A Birmingham University student’s day out to Halfpenny Wine Estate

When we think of wine tasting, we tend to think of sprawling Italian vineyards or fancy jazz clubs in the heart of Paris. The UK, however, is home to over 1,000 vineyards, and is steadily emerging as a strong contender in the European winemaking industry. If you’re someone who enjoys a good glass of wine and wants to spend these rare sunny British days outdoors, then you’re in luck, because you can book a wine tasting and tour right here in the West Midlands.

Halfpenny Green began as a conventional farm in the late 1960s, producing dairy and mixed produce. In 1983, founder and farmer Martin Vickers – along with his son, Clive Vickers – planted the first 1/2 acre of grapevines, which would kickstart their journey into the world of winemaking.

Speaking to The Birmingham Tab about why he and his father decided to make the switch, Clive said: “Just thought we’d try it out.”

By 1989, the concept of planting vines became a solid business idea for the father and son duo, and by 1991, a further 22 acres were added. Now, Halfpenny Green boasts a total of about 30 acres of vines, making it one of the largest wine estates in the UK. The vines were run separately from the farm, with Martin working across both until 1994 when the winery was built.

Clive explained that the biggest challenge him and his father faced when it came to the winemaking business was getting people to accept British wine as being a valid competitor to its European counterparts. Clive told us that the normalisation of British wines over time helped with investments, which kept the business alive.

Despite the reluctance of society to accept British wine as a valued product, Martin and Clive persevered – and from 1996 to 1997, the pair began winemaking in other parts of England and Wales.

When asked about the process of building relationships with other vineyards, Clive told us that: “It just snowballed.

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“We now make wine for over 100 vineyards across England and Wales.”

We asked Clive if he had ever thought about producing other types of alcohol on the estate, and he said: “Stick to what you’re good at.”

We also asked what the best part about running Halfpenny Green was, to which he replied: “For me, I think seeing people enjoy our wine.

“Just seeing international judges give us gold medals… it’s gotta be worth it to see that.

“Seeing people experience our wine in a lovely environment, that just puts a smile on my face.”