From the savanna of Zimbabwe to the dramatic southern coastline of South Africa and now the cool rolling hillsides of the United Kingdom my winemaking goal has always been to make wines that remain close to the source with concise expression.
As a winemaker, it is important to me that I have a hand in each stage of vine development from winter pruning through to spring-summer foliage growth and bunch development. This takes me through to each harvest and to manage my selected varieties from each chosen vineyard to achieve the individual characteristics required for the wines that I make.
The years of experience as a winemaker has challenged me to be intuitive, perceptive, dedicated and passionate. Working so closely with mother nature there are times of both difficulty and elation. This is rewarding and at the end of each day, I consider the privilege to sit back and reflect on how enriching it is to do what I do and enjoy the fruit of good labour.
Gavin Patterson