Find out why English wine is changing the landscape of the countryside, as well as the drink in your glass. From a sunny autumn afternoon in the vineyard to a winter evening in front of the fire we\u2019ve a range of still and sparkling wines from the Duke and Duchess of Rutland\u2019s vineyard<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ufeff\ufeffFind out why English wine is changing the landscape of the countryside, as well as the drink in your glass. From a sunny autumn afternoon in the vineyard to a winter evening in front of the fire we\u2019ve a range of still and sparkling wines from the Duke and Duchess of Rutland\u2019s vineyard<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s get a couple of things straight. Firstly, it\u2019s beever not bell-vwah. And secondly, the English can make wine \u2013 and really very good wine at that \u2013 no matter what our slightly stand-offish continental cousins may think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s late September, Tuesday afternoon, about 16\u00b0c and it\u2019s nice and sunny. Belvoir Castle\u2019s finest had put the date for the preview of their latest vintage into our diaries weeks ago and as the event drew nearer the organisers of the day, Lizzie, Ellie, and Her Grace the Duchess of Rutland were all watching the weather forecast carefully. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was, Ellie reckons, a \u2018Plan A\u2019 for good weather, then a \u2018Plan B\u2019 for bad weather and as the forecast looked increasingly dismal, a \u2018Plan C\u2019 for really terrible weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Happily, on the day the former was sufficient. Having met at Belvoir Castle we took a bumpy shooting charabanc down the hill to see the remaining grapes on the estate\u2019s vines. The mission was to sample the latest release of wines exclusively produced from grapes grown on the estate. These now comprise two still wines \u2013 white and red \u2013 and two sparkling wines \u2013 brut and ros\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The English wine market is thriving (see over for more details), as the climate once enjoyed by regions like Reims and Epernay has moved upwards to ensure favourable conditions for vines and wine producers in this country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Belvoir Castle followed a number of other more southerly wine producers in Sussex and Kent to establish its own vines on five acres of land south east of the castle itself. The land is at an elevation of around 100m above sea level and it has rich, crumbly limestone and ironstone soils which drain very well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fancy German kit was used to plant the vineyard in 2019 with GPS ensuring the rows are absolutely straight. Unusually the vines\u2019 second year yielded some decent fruit \u2013 sufficient for 700 bottles \u2013 but within three years and up to 2025, the site is yielding up to 25,000 bottles a year, depending on what the climate is like in spring and summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unfortunately, that\u2019s where automation ends because viticulture is still a labour-intensive operation. This summer, Dave Crossland \u2013 the estate\u2019s lead on vineyard operations \u2013 walks around 10 miles each day and has completed the summer pruning of the vines, taking away (with manual clippers and infinite patience) many of the leaves so all that lovely sunlight reaches the grapes and ensures all of the plant\u2019s energy goes into producing fruit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A\u2008dry 2025 has seen a disappointing harvest in other arable sectors such as cereals, but the grapes have loved our sweltering summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe vines have thrived in the heat and the roots have run so deep into the soil that it hasn\u2019t been necessary to irrigate them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During our visit, only a few grapes remain on the vines \u2013 the Seyval Blanc variety. They\u2019ll be ready, we\u2019re told, in less than a week but for now it\u2019s nice for those invited to the event to see the fruit still in situ. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harvest began in late August, three weeks earlier than usual, and by the end of September, the team had celebrated their largest yield yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Mark it\u2019s a journey marked by both resilience and surprise. \u201cWe\u2019ve already harvested the Siegerrebe, Pinot Pr\u00e9coce and Solaris,\u201d says the 16,000-acre estate\u2019s own viticulture consultant, Mark Bygott. \u201cAnd we\u2019re producing an exceptional crop this year, so we\u2019re really looking forward to seeing that turned into a good quality wine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEnglish wine is growing exponentially,\u201d says Mark. \u201cAbout a thousand hectares a year are being planted in the UK. We\u2019re not just competing with the global market anymore, but with vineyards springing up across Kent, Scotland and beyond. Even the French are buying land here\u2014they can see that our summers are getting warmer and our wines are getting better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unlike many commercial vineyards, Belvoir\u2019s vines are tended with remarkable intimacy. Each variety plays a part in producing Belvoir\u2019s wines. Solaris is crisp and aromatic; Pinot Pr\u00e9coce is a delicate red; Siegerrebe is an early-ripening grape; and Seyval Blanc is renowned for its sparkling qualities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Seyval Blanc in particular has blown us away this year,\u201d says Mark. \u201cIt\u2019s sharper, it makes a brilliant sparkling wine, and this year it\u2019s produced probably the biggest harvest of all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Belvoir Castle\u2019s five wines are all light, around 11.5% ABV, making them refreshingly versatile. \u201cThey\u2019re wines you can enjoy with a light lunch or at a summer party,\u201d says Mark, \u201cBut they\u2019re also great by the fire over winter. Mark has a soft spot for the Pinot Precoc\u00e9 red. \u201cWhen we first made it, I wasn\u2019t sure,\u201d he admits. \u201cBut over time I\u2019ve really grown to love it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy wife, on the other hand, is devoted to the sparkling white \u2013 she drinks nothing else. She\u2019s become quite an expert by now, given the amount she\u2019s enjoyed.