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Hencote and The Art of The Amphora

11 March 2020/in blog

Vineyard and winery technology is always evolving, but traditionally the winemaking process has not changed in over 5000 years.

Wine is made when grapes are harvested and pressed, natural yeast transforms the mixture through the process of fermentation into wine which in turn further develops with maturation.

Ancient method

While there are many techniques used in winemaking, at Hencote we have embraced one ancient method which has allowed us to go back to basics in line with our philosophy of less is more.

The use of terracotta clay amphora as a winemaking vessel precedes the oak barrel and in recent times has not been considered in your conventional methods for making and storing wine but at Hencote we recognise the quality attributes from their use for our premium wines. After the grapes have been carefully sorted and processed our wines complete their fermentation in our amphoras.

What is interesting is that the egg shape of the amphora creates natural turbulence which can be worked with to rather gently guide the creation of the end wine.

Cycle of nature

Our view is that amphorae support the approach of understanding and working with the cycle of nature and takes the winemaker back to the original roots of winemaking – there is no need for modern technology.

Currently, the five amphorae we have contain premium Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines now resting in maturation from the 2019 harvest. The wine will eventually be disturbed after ten months in preparation for the rigorous bottling process during the last weeks before harvest in September.

Finally, each amphora must be cleaned, so to ensure that their unique individual character is maintained, they only get a thorough hot water rinse, which is a tough job in itself – just ask Gavin the next time you see him!

If you would like a tour of our winery and finish with a tasting of some of our Estate wines then you can email [email protected] or call 01743 298 444 for more information.

Four great red wines for the colder weather

2 March 2020/in blog

With the cold weather lingering why not relax in our lounge with a glass of wine – red wine. People often associate red wine with heartier foods such as roasts, chilli, Bolognese or stews. These winter warmers often complement a range of red wines due to their gallant flavours.

While white wine is always an option red wine is more suited to a colder climate. Below are a few red wines that are perfect for drinking in winter.

Pinot Noir

Kicking off the list of winter reds is the Pinot Noir. This elegant wine is a popular choice with wine lovers due to its delicate characteristics of strawberry and raspberry, while others have darker flavours such as plum and dark cherry. Pinot Noir is a dry wine with fine complexity and pairs very well with venison as well as dishes such as mushroom risotto.

Hencote wine list recommendation – Hencote Estate Mark I

Merlot

You couldn’t have a winter red wines list and not include Merlot. The grape can adapt to different climates and has a unique taste; combining black cherries, plums with a subtle hint of vanilla in some instances. Merlot balances perfectly with beef steaks and can also pair nicely with Blue Cheese. Despite being berated in the film Sideways, Merlot it seems is on the rise again.

Wine list recommendation – The Velvet Devil, Charles Smith, Washington, USA

Shiraz

Produced in New World countries such as Australia and South Africa, Shiraz originates in the Rhone, a stylistic wine known for being big and bold. It oozes flavour most notably blueberries and blackcurrants, but can also have distinct notes of chocolate and pepper. When it comes to food, varieties of Shiraz pair well with lamb and pulses including lentils.

Hencote wine list recommendation – Two Hands, McLaren Vale, Australia 2017

Cabernet Sauvignon

Finally, we have the ‘Cab Sav’ – the king of winter red wines. Cabernet Sauvignon offers bold flavours which leave an impactful aftertaste of blackcurrant, cedar and spices. Some wines are fruity while others have a smokier aroma – this all depends on the location and how the wine is made. Cabernet Sauvignon pairs with grilled meats and dishes with big flavours.

Hencote wine list recommendation – Freemark Abbey, Napa Valley, USA 2011

If you would like to know more about our ranges of wines including our recent red, the Mark I, then you can get in touch with the Hencote team here – [email protected] or 01743 298 444

In The Vineyard – February

27 February 2020/in blog

Shrewsbury and the surrounding areas of Shropshire have suffered over the last few weeks with torrential rain sparking rising floodwaters.

