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  • Tim and Chris Haywood Astley Vineyard

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Taste Worcestershire Foodie Hero Q&A - Chris Haywood, Astley Vineyard

The 2024 Taste of Worcestershire campaign runs from 7th-27th October and will celebrate the county's exceptional food and drink scene.

Chris Haywood of local business, Astley Vineyard talks about the family run wine makers as one of Taste Worcestershire's food heroes.

Could you tell us a little bit about your background?

I grew up in Worcestershire spending my youth trying to make it in the music industry. I pursued this career in London for a few years but then decided to change industry in line with my other passion which was food and drink. I learned the basics selling brownies at a local market, but then quickly (and luckily) moved to a role at Harvey Nichols flagship store in Knightsbridge. I started working in their food hall, but when I saw their wineshop, I knew that that was where I wanted to be. Once I moved across, everything seemed to suddenly click for me, and I delved headfirst into the world of wine & alcohol. However, London life didn’t suit me, so when my parents informed me that they were interested in buying a vineyard, we all jumped into the project together and the rest is history!

Is there a story behind your business name?

I wish it was something to do with Rick Astley (we’ve tried to get him here multiple times), but we’re simply named after the village outside of Stourport.

Is there a reason why you’re based where you are?

The easiest explanation is that this is where our vineyard was planted 53 years ago! We live on site which makes managing the vines and the business very convenient. In terms of the vineyard, we’re luckily/unsurprisingly on a great site. Our sandy soil provides great drainage, our aspect of the Severn Valley gives us great airflow, and our adjoining valley keeps away frost and stagnant air. As one of the oldest vineyards in the country, there must be something right about our site for us to still be here!

How would you describe your business to someone who may not be aware of you?

We are a friendly, approachable, but knowledgeable family business who make a range of white, sparkling, and experimental wine. We do everything from grape to glass – grow the vines, make the wine, and sell it from our shop. Our award-winning vineyard tours are one of the main draws of business; introducing visitors into everything there is to know about wine in a fun and friendly way. We also recently opened two shepherd huts so that our customers can stay with us if they’re coming from further afield or simply don’t want to worry about make their way home! We’re based just outside of Stourport, and we are open every Friday to Sunday.

  • What makes your business different?

I would say there are several unique things that we offer that sets us apart from others:

  • We have some of the oldest vines in the country and we are one of just four English Vineyards on the global Old Vine Registry.
  • We grow ‘Kerner’ (related to Reisling), and we are the only vineyard in the UK to do so commercially.
  • Considering the size of our business, we have our very own winery.
  • We make both traditional and experimental wines – e.g. our Piquette and our Vermouth.
  • Our vineyard tours are very well established, offering an education but fun filled experience for visitors.
  • We make high quality wine outside of the traditional “English wine belt” (located in Southern England).

What’s your favourite product in your line?

Each release means something different to me, so I don’t really have a favourite. I love it when people enjoy our “classics” – Severn Vale & Freya – but I also love it when people enjoy our more niche releases, like our Sauvignon Blanc and our unusually aromatic rose Branwen. And of course, I love it when our wines get into Michelin starred restaurants; like “Old Vine Kerner” in Sketch (3*).

Could you tell us a bit about your industry awards or accolades you may have?

We are very proud to be producing award winning wine and of our multiple award wins, which I’ve listed below:

  • Visit Worcestershire’s “Winner of Winners” & “Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Business of the Year” 2023/24. Plus “Visitor Experience of the Year” 2021/22
  • Conde Nast World Traveller – “The best places to go in the UK & Ireland 2024” and “The Best Vineyards to Visit in England & Wales 2021”
  • Tim Atkin’s England Report “England’s Best Value Still Wine 2022” [Sabrinna 2021]
  • Tripadvisor “Travellers Choice Award 2024”
  • Rural Business Awards – “National Food & Drink Business of the Year 2022”
  • Various wine industry awards - International Wine Challenge (Bronze), Independent English Wine Awards (Silver), Wine GB West Awards (Bronze)

What can we expect to see from you over the coming months? New products, expansion etc.

Harvest is about to be upon us, so we’ll be looking at what, if any, new and experimental wines to create. We are also about to release our new wines from 2023 and perhaps the most exciting of these is our Pinot Noir – imagine a super light, refreshing red, or quite a dark rose. It’s lovely (I’m not biased!)

Our shepherd huts will also be settling in and getting their footing. We’ve had our first guests already, and we’re excited to see how they are received by visitors.

And is it too early to mention the festive “C” word…? It always comes round quicker than you think at this time of year and it’s a really busy time for us.

  • What is your favourite food/meal of all time?

I love variety more than anything. I adore Lao Gan Ma and cook a lot of Asian food. We also have a lot of Finnish inspired food because of my wife. But really, I just love eating and drinking in general!

  • How do you keep up with the latest food trends?

It’s not about keeping up with trends for me but looking for dishes/ingredients/techniques that inspire me. TikTok and Instagram are my main sources for this, but I tend to pick things up from everywhere to be honest. I love to try new things in the kitchen.

  • Who or what inspires/motivates you?

Ultimately my passion for food & drink inspires everything I do. When I taste something great, I feel inspired to try to recreate it myself. When you combine the desire to create something amazing with a passion for sharing and educating, I find it hard to stop sharing my latest passion project and experiences with others.

  • How do you come up with new ideas/products?

Keeping an eye on the wine industry gives me a lot of ideas and inspiration. Things can become stale if you live in a vacuum, so when I see something new or unusual, I try to imagine how I would attempt it myself. It’s a lot harder with wine, than food, because we are limited with the grapes that we grow, but there are always things that can be adjusted and tweaked to determine a different result. It ultimately boils down to staying open to inspiration from anywhere and anyone.

“I feel very lucky to live and work in such a stunning setting and I genuinely love what I do. Worcestershire’s food and drink scene is thriving, and we are so proud to be part of that and be named a hero in the Taste of Worcestershire campaign.”– Chris Haywood, Wine Maker, Sales and Online Manager at Astley Vineyard.

For further information please visit - Astley Vineyard