Cambridge’s first urban winery to release debut wine

Gutter & Stars, the first urban winery in Cambridge located in the basement of a windmill, is to release its debut wine in May. 

Due to launch on 3 May, eight months after the winery was founded, the Gutter & Stars I Wanna Be Adored Bacchus is the producer’s first wine.

Made from grapes sourced from the Missing Gate Vineyard in the Crouch Valley in Essex, the fruit was fermented in American oak barrels in the winery and then aged for five months in a combination of oak and stainless steel prior to bottling this spring.

The winery was founded by wine-writer-turned-winemaker Chris Wilson last year. After gaining a oenology degree at Plumpton College in East Sussex, as well as practical experience in California, Germany and the UK, Wilson set up his winery in a Grade II listed mill less than a mile from the centre of Cambridge.

Wilson previously told the drinks business that he was hoping to produce “three to four” small-batch wines in total, using Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Bacchus.

Commenting on the launch of his first wine, he said: I’m very excited to release the first Gutter & Stars wine and finally have something to show the world. It’s been a busy eight months in the cellar of the windmill making this wine, plus the other two wines from the 2020 vintage. I can remember very clearly the cold but bright September morning when the Bacchus grapes were picked and the winemaking adventure began in earnest. With this wine I’ve tried to retain the freshness and aromatic qualities of the Bacchus variety while adding texture and depth by fermenting and partially aging the wine in American oak barrels.”

Wilson will be releasing just 400 bottles of the Bacchus, which will be available to purchase direct from the winery as well as online.

The urban winery is also set to release two more wines this year – a Pinot Noir and a Chardonnay – also sourced from Crouch Valley.

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