Case study: English Oak Vineyard

21 June 2022

English Oak Vineyard

This week is English Wine Week, a time to celebrate and raise awareness of English Wines in the drink industry. In this case study, we highlight an example of a growing business, English Oak Vineyard, a family boutique vineyard located six miles from the centre of Poole.

Award-winning English Oak Vineyard began in 2007 when owners Andrew and Sarah Pharoah planted 23,000 vines in the site’s 23 acres, after qualifying in viticulture at Plumpton College in Sussex. Plants were carefully selected by the pair to emulate the diverse, complex and fascinating blends which characterise the finest sparkling wine. These include 14 different Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay clones and rootstocks.

A sea view...

The vineyard’s location, perched in a sunny and elevated position overlooking the sea and the Purbeck hills proves the perfect location for its vines. This is due to its distinctive bowl shape that allows the plants to grow in a comfortable microclimate.

Natural well water, organic feeds and state of the art vineyard equipment give the plants the best possible start, which contribute to the quality of the grapes that are produced. After the plants have been nurtured through the seasons and have completed the eight stages of a growing vine, the mature grapes are ready to be handpicked.

Once weighed and labelled, the grapes leave the vineyard and are transported to the press for their next stage.

After the fruit have been checked for quality, they are immediately moved into the winery for pressing, where the juices are extracted from the grapes, which is then followed by fermentation, tirage, aging, riddling and disgorging, before gracing the menus of the local top-end hotels and restaurants that English Oak supply.

Growing the dream...

The business stems from a combination of Sarah’s experience in horticulture and love for growing, the creative skill of highly respected winemaker Dermot Sugrue and Andrew’s business development background. Their combined passion for growing vines and creating quality wine is what makes each bottle so special.

Their commitment to environmental responsibility is something that is very important to English Oak, who are founded on principles of sustainability. From environmentally friendly sensitive vineyard management to electric vehicle delivery, they have a care for the environment at every step of the process.

“Our shared pleasure is to create for you sparkling wines that are in themselves an occasion.”

Another branch to the vine...

English Oak have undergone diversification, becoming a venue that’s perfect for both business and pleasure. The vineyard, which is described as ‘Dorset’s best kept secret attraction’ is now a popular destination for tours, weddings, corporate meetings and private parties which has really excelled the business.

You can find out more about English Oak Vineyard here.