VINEYARD AND WINE
When Michael first visited Lympstone Manor, he was not only inspired by the potential to transform a dilapidated mansion into what has become a luxury country house hotel and highly acclaimed Lympstone Manor, he was equally excited at the prospect of planting a vineyard in Devon on the southwest-facing parkland overlooking the beautiful Exe estuary.
“Most of the great vineyards of Europe are all located near rivers, the Médoc châteaux of Bordeaux on the Gironde, wine estates along the Rhône, Loire, and Rhine rivers, the great port vineyards of the Douro. So why not the Exe estuary? Our climate is mild and the success of other local vineyards has convinced me that it will be possible to produce outstanding wines here.”
Michael’s dream is to produce high-quality English sparkling wine utilising the varietals of Champagne: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier. Vineyards, like dreams, take time to be transformed into reality, time for roots to penetrate deep down and become established, time for grapes to ripen, for wines to be made, for secondary fermentation, and for the complexity to develop that only comes from lengthy maturation on the lees in the bottle.
You can now view and purchase the Lympstone Manor Estate wine to enjoy at home.
Each Wednesday between May and September we run Vineyard tours for our resident guests and special lunch packages for our non-residents.
Find out more about our Vineyard tours here.
“The vine likes to see the water”
MICHAEL CAINES MBE
WINE
Michael spent formative years of his career working and learning his craft in France alongside some of the country’s most famous and iconic chefs. At the same time, he learned about wine and gained a love for the French classics. He comments, “I always look to France as the benchmark for the styles of wines I want to create. If Lympstone Manor Estate Classic Cuvée looks to Champagne as an archetype, Lympstone Manor Estate Triassic Pinot Noir 2020 is most definitely Burgundian in character, sleek, elegant, classy. It is not easy to make quality red wines in England, so I was absolutely delighted that this wine, our very first release, won the Best English Red Wine Award at the prestigious International Wine Challenge 2023. Lympstone Manor Estate Isabeau Rosé 2022 looks to emulate the pale, dry, and forceful rosés of Provence that I love so much and I think we have been very successful. These are all wines that will pair well with my cuisine.”
Triassic Pinot Noir 2020, the first wine from the Lympstone Manor vineyard, has been enthusiastically received by experts and wine writers alike who have frankly been stunned that such a wonderful still red wine can be produced from young vine fruit grown on our single estate vineyard. It will certainly not be possible to produce Triassic Pinot Noir every year – it makes the very limited production of the 2020 even more special and precious than ever.
Triassic Pinot Noir
English Award Winning Wine
Lympstone Manor’s Triassic Pinot Noir 2020 has won gold at this year’s International Wine Challenge.
In its 39th year, the International Wine Challenge is accepted as the world’s most rigorous, impartial, and influential wine competition.
Judges comments on the Triassic, which was awarded 95 points out of 100 were, ‘A historic moment. A real Pinot Noir Trophy for England, and what a beauty! All the cool, bright-eyed scent of cherry blossom and rose, mingling with pink apple and strawberry fruit and slightest chew of red plum skins.’
Our Triassic Pinot Noir has won Bronze in the International Wine and Spirit Competition to add to its recently awarded gold in the International Wine Challenge.
The rigorous IWSC judges award wines from across the world and five still English red wines were awarded bronze medal status.
Lympstone Manor Estate ROSé 2022
Rosé tasting note
A classic style with hints of wild strawberries leading into fresh citrus tones; this bright wine has subtle nuances of grapefruit, savoury notes and minerality, balanced with a mouth watering acidity and just a hint of orange peel on the lingering finish.
Lympstone Manor Estate Classic Cuvée 2020
Cuvée tasting note
Notes of apple, spiced pear, and toasted brioche, with a rich and creamy mousse. Due to the ripeness of fruit that our vineyard provide in this exceptional year and the richness of the blend, this wine requires minimal residual sugar to remain poised, elegant and balanced, providing a long and complex finish.
Lympstone Manor Estate Edwards Chardonnay 2022
Coming soon
Chardonnay tasting note
The first release of still Chardonnay from our vineyard is due to the fantastic level of fruit ripeness from an exceptional vintage. The resulting wine delivers an attractive style with subtle notes of almond, toasted oak and some spice. It is very textural and the palate has a buttery richness with well-integrated fruit, is beautifully balanced with bright acidity and a lengthy persistent finish.
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SELECTED BY MICHAEL
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Take your wine journey further at Lympstone Manor
