HONEY-scented golden traditional mead, gin and watercress charcuterie, and gluten-free peanut butter brownies.

They were just some of the mouth-watering treats on offer at the launch of this year’s Hampshire Food Festival at Hill Place near Swanmore in the Meon Valley.

The 2018 festival is set to have foodies licking their fingers with yet another smorgasbord of fabulous fayre between July 1-31.

This year Hampshire vintners will be taking their best bottles to Raimes vineyard, near Hinton Ampner, for the county’s sixth wine festival on July 22 - with early bird tickets at just £12 for an afternoon of sampling the region’s finest sparkling and still wines.

It’s A Bee Thing will give you a buzz with a chance to hear from Hampshire beekeepers and taste one of Chalice Mead’s tipples.

The Petersfield producers are one of only five mead producers in the UK - and make 11 different flavours of England’s oldest tipple, made from honey.

You can also explore Hampshire’s breweries with one of the many cellar door days – when producers let you into their cellars for a peak into their production process.

And two of the region’s top chefs will be inviting you to dine at their table. James Durrant – star of the Great British Menu – will be creating a four-course extravaganza at Number 5 Bridge Street in Winchester.

And Jane Devonshire –BBC Masterchef winner 2016 – will be collaborating with Nathan Cradduck head chef of The Chestnut Horse, at Easton near Winchester, on Thursday July 5.