Maybe an Oliver’s Battery one? I am excited to constantly discover and enjoy our outdoors (even the ones around the corner) and to promote outstanding local produce. I started my unique wine company from a strong belief that the strongest insights are accomplished through shared human experiences. 

British Wines

Wherever the Romans went forth and conquered they had wine with them and Vitis Vinifera (the common grape vine) was planted in England. Firstly, grapes varieties like Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay grow well in the South producing outstanding sparkling wines. Secondly, German varieties such as Dornfelder, Müller-Thurgau, Seyval Blanc, Rondo, Huxelrebe, Bacchus, Ortega and Optima have also done well, as the climate is similar to certain parts of Germany and Austria. I discovered the “British Wines” and some local producers recently. Visit Wines of Great Britain and explore all the amazing people that are working on wine around us. 

Our Idea

I shared with some friends in Oliver’s Battery a dream to create a “community co-operative”. An Oliver’s Battery Wine. There is no shortage of wineries that can receive the grapes near us and produce the wine for us. I dream to be able to create a community around this project, get together at harvesting time and potentially teach younger generations an art and a passion. As it is unlikely that we will be able to purchase either Texas Fields or the South East Facing Hills along Port Lane (!), which would be perfect for a vineyard, I have thought of the idea to distribute the vines across individual gardens. The selection of grape varieties will depend on the soil analysis and site characteristics, orientation, drainage, protection, etc, as well as the size of the sites.

Bsixtwelve

With this concept in mind I have spoken to a local owner, Balbina, from Lone Farm in Itchen Abbas.

They produce an amazing white, the bsixtwelve, made with Pinot Blanc grapes.

She loved the idea and would be happy to help along the way with all the steps, from setting up, to wine making and the final bottle. Please contact me and join the local sustainability group if you would like to be part of this distributed vineyard. We will create an initiative group as part of the wider sustainability project to create a stronger community in this area of outstanding beauty that we live in.

Fabrizio de Liberali

Note: Fab Wines is a distributor of BSixTwelve (the Lone Farm Pinot Blanc).