A festival boasting the best of the Thames Valley has been a roaring success this weekend at the Brightwell Vineyard just one mile north of Wallingford. 

There were 40 food and drink stalls including wine from nine vineyards, as well as live jazz, street food and even the famous Wallingford welly wang. 

The team from Brightwell Vineyards said they were running the Thames Valley Food and Drink festival for the fourth year to help showcase local wines to the local counties. 

Owner Bob Nielsen said: "We are winning international awards, and exporting wines, but still many local people don't know how good English wines now are.

READ MORE: Rapist jailed after targeting 'vulnerable' student

"We had eight other local vineyards coming to give tastings and sales of their wines." 

"We have run the festival for four years and I think the highlight is that it is very relaxed, with plenty of seating, tables and picnic space so people will stay all day tasting and enjoying the ambiance.

"Buying lunch, enjoying the music, and strolling through the vines - very much a country house garden party feel." 

The first vineyard plantings at Brightwell Vineyards were made 36 years ago so the Nielsen family has continued a long history. 

Bob said: "Back then they just sold the grapes. 

"We bought the vineyard 24 years ago and redeveloped it; progressing to build a winery.

"Now all our wines are made here on site.

"Our wines, that you could taste at the festival, have travelled less than 100 metres from where they have grown to where you drink them - beat that for local and sustainable!" 

Bob said the best thing about operating a business in the Thames Valley was the beautiful location. 

MORE STORIES: Man dies as emergency services deal with town incident

He said: "Our vineyard has a rural feel even though we are close to many towns and cities.

"We can go paddling in the Thames, and then 30 minutes later be listening to an orchestra in Oxford." 

While the weekend's weather was perfect for sandals, Bob also said it was great for locals to have a go in the first Wallingford charity 'welly wang' where people had the chance to throw a wellington boot to raise funds for charity. 

The weekend of fun followed up a successful 2024 for the Brightwell Vineyard after it won again in the International Wine Challenge.

The team won a silver medal for the prestigious Pinot Noir red wine.

This comes on top of winning another silver medal for their Rush English Brandy in the London Spirits Competition.

The south Oxfordshire brand has again proven English grown red wines can compete with the best red wines in the world.