Avalon Vineyard

Avalon Vineyard - Pennard Organic Wines and Ciders, Somerset

Nestled on a sunny Somerset hillside overlooking the Vale of Avalon, with Glastonbury Tor rising in the distance, Avalon Vineyard has been quietly producing some of the most distinctive organic English wines, fruit wines, mead, liqueurs and traditional scrumpy cider for more than four decades. Better known to many of its online customers as Pennard Organic Wines and Ciders, this small, family-run farm has built its reputation on a simple but uncompromising promise: everything that leaves the cellar is grown organically, made naturally and carries the Soil Association symbol.

How Avalon Vineyard began

The story of Avalon Vineyard is, in many ways, the story of one man's determination to grow grapes and make wine in a part of England more famous for myths than vineyards. Hugh Tripp and his wife Hilary established the vineyard in 1981 on a modest half-acre plot on the site of a historic vineyard near Glastonbury. From the very first vintage, their wines picked up awards in national competitions, which encouraged the couple to buy more land, expand their plantings and build their own winery.

From the outset, Hugh and Hilary committed to organic principles. That choice shaped almost every subsequent decision on the farm, beginning with the selection of resistant hybrid vine varieties that thrive without fungicide sprays. Hugh was already an enthusiastic cider-maker before the vineyard took root, so the pair established a cider orchard at the same time and inter-planted soft fruit between the rows for the sake of diversity. That diversification has proved vital: today the farm produces an extensive range of grape wines, fruit wines, mead, liqueurs and cider, all of which complement each other.

Over the years, the work has been carried out with the help of a steady stream of international volunteers known as WWOOFers (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms), who come from all over the world, of all ages and from all walks of life. The result is a working farm that feels as much like a community as a business.

A genuinely organic philosophy

For Hugh and Hilary, organic farming is more than a marketing label; it is the guiding philosophy of every task on the farm. The aim, as they put it, is to work the land and grow produce as naturally as possible, recognising that the stability of natural ecosystems depends upon a great diversity of plants and animals and their interactions.

Working with nature, not against it

At Avalon Vineyard, every aspect of fruit growing is managed to encourage biodiversity and respect wildlife. Weeds are controlled by mulching, hand-weeding and maintaining a permanent ground-cover of grass, which also prevents erosion on the sloping site. Fertility is maintained using compost and naturally occurring minerals rather than man-made fertilisers. Because the team respects the presence of wild animals and plants, no herbicides or pesticides are used at all, which means there are no toxic residues in the finished wines, meads, liqueurs or ciders.

All of the farm's grass cuttings, wood ash from burning vine prunings and compost - including the straw waste from the cider press - are returned to the soil. The wines themselves are made very naturally, in equilibrium with the atmosphere, a slow process that the Tripps believe imbues the finished drinks with a natural stability and complexity of taste.

Soil Association certified

All aspects of Avalon Vineyard's fruit growing, and the making of its wines and cider, are inspected and approved by the Soil Association, the original and main regulatory body for organic production in the UK. Every product leaving the farm carries the Soil Association Organic Symbol trademark, which guarantees its organic status to the customer. In recognition of his more than 25 years of holding an organic licence, Hugh was awarded a plaque by the Soil Association - presented by its President, Monty Don - as an 'Organic Pioneer'. To keep the farm's environmental credentials current, much of the production is now powered by solar panels installed in 2011.

The vineyards and the cellar

The vineyard itself sits in a particularly advantageous spot. English grape growing can be challenging because of the climate, but the long, slow ripening season at Avalon actually improves the quality of the fruit for winemaking. The Tripps have chosen hybrid varieties that are best suited to organic growing; these hybrids have been crossed with native American vines, which confer resistance to mildew and so eliminate the need for spraying.

The straw-cheese press

Uniquely, Avalon Vineyard presses its grapes on its old hand-turned cider press using the 'straw-cheese' method, a technique once traditional in cider-making but now hardly ever used. Layers of apple pulp (or grape pulp) are alternated with layers of straw to build a 'cheese' on the bed of the press; the straw holds the fruit in place and allows the juice to filter through as pressure is applied.

The pressing is slow, and the juice is allowed to oxidise before fermentation, after which the oxidation reverses naturally to produce a more stable wine. The result, the Tripps believe, is a flavour profile that simply cannot be replicated on a modern bladder press.

The English grape wines

Organic English grape wine is the flagship product at Avalon Vineyard. Two principal grape varieties anchor the still-wine range, with a small amount of sparkling wine made in exceptional years.

Seyval

Seyval is an old, established variety of vine from the Loire Valley. Widely grown in England, it probably does better here than in its native France. It produces a striking wine of singular freshness and character. As a dry wine, the Tripps recommend it as the perfect complement to any savoury dish, from fish or white meat through to vegetarian options. Buy wine online.

Orion

Orion is a more recent, hybrid vine that makes a deliciously fresh and fruity wine with flowery overtones, more typical of its German origin. Sometimes the Tripps bottle this wine on its own; at other times they blend it with the Seyval to add aromatic lift.

