The harvest period is always a tricky one - especially checking the readings for acid levels (and so ripeness), along with the weather of course, and trying to gauge the right time to pick!
Taking its name from the ancient lands of the slopes above the village of Snitterfield, Welcombe Hills first produced wine in 2003 from grapes that enjoyed one of the finest English summers in memory.
Welcombe Hills vineyard was established in 2001. An initial area of half an acre was planted with Pinot Noir together with Dornfelder and Bacchus. Vines take three years to establish themselves so, apart from a small crop in 2002, the first harvest was taken to Three Choirs vineyard near Newent to be bottled in 2003. The vineyard was extended in May 2003 with a second planting of 1200 more vines, and again in 2006 where the third parcel has in part been trained on Geneva Double Curtain.
Now in full production, Welcombe Hills vineyard produces between 4,000 and 6,000 bottles a year, and has as many as eleven different wines on sale.
Welcombe Hills Vineyard Scoops More Awards in 2011
In the UK Vineyards Association competition in June 2011, our Welcombe Hills Pinot Noir Precoce 2009 won a Silver Medal and both the Rose 2010 and the Bacchus 2010 won Bronze.
The season’s successes continued at the Mercian Vineyards Association regional competition in August, where Welcombe Hills Vineyard also won a Bronze medal for the Pinot Noir Precoce 2010 and the Hollow Meadow 2010 was Highly Commended.
Once again we are delighted with this success, and especially with the national judges' comments, suggesting that they are part of the coming-of-age of English wines, whose quality is becoming increasingly recognised by consumers. The awards also confirm the position of Welcombe Hills Vineyard as one of the most successful small vineyards in the U.K..
In the UK Vineyards Association competition in June 2011, our Welcombe Hills Pinot Noir Precoce 2009 won a Silver Medal and both the Rose 2010 and the Bacchus 2010 won Bronze.
