West Fisher Winery – Interview With Simon Fisher

There is no denying that English Wine is on the rise, becoming an undeniable contender to Traditional Method Sparklings 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 Wine is expanding.

In this exclusive feature we speak with Simon Fisher, the Winemaker and Owner of West Fisher Winery in England, we’ll find out a little about his life in the wine industry.

It’s Great To Speak With You Simon, Tell Us About Yourself & How You Became Involved In The Wine Industry?

“I started making wine as a hobby, but my original interest came from my mother who made country wines when I was growing up. I started making more and more wines from kits and then started harvesting from local gardens before I set up West Fisher in 2007. Then it sort of spiralled out of control.”

As A Winemaker, What Has Been Your Hardest Obstacle To Overcome In Producing Wine?

“That is a very good and tough question to answer, we all make mistakes, but I see them as learning curves. I think the hardest thing I ever had to learn though was patience. You can’t rush a wine, it’s ready when it’s ready, trying to rush it through filters to bottling equals disaster usually.”

How Do You Determine When Your Wine Is Ready To Drink?

“Regular tasting is the only way really, I usually test my wines once a month or in some cases up to 3 months, especially for reds. I have a sparkling wine that came up from East Sussex in 2013, it really only came into its own a couple of years ago, but it was a poor year 2013.”

What Part Of The Wine Making Process Do You Enjoy The Most?

“Probably bottling, seeing the finished product, the clarity of the wines, knowing that soon it will be enjoyed by our customers.”

Where’s The Most Memorable Place You’ve Enjoyed A Glass of Bubbly?

“Probably South Africa, when my wife and I went out to Cape Town for a blessing of our marriage, she is from Cape Town. We went around several local vineyards and wineries and found this magical small winery, family owned, and picked a red, a white and a sparkling wine for the toasts. That was back in 2001, sadly I can’t remember the name of the vineyard, but that was probably when West Fisher was first conceived of as an idea in my mind.”

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