Squerryes Celebration 20th / 21st June – a long time coming!

The idea of a vineyard first originated from a Champagne House looking to expand their production in England who visited a couple of years earlier.  They were on the look out for exactly the right terrior which replicated the chalk slopes of Champagne and fell in love with the land at Squerryes.  ‘They invited us back to Champagne’, Henry Warde recalls, ‘and we too couldn’t believe how similar the land was to Squerryes.  They pulled out of negotiations after some months and after the initial disappointment we thought we could just crack on ourselves’.

The traditional Champagne clones of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier were first planted on the Squerryes Estate in 2006 and patience has been the watch word.  Henry can distinctly remember his father saying ‘now starts the long thirsty wait’ as the first vines went in.   The vines started to fruit in small quantities in 2008 and Squerryes took its first exclusive reserve of 100% of grapes from Squerryes in 2010. The vintage has recently been taken off the lees and an earlier test release has already won a couple of medals at international competitions.  It’s almost time to celebrate the end of the long thirsty wait!

Henry, Claire and their 4 young children became the 8^th generation of the Warde family to move into Squerryes Court, Westerham, Kent in 2013.  The family motto is ‘licet esse beatis’ meaning it is permitted to be joyful has been inscribed above the front door for over 200 years and Henry is  keen to keep up the tradition.  ‘We want as many people as possible to join us to celebrate releasing the first vintage at Squerryes including other local artisan producers.  There will be lots on for the whole family’.

The Squerryes Brut 2010 will be available for sale directly at the Squerryes Celebration 20^th and 21^st June.  Entry £8 per adult which includes a free glass of bubbly, 1/3 pint of Westerham Beer and cup of tea.  £8 deducted from the first bottle of Squerryes Bubbly (single bottle £30), thereafter £25 per bottle for orders above 6 bottles.

www.squerryescelebration.com

Shared by Henry Warde