English wine week celebrations: 18th - 26th June
What a time to be championing English wine week, which is taking place from the 18th to 26th June.
We are very excited to be part of a perfectly timed, midsummer event. The week provides a great opportunity for us to really inspire you, our customers, to get to know more about the world of English wines, and most importantly our very own vineyard here on Cobbs Farm – Alder Ridge.
How are we celebrating at Cobbs?
1) In our farm shops, you can pick up a bottle of our latest release from Alder Ridge. The much anticipated 2018 Blanc de Noirs is now available for £37.99.
Tasting notes: Delicately golden in the glass, this wine has an elegant and earthy nose of bruised apple, ripe pear, dark red berries, and hints of toasted brioche. The generous and weighty palate shows the ripeness of this most celebrated vintage in English wine, with a lingering fruity finish. A rich wine to be paired with food, or perfect as an aperitif.
2) On our vineyard, we are hosting vineyard tours throughout the summer. These are open to the public and available to book with our tour hosts, Berks Fizz. We have lunchtime and afternoon slots to choose from, all include a vineyard tour and guided tasting of some of our English Sparkling Wines.
Please book a space with Berks Fizz:
Our tours are run by the fantastic local duo, Berks Fizz.
Ollie and Natasha bring a wealth of experience, enthusiasm, and passion for English wine to the team. Their sessions are designed to be fun, informative, and engaging and are a perfect way to spend a couple of hours with friends this summer and learn more about the huge future for English Wines.
Click here to book tickets
3) On our farm, we are hosting this year’s English Wine and Food Festival on Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th June. This festival is a unique opportunity to taste and buy award-winning English Wines and locally produced food. Tickets start at £5 and can be bought online here:
How can you celebrate?
1) Swap your ‘usual’ bottle for an English one instead this week.
2) Get to know your local vineyards and support them! Follow their social channels and comment and like their posts. Hampshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire have an abundance of fantastic vineyards. See a list here
3) Book on a vineyard tour – preferably one of ours! See dates
4) With Afternoon Tea at Cobbs – and a glass of our English Sparkling wine! Book now
5) Purchase tickets for a local English food and wine festival! Buy now
Alder Ridge Vineyard
Here are some fun facts about our vineyard on Cobbs Farm:
1) We planted our first 5 acres of vines in 2011 and planted a further 2 acres in 2015
2) We grow four classic champagne grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Précoce
3) It is our south-facing land and chalky terroir that make our land the ideal location to establish these grape varieties
4) We managed to take our first full commercial harvest in 2013, after an exceptional growing season. This crop went on to become our first internationally award-winning wines
5) All our wines have been fortunate to have received international recognition, with our Blanc de Noirs style wines being named Best in its Class at The Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships 2017 and the Wines of Great Britain Awards 2019.
6) In 2021 we installed a frost protection system on our vineyard (over 20 miles of irrigation pipework) to help protect our special crop during the frosty season
7) The name Alder Ridge evolved when we were preparing our land for vines and pollarding a run of Alders on the Easterly boundary. The iconic Red Kite that features in our branding is seen daily at the farm.
8) In 2020 we updated our branding to a more modern, minimal style, reflecting the unique qualities of English Sparkling Wine.
9) We currently have three wines available: Special Cuvée, 2017 Rosé, and 2018 Blanc de Noirs
10) We are hosting this year’s English Wine and Food Festival