The River Severn has not been this high in 20-years and has already forced some local businesses to close and homes to be flooded.

This week for the team in the vineyard it’s business as normal as the vines are still dormant and are expected to suffer no ill-effects from the floods.

They have continued to work through the deluge of bad weather tending to the young Chardonnay vines that were planted in 2018.

The process involves pruning and tying in order to establish them for their final year before production in 2021. Next week the pruning and tying begins for the mature vines and will take around six weeks in the run-up to Spring.

Inside the winery, Gavin has been disgorging the sparkling wine which begins with the neck of the bottle plunged into a refrigerating solution at – 27°C.

The sediment is then ejected under pressure when the bottle is opened, then recorked along with the muselet (wire hood), with minimum loss of wine and pressure.

The bottles are then cleaned in warm water and stacked ready to be stored, Gavin and his team are disgorging one day a week at 1,010 bottles per day for the next 8 weeks.

We are looking forward to Spring and hopefully a change in the weather bringing with it a little bit of sunshine which, will hopefully put a smile back on the faces of Shropshire residents.

If you would like to know more about the vineyard and to take a tour of the winery with a tasting to finish please get in touch with one of the Hencote team on [email protected] or call 01743 298 444.

February events at Hencote

2 February 2020/in blog

February is the month when romance blossoms and winter is on the final stretch before spring.

Along with Valentine’s Day, we have two other events planned for wine connoisseurs and foodies everywhere – a wine tasting and a wine dinner.

Wine Tasting

For our next wine tasting, we will be making the short hop across the Channel to our French neighbours sampling four of their finest wines.

February 20th sees Hencote winemaker Gavin Patterson will be on hand to take you through the history of each one, explaining the region and what makes them unique.

The tasting is blind so you won’t know the style of wine or the region it comes from, you’ll have to make your own opinion. If you’ve not been to a blind wine tasting before it is a great chance to understand what to look out for in a great wine including aroma, body and of course taste.

Cost for the event is £25 pp and will include a tasting of all four wines as well as a cheese and charcuterie board to dine on. The tasting starts at 6 pm.

Wine Dinner

For our wine dinner on February 28th our team of chefs has created a menu which is inspired by French classics. During the evening each dish will be paired with a glass of wine that complements the dish and its flavours.

Winemaker Gavin Patterson and Head Chef Paul Downes will be on hand to explain the wine and dish and the reasons for the pairing.

Cost for our French wine dinner is £95 pp and includes five courses with wine pairing.

If you love your food and drink this is an experience to be savoured. For more information about either of these events, you can contact one of the Hencote team on 01743 298 444 or email [email protected]

In The Vineyard

15 January 2020/in blog, VINEYARD

As the end of one decade passes the start of a new one brings exciting plans here at Hencote – where everything starts in the vineyard.

The weather in January has been unforgiving at times and our vineyard team has battled the elements as they go through the pre-pruning phase.

Pre-pruning

This process involves trimming the vines back to the arms which will eventually bear the fruit. It’s a tough job, especially when the weather is unfavourable. Lately, we’ve had lots of rain and on occasion strong winds which whip across the vineyard.

Once the pruning is done the tying down begins and this is all done by hand to each one of the 24,000 vines on the estate.

Elsewhere, Gavin, our winemaker will be making the most of the organic waste or ‘grape marc’ as it’s called, from the vineyard and the winery and turning it into compost.

This is then regenerated back into the vineyard come the autumn which helps with the carbon content of the soil and microbial growth. Using the ‘grape marc’ in this way means everything goes full circle and there is no wastage.

The winery

In the winery itself, a close eye is kept on the Amphoras which house our 2019 Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and the Pinot Meunier for the sparkling rose – we cannot wait to launch all these in 2020.

Looking ahead to February we will also be disgorging the next vintage of our Evolution sparkling wine. The disgorging process involves removing the sediment from the wine after fermentation.

So despite the quiet lull around Shropshire after Christmas and New Year things are very busy in the winery and vineyard and with lots to look forward to in the coming months.

