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Joining me on this week’s episode of The English Wine Diaries are Amy, Emma and Lucy Baxter – three quarters of the sibling foursome that make up Four Daughters, a new English wine brand based on their family’s fourth generation fruit farm in Kent. 

Having successfully run their farm for almost 80 years, the Baxter family were approached a few years back to become a contract grower for Balfour Winery, beginning their exploration into grape growing. This partnership continues but it also sowed the seed that they too could make wine, and the Four Daughters vineyard journey began. 

Together with their other sisters Sophie, Amy and Lucy have set about creating a wine brand that is fun and energetic with wines that not only reflect their family values and each of the sisters’ individual personalities but are also helping to keep the often very challenging tradition of British farming alive. 

With a focus on still wine, so far they have released a Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Albarino, the 2022 vintage of the latter picking up a gold medal at the 2025 WineGB Awards and shortlisted for the still white trophy. 

This was one of the funniest episodes I've recorded and a great way to round off Series 13 of The English Wine Diaries. The sisters are such a breath of fresh air and I hope to see more like them join the English wine industry in years to come. 

You can keep up to date with what Four Daughters are up to by following @fourdaughters.wine on Instagram and TikTok or visit their website fourdaughters.co.uk.

With thanks to series sponsor, Wickhams, The Great British Wine Merchant. Visit wickhamwine.co.uk to open an account and see their award-winning range of English wine and bottles from around the globe that have exceptional stories to tell.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

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On today's episode of The English Wine Diaries is Patrick McGrath, Master of Wine and CEO of Hatch Mansfield, a UK specialist in premium wines made by independently-owned wine companies from around the world.

Patrick joined the wine trade in 1983 as a Management Trainee with Victoria Wine, spending his first 6 months in shops and then joining the buying department. Five years later he joined Grants of St James’s as Marketing Manager for the former Hatch Mansfield business, before moving to Mentzendorff in 1991 as Marketing Controller and then Director for Bollinger Champagne.  

Patrick passed the Master of Wine exam in 1993 and the following year became a founding member of the “new” Hatch Mansfield team, taking on the role of Managing Director. Just over a decade later, in 2004, his significant contribution to the drinks industry was recognised when he was named Drinks Business Magazine’s Man of the Year.

Last year Patrick was delighted to mark Hatch Mansfield’s 30th anniversary 2025 has been yet another busy year as the first Classic Cuvée from Domaine Evremond –  the Kent wine estate he founded with friend Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger a decade ago – was released for sale and the vineyard and cellar door experience also opened to the public. 

We talk about Patrick's journey to become an MW, the friendships that have formed the foundations of Domaine Evremond and the King Charles III's thoughts on serving the wine estate's 1st edition Classic Cuvee at July's state banquet with French president Emmanuel Macron. 

You can find out more about how to visit Domaine Evremond and buy its wine by visiting domaineevremond.com and following @domaineevremond on Instagram. 

With thanks to series sponsor, Wickhams, The Great British Wine Merchant. Visit wickhamwine.co.uk to open an account and see their award-winning range of English wine and bottles from around the globe that have exceptional stories to tell.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

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Joining me on this week’s episode of The English Wine Diaries is Jessica Summer, founder of Mouse & Grape an award-winning cheese and wine business specialising in curated hampers and immersive tasting events focused on this delicious food and wine combo. 

Jessica, who last year opened her first deli and wine bar in London, was one of Harpers 30 Under 30 in 2023 and this year was named winner of the IWSC Emerging Talent in Wine Award, as well as winner of Retail Buyer of the year at The Drinks Business Awards. 

Underpinning her expertise is a Level 3 WSET certificate and a Level 2 certification from the Academy of Cheese but she’s also got a brilliant marketing head on her shoulders – her innovative April Fools campaign, which saw a host of wine influencers humorously – and quite literally – combining cheese and wine, also won the Drinks Business Social Media Campaign of the Year in 2024.

Mouse & Grape has been featured in publications like the Metro, Telegraph, and Express, while Jessica has made notable appearances on Saturday Kitchen, BBC Radio London, the Michael Portillo show on GB News, and today The English Wine Diaries podcast…! 

We tried the following cheese and wine combinations: 

1. NV Louis de Grenelle Platine Crémant de Loire Brut X La Tur –  a blend of thermised cow’s, goat’s and sheep’s milk, from Alta Langa in Piedmont, Italy. 
2. Gruner No.1 Canned Wine Co. and Three Choirs Amber Wine X Taleggio – from Lombardy, Italy. 
3. Treve Estivale 2022 Rosé X Tor, a smooth goat's cheese from White Lake in Somerset. 

For Jessica's English cheese and wine pairing alternatives – listen in to the episode. 

To find out more visit mouseandgrape.com or follow @mouseandgrape on instagram. 

With thanks to series sponsor, Wickhams, The Great British Wine Merchant. Visit wickhamwine.co.uk to open an account and see their award-winning range of English wine and bottles from around the globe that have exceptional stories to tell.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

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Joining me this week's episode of the English Wine Diaries is Billy Sengupta, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Cobham House, a new English wine brand based in Kent. 

