Quoins is a small, family run vineyard, tucked away on the edge of the Cotswolds, near the World Heritage city of Bath. We produce just 3000 bottles a year of our award winning single variety wines.
The vineyard is one of only 6 organic vineyards in the UK, certified by the Soil Association. No inorganic fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides are used, and the area is a haven for wildlife. The wine production process is certified organic, too, with additives, such as sulphites, tightly controlled.
We are open for group tours by prior arrangement, or visit us at one of the open days and tastings held throughout the summer. These also include the chance to try some of our unusual fruits.
You can buy the wines directly from the vineyard, from local shops or via the internet.
LATEST NEWS
Awaiting summer
Still that raw chill to the air but at least the buds are bursting forth with the Rondo showing the first leaf. The dandelions are in good shape though!. We had the first of the open days on the 5th May with good weather and a good crowd. We have also had another large group of Americans based in Cambridge who had a morning in Bath followed by an afternoon tasting and learning about wine in the UK. They were divided between the Orion 2011 and the Orion 2005 in the blind tasting. I now only have 1 bottle of the 2005 Orion left. Perhaps I should put it up for auction.
Quoins was represented at the annual English Wine Producers Trade show last week held in the rather grand Great Hall off of Parliament Square. We had lots of good comments and a few orders as well to London outlets. The Waitrose store in Oxford St. will now be stocking the wine.
The next open day will be on the 2nd June which is part of the English Wine Week
The 2013 season has started
Yes I saw the first swallow yesterday!
Last week we had the first tour and tasting of the season by 40 or so OAPs from Warwickshire. They all behaved well and during the blind tasting they did in fact prefer the newly released 2011 Orion as opposed to the 2005 Orion. We have some more tour groups booked for May as well as the first public open day on Sunday 5th May at 3pm (£5/pp) so I hope you can make it.
The Orion, Madeleine and Rose will all be available for sale through Waitrose this year as well as at the local stores
Review of the year
A somewhat mixed year but at least we did pick a reasonable crop of Orion and some Rondo. Unfortunately the Madeleine angevine didn’t come to anything. Not to worry though as we do have reasonable stocks down in the cellar so keep those orders coming in. The open days were a great success and we will continue them probably on the first Sunday of each month starting in May. What has been great fun is the tour groups who have booked a talk, tour and tasting of the wines. We have had Hen parties (mostly well behaved and did you know Bath is the Hen Party Capital of the UK) and even a pub outing from Bristol who came in a coach that couldn’t get up the lane. Hartley Farm Cafe have done excellent service in supplying gourmet picnics as required. So if you want to have an office tour or similar then give me a call or drop me an email.
Now its back to the pruning in the cold January days…..
Even the French are interested in Quoins Organic Vineyard
We had a visit from ‘Le Point’ magazine who have done a survey of the French vine growing regions and decided to include the increasingly popular English wines. Obviously they came straight to Quoins Organic Vineyard to learn and taste and have written a very positive review especially with regards to the organic production approach to vineyard management. Read all about it here if your french is up to it GB-LePoint-sept2012
Stop Press: Silver Award for the Orion 2010
Quoins Vineyard has yet again won a national award from the UK Vineyard Growers Association. This time the Orion 2010 white wine has won a coveted Silver medal from the UKVA. No other certified organic wine achieved this this year. Every year since 2006 the Orion has won an award . Now you can’t beat that for consistency. We are now releasing it for sales and it will be available from all the usual outlets including the Coop and Budgens stores in Bradford on Avon and through Waitrose Direct. Do come and taste it against the other vintages at the next open day on 5th August
The summer is underway and we are now busy with lots of visitors to the vineyard. We have had 3 hen parties and 2 stag do’s plus a birthday group and even a pub outing. All very well behaved and I think everyone learnt something about organic agriculture as well as the range of quality wines that we are now producing in Wiltshire. They also enjoyed the well prepared buffet lunches that Hartley Farm Cafe prepared and delivered.
The Open days remember are the first Sundays of July, August and September plus an extra one on the 23rd September.
Meanwhile work in the vineyard continues with desuckering the unwanted shoots, a bit of disease control and mowing
