'Vigo were very competitive and along with the renowned service, support, and quality of equipment they became our choice of supplier... Installation was up to the usual exacting standards.'
Duncan Schwab, CEO and Head Winemaker
'Vigo were very competitive and along with the renowned service, support, and quality of equipment they became our choice of supplier... Installation was up to the usual exacting standards.'
Duncan Schwab, CEO and Head Winemaker
Award winning Sandridge Barton Estate is the new home of Sharpham Wines, highly respected for producing fine English wines for over 40 years from vines grown on the banks of the River Dart in South Devon. June 2022 saw the launch of Sandridge Barton Wines' new visitor centre (including wine and local produce shop, Gallery Tasting Room, a la carte Circa restaurant, Vine Room conference space, and self-catering accommodation), officially opened by Oz Clark who has kept a keen eye on Sharpham's progression over the decades. Vineyard tours, wine tastings and woodland trails complete the visitor experience.
Duncan Schwab, CEO and Head Winemaker (pictured on the right below), who has been a valued customer of ours for many decades, approached us with the following production aims ...
We supplied 83,000 litres of Speidel tank capacity, a complete temperature control system
Award Winning
In 2023 Sandridge Barton won a gold medal in the WineGB for their Pinot Noir, and 4 silver medals for their Blanc de Noirs, Classic Cuvée, Pinot Rosé and Pinot Gris. They were awarded the Trophy for the ‘Best Dry White Wine in the South West’ and won 2 Wine GB silver awards for their crisp and clean Dart Valley Reserve made from Madeleine Angevine, and their Pinot Noir Rose with aromas of redcurrant, raspberry and strawberry. In 2020 Sandridge Barton were awarded 2 gold medals in the Wine GB awards for their Pinot Noir - one of the only 2 red wines to win gold - and Bacchus 'Stop Ferment', described by Jancis Robinson as, 'Zesty, lime-and-grapefruit peel, elderflowers and spring hedgerow greens – this explodes with flavour, cartwheels across daisied lawns, has grass-stained knees and a wicked belly laugh that is impossible to resist. Not the most sophisticated Bacchus varieties I've ever tasted but surely the most joyful, generous, pleasure-giving of them all! ... Another glass, please.'
Development
Sandridge Barton’s 24 acre vineyard was planted in 2008. The carefully chosen site is 3km downriver and on the opposite side of the river to the original vineyards of Sharpham Wines and now produces over 80 tonnes of fruit per year. Overall acreage was expanded in 2021 with the planting of 8 acres on a new raised limestone bed, one of only a few in the UK, using Burgundian and Champagne clones. Further investment followed with a purpose built winery adjacent to Lower Well Farm on the estate. Annual wine production averages at 70,000 bottles.
Sustainability
Sustainability is at the heart of Sandridge Barton's production. They are committed to the rigorous requirements of the higher tier of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme and are members of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain. Tree planting, wildflower meadows, bird and bat boxes, a pesticides ban, solar panels, rainwater harvesting and air source heat pumps are among the work currently being carried out to protect the areas plant and wildlife and reduce their carbon footprint.
Requirement
Duncan approached us with requirements for wine tanks for fermentation and storage with a full temperature control system (both chilling and heating; at product and cellar level), semi-automatic disgorging equipment and grape reception equipment. Having supplied Sharpham with Speidel tanks in the past, Duncan saw their benefits and wanted Speidel tanks to be part of the winery expansion. After finalising the specific requirements, we supplied Sandridge with the following:
We asked Duncan the following questions:
Sandridge Barton is the new home of Sharpham Wines - why did you move?
'After establishing Sharpham vineyard in 1981 on a site overlooking the River Dart, we eventually outgrew ourselves and had a fantastic opportunity to move from one side of the river Dart to the other in a relocation move that would both ensure our future and provided us with many facilities we didn’t have on our old site. The new location at Sandridge Barton had been growing grapes for us since 2008 on a site also overlooking the River Dart. The first thing we did was to build a state-of-the-art winery in nine months! Time was tight and the project quickly got underway with eco credentials such as solar panels on the roof, air-source heat pumps, a rainwater harvest system as well as extracting water from a nearby stream which runs through the whole site. We also took all the existing equipment with us from Sharpham and processed the 2020 vintage in our new winery.'
What made you choose Vigo for the supply of the above equipment?
'During that 2020 vintage we realised we needed to upgrade certain items of equipment and bring a lot of outsourced operations in-house. Having dealt with Vigo for a good number of years, we naturally got in touch. We also applied for an RDPE grant and had to get three quotes to satisfy the rules and regulations. Vigo were very competitive and along with the renowned service, support, and quality of equipment they became our choice of supplier for the majority of items.'
What do you think of the service we provided, including the installation?
'Ordering and shipping equipment in a lockdown was challenging with delays inevitable, however Vigo were able to pull the whole order together and deliver on time for the 2021 vintage. Installation was up to the usual exacting standards.'
You and the team have achieved so much at Sandridge Barton within a short space of time - the visitor centre, winery, and vineyard expansion. Which achievements are you most proud of and why?
'It’s difficult to say as there were so many projects on the go at once. It was a start to finish project in just under three years, but two things stand out for me. There was little infrastructure on what was an old redundant farmstead, but with huge potential both in terms of the location and original traditional farm buildings set in a magical valley setting just outside the village of Stoke Gabriel. We set about trying to be as eco-friendly as possible from the outset and part of the vision was to extract water from the stream that runs through the valley. From there we filter the water and UV treat it and it is the sole source of water that runs through the entire site. We also installed an aerobic digester called a Bio-Bubble, which processes the sites waste including all the winery wate before returning it clean back into the river.
The other thing I’m most proud of is our amazing staff. Throughout our transition the staff have been incredible with an amazing commitment to the task, a strong work ethic and sense of humour.'
What exciting opportunities does 2023 bring for Sandridge Barton Wines?
'We feel we are in two camps now – firstly being one of the original pioneers for English Wines whilst at the same time being one of the new kids on the block. We are at 32 acres and plan to extend our plantings by a further 8 acres in 2023 bringing our vineyard total acreage to 40. We are also bringing out an exciting range of natural wines and some Estate Reserve wines under the Sandridge Barton label.'
Sustainability is 'at the heart of what you do' at Sandridge Barton. What single thing has moved you (or motivated you) more than anything else in your journey to become more sustainable?
'Our ultimate terroir goal is to have the simplest building blocks from which to create our wine. We want the freshest product that is the most genuine in nature. Ours is a holistic, long-range view toward winemaking with minimal intervention using wild yeasts and reduced use of sulphur and where possible gravity racking and an unfined and unfiltered policy prior to bottling. It’s this approach, and our commitment to consumer health, that makes sustainability a priority at Sandridge Barton.'