The View overlooking The Wrekin

The Amphoras keeping warm inside the winery

The winery tanks

New World Wine Vs Old World Wine – what’s the difference?

3 January 2020/in blog

If you’re a seasoned wine lover you may have already heard the term Old and New World wine – if not then below we explain the difference between the two.

New World and Old World is a reference to the geographical location of the regions the wine is made. Old World refers to wines from Europe and Eurasia, known to be the historic birthplace of the vitis vinifera grape varieties as we know them.

New World simply refers to any other region where this strain of vitis was not pre-existing and it’s no coincidence that with settlement in foreign lands, came the knowledge of wine too.

Technique

There are different viewpoints when it comes to New and Old World wine.

Old World wines are made using traditional methods which haven’t changed for generations. These methods often rely on terroir as an important aspect. Terroir is based on the qualities derived from the land where the grapes are grown and will include influences from climate, soils to the ecology surrounding vineyards and in the winery – all considered vital to the overall flavour of the wine.

New World wine focusses on a modern approach when it comes to winemaking. This allows winemakers the freedom to experiment at will, to explore techniques and technologies and be consumer lead.

Taste

Most New and Old World wines can be identified by style. Wines from the Old World are typified by the complex aroma, elegant mouthfeel and longevity as a quality defining aspect. There is an understanding passed through generations of the best wines to match the culture, food and land of each region – this is terroir.

New World wines tend to have abundant fruit expression and even the highest quality examples do not need age to be approachable in their youth. Our focus at the moment is on Australia and New Zealand where the long warm days allow the grapes to ripen fully and achieve concentrated flavours and thus generally a higher alcohol content.

The label

The label is also a big factor when it comes to differentiating between the two. Old World wine will promote the vineyard or region, sometimes the winery itself and not the grape varietal used.

The reason is that there are strict regulations that only allow specific grape varieties in certain regions, along with harvest methods and minimum alcohol content.

New World wine, on the other hand, will indicate the grape varietal used as these laws don’t apply. This gives winemakers the freedom to grow varieties of grapes wherever they choose.

Also, New World wine labels tend to clearly state the brand and the labels will be bold and colourful, making them stand out on the shelves.

Blind tasting

On January 16th we are holding our first wine tasting event here at The View Restaurant, Bar & Balcony. Winemaker Gavin Patterson will be taking you on a tour of Australia and New Zealand sampling four exquisite wines.

You can find out more and book tickets below – but hurry, numbers are limited.

Toast 2020 with Brunch at Hencote

30 December 2019/in blog, Hencote News

With the new decade on the horizon what better way to spend the first day of 2020 than with family and friends here at Hencote.

We’ll be open New Year’s Day and we’re putting on a special brunch for all our guests and diners.

The brunch will run from 10 am – 12:30 pm and is £25 pp. We’ll have a variety of tea, freshly ground coffee and fruit juice available as well as a choice of a glass of our award-winning Evolution sparkling wine, or to cure the hangover, our very own Bloody Mary.

You can then choose from a delicious selection of dishes including; eggs benedict with crispy bacon and homemade hollandaise sauce or sliced avocado, poached egg, wilted spinach, chilli flakes and toasted brioche.

Whatever you choose our New Year’s Day brunch will be the perfect pick-me-up.

Check out the New Years Day Brunch Menu – for more information E – [email protected] or call 01743 298 444

Luxury glamping shortlisted for tourism award

27 December 2019/in blog, Hencote News

We’ve got some great news. We have been shortlisted for Camping, Glamping, Holiday Park of the Year at the inaugural West Midlands Tourism Awards.

2019 has been a fantastic year for everyone at Hencote. We’ve celebrated the first birthday of The View Restaurant, Bar & Balcony and successfully released a number of estate wines – with more to come in 2020.

Not only that, but we’ve won a bronze medal at the International Wine Challenge for our Evolution sparkling wine.

