Dunleavy Vineyard – Interview With Ingrid Bates

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 on Glass of Bubbly, we speak with Ingrid Bates, the Owner and Manager of Dunleavy Vineyard, in Somerset, England, let’s discover a little about her life, her journey into the industry and one of her favourite bubbly memories.

It’s Lovely To Speak With You, Ingrid, Can You Tell Us A Little About Yourself & What Inspired Your Amazing Journey Into Creating And Planting Dunleavy Vineyards?

“My journey into becoming a wine producer happened by chance through my becoming a gardener At Thornbury castle in South Gloucestershire. The castle had a really old vineyard in the grounds. I started to look after it and got hooked.”

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

“My first notable experience of sparkling wine might have been at a family gathering in Holland or perhaps when we celebrated my graduation from university. Sparkling wine was not something my family drank that often so I wasn’t that familiar with it until I became a wine producer myself. The things we had were probably quite dry. I try and make my own fizz a bit more fruity than the sort of thing I would have started out drinking.”

How Rewarding And Challenging Is Managing Your Own Vineyard?

“I think your experience of managing a vineyard can vary hugely depending on what you plant. I used to grow Pinot Noir, but found it very time consuming and low yielding and generally very frustrating! I’ve switched to having modern hybrids now and vineyard life is so completely different – I look forward to summer now! Ha ha, I grow Regent and Seyval Blanc. They are very different, but I love them both in different ways.”

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

“People have said our sparkling red goes well with pickled onion monster munch! I genuinely find my wines are pretty versatile and go with most foods. It’s hard to beat some simple salty crisps.”

What Future Plans Can Enthusiasts Of Dunleavy Vineyard Look Forward To In The Coming Years?

“We grow our grapes on leased land but crowdfunded a couple of years ago to buy some land. The crowdfunding was successful but we’re still trying to secure the land. It will happen soon but it is a slow old process. Once we’ve done that I look forward to being able to invite people to visit the vineyard a bit more frequently in groups.

We’ve experimented with a Col fondo this year – if people like it, we’ll make more of that in the future.”

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

“There’s almost nothing better than being the first person to see and taste your finished product. I often end up doing this initial tasting with my partner at home in a very unceremonial fashion, often munching on some crisps. Heaven!”

Thank you, Ingrid, for sharing your story and experiences with us and we at Glass of Bubbly wish you the very best for the future!

Images belong to Ingrid Bates. Glass of Bubbly was granted permission to use them.