At the Gunyah Vineyard we are mad about all things wine, and we’d like to share our knowledge and passion with the local community in a regular feature for the local Link magazine that we are calling:
Through the grape vine…
Starting with a (very brief) history of wine making in the UK, or should we say:
What have the Romans ever done for us?
Well they started growing wine in Britain as early as 43BC after emperor Claudius began the conquest of the British Isles…
Wine making was disrupted by Invasions by the Jutes, the Angles, and the Saxons and pretty much stopped by invasions of the Vikings.
Winemaking in the UK was slow to recover and by the Norman invasions 42 vineyards where recorded in the domesday book.
The Middle Ages brought competition for home grown wine from our new trade with France and Europe and Britain became more known for sourcing, importing and bottling, than growing wine.
British wine took further hits throughout the 18th and 19th century as reduced import taxes flooded the country with European wines, which where cheaper (and better)
The 20th century bought war to England, and vineyards gave way to crops, it wouldn’t be until the 1950’s that England began wine production on scale again, pioneered by people like George Ordish.
As our climate changes, the 21st century brings back wine making opportunities to the area, with our climate now close to those of the best wine producing regions such as champagne and the opportunity to grow grapes such Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier.
Read online, or in print…
http://stanstedlink.org.uk