A Vineyard in Yorkshire?……..Surely not!

By Philippa Vanham

Leeds at night

Aye, ‘tis reet by ‘eck and merely a stones throw from where this lass was born and bred (means I’m allowed to type the accent J) and if there’s two things I’m passionate about it’s wine and Yorkshire, and cheese, that’s 3, oh well, that’s for another day. As a host and tutor for Wine Unearthed I am often asked my opinion of English wines and my response is always positive and with this vineyard firmly in mind.

The vineyard I refer to is Leventhorpe in Leeds, just off junction 46 of the M1. It is a small site with just 5 acres (about 2 Hectares) on a south-facing slope enjoying a unique microclimate making it ideal for wine growing. On arrival I thought it impossible there could be anyone out there who has just as much passion for Yorkshire as I do for wine but upon meeting the ever enthusiastic and engaging George and Janet Bowden who own the vineyard I knew I had met my match.

The couple have owned the vineyard since 1985 and in good years can produce up to 20,000 bottles of wine from it, all of which is sold on site and in local deli’s and restaurants. George and Janet produce mainly white wines at Leventhorpe along with a little red and some sparkling and they have received accolade from some well known people. Oz Clarke stated that he would recognise Leventhorpe Madeline Angevine in a blind tasting anywhere and ranked it amongst his top 6 wines. Certainly not to be sniffed at and the vineyard has also been recommended by Rick Stein, presumably as the whites here would match perfectly with fish.

I was lucky enough to arrive on a day that was bright and sunshiney, see it’s not always grim up north, and one could be excused for thinking you were actually somewhere much more exotic and more in keeping with the winemaking way of life.

This far up north a lot of the success of Leventhorpe is partly down to its unique microclimate. The vineyard nestles in a suntrap, it enjoys well draining soil and a slope that raises it out of the reach of Jack Frost and it is sheltered from winds by a bank of trees.

George Bowden and his Leventhorpe vineyard

The grapes grown are not widely recognised to most but are typical of what is generally grown in England and Wales today: Seyval Blanc, Madeline Angevine and Sylvaner for the whites and Pinot Noir, Regent and Triompe for the reds.

The Sparkling wine they produce gives any ‘cheap’ Champagne a run for its money but it was the Madeline Angevine that really held in my mind, just as it did for Oz.

Leventhorpe Madeline Angevine 2005

With a little bit of age I can totally understand why Oz Clarke said he would recognise this wine anywhere, the way I’m going to describe it sounds really quite wrong but it is in fact a real chameleon and one of the most ‘interesting’ (in a good way) whites I’ve tasted. Here goes…….

Ok, the first thing I get on the nose is minted peas ala pungent New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Next comes a lovely floral character, almost like jasmine flowers, quite heady and warm. The fragrant quality continues with a waft of wild garlic followed by a sweaty, slightly cheesy note. This I am assured is due to ripe fruit, battonage and age. Whatever it’s from I can’t get enough and every swirl reveals something new. The palate is just as intriguing, grapefruit and melon abound but there is a savoury quality too that really hits the mid palate and lingers on the finish. It’s cheesy, asparagussy and aromatic and would work perfectly with Thai dishes and fishy food, and I mean proper fishy fish.

I enjoyed my visit to Leventhorpe with its rustic simplicity and would urge anyone visiting God’s Own Country of Yorkshire to drop by and say ‘hi’, as I would for the other 390 odd vineyards around us. The best way to experience English wine is to go and see where it’s made and who made it, make a day of it and get the full experience. Many wineries and vineyards welcome you with cafés, restaurants and visitors centres and I shall certainly be taking a trip to a few this vintage.

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For more details on English wines follow:

http://www.englishwineproducers.com/

More information about Wine Tasting

http://www.wineunearthed.co.uk

Tags: Argento competition, England, english wine, Yorkshire

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