Kent and Medway
Meopham Valley Vineyard
Kent and Medway
David and Pauline Grey set up Meopham Valley Vineyard in 1991 with the advice of Gillian Pearkes, an authority on grape growing in England. After a lot of searching a site came up for auction on the North Downs of Kent which seemed a suitable terroir for two of the champagne vine varieties Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Our two hectare Kentish vineyard now grows a wide variety of grapes that respond well to the local climate. No herbicides or pesticides are used at the vineyard.
Meopham Valley Vineyard's English White, Red, Rosé and sparkling wines have won numerous awards in local and national wine competitions.
At Meopham Valley Vineyard the following varietals are grown Pinot Gris, Madeleine Angevine, Reichensteiner, Triomphe and Leon Millot together with the champagne varieties Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The vineyard is cared for organically as defined by EU legislation. All vineyard practices are carried out by hand and tractor use is kept to a minimum.
The production of wine is given to particular wine makers who, we believe, are sympathetic to expressing the characteristics of the grapes from each particular vintage. Currently Dermot Sugrue, previously of Nyetimber Vineyard, makes our sparkling wine at his Wiston Estate Winery and Ulrich Hoffman of Vivid Wines is producing our still wine.
Since planting in 1991, the work was carried out mainly by Pauline and David Grey helped by the tireless work of a neighbour, Gunther Duebel. Gunther came to Meopham in 1946 as a prisoner of war and on his retirement looked around for voluntary work. He became trained in vineyard work and by 2005 had made his mark on the vineyard.
Janette Kelly came to work with us part-time in 2006 whilst completing her viticulture and oenology degree at Plumpton College. In 2007 Janette became a fulltime member of the vineyard and is now involved in all aspects of the business. Her passionate interest in horticulture generally and viticulture in particular together with her hands on knowledge of the retail side of the wine industry brought a new energy to the business.
The vineyard has had the benefit of Rebekah Glockling's creativity in the design and production of the wine labels since the first harvest in 1994. Her labels have often featured a picture of "Happy Valley" adapted from a painting by a local artist A W Rogers. The artist granted a worldwide copyright of the picture to be featured in all forms of the vineyard's publicity in perpetuity. It seemed appropriate therefore for the valley itself from which all the fruit has arisen to be paid tribute in the publicity material of the vineyard, in particular in the labels.
The production of wine is given to particular wine makers who, we believe, are sympathetic to expressing the characteristics of the grapes from each particular vintage. Currently Dermot Sugrue, previously of Nyetimber Vineyard, makes our sparkling wine at his Wiston Estate Winery and Ulrich Hoffman of Vivid Wines is producing our still wine.
Since planting in 1991, the work was carried out mainly by Pauline and David Grey helped by the tireless work of a neighbour, Gunther Duebel. Gunther came to Meopham in 1946 as a prisoner of war and on his retirement looked around for voluntary work. He became trained in vineyard work and by 2005 had made his mark on the vineyard.
Janette Kelly came to work with us part-time in 2006 whilst completing her viticulture and oenology degree at Plumpton College. In 2007 Janette became a fulltime member of the vineyard and is now involved in all aspects of the business. Her passionate interest in horticulture generally and viticulture in particular together with her hands on knowledge of the retail side of the wine industry brought a new energy to the business.
The vineyard has had the benefit of Rebekah Glockling's creativity in the design and production of the wine labels since the first harvest in 1994. Her labels have often featured a picture of "Happy Valley" adapted from a painting by a local artist A W Rogers. The artist granted a worldwide copyright of the picture to be featured in all forms of the vineyard's publicity in perpetuity. It seemed appropriate therefore for the valley itself from which all the fruit has arisen to be paid tribute in the publicity material of the vineyard, in particular in the labels.