A VINEYARD is encouraging people to visit and help it celebrate English Wine Week.
The national campaign, which highlights the growing industry of British wines, runs until June 26
Vineyard Bluestone Vineyard in Cholderton will be holding tours and tastings where visitors will be able to enjoy a picturesque guided wander through the vines, learn all about the processes from grape to glass, then enjoy a wine tasting in its beautiful cellar door.
English Wine Week is held at the start of summer, when the vines are due to start flowering.
A spokeswoman said: "It’s the perfect time to start exploring some great English wine producers, and what better place to start than with one just on your doorstep!"
Bluestone Vineyards is hosting its usual signature, private and self-guided tours and tastings, and also hosting picnics among the vines.
With the purchase of a bottle of chilled Classic Cuvee or Cuvee Rosé from its new tasting room, it will provide reusable plastic flutes and visitors can bring their own picnics or order a local producers' hamper.
Bluestone Vineyards is also hosting a special wine tasting event on Friday, June 24 at 6.30pm for £25 per person, teaming up with one of its stockists Yapp Bro’s.
Grant Berry will be leading a relaxed and informal night of wine tasting and learning, suitable for even beginner wine aficionados.
Bluestone Vineyards started in the mid 2000s when brothers Nat and Toby McConnell carried out an archaeological survey of a 10-acre plot of land on their families' 42-acre farm park, Cholderton Rare Breeds Farm.
A subsequent dig ensued, with the intention of adding to the educational purpose of the farm. As a part of the dig, soil samples were taken and sent off for analysis.
The brothers shared the findings with a winemaker from Champagne and invited him to visit. He marvelled at the results and was confident the site had all the qualities required to produce Champagne-rivalling English Sparkling Wine.
After extensive research and site analysis, Toby and Nat planted Chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot Meunier vines in 2016 and have been growing there ever since.
They have both studied extensively and achieved MSc in Viticulture.
Once the grapes are hand-picked and harvested, they are taken to winemakers at Hambledon Vineyard. Their state-of-the-art facility is the only fully gravity fed winery in the UK, allowing wines to be made with the minimal possible intervention.
For tickets and more go to bluestonevineyards.co.uk
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