Squerryes welcomes Winemaker Tom Jones

As the grapes ripen on the vines in the late summer sun, we're particularly looking forward to this year's harvest as it will be the first time producing our wine on-site. Until now, we've worked with an external winemaker but the decision was taken at the beginning of the year to invest in our own winery production facility. As part of that investment, Tom Jones joins us as our first Winemaker.

Born in New Zealand, Tom has gained 13 years of experience in the wine industry providing expertise at vineyards around the world. He comes to Squerryes from his former position as Winemaker on the Gusbourne Wine Estate.
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Tom says: “From the first time I visited, I could tell Squerryes was a business filled with positive, valued, ambitious people and I couldn't help but want to be a part of its journey. My aim is to ensure Squerryes consistently produce wines that best reflect its terroir, and to ensure the vineyard can continue to develop its wines going forward. Not to step away from the successes achieved in the past, but to simply build on them for the future.”

Tom will follow the traditional method of making English sparkling wine which means the grapes picked this year will be the 2024 vintage, expected to be released from the winery in 2028. Tom has worked in conjunction with Squerryes' owner, Henry Warde, and Vineyard Manager, Richard, to set up the production facility and will be joined by Amy, also newly-appointed as Vineyard Assistant.
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Henry said: “We are looking forward to producing our first vintage in the new winery and also working with Tom as our business grows. We expect to produce around 100,000 bottles of sparkling wine this year which will help meet the ever-growing demand. As the vineyard enters a new exciting chapter in its expansion, this is the first time wine production has taken place on the Estate and marks a significant milestone for us.”

Members are invited to meet Tom at a Meet the Winemaker dinner, hosted by Henry on Wednesday 25th September. Tom will be talking about his journey through viticulture, sharing his favourite wines from the vineyards where he's worked around the world. Head Chef, Seamus, has put together a menu to complement the wines chosen by Tom and to showcase the seasonal produce available on the Estate and from the surrounding area.

Membership at Squerryes offers a host of benefits including discounts and seasonal offers. Members are required to purchase 12 bottles of Squerryes within 12 months and in return receive exclusive invitations to several signature events across the Estate, such as this dinner. There is also the Harvest Picking Party in October and the Opera Evening at Squerryes Court in November.
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If you would like to find out more about membership, follow the link below and a member of the team will be in touch.