Grown
and
made
by
farmers
Our Story
It all started with a vine. A single vine, presented by Julia Perowne to her father Robert on his 60th birthday. Robert is the fourth generation of his family to farm the land here, cultivating onions, barley, wheat and other crops – as well as tending a herd of highland cattle – across his 1,900 acres of Norfolk countryside, a short tractor ride from the coast. But Jules knew he still harboured one unrequited dream – to grow grapes.
In 2016, he planted not just that one vine, but 17 rows of them, on a ten-acre south-facing, chalk-laden piece of land he’d purchased almost 20 years earlier. He had noticed how, because of the constant flow of coastal air, the soil here, dotted with heat-reflecting stones, was never impacted by spring frost (a constant bugbear for many English wineries).
Sure enough, his hunch proved right, with the results sufficiently encouraging for Robert to quickly put another 150 rows of Bacchus, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir into the ground.
But of course, if you’ve got a vineyard, you’re going to need a winery. Or at least somewhere to make wine. And having initially had the grapes tended by his farmhands and pressed in a contract facility, Robert knew he needed more control. So he did what any sensible farmer would do, and turned a 200-year-old barn (originally built by William Hoste, one of Admiral Nelson’s captains) into a winery, investing in the necessary tanks, barrels, de-stemmers, palates and press to do the job himself.
As things stepped up in terms of professionalism, so too the ambition. With Jules taking a more hands-on role, she was able to call in some industry contacts for advice, in the form of the former editor of Decanter magazine Guy Woodward and England’s premier viticultural consultant Stephen Skelton.
And with a blueprint in place, she assembled a crack team to oversee all aspects of production, which is today led by winemaking consultant Emma Rice and winemaker Rachel Lee. Between them, they make a small, focused and – we like to think – perfectly formed range of still and sparkling wines that showcase the cool, coastal character of our corner of Norfolk.
Quite the progress from a single vine…
Meet our makers
Robert Perowne
Having grown up in the farmhouse at High House Farm, Robert is the fourth generation of the Perownes to tend the land here in north Norfolk. He had his own vegetable garden aged six, and today produces around 15,000 tonnes of sugar beet, 3,000 tonnes of onions, 1,800 tonnes of wheat, 1,200 tonnes of barley and 1,200 tonnes of potatoes, as well as marshalling a small herd of highland cattle, among other things.
It was Robert who first planted the Cobble Hill vineyard in 2016, convinced that the nine-acre site was perfect for the grape varieties that flourish in our cool climate. That hunch has been proved right, and Robert is only too happy to enjoy the fruits of his success in liquid form….
Rachel Lee
Our vineyard manager and winemaker, Rachel studied history and politics in Newcastle and Stockholm before transitioning into the world of wine. She completed harvests in Australia, at Yabby Lake, and England, at Hattingley Valley – latterly with our now consultant winemaker Emma Rice, who was struck by her enthusiasm and ‘have-a-go’ attitude when producing the 2020 vintage against the backdrop of Covid.
Rachel completed her Masters in Viticulture and Oenology in Angers, France, with stints in Portugal and Italy and a year-long apprenticeship in the Loire Valley, at the rather wonderfully named Sagesse des Sols (‘Wisdom of the Soil’). Returning to the UK, Rachel has not only been reunited with Emma, but has traced her own family roots back to Norfolk – our High House Farm is just a stone’s throw away from where her grandmother grew up and her great grandfather was the parish rector.
Emma Rice
Our consultant winemaker, Emma is one of England’s most respected winemakers. Having grown up in Sussex, Emma graduated from the UK’s leading wine education centre, Plumpton College, before working at wineries in New Zealand, Tasmania and the Napa Valley. She returned to the South Downs in 2008, where she built her reputation as Head Winemaker at Hampshire’s Hattingley Valley, helping it grow from its first harvest to one of the largest – and most reputed – in the country.
In 2022, she left to launch her own business, and today she is highly sought after as a consultant winemaker, working for several clients across England, spanning both established and emerging brands. With Emma having twice been named UK Winemaker of the Year, and a director on the board of industry body WineGB, we are thrilled to be her first client in Norfolk.
Jules Perowne
The next generation of Perownes, Jules’ day job – running a leading media and marketing agency for luxury travel and hotel brands – sees her managing a team of 70 staff while flitting between clients on all sides of the world. But as the next generation of Perownes, her happy place is right here on the farm, where she grew up.
Having seen the rapid progress that her father Robert made with the vineyard from a standing start, she was determined to take it to the next level, by assembling a formidable team of professionals. With that team now in place, she is bringing her marketing and branding skills to bear to take Cobble Hill to the next level…
