Wine Maker Focus - Carr Taylor Wines

As English wine grows in stature and quality we are delighted to announce a new addition to our wine list. The Carr Taylor vinyard is a family estate that has been producing fine English wines since 1971. Alexander Carr Taylor, the winemaker of these exceptional wines took some time out to give us an insight into the wines.

SWC: If you are influenced by any wine maker, style or region in the world, who and where are they?

ACT: Many crisp fruity white wines with character, balance and style particularly dry Riesling, Albarinos, good Gavis – the list could go on and on.

SWC: As a wine maker what is your ultimate goal or achievement?

ACT: As a winemaker I always try to make better wines than last year and have customers who come back to buy more.

SWC: Why choose East Sussex to develop your vineyard and winery?

ACT: Apart from the fact that it is a beautiful county, I still believe that the South East corner of the UK has an almost perfect climate for producing crisp aromatic white wine. Dry and warm with a long growing season. The ultimate cool climate vine growing region.

SWC: When did you release your first wine? What was it?

ACT: We had our first commercial crop in 1976 and released a number of wines including a single varietal Reichensteiner, a Kerner Huxel blend and even a Muller Thurgau. How things have changed in 30 years with now Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Bacchus becoming dominant.

SWC: Do you outsource a proportion of your grapes?

ACT: 80% of our wines are own grown, we buy a small percentage in each year from a close knit group of local growers.

SWC: Why wine? Surely there’s an easier way of making a living than relying on the British weather? If you could change job for a day what would you do?

ACT: I can’t imagine an industry as varied, exciting and dynamic with as large a global reach as the wine industry. Not only are you your own boss, you are producing an enjoyable product that makes people happy! I enjoy the extremes of getting my hands dirty in the vineyard in the morning, blending the wine in the afternoon, dressing up for a function in the evening and selling wines to the public at shows at the weekend. It beats a commute any day. If I had to I would probably change it for making wine in an as yet unexploited and potentially new wine area somewhere in a cool region of the world.

SWC:Sum up your wines in 3 words.

ACT: Characterful, Approachable, Memorable