Bardfield Vineyard

The Great Lodge, Great Bardfield, Essex CM7 4QD

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Contact: Alan Jordan

Email: alanjordan@thegreatlodgeexperience.com

Web Address: www.thegreatlodgeexperience.com

Bardfield Lodge was once in the ownership of Anne of Cleeves (4th wife of King Henry VIII), and continues to produce high quality wines.

The Great Lodge, Bardfield is currently the headquarters of a large rural enterprise, of which a hectare of viticulture plays a small but important part.

The vineyard was planted in 1990 on a south facing gentle slope and nestles beside a beautifully built Grade 1 listed brick and tile barn built by Anne of Cleeves in the mid-Sixteenth century.

As the soil and climate are somewhat similar to the Alsace region of France the decision was made to plant the varieties of Bacchus and Reichensteiner grape which are capable of producing very fruity aromatic wines of a consistently high quality.

These aromatic grape varieties are hand-picked at various times to achieve their optimum ripeness. They are then fermented in cool, stainless steel vats to produce a soft, clean finish with a fruity aroma.

Bardfield Vineyard was the winner of the 1998 "East Anglian Wine of the Year Award" with the Bardfield Dry 1996 Vintage.

Tours take place between Easter and the end of September but to ensure a warm welcome it is advisable to phone first.  There are wine tasting and sales at the vineyard, which is open all year round.