Grapes grown at Eastcott Vineyard.
All commercially planted vines have to be grafted, in a similar way to roses, onto disease resistant rootstock. Ours were sourced from a specialist European nursery (and have 'passports' to prove it!). They were planted by a satellite guided planting machine in beautiful straight and evenly spaced rows.
Most of our vines are 'high graft' where the stem is already about 60cm tall when they are planted. This gives a number of advantages, including earlier crop production and easier maintenance.
Our choice of varieties is designed to enable us to make a range of white, pink and red wines, with a particular focus on high quality sparkling wine.
Chardonnay
One of the most famous grapes; the key Champagne variety and a good basis for many whites.
Pinot Noir
Despite being a black skinned grape variety, this is an important constituent of Champagne and hence highly suitable for the production of English Sparkling wine.
Pinot Meunier
The third Champagne grape, also black skinned. Although only used in relatively small proportions it provides some of the subtler flavour characteristics of fine sparkling wine.
Rondo
High yielding and ripens early. Suitable for making Rosé with delicious strawberry and redcurrant flavours. Can also produce high quality full-bodied red wine in warm years.
OTHER VARIETIES
Dunkelfelder
A lovely dark black grape which goes well with Rondo to make a wonderful red wine.
Solaris
Solaris is an early ripening variety which gives wines with fruity and perfumed aromas. It is suitable for white and dessert wines.
Seyval Blanc
A popular English planting, this is an early ripening and reliable cropper used to make white wines, primarily sparkling. It has a characteristic citrus element as well as minerality.