After working at Diageo for over seven years, Billy left his position as Global Director of Luxury Tequila to help realise a 32-year-old family dream of owning a vineyard. 

In 2022, three generations of his family came together to launch Cobham House Vineyard and earlier this year they launched their first wine, a luxury, vintag still English rosé made by esteemed winemaker Emma Rice. 

Just weeks after launch, the wine, which is made from 100% Gamay and fermented in used, Ruby Port Barrels, was awarded a gold medal by Wine GB, while critics have praised the innovative approach, driven by Billy’s time developing new products at Diageo. 

In addition to creating luxury wines, Billy and his family intend to use Cobham House as a platform to create opportunities within English wine for underrepresented minorities and have already started to take positive steps in this space, having launched a scholarship programme with Plumpton College earlier this year.

We talk about whirlwind success, happy accidents and how Cobham House intends to disrupt the English wine industry. 

You can dind out more about Cobham House and buy the wine direct at cobhamhouse.co.uk and follow them @cobhamhousevineyard on Instagram. 

With thanks to series sponsor, Wickhams, The Great British Wine Merchant. Visit wickhamwine.co.uk to open an account and see their award-winning range of English wine and bottles from around the globe that have exceptional stories to tell.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

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Joining me on today’s episode of The English Wine Diaries is Sam Weatherill, wine director at etch. by Steven Edwards, an award-winning restaurant based in Hove, East Sussex founded by 2013 Master Chef the Professionals winner, Steven Edwards. 

Since the restaurant opened in 2017, etch has gained a cult following and global reputation for its wine offering – particularly that made in Great Britain; it is said to have the second largest selection of English sparkling wine in the country, after 67 Pall Mall. 

Born and raised in Brighton, Sam, who goes by the moniker Sassy Sommelier and runs the monthly pop-up wine tasting event Zest Wine Club in his home city, came into the wine trade late on, after studying economics and subsequently completing a MA in Corruption and Governance. 

He now holds the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wine, is a certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers and an ambassador for the British Wine WSET Diploma.  

During his time at etch, the restaurant has won Star List’s Contemporary Wine List of the Year in 2023 as well as Best Medium Sized wine list in 2024 and, while Sam has ranked number 19 in the Sommelier Edit Top 100 and, at this year’s London Wine Fair, claimed the prestigious Wine Buyer On-Trade Single Venue Wine Buyer Award. 

We talk about unusual food and wine pairings, the top sellers at etch and what the UK is doing that's a little bit different to elsewhere in the world when it comes to wine. 

Follow Sam @sassysommelier on Instagram, check out @zestwineclub for news on his latest tastings and visit etchfood.co.uk to see the latest tasting menu and book a table. 

With thanks to series sponsor, Wickhams, The Great British Wine Merchant. Visit wickhamwine.co.uk to open an account and see their award-winning range of English wine and bottles from around the globe that have exceptional stories to tell.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

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This episode of The English Wine Diaries is brought to you in partnership with Knight Frank’s Viticulture department – the leading vineyard broker in the UK and the exclusive property partner of WineGB and the Wine Garden of England.

As the only dedicated viticulture team in property consultancy, they support both the largest and most exciting emerging wineries - not just through brokerage, but also through consultancy that helps vineyard owners scale their businesses. Their expertise spans sales, distribution, valuation and planning, making them a key player in the growth of the UK wine sector.

And joining me today is Ed Mansel Lewis, who heads up that department. Ed is a chartered surveyor by training but has also completed an MBA focused on the mergers and acquisitions of international wine businesses. 

Ed has been in the sector for over seven years and during that time has worked for a wide range of clients including Domaine Evremond, Simpsons Wine Estate, Chapel Down and Hush Heath. 

We talk about what goes on behind the scenes before vines are even put into the ground, Ed's biggest deal to date and Knight Frank's new demographic mapping tool which aims to enable vineyards to welcome an increasing number of customers through the door. 

With thanks, as always, to series sponsor, Wickhams, The Great British Wine Merchant. Visit wickhamwine.co.uk to open an account and see their award-winning range of English wine and bottles from around the globe that have exceptional stories to tell.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

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Joining me on today’s episode of The English Wine Diaries is Harry Cragoe, founder of The Gallivant – a luxury beachside retreat in Camber Sands, near the picturesque market town of Rye in East Sussex. 

Harry describes himself as an entrepreneur with a purpose and his career has taken him across the globe and into many different businesses with one clear mission – to spark moments of joy and happiness through hospitality. 

The Gallivant epitomises this. Here, Harry and his wife, Sigrid, have created a place rooted in delivering exceptional hospitality in a comfortable, thoughtfully designed setting that enables personal growth and encourages creativity and healthier lifestyles.

The hotel opened in 2010 and has since built a cult following of loyal visitors from the UK and further afield – it also happens to be one of my favourite places in the world as I got married there. 

Harry, Sigrid and their team are fiercely committed to supporting the local economy, particularly the English wine industry and partner with local vineyards on tours, special tasting events and their daily ‘English wine at 5’ programme, which sees guests treated to a glass of something from a different local vineyard each day. 

