Over the years this bold approach to producing category-defining drinks has paid off. Since we opened our doors 30 years ago we have seen the success and reputation of our products soar, winning awards from prestigious competitions including the International Wine and Spirit Competition, the International Wine Challenge, the Decanter World Wine Awards and many more.

During the 2020 harvest, Sarah worked the day shift and was astounded at the quality of the fruit, crediting it with a ripeness she has never seen in English grapes before and was really proud of the wines we created from this harvest – and the harvests following this. When raw honey gets moisture into it, there is a chance that natural yeast will start a fermentation process that converts the sugar in honey into alcohol. Nowadays, the yeast used in mead making is often identical to that used in winemaking. Once the Vikings’ drink of choice, mead was also believed to improve health and prolong life. It has also long been rumoured to have aphrodisiac properties, so it was presented to newlyweds to enjoy during what we now call their “honeymoon”. In 2006, drawn by Lyme Bay Winery’s ambition to plant a vineyard and make still English wines, he took the job and relocated to Devon. While others had already shown that sparkling English wines of real quality could be made, he felt that still wines had significantly more potential.Fruit wines are quite often viewed as being a less complex drink to make than their grape counterparts, but the process of making them is almost identical. So, for cherry wine, the juice and flavour of the fruit is extracted by pressing, stewing, and fermenting the pulp of the fruit. From there, sugar (or honey in some instances) is added to increase the alcoholic content during fermentation, while also producing a more polished and palatable final product. How Should Cherry Wine be Enjoyed? How about a touch of sophistication for the discerning? Not just for gentlemen. Definitely gender non-specific! When the pubs closed due to Covid-19 restrictions, we’ve all had to become DIY mixologists, and, as you’ll see, this has given us the chance to expand our horizons and create some genuinely creative tipples.

Begin by preparing the honey syrup. Combine a quarter of a cup each of honey and water in a saucepan and heat gently for one minute. Then, strain it through a sieve and pop it in the fridge while preparing your other ingredients. Sarah joined Lyme Bay in 2019, just before harvest. Before that (she describes herself as a ”travelling winemaker”), she worked at wineries in California, Australia and Burgundy. She wasn’t planning on staying for longer than one harvest at Lyme Bay Winery but enjoyed it so much she decided to lay her hat down. With our cherry wine, you will be instantly met with the smell of real cherries upon pouring, which may sound obvious, but often cherry wines can have more of an artificial smell. You will also detect a hint of almond on the nose, adding to the wonderful profile of the wine. After sipping the drink, you will notice a very smooth, full-flavoured taste profile which is an excellent accompaniment to many desserts, particularly those that contain chocolate, caramel, or citrus. How is Cherry Wine Made? The alcoholic content of mead ranges from about 3.5% ABV to more than 18%. Mead may be still, carbonated, naturally sparkling, dry, semi-sweet, or sweet.The earliest recorded evidence of mead’s existence dates from 7000 BC, where archaeologists discovered pottery vessels in northern China showing chemical signatures consistent with honey, rice, and organic compounds associated with fermentation. James started his winemaking career at a young age. Cutting his teeth in the wine labs at Broadland Drinks, testing 20 to 30 wines per day, he enrolled on a wine appreciation course led by Frank Leatherdale. James credits Frank’s knowledge, enthusiasm and passion, for setting him on his career journey into wine.