OMSCo to launch ‘Taste Organic Milk’ Campaign with TV wine expert Oz Clarke

15 September 2008

TV wine expert Oz Clarke has swapped the vineyard for the farmyard in a bid to get the nation to appreciate the taste of his favourite drink, organic milk. In a new campaign called ‘Taste Organic Milk’, launching on Monday 15 September, Oz investigates the truth behind what makes this often underrated drink taste so good and lends his distinguished palette to creating vintner style ‘tasting notes’ for organic milk which he calls the ‘Four S’s’ - See, Smell, Savour and Swallow *.

The Taste Organic Milk campaign has been initiated by OMSCo, the Organic Milk Cooperative, and aims to encourage people to take more time to appreciate the real taste of milk as a drink.

Oz spent a day milk tasting with OMSCo dairy farmer Mike Cottrell at his farm, Commonwork, in Kent. A video of Oz’s farmyard exploits and his tips on how to taste organic milk to appreciate its full potential will be available to view at www.tasteorganicmilk.com from Monday.

During his foray in the fields, Oz admits he’s often asked what his desert island drink would be and reveals that people are usually surprised when he says organic milk.

“Everyone expects me to pick some grand red wine, some exalted champagne or venerable vintage port. But I don’t. I tell them that all I’d want is a supply of the finest, freshest, purest British organic farm milk,” Oz explains.

Oz describes smells such as the bright optimism of spring, the heat and haze of high summer, the mellow but wistful richness of autumn and tastes such as home-made scones, dollops of thick whipped cream on Wimbledon strawberries and fresh churned butter on crisp new white bakers’ bread.

He also explores parallels with wine-tasting’s terroir, looking at how different factors effect the taste of milk, from where the cows live and how relaxed they are, to the time of year and type of feed.

Richard Hampton, Commercial Director at OMSCo comments “We hope the ‘Taste Organic Milk’ campaign will spur people on to rediscover the taste of milk as a drink and to appreciate its subtle differences in flavour. We are delighted to be working with Oz Clarke, he obviously has great taste as organic milk is already his favourite tipple!”

To view Oz Clarke’s milk tasting, pick up tasting tips and find out more about the campaign visit www.tasteorganicmilk.com from Monday 15 September.

ENDS

Issued on behalf of OMSCo, the Organic Milk Cooperative.
For more information, images or to arrange interviews, please contact Emily Enright or Fiona Reece on 0117 330 7282 or Abby Richardson on 07876 378 733, or email emily@fionareece.com / abs_richardson@yahoo.co.uk

* Oz Clarke’s Four S’s Tasting Notes:
See

Take a good-sized clean glass, a carton of organic milk, and get ready. The pleasure starts from the moment you pour that pure, deep, creamy white cascade, promising all the goodness of the countryside. Swirl the milk round, see how it coats the inside of your glass and clings languidly to the surface like a lush, misty veil.

Smell

One more swirl and then take a sniff, inhale the sheer freshness of the milk. Don’t have it too cold or the perfume won’t develop. At somewhere between cool and room temperature you’ll be able to smell the seasons – the bright optimism of spring, the heat and haze of high summer, the mellow but wistful richness of autumn, all coated with cream.

Savour

The trouble with good milk is that you get seized by an uncontrollable urge to down it in great draughts. Well, go on, if you have to. But if you can restrain yourself, take a generous mouthful, roll it over your tongue and as the milk warms up the flavour surges round your mouth. The cream in the milk brings back memories of clotted cream and heather honey on home-made scones, dollops of thick whipped cream on Wimbledon strawberries, fresh churned butter on crisp new white bakers’ bread, cream as it melts on a warm blackberry and apple pie; cream that’s savoury, cream that’s sweet; cream that’s white or golden or buttercup yellow; cream so thick you can scrape it from the bowl with your finger; cream so pure and light it flows like pale velvet from the jug. And if you close your eyes you can taste the moist greenness of the fields, the fresh tang of the country air. You can hear the lowing of the cattle as they amble home across the meadows at dusk. It’s our countryside at its beautiful, verdant best that you’re experiencing.

Swallow

You’d have done this anyway – only wine tasters actually spit their stuff out. But good organic milk leaves an aftertaste, a glow of the great outdoors, a mellow soothing coating of pleasure. It’s a rare moment when I don’t pour myself just a little bit more, to savour one more mouthful of the magic that is organic milk.

Who is OMSCo?
OMSCo represents the majority of the UK’s organic milk producers, managing around 300m litres of milk per year from 400 farms stretching from Cornwall to Aberdeen. As such, it has a clear overview of the challenges and opportunities facing the organic milk sector. It works hard to build cooperation and instigate discussion throughout the supply chain, for the benefit of all. For more information visit www.omsco.co.uk