The winery viewed from the vineyard (left), and the
entrance to the tasting room (right). (Click for larger photo.)
Page 2: The Winery and the Wines
The winery viewed from the vineyard (left), and the
entrance to the tasting room (right). (Click for larger photo.)
The large size of the vineyard and the number of varieties grown enables Three Choirs to produce a whole range of wines in different styles: there are eight whites, two reds, a rose and a sparkling wine currently listed. As you might expect from the cool English climate, the dominant wine style consists of light, crisp aromatic whites, with the reds tending to the lighter end of the spectrum. All are good quality, and are fairly priced when compared with other English wines, which do tend to be expensive because of the relatively low yields, difficult growing conditions and expensive labour. I liked all the wines I tasted and felt that this winery has got the balance (or compromise?) right between the quality of the wine and the accessible pricing. Many of these wines are also distributed by high street chains (Thresher/Wine Rack) and supermarkets (Tesco).
The Fume reserve 1995 is very light, dry and has a hint of vanilla oak, but not a lot of fruit flavour. The Bacchus 1996 Estate reserve is very pale (almost transparent) but has a strongly aromatic nose (flowers, grapefruit, gooseberry and elderflower) and quite a light texture. The Estate Premium White is a fairly simple fruity, aromatic wine that is ideal summer fare. Surprisingly, the red wines are also worth checking out, with soft, full flavours and accessible tannins. Full details of all the wines available can be found on the Three choirs homepage.
Inside the winery at Three Choirs
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On to Sharpham Vineyard