Owner of Jenkyn Place, Simon Bladon, shares the ups and downs of being an English wine producer in this live video interview from the vineyards of his Hampshire estate. He discusses why this year’s harvest in England has been a mixed bag (with a devastating frost in May but a good growing season for those second buds that survived the cold) as well as what he loves most about making English fizz.
This live video interview from Jenkyn Place was originally published on our Facebook page, please like our page to keep up to date with our live interviews on the road with 80 Harvests!
Interview highlights with Simon Bladon, Jenkyn Place
Amanda Barnes: Can you tell us a bit about what makes the terroir of your vineyard unique? How does it taste different to any other sparkling wine?
Simon Bladon: Well, the great thing about the terroir here is that we are on greensand over marl stone and we have chalk going up the hill. This terroir is very similar to the Cotes de Blanc in Champagne where they grow most of the Chardonnay. Here we are 100 meters above sea level; we have a south facing slope; we are very well sheltered.
And what are the challenges, because it is not always easy or plain sailing being an English vintner, is it?
There are an awful lot of challenges! There are the diseases – we spray very regularly every 10 days against the downy mildew and the powdery mildew. The biggest challenge that we had this year was the frost, the frost was awful – we had an air frost, not a ground frost.
And this was in May…?
This was on the 4th of May [2017], and there was not really very much we could do about it because it was an air frost – not a ground frost. So that was our challenge this year and that is why we have many fewer bunches than we would expect, we would expect normally 3 or 4 times as many bunches as this.
How much has your yield gone down this year?
Oh, it will end up being a third of what 2013 was.. and this will be a quarter or a fifth of 2010. But the quality will probably be very good.
What is the future for English sparkling wine in your opinion? Do you think we have centuries ahead of us?
I hope we have centuries ahead! Of course, the Romans planted vines in England, and so the weather then was obviously suitable for wine, but then in the 17th century you see all those old paintings with the Thames frozen over and you couldn’t have planted vines then… The long term weather patterns will determine how long we can have vines here. But certainly, it will certainly outlast as long as I live and you live!
Tasting notes and hightlights at Jenkyn Place
2013 Jenkyn Place Brut Cuvee
The new release, 2013 was a good vintage for Jenkyn Place following two years (2012 and 2011) where the harvest wasn’t good enough to classify for their own estate wines. This blend of 62% Chardonnay, 24% Pinot Noir and 14% Pinot Meunier is an austere and compact sparkling wine that will surely age well although today it offers bright notes of rich lemon peel, green apple and a hint of white blossom.
2010Jenkyn Place Brut Cuvee
With a couple more years of bottle age behind it, this Cuvee is beginning to show more complex aromas including buttery nuts and warm brioche. This sparkling wine is just getting into its stride.
2009 Jenkyn Place Sparkling Rose
Filled with bright cranberry notes and wild strawberry with the fresh notes of forest herbs held together by a taut acidity and structure. This is a very aromatic wine that lingers on the palate. The 2008 was also showing beautifully with a slightly earthier character.
2010 Jenkyn Place Blanc de Noirs
A complex wine with developed notes of toasted nuts and bruised orchard fruit, although the very lively acidity promises this a great future in the bottle. One worth cellaring.
Full interview for the hearing impaired:
Amanda Barnes: Can you tell us a bit about what makes the terroir of your Bentley vineyard here at Jenkyn Place. What makes it unique? How does it taste different to any other sparkling wine in England or anywhere else in the world?
Simon Bladon: Well, the great thing about the terroir here is that we are on greensand. Greensand over marl stone and we have just beyond that hedge of there, 25 yards away, we have chalk going up the hill. So when the rain falls, the rain falls on the chalk, trickles through the greensand, and you can see the greensand here. It is very much, this terroir is very similar to the Cote de Blanc in the south end of Champagne where they grow most of the Champagne Chardonnay. Here we are 100 meters above sea level, ideal height above sea level. We have a south facing slope, we are very well sheltered. And when I first thought about planting a vineyard here I rang up someone called Roger Marchbank, he was then Chairman of the UK vineyards association and I said I am thinking about planting a vineyard, can you give me some advice. And he said ‘I’ll come up, let me come and see you – I’m passing in a week’s time.’ So he came to see me. We walked in this field and we discussed the height above sea level, the south facing, especially the green sand, the chalk, the marl stone and he said ‘you have an absolutely ideal situation here for an English vineyard’ and it is probably largely because of what he then told me that I planted the vineyard.
Fabulous. And what are the challenges, because it is not always easy or plain sailing being an English vintner is it?
There are an awful lot of challenges, there are the diseases, we are very good here at doing our spraying, we spray very regularly every 10 days against the downy mildew and the powdery mildew, and you can see this is a very healthy vineyard – you can’t see brown blotches on the leaves, which is what you would see if you had downy mildew or powdery mildew; botrytis, well that comes later on – that comes in September, but we mostly have that under control. The biggest challenge that we had this year was the frost, the frost was awful – we had an air frost, not a ground frost.
And this was in May…?
This was on the 4th of May (2017), and there was not really very much we could do about it. We are two miles north of RAF Odiham where all the chinooks are based. I could have had, I could have asked RAF Odiham to send over half a dozen tunics to hover over all night but even that wouldn’t have worked because it was an air frost – not a ground frost. Even with chinooks hovering over the vineyard they would have been replacing air at minus 3.5 degrees with more air of minus 3.5 degrees, had it been a groundfrost it would have been totally different. So that was our challenge this year and that is why we have many fewer bunches than we would expect, we would expect normally 3 or 4 times as many bunches as this.
How much has your yield gone down this year, if we compare it to 2013 which was the bumper year?
Oh, it will end up being a third of what 2013 was. I mean 2010 was probably our biggest year, and this will be a quarter or a fifth of 2010. But the quality will probably be very good.
And why is that? What’s been leading up to great quality this year?
Because there are fewer bunches for each vine to look after in the growing process, each vine will have more energy to put into a smaller number of bunches. So probably the quality will be better.
And talking about the good side of being an English sparkling winemaker, what are the benefits? What is it that you really love about having a vineyard here in England or drinking your own wine?
Well drinking your own wine is always fantastic! For me, one of the great things about doing it was actually creating a brand name and I love the idea – this isn’t a main job, I have another job but – to create a brand name and leave something for posterity and to create something, that gives me satisfaction.
And your daughter is very involved in Jenkyn Place. What is the future for English sparkling wine? Do you think we have centuries ahead of us? What sort of direction do you think we might see? Tough question!
I hope we have centuries ahead. Of course the Romans planted vines in England, and so the weather then was obviously suitable for wine, but then in the 17th century you see all those old paintings with the Thames frozen over and you couldn’t have planted vines then… The long term weather patterns will determine how long we can have vines here. But certainly, it will certainly outlast as long as I live and you live! And anyone here lives!
And my last question: we are drinking here today your new release, your 2013, do you have any favourite pairings? Is there any way that you recommend someone enjoys this sparkling wine?
This is young, considering our last vintage was 2010, obviously 3 years older, this is still young. This is a wonderful wine for an aperitif, with strawberries and cream, or fish! It’s young and vibrant.
I like your strawberries and cream, that’s a very English pairing!