Venues from Birmingham to Bewdley and Stratford-upon-Avon to Solihull will contest categories including B&B / Guest House of the Year; Business Events Venue of the Year; and Large Visitor Attraction of the Year.

The 15 successful attractions and hospitality businesses will be revealed at a special ceremony on 26th February 2020. This will be held at the University of Birmingham’s Great Hall.

Regional winners

Regional winners will automatically feed up to the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, which takes place in June.

Supported by the West Midlands Growth Company, the aim is to attract visitors and events to the region. The awards will celebrate the venues that have helped to bring a record 131 million visitors to the area in 2018. This is a 2.6% increase on the previous year.

The West Midlands’ tourism industry is now worth £12.6 billion. This is a rise of 6.7%, with the sector supporting more than 135,000 jobs.

It’s a fantastic way to end the year and we’re extremely proud of what we have achieved so far. The luxury glamping village has proved very popular with our guests who are looking for that unique luxury experience.

We’re going to be up against other worthy finalists so it will be exciting to see if we can come out on top. If you would like to know more about our luxury accommodation then you can get in touch with the Hencote team at [email protected]

How to choose the perfect sparkling wine?

16 December 2019/in blog, Wine Shop

There’s nothing better than sipping a crisp glass of sparkling wine, especially when you’re toasting the festive season and the end of a decade. With so many different styles of sparkling wine, how do you choose the one that suits your tastebuds?

We caught up with our winemaker Gavin to ask him for his top tips of choosing the best sparkling wine for you.

What’s new with sparkling wine these days?

Consumers who appreciate good fiz regularly feel that Prossecco may have run its course and are seeking out good value alternative single house Champagnes. Minimalist producers with ‘petulant natural’ styles also French Crémants and revisiting Spanish Cava, however, if you look carefully there are still some worthwhile Prosseccos and Lambruscos to be had.

Is there a common mistake people make when choosing a sparkling wine?

Looking only at big brands and bling packaging and not reading the label, also only buying Brut as sweetness kills flavour and masks fault.

How do you help customers choose a sparkling wine?

Is it for a special occasion, enjoying with food or casual quaffing? Do they like the fresh and precise blanc de blanc, fuller Classic Cuvée or my favourite…Rosé.

Do you have any top sparkling wine tips?

Drink Brut, if it is not lively on opening it is likely that it is going to disappoint. Unless it is the top end it is unlikely it will improve with age so drink it!

What are some of your preferred food pairings?

Our Hencote Evolution with Oysters is a delicious pairing. Classic Cuvée with mushroom risotto and Rosé with fillet steak are also very good combinations – another favourite is also a Rosé with Eaton Mess.

If you’re looking for that perfect sparkling wine this Christmas and New Year why not try our Evolution.

Luxury is just a city break away

3 December 2019/in blog

Barcelona is a popular destination for people looking for that perfect city break. A chance to take in the sights of the historic city and sample all its culinary delights – and we want to give two people that chance.

The Alma Spa Hotel Barcelona is one of the most exclusive and prestigious in the city. Located near Passeig de Gràcia it oozes charm and celebrity appeal to its guests.

The unique building has been renovated to integrate classicism and contemporary spirit and has a calming aura thanks to the stunning Garden of the Soul, recovered as the beginning of the plan of Ildefons Cerdà.

City breaks don’t need to be jampacked with sightseeing tours or busy shopping trips. Sometimes it’s about relaxation and escapism, and The Alma Spa Hotel offers all of that and so much more.

You can pamper yourself with a wide variety of beauty or massage treatments or simply lounge by the pool or relax in one of two saunas.

When it comes to cuisine The Garden of the Soul Restaurant is a creative Catalan inspired menu which has been crafted with the utmost attention to detail by chef Gio Esteve. Have a look at some of the photos below and picture yourself soaking in the luxurious ambience.

To be in with a chance of winning this amazing prize which also includes exquisite tasting menu & wines book your tickets to our Great Gatsby Gala and join us as we celebrate the end of 2019 and welcome 2020 to Hencote Estate.