From madcap idea after too many sundowners to creating an award-winning vineyard from scratch in rural West Berks

“You do need the patience of Job and it is a good idea to start out on such an enterprise before you enter your 60s because it is a long, hard road – five years at least – before you get to taste your first bottle of fizz. “

Those words are borne of experience from Christopher Cooke, the owner of the boutique organic Winding Wood Vineyard that lies between Hungerford and Newbury, where he lives with his wife and vineyard spaniel Ludo.

Christopher, with characteristic humour and casting aside the rose tinted spectacles, has now chronicled the trials and tribulations he and his partner experienced planting the vineyard from scratch in Ancient Land, Pastures New, The Creation of a Small English Vineyard.

“In 2012, my retirement plan went horribly wrong,” he explains.

Christopher had enjoyed a long career in publishing – “armed with a degree in English, it was either that, teaching the subject, becoming a hack or driving a farm tractor” – starting out in academic books, followed by law journals; and then, “to avoid impecuniosity”, creating a consumer magazine group in London.

Having sold that after 10 years, he then started another magazine publishing business in the West Country, alongside the fulfilment of a lifelong dream – “owning a bookshop in beautiful Hungerford”.

Just as he thought of hanging up his publishing boots and enjoying retirement, after one too many sundowners Christopher and a friend had the madcap idea for evicting his sheep (with due notice) and planting a vineyard on a couple of his paddocks.

Forward 12 years and if you pass by the vineyard at the end of any October “you would witness yours truly plus a troupe of green-fingered volunteers patiently moving down each row of vines, neatly snipping off bunches of grapes into awaiting crates”.

“We released our first vintage, the 2015 Winding Wood Sparkling, in the latter half of 2018 with some trepidation and yet excitement. We could not wait to pop the first cork.

“To date, we have released five vintages with another four more in the pipeline – made for us by Daniel and Nicola Ham at Offbeat Winery, near Salisbury.

“Along the winding road, we have won a few wine gongs in national competitions, which is immensely satisfying. Our second release, the 2016 classic cuvée, won a gold medal from WineGB – our wine equivalent of the Baftas. And our 2018 wines harvested five medals in 2022.

“This year we have won two trophies for our brut rosé and three gold medals. Not bad for a couple of oldies from a standing start!”

There are now 1,000 vineyards in England and Wales – compared to only 400 when they planted Winding Wood in 2013 – and that figure is increasing at a rapid rate. Out of this number, only 30 or so are organic; and from this small collection, only seven are biodynamic – the highest level of regenerative viticulture.

“We count ourselves in that select club of seven,” says Christopher.

In Ancient Land, Pastures New, he records the ups and downs of nurturing the vineyard’s development over 10 years; describing the passing seasons in the vineyard as they grapple with a chaotic climate; and the huge pleasures provided by the helpers, friends and “charming visitors” who come to visit or lend a hand. Not forgetting, of course, the joys of producing English sparkling wine in a cool climate.

Vineyard life took a turn for the better when Christopher decided after a few years to become a disciple of the biodynamic movement and regenerative viticulture.

The results for both wine and land are stunning to behold. He is doubly lucky in finding his “his trusty wingmen” – brilliant wine maker Daniel Ham and wise vineyard consultant David Morris, who between them, he says, stop him from making too many mistakes.

“Of course, English still wine has been around for years – in varying levels of quality and certainly nothing to match a good white Burgundy – but we are part of a new wave of English wine growers who are making English fizz by growing the classic champagne varietals and then using the traditional methods of two fermentations.

“In southern England we share much of the geology with Champagne in northern France; and terroir-wise, with chalk and flint, the soil is ideal for growing pinot noir and chardonnay grapes. Then add the perceptible change in the UK climate and you have the perfect (potentially!) growing conditions.”

Ancient Land, Pastures New, The Creation of a Small English Vineyard is available from the Hungerford, Wantage or White Horse, Marlborough bookshops or online from www.winding woodvineyard.co.uk