MY COUNTRY BUSINESS
WINEMAKER BEN WALGATE
Winemaker Ben Walgate is living his dream in the East Sussex countryside
Hidden away down the winding lanes of the East Sussex countryside, you will find Tillingham. A mixed farm dating from the 13th century, it is now home to vineyards, fruit trees, ancient woodland and livestock. In a unique position nestled among 70 acres of rolling hills and woodlands, it has far-reaching views along the Tillingham river valley to the Cinque
Port town of Rye, as well as Romney Marsh and the sea. And it’s here that you’ll find farmer and winemaker Ben Walgate.
His effervescent passion for natural and biodynamic wine is contagious, and the recently renovated hotel, bar and restaurant he has created are a draw for visitors, too.
‘The initial idea to create this winery came 20 years ago,’ says Ben, who spent his formative years on his father’s North Lincolnshire farm and, later, working in wine bars owned by his mother. Both experiences shaped Ben’s future path in life. After university, he travelled to France and spent time in the vineyards and wineries there, where he came to realise that having his own vineyard was a dream he wanted to pursue. He went on to train in viticulture at Plumpton College, before setting about restoring a vineyard on the Isle of Wight. Soon after, he started working as a winemaker and then became CEO of world-class Kent wine producer Gusbourne Estate (a position he went on to hold for six years). ‘It was during my time working at Gusbourne that I was introduced to the landowner Terence Devonport,’ says
Ben, ‘and the plan for Tillingham’s regeneration was set in motion.’
So much about what Ben is doing at Tillingham is different, inspiring and original. He’s not following a tried-and-tested approach with either farming or winemaking; instead, he is going his own way and following his own beliefs. ‘I have planted all the vines biodynamically and organically, as I firmly believe this is the future for growing grapes,’ says Ben. His approach both in the vineyard and winery is, by his own admission, ‘experimental’ to the point where fellow winemakers have called him the ‘Willy Wonka of winemaking’ – an apt description of his avant-garde style. He was the first English winemaker to import ancient >
❝ SLIPPING ON SOME WELLIES AND MY KNACKERED BARBOUR JACKET AND JUST GOING FOR A STROLL THROUGH THE FARM WITH MY KIDS AND THEM RUNNING AMOK IS JUST THE BEST FEELING❞
terracotta urns – known as qvevris – from Georgia into the UK to make his wines in.
It is the semi-porous nature of qvevris, as well as the thermal performance that comes from them being buried in the ground, that means the wines made in them are unique.
Now, Ben produces around 20 different wines – a mix of red, white, orange rosé and several styles of sparkling. Each wine is different, but all of them have a depth of flavour and an energy that make them taste distinctly ‘Tillingham’.
When asked to describe the day-to-day running of Tillingham, Ben explains that ‘every day is completely different. Right now, the vineyard is coming into production for the first time. Plus, we’re beginning global wine distribution, the restaurant is finding its feet, and there’s also so much to do with offering overnight accommodation and tours for visitors. It’s challenging work at times, but also incredibly fun.’
The fun aspect is crucial in this early stage of business as setting up a winery certainly isn’t for the faint-hearted. ‘Starting a vineyard from scratch is a capital intensive project,’ says Ben. ‘It takes three years for the vines to come into maturity. You’re burning cash through those three years with no income.’ So how did Ben manage? ‘Serendipitously,’ he says. ‘It turns out there’s a demand for rooms, a restaurant and tourism in the area. Customers also want to buy our wines directly from us, which is really cash generative with a good margin.’
It is these more instantly lucrative elements of the business that have helped support the slower growth of both the vineyard and the farming business.
This is meant to be Tillingham’s first summer of trading in the restaurant and 11-roomed hotel, and their own grapes will soon be ripe and ready for harvest.
There are 21 varieties planted at Tillingham, 10 of which are set to ripen for the first time in 2020, and the rest in 2021. Ben has chosen a mixture of French and German varieties, with some experimental picks, such as
Mazoni Bianco and Bastarda, too. ‘There will be a big step up this year, when we go from being 100 per cent reliant on buying fruit from other vineyards to make our wines with, to having our first Tillingham Domaine wines. I can’t wait.’
By taking risks and pioneering a different approach to both winemaking and farming, Ben is realising his dream of owning a vineyard that has ‘a respect for nature and the environment at its heart.’ We’ll toast to that. tillingham.com @Tillingham
Tillingham makes around 20 varieties of wine