Winbirri Vineyard Reserve Red 2020

Winbirri’s Reserve Red is full-bodied, bursting with autumn fruits on the palate and a pronounced nose of rich spices and vanilla. Its eighteen months in oak has given it extra substance and nuance. Winemaker Lee Dyer’s appreciation of Rioja comes through in this exceptional English red wine.

Winbirri Vineyards has 25 acres in Surlingham, an important Anglo-Saxon settlement on the edge of the Norfolk Broads National Park. The name Winbirri, comes from the Anglo-Saxon “win” (wine) and “birri” (grape). It was established in 2007 by experienced fruit farmer, Stephen Dyer, who supplies major retailers. He spotted an opportunity and planted around 2½ acres with vines. Stephen’s son, Lee, took over at the age of 32 in 2010 when the first commercial plantings took place. All sites have been carefully selected so that they are not in frost pockets and each site has a lower-lying field for the frost to run off to. The soils are very light, sandy loams with clay about 6ft down. There is a high flint content and all pruning is carried out by hand.