Deer Park Hall – Interview With Mark Steele

There is no denying that English Sparkling Wine is on the rise, becoming an undeniable contender to Traditional Method Sparkling Wines around the world. To the English, it’s becoming a fan favourite and a go-to Glass of Bubbly, its quality is improving year on year and thanks to innovators and those willing to follow their dreams, the choice of English Sparkling Wine is expanding.

In this exclusive feature we speak with Mark Steele, the owner of Deer Park Hall, in Worcestershire, England, let’s find out a little about his life in the English wine industry.

It’s Great To Speak With You, Mark, Can You Tell Us A Little About Yourself & Your Journey Into The Wine Industry?

“I was born into a working farming family and have always treasured the place where I live, Bredon Hill in Worcestershire. I was lucky enough to take over the farm nearly 30 years ago and started to branch out into different diversifications, such as deer farming, a business park and finally a conference centre which soon became a sought after wedding venue. I didn’t grow up with wine although my mother used to make some quite potent “Damson Port” which helped us get through the lambing season. Growing up in the late eighties meant that a wine bar was never far away, and I quickly learnt to appreciate the range of new wine styles flooding the English marketplace. I run two local wine clubs and it was on one tour to Tuscany that I half-heartedly mentioned to our hosts that I was considering planting a vineyard in England, this soon became a bit of a thing and before I knew it I had planted my first 2 ha of vines.”

Do You Remember Your First Experience With Sparkling Wine? When It Was And What Kind Of Wine It Was?

“My first memorable experience with sparkling wine was at my sister’s eighteenth birthday party, I was only thirteen and rather enjoyed it too much! It was Fleixenet Cordon Negro in the black bottles.”

How Rewarding And Challenging Is Running Your Own English Winery?

“Incredibly rewarding and challenging, I don’t think that anyone who starts their own vineyard quite understands how much work is involved but that is all forgotten when someone tries your wine and says “actually that’s not bad at all!””

When It Comes To Pairing Sparkling Wine With Food, Do You Have Any Favourite Combinations That You Would Personally Recommend?

“Sparkling wine is so flexible with food, is there any other wine that will go with so many different food groups? On a personal level, I will always remember splashing out at University during the summer months on a bottle of Champagne, a punnet of strawberries and some thick cream, and of course someone to share it with!”

What Future Plans Can Enthusiasts Of Deer Park Wines Look Forward To In The Coming Years?

“2024 saw our inaugural ‘Bredon Hill Wine Fayre’ when we entertained over 500 people with wines from ourselves and four other local vineyards. The day was a fantastic success, and we are already planning next year’s events with more vineyards attending and more special tasting classes and food pairing workshops, all set in our fabulous venue Deer Park Hall on the slopes of Bredon Hill.

We will also be running more special wine and food evenings throughout the autumn/winter and are eagerly awaiting the release of our first Blanc de Blanc as well as a second aged batch of Pinot Noir.”

Can You Share With Us One Of The Most Memorable Experiences You’ve Enjoyed With A Glass of Bubbly?

“So difficult to sift through all those moments of celebration over the years, engagements, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, a glass of bubbly is always there to help us celebrate, but for me watching the sunset from Bredon Hill in the late summer on a still warm languid evening with the deer all around us takes some beating.”

Images belong to Deer Park Hall & Mark Steele. Glass of Bubbly was granted permission to use them.