Chat with Vinny
When Barbara Laithwaite first heard that her prized bubbly had been named the UK’s finest fizz in 2013, she was as surprised as she was delighted.
Because she didn’t even know Wyfold had been entered into the competition – where it beat 84 sparkling wines (mostly English, with a few Champagnes for good measure) to take the crown.
Ten years later, Barbara still feels over the moon each time she receives a new award or press accolade ... like when she recently scooped the IWC Trophy for her Wyfold Vineyard Brut Rosé.
But to find the key to her success you need to head away from the bright lights of the award shows, up into the Chiltern Hills, along a single-track lane, where, between two woodland thickets ... you’ll find a tiny, beautifully tended vineyard.
You see, Barbara is a gardener at heart – often out at dawn, checking the pruners are working to her exacting standards. “Of all the things you do in the vineyard”, she says, “I think this is the most critical”.
At harvest time, the local villagers get involved – picking and sorting the grapes in exchange for a barbecue and a few glasses of fizz at the end of the day.
The family help out too. Son Henry makes the wine. And Tony still takes care of local deliveries – often dropping a few cases off at the nearby Blue Tin Café to keep up with customer demand.
In fact, it’s precisely because Wyfold Vineyard is such a small family affair that Barbara has won so many awards. No-one would put this much love into a purely commercial project.
And of course, she couldn’t be prouder that Henry is following in her footsteps at his own estate just down the road in Marlow – especially since he won UK Winery of the Year at the 2019 GB Wine Awards.
These classic English fizzes are, quite simply, the family’s pride and joy. The special wines they’ll be enjoying, along with friends and neighbours, at the Coronation celebrations this May.
And they’d love you to join them for a toast on the big day. That’s why we’re offering a special ‘friends and family’ saving of 20% on this three-bottle set.
But of course, they are in strictly limited supply. Do hurry to secure your share.