Wickham Vineyards

Located near Southampton in the village of Shedfield, Wickham Vineyard was established in 1984 on a green field site and is Hampshire's leading vineyard and winery. The 18 acre/7.3 hectare vineyard is planted on a gentle south facing slope of gravel and clay with 10 varieties of vines. Four red varieties Pinot Noir, Rondo, Dornfelder, Triomphe and six white varieties Bacchus, Reichensteiner, Faberrebe, Kerner, Schonburger and Wurzer.

Despite constant disease pressure, Wickham practice Sustainable Viticulture: the judicious use of sprays backed up by regular monitoring. The vines are trained in the Geneva Double Curtain system which, due to our rich soils and higher rainfall, ensures that the vigour of the vine is kept under control. The vines are now fully mature with low yields of around 34 hl/ha.

In the winery, winemaker William Maitland Biddulph's philosophy is to "Help the wine to make itself". Particular attention is paid to eliminating leaves and any unripe fruit, minimising oxidation by the use of solid carbon dioxide, taking the best pressed juice, strict temperature control during ferment, exacting preparation of yeast.

Willliam Maitland Biddulph began his career in wine at Berry Bros. & Rudd & like others, such as Sam Weaver of Churton Wines, Marlborough, in the mid-'90s he swapped the quill for the secateurs, taking up a winemaking position in Gisborne, New Zealand. And spurred on by winning a Bronze Medal at the local International Chardonnay Challenge, William returned to England determined to secure a role for himself in the English Wine Producing Industry. The past five years has seen William assist several English wineries through his consultancy business before being appointed winemaker at Wickham in January 2008.