If wine is an international language, Victoria Sheldon is on a mission to make sure as many people as possible can speak it.
Communicating, storytelling and spreading the word about English wine is central to her ambition to make The Shiny Vine at the Leicester Grange Estate a unique ‘English wine hub’ and tourism hot spot, championing grape growers and wine makers from all over the UK.
Educational vineyard tours, English wine events, tastings and a specialist English wine shop stocking scores of the UK’s finest and award-winning wines has already begun to turn her dream into a reality – and the final piece of the jigsaw is about to drop into place.
The Shiny Vine has now launched an online shop that will allow wine enthusiasts who have discovered their new favourite English wine to have it delivered with bespoke wine recommendations upon request.
While the new online outlet adds convenience to the mix, talking to customers, introducing them to new English wines, discovering what they like and guiding them towards something new, while sharing the story behind the wine, will always be at the heart of their mission.
“People love to know the story behind the wine they are drinking,” said Victoria. “The team likes to spend time hearing about what the customer likes from around the world before broadening their understanding of English wine and guiding them to something that will suit their taste.”
Victoria and The Shiny Vine team take the same one-to-one approach to the vineyards whose wines they stock, an impressive list that includes some of the most celebrated English wine producers alongside many other smaller producers of great wines from across the country.
“The team takes the time to learn the story behind each wine so that we can passionately and authentically pass that story on to the customer and signpost them to the winemakers’ events and tours too,” said Victoria. “The heart of the business is education and knowledge sharing. We need more people drinking English wine, and for us, that starts with offering opportunities to try before they buy and have fun with it at our estate events.”
That commitment is particularly impressive given that Victoria is also a solicitor, notary public and an international civil and commercial mediator, working full time at the helm of Emmtoria Law, a multi service law firm co owned by Victoria which, not surprisingly, also specialises in the legal aspects of vineyard property sales and purchases.
The 150-acre Leicester Grange Estate, which straddles the Warwickshire/Leicestershire border, is ideally situated just off the M6, A5, M69 and M1 and around 20 miles from Birmingham, Leicester and Coventry, with hotels and restaurants a stone’s throw away.
The estate, once part of the historic Coombe Abbey, features gardens, a Victorian fountain pond, a six-acre lake and ancient woodlands, all forming a tranquil backdrop to the English wine experience offered by The Shiny Vine.
The estate is owned by Victoria, who is on a mission to restore it and bring it back to life by sharing her passion for wine and viticulture along the way. The journey started with the planting of three hectares of vines, a mix of classical and PIWI varieties, in 2021.
The estate’s first white wine has just joined The Shiny Vine’s lineup. Nebula, crafted by Defined Wine in East Anglia, is a blend of 50% Solaris, Ortega and Rinot and 50% Bacchus.
Alongside those grapes, the educational vineyards are also home to Rondo, Divico, Pinot Noir and Pinot Noir Précoce, Cabernet Blanc and Chardonnay varieties. The Shiny Vine’s first red wine is set to be released any day now.
“The number of varieties in the vineyard helps us share with people what’s behind the wine they’re sipping from all over England which are not just celebrated for their traditional method sparkling, but their diverse still wines too,” Victoria said.
Victoria is determined to realise her vision of making The Shiny Vine a leader in highlighting the quality of English wine, and is currently studying for her Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 4 Diploma with the intention of continuing on her wine education journey as far as she can take it.
“Connecting with people is what I do, applying it to English wine is the easy part, but skilfully helping people onto an English wine journey, watching their eyes light up as a wine recommendation hits the spot, starting the English wine conversation so they can go to a restaurant or wine bar and comfortably and knowledgeably ask for English wine, that’s a joy!
“The Shiny Vine gives people the chance to explore new varieties in a fun, inclusive, and knowledgeable environment that resonates with all audiences – from our free events that offer the price sensitive a chance to explore, to our glitzy sparkling wine nights and country toe-tapping live music afternoons where the English wine doesn’t stop flowing,” she said.
Along with the chance to ‘try before you buy’, The Shiny Vine’s events are establishing the venue as the place to be for wine-lovers.
Victoria has built a strong growing team to support her, with wine estate & retail coordinators Sophie, Jo, Sam and Emma each bringing their own specialisms. Come rain or shine, the local community and family help across the estate, as does the wider vineyard team.
“There is still so much more to come. There has been lots to learn too, but that’s part of the fun, isn’t it?” Victoria commented.
Above all, The Shiny Vine wants to get people talking about English wine, and as Victoria pointed out: “Situated in the centre of England, we are here to start the conversation, and as many will know from far and wide, the English wine journey can start here, at The Shiny Vine”.