The Gallivant was recently awarded a Michelin Key and welcomed the arrival of former Bibenden chef Matthew Harris to take the helm at the hotel’s reimagined beachside restaurant, Harry’s, which have been described by the Guardian’s restaurant critic, Grace Dent, as ‘precise, timeworn food, without making a huge song and dance about it’. 

We talk about how food and wine have been central to Harry's life since he was young, why creating a hotel where people feel they can kick off their shoes and relax was so important to him and the reason he will never stop reimagining.  

Keep up to date with The Gallivant's latest news by following @TheGallivant and @harryscambersands on Instagram or visit: thegallivant.co.uk. 

With thanks to our series sponsor, Wickhams, The Great British Wine Merchant. Visit wickhamwine.co.uk to open an account and see their award-winning range of English wine and bottles from around the globe that have exceptional stories to tell. 

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

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Did you know over 40% of people in the UK are looking to cut down on their alcohol intake? This episode of The English Wine Diaries podcast is brought to you in partnership with BOLLE – the innovative wine brand vying to redefine the no and low category. 

Joining me today is Gary Read, CEO of BOLLE Drinks, a proudly English brand that is leading the charge in this fast-growing space with the world’s first and only non-alcoholic wine to undergo secondary fermentation. This process enables non-alcoholic wine to maintain the same depth, complexity and enjoyment as its alcoholic equivalent. 

Gary, who lived in California for 22 years but now resides in London, is a seasoned entrepreneur and company builder with nearly 40 years’ experience founding, leading and selling high-growth businesses across the UK, Europe and the US. His business philosophy blends what he describes as American ambition with British clarity, an approach reflected in BOLLE’s mission to transform the quality and reputation of low and no alcohol wines.

Though still a young brand BOLLE is already gaining significant momentum, particularly in the US, where its Sparkling Rose recently won Best in Show for Sparkling Wine at the Monterey International Wine Competition. It’s also winning significant praise here in the UK with critics regularly rating it as their top pick when it comes to non-alcoholic wine. 

To find out more, visit bolledrinks.com and follow @bolledrinks on Instagram.

With thanks to our series sponsor, Wickhams, The Great British Wine Merchant. Visit wickhamwine.co.uk to see their award-winning range of English wine with free delivery on orders over £40. The English Wine Diaries listeners can also get 10% discount on their first purchase by entering the code TEWD10. Please drink responsibly.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

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 Joining me on today’s episode of The English Wine Diaries is Simon Rolfe, director of 10 International and co-founder of Sea Change, an eco-friendly wine company that directly supports global ocean conservation projects. 

After living with his family on the coast of Australia, Simon, who previously worked in investment banking, saw first-hand the damage being done to the ocean. He helped found Sea Change in 2018, with the mission to turn the tide against plastic pollution. 

Sea Change wines are all vegan, they have no plastic wrap around the all-natural cork, the label paper is sourced from certified sustainable forests and made partially from grape waste, and a donation from every purchase supports the work of the company’s global marine charity partners.

Since inception, the company has raised over €600,000 through its partnerships with charities, including Ocean Generation, Sea-Changers and the Olive Ridley Project. 

In 2023, Sea Change won Luxelife’s ‘Most Eco-Friendly Wine Brand in the UK’ and it won the Innovation Award at Gatwick Diamond Business Awards. You’ll find its wines online and at the Natural History Museum, The Fat Duck and on Virgin Atlantic flights. 

Find out more at seachangewine.com or follow @seachangewine on Instagram. 

With thanks to our series sponsor, Wickhams, The Great British Wine Merchant. Visit wickhamwine.co.uk to see their award-winning range of English wine with free delivery on orders over £40. The English Wine Diaries listeners can also get 10% discount on their first purchase by entering the code TEWD10. Please drink responsibly.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.

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Joining me on today’s episode of The English Wine Diaries is Sibylla Tindale, co-founder of High Clandon Estate in the heart of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 

Sibylla and her husband, Bruce, founded the boutique vineyard, which sits on a chalky-limestone hill, 20 years ago with the aim of producing only aged vintage sparkling wine to rival – and even surpass – the best that France can offer. 

Each year the Tindales, who are originally from South Africa, celebrate the launch of their exquisite Cuvées with their flagship event: Art & Sculptures in the Vineyard ­– a summer exhibition of pieces dotted amongst their beautiful gardens, wildflower meadows, vineyard and atmospheric Glass Barn. 

 But as well as being renowned for its English Sparkling Wine, High Clandon has another claim to its name – recently, the trained noses of the Tindale’s cocker spaniels Persephone and Juno, have snuffled out black Perigord truffles on the estate – the first find in the south of England and thought to be the second such in England as a whole, the other being at the late Duke of Edinburgh’s estate at Sandringham in 2018. 

Find out more about their adventures at highclandon.co.uk or by following @highclandon on Instagram. 

With thanks to our series sponsor, Wickhams, The Great British Wine Merchant. Visit wickhamwine.co.uk to see their award-winning range of English wine with free delivery on orders over £40. The English Wine Diaries listeners can also get 10% discount on their first purchase by entering the code TEWD10. Please drink responsibly.

Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at englishwinediaries.com.