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.
Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey Hills / Photo by Helen Dixon
Though not typically associated with wine, England has produced it since Roman times. Due to the country’s cool climate and rich soils, many vineyards planted in the middle of the 20th century are now paying dividends.
Climate is moderated by the Gulf Stream, and its chalk-based soils are amenable to sparkling wine production.
As for what English wine is, stylistically, there’s still room for interpretation.
“I don’t think we can pin down a typical English wine just yet, and why would we?” says Sam Lindo, winemaker at Camel Valley in the country’s South West region. “Everyone has the right to be different.”
Time to claim back use of Great British for sparkling wine thedrinksbusiness.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thedrinksbusiness.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Cheffy gin, Indian wine, wild whisky and zero-alcohol tipples make up some of the new launches for the drinks trade this month.
Anne-Sophie Pic’s gin
Audemus Spirits has created a limited-edition gin with high-profile French chef Anne-Sophie Pic and her Argentine sommelier Paz Levinson. Rich in pepper and fresh citrus, the gin is said to be inspired by Pic’s cuisine and features Meyer lemons harvested in south-west France, Cubeb pepper, passion berry and juniper. All of this is underlined with a Japanese smoked tea, adding a subtle and lingering finish, according to the tasting notes. The gin has been designed to pair with Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic but is also suitable for cocktails or drinking neat over ice. There are just 570 bottles available. Pic and Levinson were also involved in Audemus Spirits Fractal 2.0, a ‘hybrid’ spirit that combines a rose geranium eau-de-vie with cold-infused coffee to create a full-bodied and warm flavour profi
Five inspiring women working in English wine
08 March 2021 By Phoebe French
In honour of International Women’s Day today, we’ve rounded-up five unsung heroes of the English wine sector who are carving a path in their respective fields.
Members of the Hattingley Valley team in 2018
The English wine industry has a large number of women within its ranks. From CEOs and MDs such as Tamara Roberts of Ridgeview and Sam Linter of Bolney to head winemakers including Emma Rice (Hattingley Valley) Corinne Seely (Exton Park) and Cherie Spriggs (Nyetimber), women hold a variety of positions in the industry.
Here we round up five women blazing a trail in the domestic wine scene, from vineyard managers and owners to winemakers.