and this eventually became a tradition of giving 5 sugared almonds representing health, wealth, fertility, longevity and happiness.
As traditions move on and change many couples still opt to leave a little something for their guests, although this is certainly not expected as much today. 
If you are thinking about wedding favour options and want a little inspiration, we have compiled a few ideas we have seen over the last few years. 
Wildflower seed packets always go down so well and not only are you giving your guests something to enjoy over and over again as they watch their flowers grow each year, they are wonderful for the environment too by helping bees, birds and native wildlife. The Eden project sell wildflower seed packets, just down the road from us and you can get lovely ones made especially for your day by companies such as Little Green Wedding Co which double up as name places too. 
​Or why not try and make your own seed bombs as per this guide from the Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
Delicious fudge, such a treat! We love Rolys Fudge Pantry and their choice of flavours is extensive. Small bags or jars of fudge make a wonderful option for favours, or how about a sweetie table of fudge for your guests to tuck into? 
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Be my lobster.... favours can be of any shape and size and you can even  adopt a lobster on behalf of each of your guests to be released off the Cornish coast by the National Lobster Hatchery in Padstow. How perfect for a beach themed wedding, or if you want something that will make a difference.  Find out more on www.nationallobsterhatcher.co.uk
Cake pops! Delicious balls of cake coated in chocolate make the perfect sweet treat favour. Nicky Grant, based in cornwall hand makes chocolate inspired wedding favours that are like little works of art, definitely worth looking at.  If you are planning your wedding with a christmas in mind, she even makes chocolate baubles. Or how about her beautiful chocolate seashells for a beach theme wedding?
Wedding favours for charity have become so popular over the last few years. Why not see what your preferred charity offers in terms of donations in lieu of favours and leave a little note or pin for your guests to let them know. Brides Magazine have a great article and list of charities for doing just that on their website here.
Photo Credit; Debs Alexander                                                                                 Photo Credit; Alexa Poppe
Whatever you decide, giving favours to guests is completely up to you. Some couples now opt for sweetie tables instead of individual favours or photo booths for both evening entertainment and a gift of photos. Others bake biscuits or make their own jam. Some couples leave little gifts of plants. Whatever you decide, favours or no favours, it is your day, your way!

Knightor Winery Wedding Open Day - Sunday 2nd Feb

16/1/2020

 
02.02.2020... it sounded like a great date to do something special so we decided to host our wedding open day on it! Come along and meet the Knightor weddings team, wander the grounds of Knightor, nibble on some complimentary canapés and enjoy a glass of fizz on us. And it is a free event! Bring your partner, your family or your friends, all welcome.
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We will be joined by a collective of amazing suppliers, including;

Floral Creations
Emily Rose Hire
Checkered Photography
Cornwall Registrars
Flicksbox Vintage Photobooth
Bliss Bridal
The Wedding Co
Cornish Caricatures
OK Make Up Artistry
Victoria Jefferies Hair
The Cornish Cakery
Kellys Sweet Treats
John Green Dynamic Entertainments 
Cruz Photography
Bella Kernow
David - Celebrant
Absolute Chocolate
Becca Williams Jewellry​
Ashley James Harding Musician
Kernow Wedding Car & Private Hire
​With some more suppliers to be confirmed

We look forward to meeting you! Please do let us know if you are planning to join us but clicking 'going' on our Facebook event... so we know how many canapés to get prepped!

Winemaker's year in review 2019

2/1/2020

 
As we enter the quieter months of January and February our winemaking team start getting ready for the year ahead, making their way to the vineyards to begin pruning the vines and bottling the delicious red and whites which are almost ready in barrels and in tank. David, our winemaker, has been looking back on 2019 and what is to come in 2020.
'2019 was always going to be measured against the incredible vintage of 2018. It was a hard act to follow! Things began well, budburst was fairly typical, but what followed was a rather cool May. Eventually things warmed up and June and July were near perfect, resulting in the vines putting on good growth and flowering just slightly later than the previous year.
The warm weather and light winds in early July were perfect for pollination and most varieties had good fruit set. The Summer weather was warm with adequate rain which continued to help the development of the grapes.'
'As Summer led into Autumn the rainfall increased further. These conditions were a challenge as they were near perfect for the development and spread of mildew and botrytis (a fungus) which we do not want. In early Autumn some varieties in our Portscatho vineyard were showing signs of Downy mildew, resulting in a slight loss in yield. It was also evident at this stage that despite the decent number of grapes per bunch, the average grape size was going to be quite small. September and October is the crucial time as it's when the quality of the crop is determined. It's when the sugars rise and acidity levels drop. The more sun and warmth, the faster and higher the sugars rise and riper the flavours in the grape gets. However in wet Autumns like this years, sugar levels struggle to rise as high or as fast as usual. We began picking our Rondo and Pinot noir précoce grapes on the 24th of September and harvest finished in the last week of October. Overall 2019 will be remembered as a more challenging year, yields and quality varied greatly from one variety to another, some faring better than others.'
'When the grapes do not reach as high levels of ripeness, the key to the winemaking is to be gentle. Gentle handling and delicate pressing. We do not want to extract too much from the skins or seeds of the grapes. For the reds we allowed a shorter time of skin contact and were very careful with how frequently we did pump overs and punch downs during the ferment. This will be evident in the finished red wines, where colour will be lighter than typical, but the wines are still balanced, soft and fruity on the palate. We have had a few ferments that are very slow, with a few barrels still fermenting in December!'
'The wines are showing great potential and there are a few that stand out. We have a very aromatic, powerful tank of Siegerrebe, which will go into our popular Trevannion blend, to be released in the Spring. Again we will also be releasing a potentially very interesting Bacchus, which we have been experimenting with fermenting in old french oak to add body and complexity.
Another wine to keep an eye out for will be our red Pinot noir 2019, partially fermented and aged in oak but it's likely this will not be ready until later next year.'

We cannot wait to share news of our releases and look forward to announcing them when they are ready. ​

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​​Knightor Winery, Trethurgy, Cornwall, PL26 8YQ  
Call: 01726 851 101
Email: info@knightor.com
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OPENING TIMES
​​ Wine shop opening times:
Friday 12th, Saturday 13th, Sunday 14th March,11-4pm
Friday, Saturday & Sunday through the rest of March11-4pm
Friday 2nd, Saturday 3rd, Sunday 4th April, 11-4pm
From 12th April onwards the wine shop will be open Wednesday to Sunday,11-4pm
You can purchase wine, vermouth and gift vouchers via our online store here 
 
Events barn/restaurant and bar:
From 14th March the restaurant will be open for takeaway Sunday lunches, every Sunday 12-3pm. Keep an eye on social media and for more reopening updates
For wedding viewings and appointments contact weddings@knightor.com


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Please note Knightor is a working winery and old farmstead so there are areas of rough ground, uneven levels and steps and thresholds to be negotiated. Visitors and guests need to wear appropriate footwear and take extra care.
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This project is supported by the Rural Development Programme for England, for which Defra is the Managing Authority, part financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas.

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  • Home
  • Shop
  • Wine
    • Tours & Tastings
  • Vermouth
    • Cocktails
  • Weddings & Events
    • Elopements & Intimate Weddings
    • Knightor Accommodation
    • Late availability and special offers
    • Wedding Testimonials
    • Corporate events
  • Wine for Weddings
  • What's On Food & Events
    • Friday Winemaker Tours & Feasts
    • Sunday Lunch
  • Opening Times
    • Find Us
    • History
  • Blog