Duncan Schwab has been making Sharpham wine for over 25 years. He became CEO when they moved to their new home at Sandridge Barton, Stoke Gabriel in 2022.
With over 40 years of history, Sharpham wines are the result of a happy marriage of soil, climate and grape variety. Ducan uses new world and traditional techniques to develop a unique regional character.
Sharpham was in the first wave of modern English vineyards to get going after the demise of all commercial vineyards during World War II. It has been at the heart of the quality English wine industry for nearly 40 years.
Their first vineyard was planted in 1981 on the west bank of the River Dart on the Sharpham estate in South Devon.
A further vineyard was planted in 2008 on the east bank of the River Dart on the Sandridge Barton estate on a site carefully selected for having the best attributes for a vineyard. This vineyard has grown over the years and has provided the majority of the grapes that go into Sharpham's premium English wines.
A new state of the art winery was built on the Sandridge Barton estate in 2021 and the entire operation, including visitor centre, moved to their new home in 2022. The old Sharpham Trust site is in the process of re-wilding and all the vines have been removed.
The cool climate of South Devon is enhanced by a consistent air flow from the River Dart and the proximity to the sea. This provides the vines with a long growing season which gently ripens the grapes, preserving wonderful fresh aromas and flavours.
