O.C. Summer Trip – August 2018 – Three Choirs Vineyard


The history of English Wine can be traced back to Roman times, and there are records of 43 vineyards quoted in the Doomsday Book.  The monasteries continued the tradition, but with the dissolution of many, in medieval times, output became very limited.  Further setbacks in comparatively recent times, were the “Dig for Victory” campaigns of both WWI and II when nearly all cultivable land was converted to growing essential food crops, plus sugar rationing.

The immediate post war period led to a small scale return of production, but at best of unremarkable quality.  Peter Ustinov once quoted that his idea of hell was Italian punctuality, German humour, and English wine, but, in respect to the latter, this hypothesis has now been progressively reversed.  The venue for our Summer Trip, the Three Choirs Vineyard, has been in the vanguard of a dramatic improvement in quantity, and more importantly quality over the last 30 years from an increasing number of English Wine Producers.  Nowadays English wines, are winning numerous awards and accolades at prestigious international Wine Fairs and Festivals, and are served in the Houses of Parliament, State Visits and banquets, and Royal Weddings.

This background, plus a glowing recommendation from our very own wine “afficionados” Doug and Sue Lodge, who had recently enjoyed a highly interesting and enlightening wine tasting weekend at the Three Choirs, stimulated an interest to discover what was behind this commendable transformation.

An initial party of 19 O.C. tourists embarked on Turner’s most comfortable coach with our regular, and excellent driver, John.  A further 9 joined us at Stonehouse, prior to a pleasant coffee break at Gloucester Services.  Although not directly relevant to our visit, a number of people commented on the huge size of the controversial Incineration Plant, adjacent to the M5 just south of the services, which will have a 75 metre high chimney.  In a setting of the Severn Vale, and at the foot of the Cotswold escarpment, it contrasts markedly with the Gloucester Services with it’s Grass Covered Roof which has been discreetly and unobtrusively blended into the environment.

A short drive skirting Gloucester, on through the pleasant village of Newent, brought us to the Three Choirs Vineyard, set in 75 acres of south facing undulating hills.  The name stems from the 300 year old Three Choirs festival, featuring, amongst many musical attractions, the choirs of Gloucester, Worcester, and Hereford Cathedrals.  It is England’s second largest vineyard by acreage, (the first being Denbies in Surrey, although largest in output is Chapel Down in Tenterden, Kent), Three Choirs also have a smaller vineyard, acquired in 2014, at Wickham in Hampshire, where grapes for the red wines are grown.

Lunch was taken, almost immediately on our arrival, in the Vineyard Restaurant overlooking the vine covered slopes.  A diverse selection from an excellent menu offered a range of superb fare, the most popular on our table being Wild Boar and Chorizo Burger, and Salad, the Filet of Salmon also appeared very appetising.  All were served with a selection of the Three Choirs wines.

On completion of a superb lunch, our guide arrived for the Wines Tour, and Tasting.  The lady initially gave a statistical resume of the Three Choirs.  The 75 acres produces approximately 250,000 bottles of wine in a good year, comprising 60% white, 20% sparkling, 10% rose, and 10% red, breaking down into wine choices of 5 whites, 1 sparkling, 2 rose and 2 red.  12 varieties of grapes are grown on the estate ranging from the universal Pinot Blanc to Bacchus, and Seigerrebe, derived from Germanic vines which are most suited to the similar temperate English climate.  Production at Three Choirs started in the 1970’s but really took off after 1990 following a major investment into modern plant and facilities.  Global warming has also been a beneficial factor, although the variable and unpredictable English weather always affects output.  For this reason the vast majority of English vineyards are in the south of the country from Kent to Cornwall, although the most northerly is in Yorkshire. (With due deference to Andrew Gunn, and any other Scottish O.C.s there is a vineyard in Scotland, but the grapes are grown in polytunnels).

During this discourse, three of the estate wines were sampled with an explanation of their constitution and flavour. Bob Jennings was willingly co-opted as deputy wine waiter with such impressive dexterity, that I was assured there was a position available for him should he be looking for a career change!

Time did not permit a walk through the vineyard, but the elevated position of the restaurant area and its adjacent hotel (there are bedrooms, and three lodges for overnight and weekend breaks) gave a wide panoramic view of the estate.

Our tour commenced in the Winery with the main focus on Three Choirs, award winning sparkling “Classic Cuvee” wine.  Gone are the days of “treading the grapes” in an open tub.  The operation takes place in large mechanical presses, from where the juice is piped to huge tanks for the initial fermentation process.  Wine is then bottled with a temporary metal cap and stored in metre square cages for the secondary fermentation.

When complete the neck of the bottle is frozen, permitting removal of sediment, topped up, and the cork inserted.  After further storage and aging the wine is ready for sale and drinking.  The result of this “traditional” or “method champenoise” process is an excellent sparkling wine to match many a champagne at a competitive price £16.25).  Our final tasting was to sample Classic Cuvee, and an Oak aged Red which resembled a good Rioja.

Our guide advised that sales were mainly to Hotels, Restaurants, Premium Wine Merchants and  direct mail, the only mass retail outlet being, predictably, Waitrose.  Unsurprisingly with limited, but high quality, production these avenues generate optimum financial returns.  

It would have been interesting to explore the future strategy for English Wine producers.  Currently barely 2% of wine consumed in the UK is from English vineyards, and despite an average increase in production of 12/15% in recent years, output in global terms is still miniscule.  2014 figures show a UK total output of 425 metric tonnes, compared with over 4.5 million tonnes each from the world’s largest - Italy, Spain, and France.  It remains to be seen if England can make inroads into the mass market, and move up from our current 60th position in the league of producing countries.  This would require challenging the giants, with their economies of scale, the automated facilities of Australia and the Americas, and the major Europeans, no doubt favoured by the EU Common Agricultural Policy.  However, these questions will have to wait for a return visit.  Time had run out and, after a quick visit to the Vineyard Shop, we were on the return journey to Colston’s.

Another super day out, and our thanks again are due to Bob Jennings, and Tracy Mace for choosing the venue, and organising the trip.  Also Doug Lodge, whose camera was on hand to capture the day photographically.



 
O.C.s, family ,and friends, on the Visit were:

Fred and Sue Forse                  Doug and Sue Lodge
Gail Gunn                                  Richard and Tracy Mace and Mike Tutt
John and Margaret Harris         Mark Plenty
Nick and Jane Humphries         Martin and Wendy Tayler
Nigel and Jerry Hurley               Dave and Kim Tooze
Bob and Wendy Jennings          Mike and Maureen Wood
Dave and Paula King + friend     John and Marilyn Wright and Grandson

Dave Tooze
Sept 2018