About Bride Valley Vineyard

Steven and Bella Spurrier made Litton Cheney their home in 1987 after time spent living in France, London and New York and from early on Steven was keenly aware of the potential for growing vines on his wife’s 200-acre farm on the edge of the village.

Similarities between Bride Valley and Champagne

The bedrock of the Chalk and the clean chalky soil are virtually identical to that found in the Montagne de Reims in the heart of the Champagne region. Our fine south-facing slopes offer a favourable climate for the cultivation of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier vines – classic sparkling wine varieties of the Champagne region. 

Planting the Vineyard

Having spent a lifetime in the trade the opportunity to produce his own wine grew too much for Steven to resist. Forty four thousand vines were matched to the climate and subsoil and planted over twenty five prime acres on Bella’s farm.

First Harvest in 2011

The first harvest was gathered in 2011 and the grapes taken from the vineyard to nearby Furleigh Estate. Three elegantly sparkling wines produced in the traditional Champagne method were released in 2014 – a classic clean Blanc de Blancs, a Brut Reserve and a Rosé for summer drinking named Rosé Bella in honour of his wife.

We are delighted (and very grateful!) that locals enjoy getting involved with the harvest at Bride Valley.

Looking to the Future

After this promising start, a number of years passed with smaller than hoped for crops, but the wonderful summer of 2018 renewed everyone’s faith in the productivity of the Dorset countryside. Almost 60,000 bottles were produced, and Bride Valley Vineyard made its first still varieties; Dorset Chardonnay and Dorset Pinot Noir released in 2019 with great success. In 2018 Bride Valley Vineyard also released the UK’s first ever Crémant; deliciously creamy on the palate due to its slightly lower fizz compared to traditional sparkling wines.

The Bride Valley wines that can be produced each year depend on the growing conditions in the vineyard.

When we can avoid late frosts, it’s not raining at flowering and we have a long hot summer, we can make as many as seven different sparkling and still wines.

The 2019 harvest did not disappoint and led to production of the first still Rosé, which completes the range of seven, single-estate, Bride Valley Vineyard wines. The future and continued quality of Bride Valley, and English wines in general, appears to be rosy.

Steven Spurrier’s memory lives on in these fantastic, pure, delicious wines

John Mobbs, Great British Wine