The Bath & Wiltshire Parent’s wine columnist, Ben Franks FRSA, shares the best English wines for you to try this Spring
The Met Office is pretty adamant that Spring starts on 1 March. I’m writing this on a fairly grey day in February, so whether they’re right only fortunes will tell – but one thing we can all agree on is that we should all be drinking more home-grown English wines.
So whether the sun has pierced through the clouds and the bluebells have all begun to flower, or if it’s pounding it down with rain and you can still see your breath, let’s pop the cork on something English this Spring.
I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of buzz about well-known English vineyards like Nyetimber or Bolney Wine Estate, the latter of which was purchased by the Cava and Prosecco producing powerhouse Freixenet Copestick last year. Trailblazers like those two are wonderful, but if you look locally there’s some superb wines being made right on your doorstep. I’m going to introduce you to three of the best: Oatley Vineyard, Aldwick Estate, and Dunleavy Vineyard – all made right here in Somerset.
Oatley Vineyard
Oatley Vineyard is a tiny family-run vineyard near Bridgewater. It has a special place in my heart because it was the second vineyard I ever visited when I started in wine seven years ago. I went along to interview owners Jane and Iain Awty for an article on English wine and loved everything they do; the pair make wine they love (dry white wine) in the most eco-friendly way possible, promoting the biodiversity of the local area with cover crops, low intervention and love for their natural environment and all that live in it.
The pair’s flagship white wine, Oatley Jane’s (£16.99, Novel Wines), is named after Jane – a gift Iain planned for her when he was out of action with an injury and Jane looked after the whole vintage. Jane’s is a crisp Madeleine Angevine white wine with a refreshing mix of citrus and elderflower pressé notes. It’s the perfect pairing with goat’s cheese.
If you’re quick, you could also snap up their very limited edition Brut Nature 2019 (£36.99, Novel Wines), a dry sparkling wine made from the Kernling variety that’s full of nutty lees and fresh apple fruit. It’s a very special fizz if you like your no dosage sparkling wines!
If you’ve not been to a vineyard, Oatley’s intimate vineyard tour is probably one of the best!
Aldwick Estate
Another vineyard I’ve worked with for a long time now through Novel Wines is the fabulous Aldwick Estate, owned by Sandy Luck and her family in the Yeo Valley. The picturesque valley vineyards surround a stunning venue, popular for weddings and big events. On a sunny day, there are fewer prettier places than Aldwick. The family and team here invest constantly in improving their grape growing and wines every vintage and consistently produce some exceptionally good juicy still wine. Our best-seller is their floral, fruity Bacchus (£15.99, Novel Wines) – a great choice for Sauvignon Blanc fans.
It is worth trying their white wine blend called BS40 (£13.99, Novel Wines), taking its name from the vineyard’s postcode and a blend of the estate fruit, it is made up of the aromatic Madeleine Angevine, citrussy Seyval Blanc, and soft, tropical Solaris grapes. Excellent for sipping on sunny days or pairing with white fish.
Aldwick’s Mary’s Rose (£15.99, Novel Wines) is an even better food partner – think picnic food with friends in Victoria Park or enjoying lightly chilled at home with a soy-based stir fry.
English red
English red? Aldwick’s neighbours also thought that was a crazy idea. So much so that the Luck family called their red blend ‘Flying Pig’ (£15.99, Novel Wines) to prove the locals wrong. This juicy blend of Pinot Noir and Regent shouldn’t work in a marginal, wet Somerset vineyard, but it really does. A triumph of cherries, plums and strawberries with a touch of oak ageing to soften everything out, it’s a very easy-drinking red that will put to bed those ideas that home-grown English red doesn’t work.
Dunleavy Vineyards
Last but not least another fabulous local producer to try is the very hardworking Ingrid Bates’ Dunleavy Vineyards. Arguably the pioneer of Somerset rosé wines, Ingrid’s rosé (£16.99, Novel Wines) is a lively blend of Regent and Seyval Blanc grown south of Bristol. It’s a beautiful salmon-colour, and almost Provence-like in its character with citrus, berries and a dry, long finish.
Taste just one of these lovely local English wines and I think you’ll soon discover just how exciting Somerset wines can be.
You can discover over 300+ truly unique wines sourced by Ben and the team at www.novelwines.co.uk.