A little luxury in our midst

We are sometimes asked about the pricing of locally produced English wines, compared to those imported/sold in supermarkets.  To compare local English sparkling wines, with, for example Prosecco from Italy, there are differences in both production methods and economies of scale. Prosecco is fermented in large tanks for 3-6 months whereas English sparkling wines have two fermentations (like Champagne), with the secondary fermentation done in the bottle and the process takes a few years (4 years usually in the case of Hendred Brut).  This longer, more labour-intensive method yields complexities, finer, more persistent bubbles, longer-lasting wines and subtle differences from bottle to bottle. However, it does cost more to produce, plus for for small English vineyards, operations are usually labour intensive with limited automation.  And the producer pays a levy to the treasury of £2.87 for each bottle of English sparkling wine sold. 

So not surprising that the average price of English sparkling wines which won a silver award at our regional competition is about £29.50 (in the same price range as Champagne).  So why is Hendred Brut only £21.50 when it won a gold medal and ‘Best Sparkling Wine’ and Hendred Cuvee (which we didn’t enter for the competition but is a terrific sparkling too) only £16.50? It is because we would like Hendred wines to remain accessible for local people to enjoy.  As one of the oldest vineyards in England, with such distinctive wines, there is opportunity to sell far and wide, but for as long as Hendred wines continue to sell out season to season, we hope to remain a local producer, selling exclusive wines primarily to our local community.   The grapes in the image are currently fermenting, ready for a sparkling rosé in 2024!