Episode 40, Ian Kellett – Owner & MD Hambledon Vineyard

My guest on today's episode of The English Wine Diaries is Ian Kellett, owner and managing director of Hambledon Vineyard in Hampshire. Ian grew up in Yorkshire but ventured south for university where he studied biochemistry before qualifying as an accountant and working in the food and drink industry in general management, equity research and then corporate finance.  After buying a house in France, Ian fell in love with the idea of owning a vineyard but, instead of purchasing one in Medoc, saw that Hambledon Vineyard, nestled on the edge of the South Downs in Hampshire, was for sale and in 1999 his journey into English sparkling wine began. Hambledon Vineyard is England’s oldest commercial vineyard and this year celebrates its 70th anniversary, which Ian and his family have been celebrating with a number of exciting new launches and partnerships. We talk about those partnerships, the science behind viticulture in England and what's next for Hambledon as it looks to open a luxury restaurant on site in 2023.You can keep up to date with new releases and developments at Hambledon by following @hambledon_vineyard on Instagram or by visiting hambledonvineyard.co.uk. This episode of The English Wine Diaries is sponsored by Wickhams, The Great British Wine Merchant. Visit wickhamwine.co.uk to see their award-winning range of English wine with free deliver on orders over £40.Thanks for listening to The English Wine Diaries. If you enjoyed the podcast then please leave a rating or review, it helps boost our ratings and makes it easier for other people to find us. To find out who will be joining me next on the English Wine Diaries, follow @theenglishwinediaries on Instagram and for more regular English wine news and reviews, sign up to our newsletter at thesouthernquarter.co.uk.