Richard & Hilary Waller having purchased Lower Eastcott Farm, Northlew, Okehampton, Devon are in the process of establishing a vineyard and winery.
The first phase has seen the planting of 1000 low graft and 3000 high graft vines in one field, all of which have been imported from Germany:

Pinot Noir
Despite being a black skinned grape variety, this is key constituent of champagne and hence highly suitable for the production of English Sparkling wine.
Chardonnay
One of the most famous grape; the second key Champagne variety and a good basis for many whites.
Pinot Meunier
The third Champagne grape, essential for high quality English sparkling wine.
Rondo
Produces high quality full-bodied dark red wine. Consistently high yield and ripeness. Very suitable for blending to make Rose.
Dunkelfelder
Goes well with Rondo to make a lovely red wine.

The winery is being converted from an existing barn and subsequent years will see a further field planted and finally, they hope, two terraces above a tributary of the River Lew.

Nov 08 and the first "bought in" grapes have been processed & are bubbling away in the gleeming fermentation tanksto ultimatly become a sparkling white and a rose.
Cannot wait to try but it will bee mid 09 before anything more happens when they will be bottled

On 21st March the Vinyard had an open day and a series of images are shown of the event.

The 4th of June 09 say the whole team in action for the first bottling of Eastcot's sparkling wine. The wine contains yeast to produce firmentation in the bottle and the bottles will have to be left for about 12 months before they are finally re-bottled, left, being constantly turned in their racks and then hopefully can be opened for christmas 2010.

29 Sept 2009 A pressing matter! Enough Rondo grapes to make about 900 bottles of wine. Unlike te first session last year this time they are being used on their own, unblended, to make "Eastcote Two Moors Rose"

In September 2011 I photographed the final phase in the production of "Eastcott Estate Brut Zero" a sparkling wine The acumulated sediment is removed from the original bottling ,a small amount of original wine is added to the bottle to top it up and the final corking is made.
Into store and in another 6 months and its ready.
We have a bottle laid on for Christmas!!!!!!
Follow their progress through this photo documentary project.

Copyright of all images remains the property of Derek Stratton.