Langham and Lyme Bay

Turning off the main road that runs between Dorchester and Blandford Forum we found ourselves driving down a small country lane, and small country lanes in England, especially with grass in the middle or high hedges usually means there will be something special at the end ..... and yes there was, Langham Wine Estate.

A rural setting of buildings, including an old intriguing barn with outdoor seating overlooking rows of vines, greeted us as we reached the end of the lane, it all looked so inviting.

Family owned since 1980 it was Justin Langham in 2009 that increased the vineyard to become a commercial wine grower. The soil and land is very similar to that of the Champagne region with gentle slopes providing the maximum amount of sunlight. Langham Wine Estate grow Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay from which they produce superb English sparkling wine.

Classic Cuvée 2014 

made from all three grapes

Blanc de Blanc 2014 

which is 100% Chardonnay

Rosé NV

made from Pinot Noir

Blanc de Noirs 2013

58% Pinot Noir and 42% Pinot Meunier and aged on lees for 40 months

I discovered Blanc de Noirs on our recent trip to the Champagne Region, the chance to try an English Blanc de Noirs could not be missed. Such a lovely colour in the glass, so elegant with a continuous stream on tiny bubbles rushing upwards. An inviting nose led to a mouth of buttery nuttiness that had a soft yet long lasting finish. A glass of bubbly that I wanted to last forever .... and so of course a bottle has come home.

Blanc de Noirs 2013

As it was a lunchtime visit we decided to stay for some food. Langham offer plenty of choice, all freshly made to order and can be enjoyed either in the barn or outdoors with the vines.  Our lunch was served at old oak tables with church pews and oak chairs for seating. It was the perfect atmosphere to enjoy great food accompanied by a superb glass of English Sparkling Wine .... a real pleasure.

Butternut Squash soup served with cheese and grapes

Winemaker's Lunch 

Langham Wine Estate do offer tours, either guided or by yourself, with tastings. The grapes had been picked just days before our visit so we appreciated the vines without walking the fields. It was such a peaceful setting, lovely food and as I have said superb wine, thank you Langham.

Langham Wine Estate 

Further west along the south coast, just over the border into Devon, is Lyme Bay Winery. I have known about this winery since I was a young girl as they had a small shop in Lulworth Cove which we visited each holiday. However I had never been to the winery itself.

We managed to find Lyme Bay Winery, down the obligatory small English lane, after our sat nav had us going in circles to find (it is actually just off a main road). A wood cladded building with an old weighing machinery outside had a welcoming feel which was echoed by the array of produce once inside.

I remember Lyme Bay wine being fruit flavoured and was delighted to see a full range of English Fruit and Country Wine: cherry, blackcurrant, apricot, ginger, Christmas pudding, cowslip and damson to name but a few. These fruit wines are also available as Sparkling Wines and Liqueurs.

Lyme Bay also produce wine from a variety of grapes, their wines are:

Shoreline        Bacchus Block     Sandbar      Pinot Noir       Pinot Noir Rosé     Chardonnay 

Of all the grapes grown here in the UK for wine making my favourite is Bacchus and Sandbar is made from 100% Bacchus; no need to ask,  of course a bottle came home with us.

Lyme Bay Winery also produce English Sparkling Wine and I was delighted to discover that their Sparkling Rosé 2014 has been shortlisted in the People's Choice Wine Awards.


Their other sparkling wines are:

Blanc de Noirs     Classic Cuvée      Brut Reserve Sparkling  

I was delighted to have beenva judge at the People's Choice Wine Awards  although I didn't judge Fabulous Fizz: Best Sparkling Wine UK in Round 1. However I did in Round 2 but as all bottles were wrapped to hide their labeling we had no idea which wine we were tasting.

I'm so pleased Lyme Bay have been chosen on the shortlist, the winners will be announced at The Comedy Store in Manchester on 25th February 2019.

Julia, Just Perfect Wines, was also a judge for the People's Choice Wine Awards and you can purchase Lyme Bay's Sparkling Rosé from her online shop - Just Perfect Wines will also be at Love Wine Fest in Birmingham on 10th November at the Burlington Hotel.

Our Dorset and Devon wine visits were both superb, thank you Langham Wine Estate and Lyme Bay Winery.