Heard it through the GRAPEVINE

It is an exciting time for English sparkling wine, and Hampshire is at the forefront with some of the county’s best vineyards

- Elizabeth Kirby

The Grange

With an emphasis on ‘creating something great, together’, Grange Park in Northington is owned and managed by the Baring siblings and their father Lord Ashburton VI. Led by the youngest, Zam, it was produced as a way for Mark, Rose and Lucy to all become a part of something on their childhood estate. Burge’s Field Vineyard, was planted in 2011 with the help of close friend Nicholas Coates, of Coates and Seely, the 52,000 vines are perfectly situated in their south-facing chalky soil to create a sparkling wine to rival Champagne. Now offering a Classic and a Rosé NV, both IWC gold and silver medal winners, currently being made at the Hattingley Valley Winery; Zam talks of plans for an old cattle shed onsite to be transformed in to The Grange Park Winery, with the hope of opening next year. “At the moment we are going through a planning process. We applied in May and are waiting to hear”, he explains. “Our plan is to put in a winery that is capable of processing about 200 tonnes of grapes every year; very roughly 160,000 bottles. We will then do 100 tonnes of our own grapes each year, and then about 100 tonnes of other people’s grapes, enabling us to offer contract wine-making as well as making our own.”

thegrangewine.co.uk

EXTON PARK