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sparkling wines are made in the traditional method with a second fermentation and a minimum two-year ageing, ensuring quality and complexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Until now, Belvoir wines have mostly been sold on-site through the Belvoir Retail Village (previously known as the Engine Yard), at the Castle itself, and for private events. In 2025, however, distribution is expanding, with plans to supply local businesses and offer mail-order through online retail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHaving realised that we\u2019re producing far more than we first expected, it\u2019s time to share Belvoir wines more widely,\u201d says Mark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe want local people to enjoy it, but we\u2019re also ready to reach further afield. We\u2019ve also begun to offer vineyard tours earlier in the year so we can share our winemaking journey with the public. They\u2019ve proved really popular and have sold out every time so we\u2019ll definitely be bringing those back in 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The vineyard has been a personal project for The Duchess of Rutland, who has championed the estate\u2019s diversification into food and drink. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMany people know Belvoir for the incredible story of the castle,\u201d she says, \u201cBut they don\u2019t realise the estate also produces honey, preserves, game, premium beef \u2014 and now our own wine. I\u2019m so excited for people to enjoy our wines and taste a little bit of Belvoir Castle history.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A\u2008castle has stood as the heart of the Belvoir estate for over 1,000 years, with a first castle built by Anglo-Norman nobleman Robert de Todini, a standard bearer at the Battle of Hastings and the first Lord of Belvoir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It came into the ownership of the Manners family in 1508 and was rebuilt following the English Civil War when it was destroyed by Parliamentarians. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
John Manners was created the 1st Duke of Rutland in 1703 and 100 years later the current Belvoir Castle was built by the fifth Duke of Rutland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today it\u2019s still home to the Manners family including the 11th Duke David Manners, Emma Duchess of Rutland and heir apparent Charles John Montague Manners, the Marquess of Granby, Lord Hugo Manners and to Lady Violet, Lady Alice and Lady Eliza Manners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Duchess has been hands-on from the beginning, involved not just in strategic decisions but in the day-to-day development of the vineyard. Her pride is evident. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe chose this site for its natural advantages, and it\u2019s paying off. We\u2019re expanding our reach while staying true to our roots. At its heart Belvoir Castle is a historic landmark, but the estate is very much still working agricultural land which feeds the country, and produces exceptional food and drink.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Belvoir estate is a community, and we\u2019ve such a range of talent around us, people who really understand farming and have a keen interest in improving the quality of our food and drink.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhilst viticulture is a relatively new venture, using the land responsibly and sustainably, is what we\u2019ve always done. It\u2019s just another way of working alongside nature and allowing our farmers to feed us whilst looking after the land for future generations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ufeffBelvoir Castle\u2019s range of wine is now available for purchase at the farm shop at The Belvoir Retail Village (formerly known as The Engine Yard) and via www.belvoircastle.com.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Find out why English wine is changing the landscape of the countryside, as well as the drink in your glass….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3256,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[622,623],"class_list":["post-3254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-heart-of-the-county","tag-english-wine","tag-vineyard"],"acf":false,"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/lincolnshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/lincolnshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/lincolnshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/lincolnshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/lincolnshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3254"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/lincolnshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3254\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3255,"href":"https:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/lincolnshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3254\/revisions\/3255"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/lincolnshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/lincolnshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/lincolnshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/lincolnshire\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}