England
The
Underdog Comes Out Fighting
Although I've visited a few vineyards in England, most of my wine experiences have been in London, either popping inside wine shops with more pedigree than Crufts, or visiting the many tastings that are organised in a city that seems to hold a strange relationship with the world of wine. It's not famous for producing, but for its role in the business of wine.
This collection of pictures try to capture these various aspects, from the traditions of Berry Bros & Rudd to the growing reputations that have been won by the vineyards of Southern England.
You can't have photographs of wine in London without one of Berry Bros & Rudd. Its history is a joy to discover. The main space for selling wines has moved around the corner, on to Pall Mall opposite the wine club at 67.
At Hedonism's wine emporium these huge bottles lay on their sides like torpedos.
This is Artellium Vineyard, and in the distance you can see the Sussex Downs, with beautiful Brighton on the other side.
This is the Artellium Tasting Room, and not only do they sell wine with bags of class, they also have wonderful pieces of original art that you can ponder over as you taste.
This little statue guards a row of vines in the vineyard of Tuffon Hall in Essex. I don't know what's holding the vine leaf in place.
I'm quite proud of this picture. It was taken at one of those London tastings, and it became the cover for my first wine book, a selection of short stories called, 'The Winemaker of Terso' (available on Amazon, under the starving artist section).
This was taken at another London tasting. The wines were very good. I didn't try the breadsticks.
Just outside Newbury is The Vineyard Hotel, and as its name suggests, it is dedicated to all things viticultural. It was originally owned by Sir Peter Michael (of the award winning Californian vineyard) and is my favourite hotel.