Our Visit to Wraxall Vineyard
Just off the A37, tucked away in the heart of the Somerset Downs south of Shepton Mallet, on a sunny south-facing slope, is Wraxall Vineyard, protected by poplars and hedges. We stumbled across this gem of a vineyard by complete accident when we were driving through the winding lanes and spotted its signs.
What better, therefore, than to make the most of about the only hot Friday this summer to sign up for a tour of the vines and tasting of Wraxall’s fine English Sparkling wines.
Rows of vines growing next to a stone house welcomed us to Wraxall Vineyard as we drove in. We were warmly welcomed by Lexa Hunt, who, together with her husband and family, acquired the vineyard back in February this year. The vines are compactly planted by variety, allowing Wraxall to produce a range of white and rosé sparkling wines of the highest quality.
We arrived knowing very little about vine growing or winemaking (in my case, none at all) but came bubbling with knowledge and some surprising facts. For example, in the winter months, to ensure the frost doesn’t kill the vines, if the temperature drops too low, Lexa and her husband light 3000 candles to keep the vines warm – usually having to leap out of bed in the middle of the night! From Lexa, we also learned about the winemaking process, from the grapes being harvested to the bottling, the amazing community spirit of volunteers who help with the harvest.
No question was too simple or silly. As I said, I didn’t know anything about the process of winemaking or what ensures a high-quality wine, so didn’t hold back with the questions!!!
At the end of our tour of the vines, we sat in the dappled sunlight by the old press house to taste a couple of Wraxell’s sparkling wines, accompanied by a delicious local cheese. We were a small group of seven, which made the tour really welcoming and approachable.
We thoroughly enjoyed our short visit to Wraxall vineyard, and the wines we bought have been thoroughly enjoyed – especially the rosé! Thank you, Lexa, for your warm welcome and our wonderful visit.
We are so excited to see what Wraxall Vineyard does next and look forward to our next visit.
Have you visited Wraxall Vineyard? Or have you visited any vineyards in the UK? Leave a comment and let us know!
The Cook and the nearHome team