We've made it into print in the Western Daily Press - 


West vineyard has something to celebrate

By Western Daily Press  |  Posted: August 07, 2014
By JEFF WELLS
Guy Smith and Laura Evans of the vineyard in Aller celebrating the first batch of Somerset's only sparkling wine   PICTURE: SWNS
Guy Smith and Laura Evans of the vineyard in Aller celebrating the first batch of Somerset's only sparkling wine PICTURE: SWNS
 Comments (0)
Somerset's first sparkling wine to be made from the same grape varieties as champagne was launched with a pop last week at a vineyard in Langport.
Guy Smith and Laura Evans, of wine-makers Smith & Evans, based at Higher Plot farm in Aller, celebrated the success of their unique venture at an official launch party at Great Bow Wharf.
The 2010 Vintage was made from grape varieties harvested four years ago and is the first sparkling wine ever made in Somerset using the same techniques as champagne.
The sparkling wine will now be on sale at outlets across the county including Williams Supermarket in Somerton and Evans The Butcher in Langport.
Mr Smith, who has been in the wine industry for most of his working life, said: "I always wanted to make wine but I thought I would have to go abroad to do it.
"But we realised that England had this potential for sparkling wine. You need grapes with a very long growing season to get the right flavour.
"The process we used is only really used in Champagne. There are a few sparkling wine makers in Kent, but no others in Somerset.
"I have worked as a wine trader for years but wine making is what we want to do in the long term."
He added: "The launch went really well with around 40 people there – these were the people who have supported and encouraged us throughout and it was good to share our product."
For years the couple dreamed of owning their own vineyard and searched across the county to find the right spot.
In 2007, they discovered the ideal south-facing plot, enriched with Burgundy-style soil, in Aller.
In 2008 they sowed 3,200 vines and transformed a former meadow at Higher Plot Farm into a vineyard.
The first harvest was finally ready for picking in 2010 and the couple were joined by 20 villagers armed with secateurs, wellies and hundreds of storage crates.
The first wine was ready a few years later but today's sparkling wine – made from the grapes harvested in 2010 – has been through a double fermentation process which has taken the best part of four years and gives the wine its fizz.
Mr Smith explained: "The flavours and aromas in our sparkling wines are made from a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes.
"We don't produce homogeneous wines year in year out as we want to fully express the character of each season.
"In some years the wine may be a bright white and in others it may have a delightful pink tinge depending on what the grapes decided to do that particular year. Some years are fuller and rounder, others elegant and focussed."
The couple live on the farm with their black Labrador Fred.


Read more: http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/West-vineyard-celebrate/story-22127581-detail/story.html#mIExJ58KRBwZIiI1.01#ixzz3B1X4BVmW

Read more at http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/West-vineyard-celebrate/story-22127581-detail/story.html#pPbBITYzmRb3mI2J.99

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Born to be Wild.

Making Real Cider

Why the price of wine will go up and up.