The wine students at Plumpton College are fortunate to have Dr Akshay Baboo and Deepika Koushik as part of the international teaching team, bringing their knowledge and talent – both academic and practical – from around the world. They are also married.  Akshay is the Programme Manager for the undergraduate degrees in wine production and teaches winemaking. Deepika is the Winemaker at Plumpton and teaches winery operation skills. 

The opportunity to blend art and science, and fulfil his creative side, steered Ben Smith to a career in winemaking and then Itasca Wine’s vision for sustainability brought him to the 600 tonne contract winery, in Hampshire – and the chance to work with great vineyards from Somerset to Essex and create a full spectrum of wine styles. 

As honorary president of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), the intergovernmental organisation of which the UK is now a member, Australian-based international viticulturist Peter Hayes is able to maintain a broad connection with a wide array of issues confronting the global grape and wine industry, as well as with the experts within OIV member countries. With his experience mentoring the UK sector through the WineSkills programme, his elevated position and ‘birds’ eye’ view, Vineyard asks Peter Hayes for his valuable perspective on the UK industry. 

Research, science, and innovation underpin the sustainability and development of vine growing and wine production – which is why most serious wine growing regions of the world have some form of R&D function. Vineyard speaks to Dr Alistair Nesbitt, Geoff Taylor and Dr Greg Dunn, key contributors to some of the important cross-industry projects ensuring our resilience for a successful future.

After working in prestigious wineries in some of the great wine regions of the world, Jeremy Mount was tempted back to England in 2016 by Woodchester Valley Vineyard, who were planning a winery and looking for a winemaker – and the rest is history. 

The first ‘life-changing’ vines were planted in 2004, by Jonica and Gerard Fox, with the philosophy to simply make the most delicious wines – to make every glass poured joyous. Fortunately, they already had a portfolio of skills which have been invaluable in developing their thriving boutique business
Fox & Fox – but have also found themselves mastering skills they had never even heard of! Vineyard speaks to Jonica Fox.

Chris Wilson had been working as a wine journalist for more than a decade, so setting up his own winery was not so much a change in career as a diversification.

Young and forward-thinking winemaker Gareth Davies has led the charge with English Charmat – creating the ‘slightly illegitimate’, but now well recognised brand, Fitz.

Daniel Ham started Offbeat Wines in 2018 to provide freedom for his creativity and to make grape-driven expressive wines. 

French-born winemaker Corinne Seely believes she has one of the greatest jobs possible and for her English wine means innovation, freedom, challenges – and the future.