After a season of labelling and bottling wine as a summer job, Tommy developed a love for English wine and left school to work a harvest at Sharpham Vineyard. He joined Langham in January 2019 as Assistant Winemaker to Daniel Ham.
In January 2020 Tommy became Head Winemaker. He uses minimal intervention, not because of the growing trend in ‘natural’ wine but becuase he prefers the end product. In June 2022, Tommy was included on Harpers 30 Under 30 list, and was named their Commitment Champion for his dedication to the industry.
At the heart of the Langham Agricultural Estate sits the magnificent Bingham’s Melcombe manor house, Grade I listed and little changed since the reign of Edward VI. Acquired by John Langham in 1980, Bingham’s Melcombe became the centre point for the Langham Agricultural Enterprise, today comprising over 1,000 hectares. The first incarnation of the Langham vineyard was originally established by John Langham on a very small scale. In 2009 John’s son, Justin Langham, decided to develop his father’s rudimental vineyard into a commercial venture, and planted 30 acres of vines on their land at Crawthorne farm, a few miles from Bingham’s Melcombe House.
Crawthorne Vineyard has a south-facing aspect, chalk soils and a unique microclimate. Together these elements provide the perfect terroir for ripening the three classic Champagne grape varieties – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Established hedgerows and trees provide natural wind breaks and habitat for a large variety of beneficial organisms. By growing their own grapes Langham Wine Estate can pick them at optimum ripeness resulting in a better quality wine. The estate are constantly working towards reducing chemical intervention in the vineyard, employing diligent canopy management executed at specific times. By increasing air flow through the canopy and promoting biological control organisms, the effects of disease are kept to a minimum. All the grapes are handpicked, and rigorous vineyard selection ensures only the highest quality grapes arrive at the winery.
