Hambledon appoints new winemaker

Hambledon Vineyard has appointed winemaker Félix Gabillet to manage day-to-day production at the estate in Hampshire, it has been announced.

Félix Gabillet will work under Hervé Jestin in his new role as permanent on-site winemaker at Hambledon Vineyard (Photo: Hambledon Vineyard) 

Gabillet, 32, from Montlouis in the Loire, will work under the direction of Hambledon head winemaker Hervé Jestin.

After working a stage for the vintage at Hambledon in 2015, Gabillet returned in 2016 for a six-month placement, quickly became an integral member of the estate’s oenological team before begin taken on in the permanent role of on-site winemaker.

Gabillet was inspired to pursue a career in winemaking by his father, who bought a vineyard and began making wine 15 years ago.

With an oenology degree from the Ecole d’ingénieurs de Changins in Switzerland, he has worked stages at more than 12 international wine estates in France, Switzerland, Luxembourg, California, Australia and New Zealand.

Gabillet will work under longtime consultant winemaker at the Hampshire estate, Hervé Destin, who is the former winemaker Duval Leroy Champagne house and is considered a leading specialist in biodynamic sparkling winemaking.

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“We’re delighted that Félix has agreed to join our winemaking team on a permanent basis,” said Hambledon managing director Ian Kellett.

“He has an excellent rapport with Hervé Jestin, myself and Didier Pierson [another member of the winemaking team at Hambledon]; and joins us at a very exciting time as we expand our facilities and production to satisfy the growing demand for our wines.”

As db has reported this month, as Hambledon prepares for harvest, managing director Ian Kellett is predicting the best vintage in England in 100 years, even exceeding France for the quality and relative yield it could produce.

“Should the weather keep this up it looks likely to be one of the best vintages of the last 100 years in England – this would most certainly overtake many regions of France in quality and quantity,” Kellett commented.