Four Acres Estate: A Family-Run Hertfordshire Vineyard Crafting English Sparkling Wines and Real Cider
Set on a gentle hillside above the Ash Valley in Little Hadham, North Hertfordshire, Four Acres Estate is a small, family-run vineyard and apple orchard whose hand-crafted English Sparkling Wines and traditional English Ciders have earned it a place in the growing roster of recognised UK producers. The estate is a member of both Wines of Great Britain (WineGB) and the East Anglian Vineyards Association, trade bodies that oversee the highest standards of English and Welsh wine production.
The story behind Four Acres Estate
After a lifetime spent in the travel industry, proprietor Platon Loizou decided he wanted to return to his Cypriot roots and fulfil a long-held dream of making wine. Since 2010 he has worked in all weathers, getting closer to nature as he tends his precious vines, nurturing them from saplings to maturity and consulting some of the country's best vintners at every step. Platon is not shy about hard graft, spending countless hours pushing himself along the rows trimming the vines aboard Jennifer, the sit-on pruning cart that has saved his back and was built for him by local metal sculptor Graham Findlay.
It is very much a family business. Platon is quick to express special thanks to his sons Jamie, Alex and Richard and, of course, his wife Sharron, without whose help the project would never have got off the ground. The company is registered in England as Four Acres Estate Ltd (company number 10276793), with its registered office at New Road, Little Hadham.
Planting the vineyard and orchard
In 2012 the family planted their vineyard and apple orchard on a one-acre plot. The trees, all 200 of them, are cider varieties sourced from John Worle of Hereford. The first grape vintage followed in 2016, with a second in 2017. Yields are necessarily modest: the estate normally averages around 1,500 bottles per vintage, most of which are sold locally. The stand-out year was 2018, when a near-perfect growing season brought no late frosts, brilliant July and August sunshine, and an Indian summer, producing nearly 6,000 bottles.
The vineyard and the winemaking philosophy
Weather is a huge factor in making wine in the UK, and the seasons since 2018 have been challenging, but the 2018 wines are now ready to drink and remain a happy reminder of how good this corner of Hertfordshire can be. The estate grows the three classic Champagne grapes: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay.
Four Acres Estate's winemaking philosophy is rooted in patience. Because hand-crafted English Sparkling Wine cannot be rushed, and because Platon chose the highest-quality route, the bottles are aged on the lees (a beneficial process known in French as sur lie) for 18 months rather than the standard 12. They are then hand-riddled (turned) twice a day for two weeks prior to disgorging, the painstaking process of removing the dead yeast sediment from each bottle. The wine is blended by a master winemaker, completing the estate's artisanal approach.
A year in the vineyard
Each season at Four Acres brings its own rhythm of work. The biggest single challenge is the late spring frost, a frost at the bottom of the hill in a small frost pocket can damage 20% of the vineyard in a single night, as happened in 2017, 2020 and again in April and May 2022. The May 2020 frost was so severe that "the vines will grow but it's unlikely that we will get any grapes", leading to a complete wipe-out of that year's harvest.
Counter-balancing these frosty lows are the joyous highs: 2018 delivered five tonnes of grapes; 2019 saw the Morgan Sweet apples, the first to ripen, harvested at an impressive 1,040 kg; 2021 brought in 2.3 tons of grapes thanks to 120 volunteers; and 2022 saw two tons picked from the one-acre site. Through the dark months, a lawnmower has to be pushed some 8,000 metres to keep the grass between the rows down, "a labour of love".
Sustainability and biodiversity
Platon runs the vineyard with a light ecological touch. No weed-killers are used in the apple orchard, and the farm is alive with bees, butterflies and oxeye daisies. In December 2020 the family experimented with 20 sheep enclosed by Goan fishing nets to graze the grass in the apple orchard and vineyard, a sustainable, chemical-free and self-manuring approach, although the nets did not prove strong enough to keep the sheep within the vineyard rows. In addition, a family of three fox cubs has done "a brilliant job keeping the rabbit population down", later inspiring one of the estate's ciders.
The Four Acres range: wines and ciders
With current space and infrastructure constraints, five products make up the Four Acres portfolio, a mix of English Sparkling Wine and traditional English Cider.
English Sparkling Wines
- 2018 Blanc de Blancs, a 100% Chardonnay sparkling wine made from estate-grown fruit and aged on the lees for 18 months. Prices on application.
- 2018 Sparkling Rosé, the estate's pink sparkling, made and blended by a master winemaker in classic Champagne method. Prices on application.
English Ciders
- Champagne Cider (also called Dry Sparkling Cider), a champenoise-style dry sparkling cider at 8% ABV. Juice spends six months in barrel followed by a further nine months on the lees. Available at £7.50 per bottle, with free local delivery.
- Whiskey Barrel-Aged Sparkling Cider, the original non-whisky-ferment limited release that built the cider's following; only 2,000 bottles were produced in the inaugural run.
- Three Cubs Cider, a still, very dry cider at 6.5% ABV, launched in August 2022 as the fifth product. Named after the three fox cubs that keep the rabbit population in check.
Sourcing the apples
The cider programme is built around the heritage apple variety Morgan Sweet, the first to be pressed each season. Yields vary by year, with the 2019 harvest delivering 1,040 kilos from this variety alone and a record pressing day producing 440 litres of juice. Apples are washed and milled on-site before barrel fermentation.
How to buy Four Acres Estate wines and ciders
Four Acres Estate does not currently sell its English Sparkling Wines or Traditional English Ciders through an online shop. Customers pre-register their interest via the priority customer registration form. The team will then come back to you, usually the same day, with vintages, prices and availability.
There is no obligation to buy, and the estate keeps registered customers up to date with progress throughout the year. Local deliveries are free.
Visiting Four Acres Estate
Visits to the winery are strictly by appointment only. Anyone wishing to tour the vineyard, walk the rows between the vines and apple trees, see the winery, or simply stock up on the latest vintages should contact the estate directly via the details below to arrange a visit.
- Address: Four Acres Estate, New Road, Little Hadham, Hertfordshire SG11 2AW
- Phone: 01279 842318 (mobile 07802 313075)
- Email: info@fouracresestate.co.uk
- Contact page: fouracresestate.co.uk/contact
The Four Acres Gallery
An online gallery is split into three sections that capture each side of life at the vineyard:
- The Vines, photographs of the vineyard through the seasons, from close-ups of ripe grapes to panoramic views of the rows climbing the Ash Valley hillside.
- Getting stuff done, the practical side of a small wine estate, including shots of Platon aboard Jennifer, the cider mill, the winery and the labelling team.
- Sparkling Cider, a celebration of the apple orchard, the harvest and the cider-making process.
Frequently asked questions
Is Four Acres Estate open to the public?
Visits are strictly by appointment only. Please call 01279 842318, mobile 07802 313075, or email info@fouracresestate.co.uk to arrange a tasting and tour.
Can I buy Four Acres Estate wines online?
Not directly. The estate does not currently operate an online shop. Use the priority customer registration form to register interest and the estate will contact you with availability and prices.
What grapes does Four Acres Estate grow?
The vineyard is planted with the classic Champagne varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay.
What is Three Cubs Cider?
A still, very dry cider at 6.5% ABV, launched in August 2022 and named after the three fox cubs that have helped control the rabbit population on the estate.
How much is the Champagne Cider?
The dry sparkling (Champagne-style) cider is sold at £7.50 per bottle, with free local delivery.