English Wine Week: Daws Hill Vineyard Q&A

For English Wine Week 2024, we are spotlighting a few of the great vineyards featured in The Vineyards of Britain by Ed Dallimore, to celebrate some of the best vineyards in England!

Located in Buckinghamshire, the Daws Hill Vineyard offers tours, events, and cellar door sales specialising in sparkling whites and rosés. The vineyard was originally planted in 2004 and also produces some cider from locally picked apples! Check out our Q&A with Holly from Daws Hill below!

How did the Daws Hill Vineyard come to be?

Daws Hill was planted by my father twenty years ago as a retirement project. I took over when he passed away eight years ago.

Among all your wines, do you have a favourite?

Every year is different and each vintage has its own distinctive profile. I love the rose for a tipple in the sun, but love the whites for with food, especially fish and chips.

How long is your wine making process?

A year on the vine, a year or so in the tank and generally four to five years aging.

How do you see the British wine industry evolving in the future?

It is just getting stronger and stronger – over a million vines have been planted this year alone.

As a visitor, what can one expect during a tour of the Vineyard?

My tours are down to earth; I love to pass on the knowledge I have built over the years and often fall down rabbit holes. People appreciate the facts they come away with and have a new appreciation for the whole wine growing and making process

Do you have any tips for beginners looking to become more discerning about their wines?

Taste more, of course. I also really rate Wine Folly as a website, book and blog, and the Wine for Normal People podcast. Both are American and miss a lot about English wine, but for general knowledge they are great.

What’s one thing you wish more people knew about British wines?

That it is the same or better quality than other regions. Winning international awards against big names ALL the time!

What would you say is the most fulfilling part of working in the wine industry?

Drinking the produce, of course. But also knowing I have grown and made it. The industry as a whole is incredibly supportive. The general consensus is that if we all make great wine and help each other, then it raises us all up!

Find out more at: https://dawshillvineyard.co.uk/

The Vineyards of Britain by Ed Dallimore is available from Waterstones, Blackwells, Litalist and independent bookshops across the UK. If you’re interested in finding more great vineyards, get your copy now!