Camel valley
Camel Valley Vineyards
Owner: Bob Lindo
Winemaker: Sam Lindo
Region: Cornwall, UK
Address:
Camel Valley is the exception that makes the rule at artisan&vine. For a long time, we only stocked "local" wines that were made within a 2 hour drive in Battersea. The time restriction, in truth, was so that I could drive down to the vineyard & be back in time to open the bar. Well, FINALLY, our a&v team grew big enough that I was able to travel as far as Cornwall!
Hurrah! I'd met Sam at various industry tasting events, and tasted Camel Valley's award winning wines. Having read review after glowing review, I was delighted to finally get over to see the absolutely stunning Cornish vineyards. The wines are properly English, Sam makes no attempts to "French up" the offering at all.
In 2007, Sam won ‘UK Winemaker of the Year Award, as well as the Wine of the Year Trophy, and Sparkling Wine Trophy in the UK Vineyards annual competition for English wines judged solely by Masters of Wine.' Sam retained the coveted ‘Vintners Trophy' for the best UK English sparkling wine and another 3 Trophies in 2008. Want to see why? Get a load of this...
Wines available at artisan&vine
Bacchus Dry, 2008
Rose, 2008
Cornwall Brut, 2006
Cornwall Sparkling Rose, 2007
Cornwall Sparkling Red, 2007
Images
Top right: Sam and I in front of the stunning, slopey vineyards of Camel Valley.
Middle right: Visually striking Camel Valley vineyards.
Bottom right: The birds like the grapes to much they have had to resort to explosives!
Bottom left: Sam and I talking in front on the winery. Sam talks at least as much as me :)
Bottom centre: You need to go there yourself to believe the variety of bird scaring devices going on...