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Whether the climate is really improving due to global warming is a much-contested
issue, and most meteorologists will not accept that there is other than a cycle
of weather that has occurred many times before down the centuries. Whatever
the situation, the skills and experience of the last decade have brought English
winemaking to a level where the selection of grapes, that have proven themselves
in our northerly climate, provides a greater degree of consistency in quality
than ever before.
The learnings of the commercial period of viticulture between 1970 and 2001
are being applied in the new millennium to draw out the character and flavours
of both single varietals and blends that more than match offerings from the
New World.
At our own vineyard in Tenterden we have now grubbed up many of the older,
hybrid Germanic varieties, keeping only the ones that really do thrive in England
and produce consistently high quality grapes. Conversely we have increased plantings
of the noble French varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. We are also encouraging
our growers to do the same as demand for our premium wines increases.
Red Varieties
| RONDO |
| A very complicated and curious cross from Manchurian and
Austrian varieties. Intense dark red wine high natural alcohols, an affinity
to oak and aging potential make this a very interesting wine for England.
Wine: Rondo Reserve |
| PINOT NOIR |
| Now successfully being grown in this country for sparkling
wine production and in good years reds that will compete with the Burgundians.
Wine = Pinot Noir, Pinot Reserve, Tenterden Rosé |
| REGENT |
| A new red with good colour and reasonable sugar with some
disease resistance Wine: Epoch 1 |
| DORNFELDER |
| Released in 1980, produces a wine of good colour and some
finesse with a perfumed, spicy nose. Good blending material. Wine =
Epoch 1, English Rose |
White Varieties
| BACCHUS |
| Named after the Roman God of wine. An aromatic crossing
with Riesling parentage. Only around since the 70's produces excellent
wines in the Sancerre and NZ Sauvignon Blanc styles. Wine: Bacchus,
Bacchus Reserve |
| PINOT BLANC |
| Can produce wines similar in style to Chardonnay the difference
being it actually ripens in this country. Good for fizz base. Wine:
Pinot Blanc, Pinot Reserve |
| CHARDONNAY |
| Another of the grape varieties used in champagne, chardonnay
is being increasingly planted in England for Sparkling wine production.
At Tenterden our new planting will give their first fruit in 2007. |
| ORTEGA |
| Another high sugar grape with spicy tones and potential
for dessert wines. Wine: Ortega |
| SCHÖNBURGER |
| A grape with Pinot Noir as a parent but with no discernible
Pinot character, a bastard of a grape. Can make attractive floral, muscaty
wines and is often used for blending. Wine: Schönburger |
| HUXELREBE |
| A pungently aromatic variety. Thin skinned and high in
sugars making it suseptable to botrytis. Great potential. Has been used
for dessert wines. Wine: Aromatic, Huxel |
| MULLER-THURGAU |
| Planted extensively in England and New Zealand and now
falling out of favour due to unreliable cropping. Can make a good, spicy,
floral wine. Wine: Flint Dry, Brut NV |
| SIEGERREBE |
| A grape with flavours something like Bacchus. Ripens a
month before everything else which can be inconvenient. Makes excellent
wine. Wine: Nectar |
| REICHENSTEINER |
| A reliable and consistent cropper with high natural sugar.
Is fairly neutral which makes it ideal for blending and sparkling base.
Wine: Brut NV |
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