SO, YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR OWN WINE?

Victoria Moore on where to start

1 Organise your finances. There is a saying in the wine business: ‘How do you make a small fortune in wine? Start with a large one.’ An absolute minimum of £500,00 is required for a very, very basic winery.

2 Get qualified. Plumpton College in East Sussex offers courses in oenology (winemaking) and viticulture (vine growing). There has been a rise in demand in recent years.

3 Plan for the long term. A wine vineyard needs to be planted three years before you pick the first grapes. Also keep in mind that classic-method sparkling wine needs more time to mature.

4 Plant on a good site. If the plot of land is wrong, you’ll never get anywhere.

5 Brace yourself… Stephen Skelton MW, who has decades of experience in English wine, says his advice is always the same: ‘I try to put people off.’ To go ahead, you’ll need grit and resilience.