WINE lovers across the region will be converging on vineyards around the two counties to mark English Wine Week.

The national event has been organised by the English Wine Producers organisation to persuade the public that the country can produce world-class wine to compete with the French, Australians and Californians.

At Frome Valley Vineyard, near Bishop's Frome, partners David and Clare Longman are hoping to encourage visitors by showing them around their demonstration vineyard. Each row of vines is different, using alternative growing methods to highlight different results.

A free wine tasting session will finish off the tour and as a special discount, visitors can purchase six bottles for the price of five.

"I hope it will achieve a greater awareness that English wine is not expensive and is extremely palatable and worth considering when people go out and buy their bottles of wine," Mr Longman said.

Visitors to the Three Choirs Vineyard, Newent, will get a 20 per cent discount across its range of wines. On Bank Holiday Monday (May 26), visitors will be able to see vineyard and its wine-making equipment, as well as the company's own microbrewery, Whittington's, which will be launching a new bitter, Cat's Whiskers.

"It makes a nice day out," said managing director Tom Shaw.

At Tiltridge Vineyard, in Upton-upon-Severn, there are free tours of the site on Sunday (May 25), as well as a cheese and wine tasting session.

Sandy Barker, from the vineyard, said the week was good promotion for them.

"We get people coming to wine week who have never tried English wine before," she said.

"They are quite surprised by the quality of it."

For more information, visit www.english-wine-week.co.uk.