Cheers to Dorset's Finest! Bride Valley Vineyard Joins Wimborne Food Festival
Raise your glasses! The award-winning Bride Valley Vineyard, nestled in the heart of the Jurassic Coast, is set to dazzle visitors at this year’s Wimborne Food Festival on Saturday 20th September with its exceptional range of English still and sparkling wines.
Founded in 2008 by the late Steven Spurrier—renowned wine expert and the visionary behind the historic Judgement of Paris tasting—Bride Valley Vineyard has become a beacon of excellence in English winemaking.
‘The Judgement of Paris’ took place in 1976 when Spurrier challenged some of the best French wines against best wines from Napa Valley, California in a blind tasting – the California wines won! This competition changed the global wine trade industry. Film ‘Bottle Shock’ starring Alan Rickman tells the incredible story.
Located in Litton Cheney, the 25-acre vineyard boasts 44,000 vines of classic Champagne grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. These grapes are the foundation of Bride Valley’s celebrated wines, including the Brut Reserve, Blanc de Blancs, Bella Sparkling Rosé, Dorset Crémant, Dorset Chardonnay, and Dorset Pinot Noir.
This year, the vineyard’s Brut Reserve 2018 proudly claimed a gold medal at the prestigious International Wine & Spirit Competition, affirming Bride Valley’s place among the elite of English wine producers.
Festivalgoers will have the chance to sample these award-winning wines first hand. “Bride Valley is delighted to be part of this year's festival and to have the opportunity to showcase our award-winning still and sparkling wines to the people of Wimborne,” said Anna Carey of Bride Valley Vineyard. “We’ll be offering free tastings, exclusive discounts of up to 30%, and a warm welcome to anyone curious about the magic of Dorset winemaking.”
Bride Valley’s unique terroir—chalky Kimmeridgian soil shared with the same geological basin as the Champagne region of France—combined with traditional winemaking techniques and coastal protection from frost, creates wines of remarkable depth, creaminess, and finesse. Sparkling wines are crafted using the Méthode Traditionnelle, with a minimum of three years from vine to bottle and at least two years of lees aging.
Wine lovers, foodies, and curious newcomers alike are invited to discover the story behind each bottle and celebrate the best of Dorset’s local produce at the Wimborne Food Festival. Wimborne Food Festival is organised by Wimborne BID with support from Dacombes of Wimborne.
You can find the Bride Valley Vineyard stand at Willow Walk near Waitrose along with a host of other food and drink delights as well as the Dacombes of Wimborne Demonstration Tent hosting a line-up of cookery demonstrations and tastings.
