S TA F F O R D S H I R E W I N E
FLYING THE FLAG FOR ENGLISH WINE Wine might not be the first product you associate with Staffordshire, but Halfpenny Green have now been flying the flag for English wine-making for many a year.
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In the heart of the South Staffordshire countryside, Martin Vickers planted his first half acre of vines back in 1983. Another 22 acres was planted by the early 1990s and today, at almost 30 acres, the Halfpenny Green Wine Estate is one of the largest vineyards in the country - and all that situated less than half an hour from the centre of Wolverhampton. Believe it or not, at 250ft above sea level on sheltered south facing slopes, the free-draining sandy soil provides perfect conditions for the Vickers family to grow 15 grape varieties.
If you’re interested in learning more about the wine-making process, both public and private tours of the vineyard are available through the summer months. You can also visit the Wine Loft to indulge in a wine tasting experience, which includes six half-glasses, a cheese board, tasting notes, a history of the vineyard and wines, and a self-guided trail through the vines. In tune with the recent gin revival, the Wine Loft also offers a gin-tasting experience with a range of artisan British gins.
Martin’s son Clive crafts award-winning white, red, rosé and sparkling wines in the site’s all-purpose winery. Built in 2005, it produces between 50,000 and 60,000 bottles of Halfpenny Green’s cellar staples each year. Current vintages range from 2011 through to 2016, from the bright and lively Long Acre to the full-bodied red Rondo and the tropical fruit palate of their Late Harvest dessert wine. The busy winery also has the capacity to carry out contract wine making and bottling for more than 50 vineyards up and down the country.
Halfpenny Green is truly a family affair, with the shop, restaurant, deli and tea room managed by Clive’s wife, Lisa. Set in a converted barn, a wide array of the Estate’s own wines are on sale in the shop, as well as food, gifts and bespoke hampers. The fresh deli counter stocks a range of local and continental cheeses, olives, oils and fresh meats to perfectly complement the liquid offering. For the full day-out experience, there’s fresh food cooked using local ingredients or high tea available in the restaurant, and a small village of craft shops to browse.