Isle family show they have a real nose for success

Drinking to their success at the recent Epworth Show are mother and son Heather and Christian Melton.

For the third year running Christian took four first and two second prizes in the wine section in the event’s craft tent.

The first were for red, white, rose and mead, also scooping the red rosette for the best wine in show. His second prizes were for another red and a mead.

Meanwhile mum Heather took firsts for her sloe gin and raspberry vodka.

The Melton family moved to Epworth in 1973 with Christian going to the Epworth Church School and South Axholme Comprehensive. They attended Epworth Show most years since, however the only previous notable event was wining a one eyed goldfish in 1979.

The family decided to have a little competition between themselves in 2014 at the Epworth Show with Heather, Christian and his wife Tracey, aunt and mother-in-law all entering various produce from cakes, bread, jams, chutney, piccalilli, fruit, wines and liqueurs and knitted items. That year all the family won some prizes with Christian winning three wine categories, including the shield for best in section, which spurned him on in the making of further wines (and homebrews) over the subsequent years.

The success has continued from there with Christian turning his hand to a number of different wines including elderflower, sea buckthorn, damson, rose, blackcurrant, gooseberry, but his favourite iselderberry and runner bean.