I’ll be honest—I know next to nothing about wine. My knowledge of reds and whites pretty much stops at the supermarket offers and which one gives me the worst headache. But since moving to the Test Valley some 10 years ago, I’ve seen more vineyards than chalkstreams, and that got me wondering: why on earth are we suddenly surrounded by grapevines?

Soil, Sunshine and a Bit of Luck

Turns out, there’s a bit of a quiet wine revolution going on in Hampshire. I always thought wine came from sunny hillsides in France and Italy, or the stable wine climates of Australia and California not the outskirts of Andover and along towards Alresford. Apparently, the secret lies beneath our feet. The soil here is basically the same chalky stuff you find in the Champagne region of France. I’m not joking, look it up.

The Big Names (Yes, We Have Them)

And it’s not just a few rogue vines for personal use—places like Hattingley Valley, Hambledon, Black Chalk, and The Grange are producing proper award-winning wines. Real stuff, with medals and everything. Sparkling wine seems to be the main focus, and from what I’ve read (and occasionally tasted, for research purposes) it’s pretty decent. In fact, some of it’s even gone toe-to-toe with French Champagne in blind tastings and come out on top.

Apparently, the French are thrilled about that. As you can imagine.

More Than Just Bubbles

There’s also a bigger picture here. These vineyards are helping the local economy, bringing people in for tastings and tours, and adding a touch of glamour to the Hampshire countryside—if you squint past the sheep and cows. It’s all quite impressive, especially for someone like me who thought a “vintage wine” was just how long you’d had a bottle sitting on top of the fridge (not that long in our house).

Cheers to That

So no, I’m not about to become a wine snob. My wine expertise pretty much breaks down like this: under £7 and you’re playing Russian roulette—could be a bargain, could be drain cleaner. Between £7 and £10, you’re generally safe. Over £10, I start expecting something decent. Anything over £20, and I haven’t a clue what I’m tasting, but I’ll nod seriously and pretend I do—especially if I paid for it.

That said, I’ve started paying a bit more attention to the local wine scene. There’s something quite exciting about living in a place where world-class fizz is being made just down the road… and it’s not coming out of a screw top.

And if nothing else, it’s a very good excuse to stop in The Black for a tasting or two. For educational reasons, of course.