7 English Wines form ‘Vineyards of Hampshire’ group

Seven of the top vineyards across the county have formed the pro-active Vineyards of Hampshire group, with support from Hampshire Fare, the official organisation promoting the produce of what is one of the largest rural counties in England.

This friendly collective, made up of Danebury, Exton Park, Cottonworth, Hambledon, Hattingley Valley, Jenkyn Place and Meonhill, have gathered together to promote Hampshire’s superb quality sparkling and still wines and the county’s unique, and prized, terroir, to both the wine trade and the wider consumer market locally and nationally.

Following a highly successful Hampshire Wine Festival at Hambledon Vineyards this summer attended by over 700 consumers and local businesses, the group repeated the co-operative formula with a Hampshire Wine Marquee at the award-winning Emsworth Great British Food Fortnight in October.

Plans are now in hand to put a sparkle into the Christmas festivities with two ‘Fairy Lights and Fizz’ consumer evenings in December, taking place at Hambledon and Cottonworth, and featuring tutored tastings alongside wine sales.

Early in 2016, Vineyards of Hampshire will hit London with a joint tasting to show their wines to key press, retailers and Sommeliers and in July, Hattingley Valley will host another popular Hampshire Wine Festival – bigger and better every year.

‘People might expect us all to be highly competitive, but such is the strength of the emerging English wine scene and the pride we have in our county and its distinctive terroir, that we all pull together in a positive way to make sure Hampshire’s wines are seen as a force to be reckoned with’, said Simon Bladon of Jenkyn Place, on behalf of Vineyards of Hampshire.

‘We enjoy working together, continually exchanging views and ideas – and the latest technology. It is a very refreshing approach to a sector that is coming of age at last’.