Sparkling wine

Using some of the dry Seyval wine, Avalon Vineyard has also made a sparkling wine by the traditional Champagne Method. This involves secondary fermentation in the bottle followed by a lengthy maturation. The sediment is then riddled into the neck of the bottle and frozen in order to eject it at disgorgement, at which point a traditional champagne cork is inserted and wired on. Unlike champagne, the Avalon sparkling wine is not sweetened at all; the resulting wine is deliciously dry yet very comfortable to drink. It is produced only in limited editions.

The fruit wines

There is an ancient tradition of making wines from a wide variety of fruits, both wild and cultivated. The history of such wines is largely unrecorded, but they must have originated as fruit-flavoured versions of mead (known as melomels), since sugar was not widely available until roughly 200 years ago. While fruit wines may be looked down upon by serious wine connoisseurs, the Tripps find them just as challenging and satisfying to make as grape wines. The crucial secret, as with all wine-making, lies in achieving the right balance of acidity and sweetness so that the true flavour of the fruit comes through.

The Avalon range of fruit wines depends on the particular fruits already planted on the farm. Depending on variations in crop size, delays in fermentation and changes in consumer demand, certain wines may become temporarily out of stock. The full range is described below.

• Elderberry Wine (Dry) - Full-bodied and fruity; this wine holds its own against any red grape wine. Best served at room temperature.
• Gooseberry Wine (Dry) - Classic gooseberry sharpness with plenty of complexity and fruit.
• Tayberry Wine (Medium Sweet) - Fragrant, delicious and very fruity; this unique wine is particularly good with cheese, even a strong one.
• Plum Wine (Medium Sweet) - Local cherry plums give this wine a rich and spicy balance. Great as an aperitif or party wine.
• Ginger Wine (Medium Sweet) - If you love ginger, you will love this sweet, spicy and mellow wine for after dinner.
• Blackberry Wine (Medium Sweet) - Fruity and evocative of autumnal hedgerows.
• Raspberry Wine (Medium Sweet) - Lush and so easy to drink; party time in a glass.

The meads

Mead is almost certainly the most ancient of all alcoholic drinks, possibly dating back some 12,000 years. It is very simply made from honey, diluted and then allowed to ferment. It crops up in many cultures across the world and throughout history, and would have pre-dated even wine and beer, which can be traced back several thousand years.

The tradition of mead in Europe was pursued most in areas less suitable for wine grapes, which explains the enthusiasm of the Vikings for mead. England has a long history of making mead, although it is not well-recorded. Monasteries were skilled in keeping bees and brewing; after the dissolution of the monasteries, these skills became scattered and only survived thanks to individuals pursuing a cottage industry. Honey production has always been scattered and small-scale, so mead never lent itself to industrial-scale production.

Sourcing organic honey

Although English honey is of excellent quality, it is difficult to produce on a large scale because of the unpredictable British climate and ongoing problems with bee disease. It is almost impossible to produce organic honey in England - or anywhere in Europe for that matter - because bees cannot be kept out of flying range (roughly three miles) of conventional agriculture. For its organic mead, Avalon Vineyard therefore uses organic honey imported from Brazil, where bees do not have to stop work for winter because there are flowers all year round. Sourcing organic honey abroad encourages organic production in other countries and gives them an incentive to resist the aggressive marketing of agrochemicals and GM crops.

The Avalon mead range

• Pure Honey Mead (Medium Sweet) - The honey is simply diluted with water, fermented and then sweetened with more honey before filtration and bottling. The mead takes its rich golden hue from the organic honey. It has just sufficient sweetness to bring out the full flavour of the honey but has a light, lemony finish, which has you reaching for another sip. It is certainly the farm's best-selling product.
• Apple Mead (Medium Sweet) - Organic honey is dissolved in organic apple juice and then fermented and sweetened with more honey, filtered and bottled. This is the mead that the Tripps fortify to make their celebrated Mead Liqueur, which lives up to its epithet, 'Nectar of the Gods'.

Both meads can be ordered online.

The liqueurs

The Avalon range of liqueurs has mainly developed from the existing fruit wines and mead. The aim has been to achieve the most intense flavour and taste sensation possible. The technique involves extremely high concentrations of fruit, which is macerated and fermented, often to quite high levels of alcohol. Then the pressed-out wine is fortified with extremely strong (96%) alcohol to reach about 21% ABV and sweetened to balance.

The liqueurs on offer include:

• Raspberry Liqueur - Described as the most intense raspberry taste you are likely to experience. Most people say 'Wow!'.
• Damson Liqueur - A dead ringer for Sloe Gin; spirited and fruity with a hint of almond.
• Ginger Liqueur - Trumps the Ginger Wine for ginger-lovers.
• Cassis Liqueur - A serious rival to the French version; try sipping instead of mixing Kir.
• Mead Liqueur - The 'Nectar of the Gods'; the ultimate mead.

