Vineyard

In April 1999 we secured a lease on five extra acres of farmland adjacent to the Walled Garden. This land has been used to create an organic vineyard - one of only a handful in the country. We have been through the organic registration process, which involved a period of 'conversion'. This was completed in 2004.

The south-facing slope has been planted with Orion and Phoenix vines, white wine varieties of grape that have been specially selected for their suitability to cold climates and disease resistance. We have also planted a few Regent vines, a red variety. This is very much experimental to see if we can produce a suitable crop so far north. However if climate continues to get warmer this may prove to be less of an experiment and more a masterstroke!

A considerable amount of effort has been put into the establishment of the vineyard not least of which are the tonnes of stone that has been dug up and moved in the vineyard.

October 2004 saw that monumental event that we had all been waiting for, our first harvest. Not a bumper one, 840kgs, but enough to make 750 bottles. That should keep us going for a year!!

We have decided at present that we will not develop our own winery but instead we will have our wine made under contract. We have chosen to use the country's leading organic wine maker, Davenport Vineyards, based near Crowborough in East Sussex. More details about Davenport Vineyards can be found at www.davenportvineyards.co.uk