The Story Behind The Halfpenny Green Story.
The Story Behind The Halfpenny Green Story.
Have you ever wondered what goes into producing a successful wine brand? With so many new and exciting labels on the scene, it takes a lot of thought, attention to detail and expertise when creating a brand that lasts. Where wine is concerned, it must look enticing, be priced attractively and of course taste fabulous. That’s why we choose to partner with the Halfpenny Green Wine Estate.. They really do tick all of the boxes. We sat down with Julian, Sollom, Head of Sales, to find out more about the story behind this local brand.
- How did the story of Halfpenny Green Wine Estate begin?
Halfpenny Green was one of the earliest pioneers of the English wine renaissance. The first acre of vines was planted in 1983 by Martin Vickers, a local farmer and his son Clive, who both still run the vineyard today as a family business. By 1991 a further 22 acres were added and today the vineyard totals some 30 acres, making it one of the largest in the UK.
Martin wanted to plant a vineyard that would one day match continental wines and that formed the foundation for this award-winning vineyard's success. Today, the 30 acres of vines are still managed by Martin producing award-winning wines overseen by his son Clive and a highly experienced team of winemakers.
Not only do they produce their own estate wines but they also produce and bottle for 75 other UK vineyards, producing and bottling some half a million bottles per year, making them one of the largest producers in the UK.
- What makes Halfpenny Wine award-winning?
It’s a combination of our grape varieties, knowledge of what grows well in a cool climate, the high level of traditional care and attention we give our grapes during the growing season, we harvest by hand and then leave it to the great skill of our winemaking team, who use all their experience to create an exciting and enticing range of wines. Most recently we have received Gold and Silver Medals for our Sparkling Rosé, our Bacchus dry white and our English Rose blended Rosé as well as a range of awards for our winemaking Team.
- How is Halfpenny Wine Estate able to compare to continental sites?
Our goal is not to compete with continental sites and this is mostly due to the differing climates. Instead, our focus is on offering our customers something unique and memorable. We offer all our consumers the chance to “try before you buy” and demonstrate that smaller artisanal producers here in the UK are able to produce great tasting wines. The positive feedback from our customers and consistent growth in sales is a testament to the practices that we have put in place and we are immensely proud to be an English Wine Estate.
- What is your most popular wine of 2021?
We have some 17 wines in the range, so there is always a great choice no matter your preference. Sparkling wines are always popular and show no sign of slowing down, we have a range of dry white wines to choose from as well as a range of easy drinking everyday wines of which Penny Red, Penny Black and English Rose are our most popular. These all work well with various food pairings or just as well enjoyed by themselves.
- Top tips for storing Halfpenny Green wines?
No matter what bottle you choose, these simple tips will make sure you get the most out of your wine:
Make sure you keep your bottles in a cool, dry environment, out of any direct sunlight and ideally our wines should be drunk within 5 years
- Halfpenny Green offers a wide range of experiences that go beyond just wine tasting. We are proud to partner with such a forward-thinking brand within the wine industry. What else can our Threshers community enjoy when visiting Halfpenny Green?
There are a wide range of activities to enjoy when visiting the Estate. You can shop our carefully curated products in our Farm Shop and Deli, enjoy a drink on our balcony bar, peruse our wines in the wine loft, enjoy various product tastings or take a vineyard tour. In addition you can have a meal in our restaurant, simply join us for a coffee, or even plan your next corporate event. Outside, you can explore our craft village or even experience a day at our zoo. As a company we aim to deliver a memorable experience no matter what you choose to do or taste here at the Halfpenny Green Wine Estate.
For more information head to halfpennygreen.co.uk