The rolling hills painted in shades of green provided a
picturesque backdrop for the acres of vineyards that stretched out before my
eyes.
As I strolled around taking in the country air I, luckily,
came across two men who pointed me in the direction of the estate’s
château-styled main building where I was to go for my wine tasting. Otherwise I
would still have been navigating the countryside.
 |
| Vineyard |
I could have been in Provence, or somewhere in Italy or
Spain for that matter, it was so tranquil and so far removed from reality. Yet
here I was in Dorking, Surrey at the Denbies Wine Estate.
English wine has gained quite a reputation for its quality,
especially for fizz. Some have
managed to beat champagne in several competitions.
Even Champagne Taittinger decided to cash in on the action by taking a stake in
a former Kent apple orchard.
So what is the draw? We have the ideal terroir
(environmental conditions for growing grapes). Our climate is cool and the
chalky soils around the North and South Downs are not too dissimilar to those
of the Champagne region in France. This area is approximately 90 miles north of
it.
 |
| Denbies Wine Estate |
But, it is not just sparkling wines which we are now
excelling at, as I was about to discover. Staying at the Mercure Box Hill
Burford Bridge Hotel I sampled a delicious local rosé. So local it came from
Denbies Wine Estate, a stone’s throw away. Denbies Rose Hill, a
strawberry and raspberry-soaked rosé with nuances of cranberries, went down so
easily that the next day I headed to the winery, on the North Downs, to
discover what other gems were on offer.
With 265 acres of land carpeted in vines, this family-run
estate, established in 1986, is said to be the biggest wine estate in the UK.
Denbies has won a host of awards for several of its 14 wines.
What strikes you as you enter the building is the
friendliness of the staff. Every one of them seems to be proud to work for
Denbies making it their mission is to ensure that you have a great time while
visiting.
Denbies, I was told, works with national and conservation
bodies to promote local wildlife, trees and plants. A fact the team are proud
of as there has been a noticeable increase in birds on the estate.
 |
| Surrey Gold |
If you feel peckish there is the self-service Conservatory
Restaurant for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. There also a wide range of
snacks if you want to refuel during your visit. The Gallery Restaurant serves
up spectacular views of the winery, Box Hill and the North Downs as well as an
array of appetising dishes with, of course, plenty of wines to complement.
The gift shop is awash with goodies to tempt you to spend
your cash including a wine shop where you can sample before purchasing.
If you want to learn about the wine-making process, I
suggest you take one of the many tours available.
I selected the Classic Wine Tasting Experience (£10.95)
which starts with an informative film taking you through what happens each
season in the vineyard. You also learn about the history of the estate and the
wine-making process from vine to bottle.
After walking through the winery with commentary by our
guide, whose knowledge seemed endless, we arrived in a dimly-lit cellar where
we were to taste three wines.
Many of the grapes grown in the UK such as bacchus and
ortega have German origins and tend to be highly aromatic. English wines are
likely to have a crisp acidity and are inclined to be reasonably low in
alcohol.
English white wines often are bursting with green apple
flavours. They can be quite fresh and zesty. Rosés, too, tend to be crisp.
Denbies Rose Hill, which I had drunk the night before and was one of the three
wines we tried, had plenty of depth and flavour similar to those that emanate
from France’s Loire Valley. Grapes you often find used in the making of English
rosés are pinot noir and dornfelder.
Reds are soft and fruity with tangs of spice. Pinot
noir is among the favourite grapes used. Others you may come across are regent
and rondo. If you like your reds rich and full-bodied, these may not appeal.
We also tried Surrey Gold, a blend of müller-thurgau, ortega
and bacchus. This fresh and zippy wine is fruity with a hint of spice. (If you
fancy trying this best-seller and cannot get to Surrey, you can get it in
Waitrose.)
The third wine on the menu was the second biggest-selling
English wine, Flint Valley (Surrey Gold is the first). This crisp and
refreshing fragrant wine made from reichensteiner and seyval blanc is light –
only contains 11 per cent alcohol – and easy to drink.
It would have been sacrilege not to have left Denbies without Greenfields Cuvée NV which
was recently awarded a gold medal by the International Wine Challenge.
This is a pleasant zippy sparkler loaded with apple and citrus flavours.
Since Denbies started out 30 years ago it has accomplished a
great deal and firmly established its position in the world of wine. I raise a
glass to the next 30.
By Daralyn Danns
For more information visit denbies.co.uk
