Wells u3a had a glorious autumn afternoon for their trip to Fenny Castle Vineyard at
Worth, just outside Wells in September.
Owner James Cumming gave the group a tour around his sunny south-facing
slopes on the edge of the Somerset Levels, followed by a tasting of some of his
award-winning wines.
The site has sweeping views over the surrounding countryside, with Glastonbury
Tor on the horizon.
James and his wife Gill moved to Somerset from London in 2005, raised their
young family, and kept a flock of Suffolk sheep.
Their dream of creating a vineyard on the site became reality after James took a
viticulture course at Plumpton College in East Sussex and learnt what he would
need to do to turn their brambly slopes into a viable business.
He planted his first Bacchus vines in 2011, and the following year Ortega and Pinot
Noir went into the ground.
Since then the enterprise has gone from strength to strength, and Fenny Castle
wines have picked up numerous awards, and a loyal band of local devotees.
Many of them turn up at harvest time and help pick the grapes.
James’s background in print and media has resulted in very stylish labelling and
presentation of the wines, and he or Gill can be found most Saturdays at their stand
in Wells Market, selling their wines and telling customers about the business.