A few years ago English sparkling wine would have been regarded with a snigger. But now producers are scooping up awards and accolades for fantastic wines which have really changed the industry for English sparkling wine.
‘In just a few years, English sparkling wine has risen from obscurity to land on the tips of industry tongues and the tops of trend lists. The wine trade praises the high quality of these sparkling wines, drawing natural similarities to Champagne due to the mandated use of the traditional method, as well as the marine subsoil stemming from the Paris Basin that also runs through the Champagne region. Critical reviews are glowing, and even consumer publications are highlighting high-quality sparkling wine from England. Overall, the future for English fizz seems, well, sparkling.’ (To read the full article by Courtney Schiessl click here.)
With the wedding industry at a stand still in 2019 I started to work on product photography, with the most recent being a shoot for Everflyht wines in Ditchling.
Everflyht is a new vineyard and wine producer in Ditchling, with their first bottles available to taste this summer! They needed professional photographs for their new website, both of their bottles of wine and their branded clothing.
The brief I was given to fit the style of their website and brand was ‘dark and gritty’. I really enjoy new challenges, most of my work is bright and colourful capturing people celebrating their wedding, so it was enjoyable to experiment with a different finish.
It was a chilly morning in December as we walked around the vineyard choosing different locations to position the products. The use of a huge fallen oak tree really added to the textures and worked well in contrast to the smooth glass bottles. We used the vines to display the clothing, and I love the way the vines curl and twist in the images.
Sussex produces some of the best English sparkling wine, and Ditchling alone boasts an additional three vineyards; Ridgeview, Court Garden, and Black Dog Hill. It’s so exciting to have Everflyht join them, and I can’t wait to try it. They are currently building a fabulous bar and tasting area, and will host events this summer to promote the release of the first bottles.
Ditching also has its own gin company, which I also had the pleasure of shooting a few months ago, and will be blogging on here soon. The village pub, The Bull, offer both Ditchling Gin and Ridgeview Wine on their fabulous drinks lists. When the pubs open again why not pop in for a tipple or two? I’ll certainly be front of the queue to enjoy a glass of Ridgeview in their sunny pub garden!
