Hambledon Vineyard joins Fells Portfolio
Monday 3 February sees Fells strengthening its portfolio of premium family-owned wineries with the Hambledon vineyard, one of the original pioneers of the English Sparling Wine category.



Established in 1952 by Major-General Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones, Hambledon Vineyard is England’s oldest commercial vineyard and is widely regarded as the birthplace of English Wine. Planting a vineyard seemed like a natural choice for Sir Guy who was a keen wine lover and Francophile, having spent time as a diplomat in Paris. After careful deliberation, and with the help and advice from friends at the renowned Champagne House, Pol Roger, he planted several different grape varieties in 1952 and went on to release the property’s first commercial range of English wines.
Today, Hambledon is under the joint ownership of Berry Bros. & Rudd and Symington Family Estates, with a remarkable 200 acres under vine. The estate’s chalk is the same Belemnite chalk that is found in the best Chardonnay producing areas of the Côtes des Blancs in Champagne and has been central to establishing Hambledon as the English spiritual home of Chardonnay. Chardonnay makes up the majority of Hambledon’s sparkling wines, underpinning the importance of this varietal to the estate’s identity and reputation. Fells will distribute the full range, including Hambledon signature Classic Cuvée, Hambledon Classic Cuvée Rosé, world-beating Hambledon Première Cuvée, Hambledon Première Cuvée Rosé and Hambledon Zéro Dosage Rosé.
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