Following a record hot summer, what will happen to this year’s harvest?
Over the past few years, the UK wine industry has steadily flourished and there’s no exception when it comes to Carden Park Estate’s production of English Sparkling from their vineyard. Tucked away towards the back of the estate, this is Cheshire’s largest commercial vineyard, offering three acres of deliciousness. With a story that dates to 1988, the vineyard has thrived year on year since the vines were first planted. After dedication, hard work, and a lot of nurturing, the 4,000 vines are now able to produce up to 6,000 bottles of quality Carden Park Estate Reserve Sparkling every year.
With last year’s launch of the Estate’s fine dining Vines restaurant, coupled with the success of the vineyard, Carden Park Estate has recently hired a brand-new Head Sommelier, Patryk Kapelinski, to support the rest of the team and strengthen their offering. Bringing an in-depth knowledge about wine, how to perfectly pair it with food and identify its characteristics, Patryk has been working in the industry for over 15 years.
Beginning his career in a small Italian deli in Warsaw at just 16, Patryk fell in love with wine from the outset and felt passionate about the human history of the drink that dates back 8,000 years. Offering premium quality northern Italian wine, he felt drawn to studying, researching, and selling other wines and their bodies. Now a part of the UK Sommelier Association, a certified sommelier and qualified in the Level Three Wines and Spirit Education Trust, Patryk is an expert at telling the story of a wine’s land, people, and history.
A few months ago, when Patryk was walking his dog in the Cheshire countryside, he stumbled across Carden Park Estate and its vineyard. Having never looked back, he downloaded their menus and researched their wines as soon as he arrived home. Impressed by their diverstory and standard, he applied for a job at The Vines and has now been in the role since June.
Having worked with the team through a record hot summer, Patryk shares his predictions for the future of English Wine: “When the UK began producing wine in the 1990’s, people were sceptical as traditionally it’s too cold here. But now, this change in weather has brought with it similar conditions to those of the Champagne region, giving English Wine, especially Sparkling, a chance to really shine. Throughout summer, I walked past the vines every day on my way to work to see how they were doing and each day, they were visibly thriving more and more. With less moisture and dryer air, this year’s harvest in October is set to be the best yet. I can’t wait!”
With a sustainable wine offering that is focused on quality not quantity, The Vines curated menu is timeless. Featuring other global options from Romania, Italy, Burgundy, and France, it highlights a modern British influence paired with classic French cooking techniques. Just last month, the restaurant introduced a wine flight expertly created by Patryk to offer a more challenging and exciting variance of balance and contrast throughout the meal.
Working closely with The Vines Restaurant Manager Rachel Roberts, Patryk and his team continue to provide an unforgettable gastronomic experience for their guests that wows them at every moment. Both Patryk and Rachel are keen to keep the wine offering on site small, fresh and at a good level.
