Halfpenny Green Vineyard raises the bar with its red
A red wine created by a South Staffordshire vineyard has stunned industry experts and been likened to quality of an Australian Shiraz.
The unseasonal sunshine last September helped bosses at Halfpenny Green Vineyard create the 'freak' Rondo, with 15 per cent alcohol.
Experts have been stunned by the intensity of the wine, which has been marked out as the 'biggest' English red wine because of its alcohol level.
Clive Vickers, who works at the 30-acre site with his father, Martin, said: "The incredible September sunshine we experienced in the Midlands last year continued to ripen the grapes late into the season.
"This gave the grapes their intensity and higher sugar, which resulted in the 15 per cent alcohol. It is a big, bold red, which rivals southern hemisphere wines like an Australian Shiraz."
Produced from last year's harvest, some 7,000 bottles will go on sale this weekend at £14.95. But a number will be held back for entry into this year's Italian competition, the Challenge Euposia Bollicine dal Mondo, and Decanter World Wine Awards.
Jane Travis, a partner in the English Wine Project, said: "If you had your eyes shut, and did not know, you would probably be thinking you were drinking a southern hemisphere wine. I would say an Australian Shiraz."
As for this year's harvest, due to start on Monday, Mr Vickers said he is not troubled by recent downpours. He said: " We plant some older varieties of grape almost guaranteed to do well in an English summer. "
