Here in this region wine growing is coming of age, no longer can English wine and in particular East Anglian wines be dismissed. We are bottling vintages which can compete with some of the world’s best loved alternatives.
In the past, Romans used the fertile East Anglian lands to grow vines and ferment wines for their troops but it is thought that the climate at that time was generally warmer than it is now. There are a few references to vineyards in this region in the Doomsday Book but they all disappeared in the middle ages.
In the 1960’s a few pioneer vineyards appeared at Felsted and Cavendish. Now, after a slow start, the regional acreage devoted to vineyards is expanding and the wines we now produce are winning National and International awards. This being the driest and warmest part of the country we have an enormous advantage over our western colleagues and now the label “East Anglian Regional Wine” has become a recognised quality category within the European wine regime. To attain this level, the wines must pass an analysis test by a government chemist and satisfy a judging panel of Masters of Wine. There is a more rigorous assessment of the wines if they wish to use the category “English Quality Wine”.
Sadly our wines are still hard to find in supermarkets as production is still small, but seeking them out locally in specialist retailers or from the vineyards themselves is certainly now a rewarding quest.
East Anglia will see extensive new plantings planned for this year and the first fruiting of vineyards established three years ago. Most of the recent ventures have been to develop production of quality sparkling wine. Two south coast vineyards, Nyetimber and Ridgeview Estate have produced excellent sparkling wines which have won gold medals in “Champagne” competitions and East Anglian producers now have products available to equal them in the challenge.
Carter’s Vineyards near Colchester produces an excellent sparkling wine called “Carters Brut” which is biscuity and crisp having spent two years cellared on its yeast. New Hall Vineyard near Maldon, our region’s largest vineyard established in the late 1960s, also has a top class sparkling wine. Sandyford Vineyard at Great Sampford in Essex and Wissett Vineyard in north Suffolk also offer fine sparkling wines.
Fresh, dry, fruity examples are characteristic of the region’s still white wines. These make an excellent accompaniment for fish or chicken. Great Bardfield in Essex and Shawsgate in Suffolk both produce wines in this style. Chilford Hall Vineyard near Cambridge is long established offering several styles of white and rose wines and makes for an interesting visit. Similarly Wyken Vineyard near Bury St Edmunds has a superb shop and restaurant where their well known wines can be enjoyed too.
Global warming is now an established fact and must be the reason we are seeing amazing red wines being produced by some of our vineyards. Ickworth Vineyard uses the benefit offered by high brick walls in the old vegetable garden of the National Trust’s Ickworth House to ripen its red grapes to full maturity, producing a world class rich ruby red which is available at the National Trust shop there. Carters Vineyards first produced red wine in 1996 using French oak barrels for ageing and in 2006 won the first accolade of “East Anglian Wine of the Year” with a red wine. They produce a fruity red blend called “King Coel” and a red varietal Pinot Noir wine called “Boudicca”.
Check out the region’s vineyards on our East Anglian Winegrowers Association website:
W: eastanglianwines.co.uk where all the vineyards’ details can be found. Many of the vineyards will sell their wine on line but you will find it much more enjoyable to visit them and taste the fruits of their labour in situ for yourselves.
Selections of East Anglian wines can be purchased from W: winehub.co.uk.
Thanks to Ben Bunting at Carter’s Vineyards, Boxted, Essex for his help in arranging this article – W: cartersvineyards.co.uk – open for summer tours.
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