Newent, Gloucestershire GL18 1LS, England
Phone: 01531 890223
http://www.three-choirs-vineyards.co.uk/
Established in 1973, Three Choirs is now the second largest commercial vineyard in the UK (behind Denbies in Surrey). The 65 acres of vines are grown on south-facing slopes with free draining sandstone soils. In all, around 20 different grape varieties are grown, most of which will be unfamiliar to anyone unaquanited with the English wine scene (see further down page). Although the vineyard is sited quite far North (in the Midlands of England), the microclimate here is such that the grapes ripen fully given reasonable weather conditions.
The trellising system used throughout the vineyard is the Geneva double curtain system, (right, click for larger image) with the crop carried on two side wires 4 ft above the ground. Row spacing is 11 ft, with 5 ft between the vines, and the grapes are harvested by hand between September and November. When I visited, in mid June 1998, flowering was getting underway and the vines all appeared to be in good health. 1998 is probably not going to be a classic vintage, however, because of the terribly wet June and July we have had, although a hot August and September could bring it round. As you can see from the photographs on this page, it is an extremely attractive vineyard to walk around, and a self-guided tour of the vineyard and winery, together with a tasting in the shop, is covered by a charge of £2.
Madeline Angevine Originally a Loire grape, produces complex aromatic wines of light texture
Huxelrebe A good cropper which produces rich wines but is susceptible to disease and frost
Bacchus A distinctive, aromatic variety which produces excellnt wine but a low yielder and susceptible to rot
Seyval Blanc Hybrid that produces large crop with few vineyard problems, but the quality isn't too hot
Muller Thurgau Produces largely dull wines in Germany, but in the UK it excels with medium crop and flowery, spicy wines
Dornfelder Produces light and simple red wines
Pinot Noir Later ripener, but classic variety. Used at Three Choirs largely to produce sparkling and rosé wines
Proceed to Three Choirs Page 2: The winery and the wines