Now, I’m not sure if it’s my love or wine talking, or the fact that I’ve been nothing short of obsessed with The Parent Trap for the past 25 years (if you know, you know). But the prospect of owning my own vineyard is a rather exciting one. And there just so happens to be a vineyard up for sale (relatively) near London.
Unfortunately, my bank balance isn’t quite so aligned with the vision, however, because it’s on the market for £1.5 million – and that’s just ever-so slightly out of my budget. So, instead of snapping it up for myself, I’m going to let you lucky lot know about it – because you never know who might be in the market for a shiny new vineyard, right?
The vineyard in question can be found on the jaw-droppingly gorgeous Yew Tree Farmabout two hours from the capital city. Having opened its doors in 1971; the Carr Taylor vineyard is the spot that produced the country’s very first commercially-available, traditional-method sparkling wine. And so I (for one) am ever so grape-ful to them. Sadly, the business went into liquidation earlier this month, and so the vineyard is looking for a new owner.
The estate spans 21 acresand is situated on gently-sloping, south-facing land, nestled within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 17 acres of the land are currently ‘under vine’, and the vineyard is planted with a wide variety of grapes, including Reichensteiner, Gutenborner, Schönburger, Ortega, Dornfelder, Bacchus, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. Blimey, what a mouthful.
It’s a highly established vineyard and winery, having been the recipient of over 150 awards throughout the years. And the vineyard’s favourable climate, elevation above sea level and clay loam soils have all contributed towards its success (and will probably continue to do so for the next owners).
The estate also comes complete with a three-bedroom coach-house, a two-bedroom annexe, a walled garden, a range of former stable buildings, a shop and a cafe. Do you know what? £1.5 million is actually starting to sound like a bit of a bargain, actually.
You can have a nosey at the full listing here.
