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Hi Fiona, thank you for answering our questions today, it's lovely to speak with you. Firstly, we'd love to know a little bit more about Woodchester Valley Vineyard. And, for people yet to visit your corner of the Cotswolds, can you tell us what makes it so special?
We're a family owned, single estate vineyard with our own winery, located in the South Cotswolds AONB. Established in 2007 with our first acre of vines, this has now grown to 58 acres across three sites in Amberley, Woodchester and Stonehouse.
Our focus is on making quality, still and sparkling Cotswold wines which reflect a sense of time and place. All our wines are made from grapes grown only in our own vineyards planted on the picturesque, steep slopes of the Stroud Valleys. A unique area of outstanding natural beauty, our visitors will enjoy the beautiful, far-reaching views of the Cotswolds.
"Our focus is on making quality, still and sparkling Cotswold wines which reflect a sense of time and place"
It sounds beautiful. Will you walk us through the journey of your grapes from vine to bottle?
We are very lucky to be growing grapes in such a beautiful location. But cool climate viticulture is on the edge and every season will throw us different challenges - the weather can be friend or foe. Our vineyard growing season starts in the spring with our neatly pruned vines ready to take on the challenges of the new year. Pruning takes place from January to March and is the longest manual process in the vineyard.
We eagerly look forward to budburst when the vines emerge from the dormant season, usually in April, and the new growth rapidly proceeds through flowering in late June/early July to fruit set. Both budburst and flowering are critical times for the vines and weather, in particular frost and/or cool, wet conditions can severely impact our yield potential during this time of the year.
The grapes develop from hard, green pea-sized berries to veraison, when the fruit softens and changes colour. Different varieties and clones will ripen at different times and harvest will start in September for our still wine varieties and continue through October, finishing food wines as well, so with our sparkling wine varieties.
A lot of our readers enjoy dining outdoors, all season long. Are there specific wines you'd suggest for warm-weather dining versus cooler autumn evenings?
For summer, we would highly recommend a crisp, fresh Bacchus or Pinot Rosé for relaxing and enjoying the last rays of the day. But on a really hot day, there is nothing more delicious and refreshing than a chilled glass of our gold medal winning dry Rosé Brut.
For cooler, autumn evening drinking, a good white wine choice with some barrel fermentation brings some extra depth and complexity, such as our Culver Hill estate blend or Tenterhook wine. For red wine lovers, we would suggest an early ripening Pinot Noir, this long and moreish wine would pair well with autumnal fare such as pheasant.
For anyone who may be unsure about what to serve for gatherings, are there any failsafe wine and food pairings that you think work every time?
Over the years, in our Tasting Room, we have developed some good, failsafe food pairings. Sparkling wines are great food wines as vvell, so don't just drink these al celebrations.
Some suggestions to try would be: Sauvignon Blanc, served with an asparagus hollandaise and mild goats cheese salad. Pinot Rose with a local cheese and charcuterie board. Pino! Noir with a lamb or pheasant casserole. A Cuvee for brunch with scrambled eggs and smoked salmon and a Rose Brut paired with a lightly spiced lamb tagine.
"Sparkling wines are great food wines as well, so don't just drink these at celebrations"
And what about for lighter foods, or nibbles, if someone wants to invite a friend round for a catch up, what would you recommend?
Definitely a Sauvignon Blanc or Pino! Rose - great to drink on their own or with some cheese and charcuterie.
Some people enjoy using their gardens for large parties, whilst others revel in quieter moments alone. Do you have different recommendations for wines that are best shared, and those suited for savouring solo?
For parties, you will be looking for a wine that has a broad appeal and will be enjoyed by all your guests. Something sparkling is a great favourite for parties or a deliciously, easy drinking style of wine which is versatile enough to accompany a wide variety of party foods.
For enjoying solo, we'd suggest more premium wines such as our limited-edition Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Précoce or any of our premium sparkling wines from our Reserve Cuvée, Rosé Brut or Blanc de Blancs, all these wines are medal winners and would add a little luxury to your solo experience
What advice do you have for serving wines outdoors, especially regarding temperature and glassware?
Temperature is very important. Remember that wine warms up as soon as it is poured so chill it to slightly lower than serving temperature. On a hot day, don't fill the glass too full, less is more, to prevent getting too warm in the glass. But don't serve it too cold or you will lose the aromas and flavours.
Sparkling wines are best served between 7-10 degrees, white wine 7-12 degrees (depending on the style of wine) and red wines, generally 12-18 degrees depending on the style of red. The lighter bodied styles such as Pinot Noir at the cooler temperatures and the fuller bodied styles at warmer temperatures. Some reds can be drunk slightly chilled.
Finally, it's our 25th birthday this year, is there a special wine you would choose to celebrate?
Definitely an English sparkling wine. For this special occasion the Reserve Cuvée or Blanc de Blancs would be our choice.
For more information on Woodchester Valley Vineyard's award-winning wines, tours and accommodation visit woodchestervalleyvineyard.co.uk or join their online community @woodchestervalleyvineyard