Like so many vineyard journals ours is a little neglected, I dearly want to share the stories about what is happening here at the farm and how the wines are progressing, but time is always in short supply.

Since harvest finished back in October, the building project at the farm has been a hive of activity. We reached practical completion last week and with a small push, with fit out and landscaping, we look forward to opening in early August. In order to get the rooms, restaurant and shop and tasting room open, we do require some additional funding, the Tillingham Bond, which we launched this week, is our way of inviting our loyal followers to support us on our journey and in return, be repaid through wine and exclusive, priority  access to every release and use of the facilities here at Tillingham. If you would like to receive more information about the Bond click here to send us an email, and please ask for a pack to be sent out in the post, including your postal address.

We’ll be releasing 17 wines this year, primarily from the 2018 vintage. Two wines (PN18 & R) have already been released and subsequently sold out. We’ve just released another three (Rosé, White and End Grain), which have just been released, and already our second tranche is being prepared to be sent out from the winery to keep up with demand. We are thrilled and grateful for the reaction to the wines and hope very much that the next 12 wines meet with such a warm reception. We’ve been busy exporting too, with the wines now available in Australia, Norway, Sweden and France, with wine about to leave for Canada, before the end of the year we hope to add America, Denmark, Japan and Germany to our list.

At the farm, we have welcomed back cattle and sheep to new grazing leys that were sown in September, alongside our own meat, we have been busy growing veggies in the walled garden, herbs and salads and flowers are ready to start picking now. After planting 10,000 vines last year, we added another 26,000 this year, taking our total area to 20 acres under vine. In and around the vineyards, we have been busy planting trees and wild flower meadows.

In the space of a little over 12 months, it is remarkable just how much the farm has changed, how Tillingham has gone from nowhere to being enjoyed in some of my favourite wine bars and restaurants. With the farm opening its doors to the public this summer, I am looking forward to sharing our progress with you then. As well as winery and vineyard tours, and the rooms, we have a series of dinners, takeovers, yoga workshops and other classes, and even pizza nights already taking shape. We’ll be sending you updates as soon as dates are announced.

BW