A RANGE of signature wine has been launched by business partners managing three independent restaurants in the region.

Marcus Bennett and his business partner Jonathan Hall, who together run restaurants Muse and Cena in Yarm, near Stockton, and The Bay Horse in Hurworth, near Darlington, are launching the wines to celebrate the five years since Muse opened.

Mr Bennett and Mr Hall sampled wines with master of wine, Richard Kelley, to decide which limited-edition drink they wanted to put on the menus of all three eateries.

Gallerina, in Darlington, were employed to design a label for a South African chenin blanc, named Voodoo Vixen, and a red made from Touriga Nacional grapes, called Smouldering Siren.

The design for the wines has been inspired by the idea of chapters of a murder mystery novel, to be continued into the future of the restaurant group.