Gusbourne Estate: in the beginning was the bud

… do great initiatives emerge.

As we wandered around the sun-drenched budding vines at Gusbourne Estate and Ridgeview, I was reminded what makes our wine industry so different and why I am launching the travel side to www.DrinkBritain.com in September. Despite the show of sun, our precarious climate makes winemaking inevitably of a boutique nature for all but a few. To make such a business work, the value of you, the potential visitor is well nigh vital for long term success.

Take our two wineries.

Early days: young vines at Gusbourne Estate

While on the outside they may appear different – Andrew Weeber started Gusbourne less than four years ago. His first sparkling wines are receiving good reviews, but he’d be the first to admit it is early days. Mike Roberts on the other hand is among the leaders of the UK sparkling wine scene, with more awards to his name than his walls have space to display, including a Regional Trophy in this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards.

Coincidentally Ridgeview makes Gusbourne’s wines – Andrew has yet to build a winery, but you should see the plans, now nearing approval stage – but we didn’t know this when we fixed our trips.

What links them is three things: incredible attention to detail in the vineyard, a grand vision, and the knowledge that the cellar door experience is essential to make their ventures sustainable commercially.

Ridgeview: sparkling wine glasses through the ages

Ridgeview’s tasting room is among the best I have visited. Overlooking the vines, one end shows how sparkling wine glasses evolved through the twentieth century, there are internal windows into the cellar, and the tasting table allows you the chance to sample a number of his award-winning bubblies.

Andrew’s vision is, if anything, even more engaging. To achieve his aim of ultimately selling a third through the cellar door, he’s planning a sparkling wine and tapas bar and perhaps some gallery space – he’s a bit of a collector. That’s one opening night invite I’ll be hoping comes my way.

Carters Vineyard: this way to the tasting room

Which brings me back to ‘Why DrinkBritain.com’? So that wherever we are we can make the most of the artisanal pioneers in our locality. And if we’re off on holiday, we can fit in a visit alongside the beach, the museum or the farmers’ market. Whether it’s a brewery, a distiller, a cider maker or a vigneron, we can visit when they are open – the nature of small rural businesses is otherwise they might be out in the fields – and we can find out for ourselves what it is about their drinks that make them special.

What about the beer?

For those who enjoy a beer, check out my Best brewery visits page, as researched for CAMRA’s Beer magazine.

Know someone who should feature?

If you know of a great drinks producer to visit, suggest they get involved here, or leave a comment and I’ll invite them.