Hugh encourages customers to sip and savour from a tiny glass - less is more. A small sip on the tip of your tongue is very impressive compared to a gulp or a shot. That said, cocktails are very fashionable and Avalon liqueurs are excellent for mixing, so experimentation is welcomed. The liqueurs are also wonderful drizzled over puddings and ice-cream. Buy liqueurs online.

The cider

The Tripps planted their cider orchard in 1987 with traditional old varieties: Harry Masters Jersey, Stoke Red, Sweet Coppin, Yarlington Mill, Dabinett and Dunkerton's Late Sweet. When blended together, these apples make an excellent cider. The apples are allowed to fall when they are naturally ripe and are then picked up by hand; once the team has about a ton of apples, milling begins.

The apple pulp is shovelled onto a layer of straw on the bed of the old cider press and covered with more straw. In this way, alternate layers of straw and apple pulp are built up to form the straw-cheese, until no more fits on the press. The straw holds the fruit in place and allows the juice to filter through; a good deal of juice runs out whilst the straw is being built. A slab of wood called the follower is placed on top of the cheese, with stout baulks of timber to transmit the pressure as the press is wound down.

As the juice runs out into a trough, it is pumped away into a fermentation vat, where it is simply left. The juice ferments naturally and literally 'makes itself' into cider. The straw in the spent pomace makes it perfect for composting. The resulting cider is a traditional farmhouse 'scrumpy', typically somewhat cloudy because it is unfiltered. The team sweetens some of it to give customers the option of dry, medium or sweet. Cider is only available from the farm shop, and it is even cheaper if you bring your own container.

Visiting Avalon Vineyard

Location is one of the great pleasures of a visit to Avalon Vineyard. The farm nestles on a sunny hillside, overlooking the broad Vale of Avalon, encompassing the striking landmark of Glastonbury Tor and merging with the timeless tranquillity of the Somerset Levels.

How to find the farm

Avalon Vineyard is most easily found from the A37, the Fosseway, about five miles south of Shepton Mallet. Turn west at the crossroads at the foot of Wraxall Hill, opposite the Queen's Arms Pub. Proceed for 1.5 miles; do not turn right into East Pennard village. Look for the Avalon signs on the right, directing you up The Drove. The vineyard is at the end of this rough track.

Opening hours and tours

The farm shop is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm, Sunday from 12 noon to 6pm, and is closed on Mondays. Guided tours are available by prior arrangement, while self-guided tours and tastings are free. Visitors are usually welcome to drop in and taste all of the products - wines, fruit wines, mead, liqueurs and cider. The scrumpy cider is sold from barrels and can be blended to suit your taste. Card payments, cheques and cash are all accepted. A self-guided tour is free with the Avalon Vineyard Walk leaflet, available from the shop. If you live within 15 miles of the vineyard, the farm offers a free local delivery service.

All of the products (except apple juice and cider) can also be ordered online.

Prices and how to order

There is no minimum order, although carriage is £11.95 per case of 1 to 12 bottles, and a 10% case discount applies to orders of 12 or more bottles. The maximum online order is 4 cases. Below is the current price list.

Wines and mead (750ml)

• Organic Dry White Grape Wine - 10% ABV - £10.75 per bottle (£9.68 per bottle on a mixed case of 12 or more).
• Organic Medium Rosé Grape Wine - 10% ABV - £11.75 per bottle (£10.58 per bottle on a mixed case of 12 or more).
• Organic Plum Wine - 12% ABV - £9.45 per bottle (£8.50 per bottle on a mixed case of 12 or more).
• Organic Tayberry Wine - 12% ABV - £9.45 per bottle (£8.50 per bottle on a mixed case of 12 or more).
• Organic Mead - 12% ABV - £10.45 per bottle (£9.40 per bottle on a mixed case of 12 or more).

Liqueurs (350ml)

• Organic Damson Liqueur - 21% ABV - £13.75 per bottle (£12.38 on a mixed case of 12 or more).
• Organic Raspberry Liqueur - 21% ABV - £13.75 per bottle (£12.38 on a mixed case of 12 or more).
• Organic Cassis Liqueur - 21% ABV - £13.75 per bottle (£12.38 on a mixed case of 12 or more).
• Organic Ginger Liqueur - 21% ABV - £13.75 per bottle (£12.38 on a mixed case of 12 or more).
• Organic Mead Liqueur - 21% ABV - £13.75 per bottle (£12.38 on a mixed case of 12 or more).

Payment can be made by bank transfer or PayPal, with free delivery within 15 miles of the farm.

Contact Avalon Vineyard

• Address: Avalon Vineyard, The Drove, East Pennard, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 6UA, United Kingdom
• Telephone: 01749 860393
• Email: pennardorganicwines@gmail.com
• Website: www.pennardorganicwines.co.uk
• Facebook: Pennard Organic Wines on Facebook

With its combination of ancient craft, certified organic production and a setting on the slopes below Glastonbury Tor, Avalon Vineyard offers one of the most rewarding small winery experiences in the West Country. Whether you arrive for a free self-guided walk through the vines, a tasting flight in the farm shop, or a case of scrumpy to take home, the message is the same: organic from the soil to the bottle, made naturally and bottled with pride.