Winemakers in England are growing in confidence with each passing vintage. Here are three of the best
Green peace: growers have come to realise that conditions in the south of England are perfect for chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. Photograph: Marc Hill/Alamy Stock Photo
Green peace: growers have come to realise that conditions in the south of England are perfect for chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. Photograph: Marc Hill/Alamy Stock Photo
Sun 11 Jul 2021 01.00 EDT
Hambledon Classic Cuvée, Hampshire, England NV (from £28.03, laywheeler.com; Waitrose; majestic.co.uk) When I started writing about wine around the turn of the millennium, most coverage of English wine portrayed an industry that was lacking in confidence. English winemakers seemed embarrassed, even a little defensive, about what they were doing making wine this far north. A typical piece would almost always say something like, “It’s not all eccentric retired generals with hobbies that got out of
The Raimes vineyard is part of a family-run farm set in the sloping hills of the South Downs, and like many of the vineyards in Hampshire, it benefits from the Chalk substratum (layer) found in the area. It is also worth noting that the mellower weather of England allows the grapes to ripen longer than their European counterparts, which creates a unique flavour.
Tour the 10 acres of vineyards, sample the award-winning sparkling wines and chat to the family that has cultivated them for the past 10 years in an intimate and informative session. And if you fancy taking a bottle or two home with you, bottles will be sold at cellar door prices as part of the tour.