The Grapes

We have 10 acres of vineyard, carefully tended by our volunteers.  We grow grapes naturally, with as little intervention as possible, so that the wine produced from these grapes best reflects the terroir,  the unique characteristics of the place, the soil and its microclimate.

BACCHUS

 

Bacchus is a heavily scented green grape of German origin with early ripening ability and high levels of sugars. It’s a tricky grape to grow yet it does incredibly well in this country’s cool climate so is widely planted to produce an aromatic white wine that has been hailed as England’s answer to sauvignon blanc. Here, it produces a fresh, floral wine often with flavours ranging from green herbs and nettles to elderflower and gooseberries.
CHARDONNAY Chardonnay is one of the most planted grapes in the world, thanks to its versatility and ability to take on a range of flavours and characteristics, depending on where it is grown and the wine is made. Its response to this country’s cool climate is citrussy, green-appley flavours. It is an important component of sparkling wine yet shows great promise in this country as an elegant still wine.
ORTEGA Wines made from ortega grown in England are often the very best manifestations of this early ripening grape. The cool climate here produces good levels of grapefruity acidity to counterbalance the high levels of sugar it achieves to make full-flavoured white wines; it often does very well as a late-harvest wine.
PINOT MEUNIER Pinot meunier (also quaintly known as Dusty Miller in England due to its floury appearance) is best known as a blending partner for pinot noir and chardonnay in the making of sparkling wine. It is popular because it buds late and ripens early, and contributes soft, berry fruit flavours to the blend.
PINOT NOIR Pinot noir has a long, noble history and eager following as it produces some of the world’s greatest wines. Jancis Robinson calls it a finicky grape, but it seems to work well in this country when conditions are favourable. Due to its thin skin, the wines it produces here are often light coloured with soft cherry, berry fruit flavours. It is a part of sparkling wine’s classic holy trinity along with chardonnay and pinot meunier.

 

 

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