From grapes to glögg: Chilworth Manor Vineyard’s Swedish-British blend

Just an hour from London lies Chilworth Manor Vineyard, a family-run estate blending English winemaking with Swedish traditions. With roots stretching back to the Domesday Book and a vision firmly set on sustainability and community, the vineyard has quickly established itself as part of the growing Surrey Hills wine region. We sat down with co-founder Mia Wrigley and Commercial Manager Max Pywell to hear how history, innovation, and a touch of Swedish glögg shape their journey. 

When Mia and her husband Graham Wrigley first planted a few vines in their back garden in Surrey, they never imagined it would grow into a commercial vineyard. “About 13 years ago, we visited a vineyard in south of Sweden and were quite surprised that it was possible to make wine there,” she recalls. “That year, my husband received some vines from my family, as a memory of the visit. But by then we had discovered more about the cold climate wines and how the English sparkling wines had taken on and the 10 vines became 10,000 and the start of the vineyard.”

Today, Chilworth Manor Vineyard, adjacent to the Manor, spans 13 acres, growing Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. The first vintage, a still rosé, was bottled in 2017. Since then, the range has expanded to include a classic cuvée, a brut rosé, and a festive glögg – a nod to Mia’s Swedish heritage.

Crafting premium wines
Producing premium wine is at the heart of Chilworth Manor’s approach. “When it comes to harvest, we constantly check sugar and acidity levels of our grapes, to make sure we pick the grapes at the perfect time,” Max explains. “It’s all done by hand, to ensure the best quality grapes are chosen.”

The vineyard works closely with Litmus Wines, a local winery in Dorking. “Our Classic Cuvée spends a minimum of five years on its lees, adding to the complexity of the wine,” Max says. The journey from grape to glass is one the team takes great pride in, and later this autumn, Chilworth Manor will be releasing the 2019 vintage of its classic cuvée.

Heritage in every bottle
Chilworth Manor was a monastic site, and monks are believed to have grown hops and possibly vines in the area as early as the 11th century. 

The Manor, as it exists today however, owes more to the fortunes of the Randyll family during the 17th and early 18th century, with business interests in the gunpowder mills, just south of the estate. 

The vineyard has embraced this heritage in its branding, with the labels including the manor house, an old map, and treelines representing another layer to its history.  

A community vineyard
Community is a central part of Chilworth’s identity. The Manor opens its gardens every year in partnership with the National Garden Scheme and together with the vineyard it runs Picnic and Pinks, a three-night summer charity event for local charities.

At harvest time, the community plays a big role, as picking is done entirely by hand, the vineyard relies on a network of enthusiastic volunteers. “We are very grateful for the many people that, with just a few days’ notice, come to help for a day of picking,” says Mia. 

For Chilworth, harvest is as much about connection as it is about grapes. “We split teams into two – one UK, one Sweden – and set up a little friendly competition of which team can pick the most grapes,” explains Max with a smile. “It always gets a bit competitive around lunchtime, when people suddenly start speeding up if they’re behind,” Mia adds, “The result isn’t what matters of course – instead many find it both very social and even therapeutic.”

Collaboration extends beyond the gates. Chilworth is part of Vineyards of the Surrey Hills, a collective of seven producers working together to promote the region which is in an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’, all just an hour from London. “Each vineyard has its own offerings and every year we organise a Surrey Hills Wine festival during the English Wine Week in June,” says Mia. 

The rise of English wine
English sparkling wine has gained international attention in recent years, and Max believes the climate plays a key role. “With it being a cool and marginal climate, it lends itself to producing wines similar to Champagne. The UK is one of the biggest importers of Champagne in the world, so we have a taste for it. With climate change, great winemakers coming here, and Champagne house investing in land, English wine has a very exciting future.”

Sustainable innovation
Sustainability is another guiding principle, not just by being one of the founding members of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain certification, but mainly in how they operate. “We are one of the first UK vineyards to implement a frost protection system that uses collected rainwater,” Max explains. “It sprays a mist over the buds, which freezes and creates a protective layer, keeping them warm, like an igloo effect. This replaces old fashioned method of lighting hundreds of candles, called bougies, throughout the vineyard.”

Other innovations include using the pumps of the frost protection system to fertigate through pipes rather than spraying, avoiding waste and reducing the need for tractors going up and down the rows of vines.

A trial of laser bird deterrents to replace noisy gas bangers, is tested this year. “Last year was especially troublesome with birds, with some vineyards losing up to 30% of their harvest.” Mia notes. The new system offers a high-tech yet sustainable way of protecting the vines – keeping both grapes and the environment safe.

Swedish touches
Mia’s Swedish roots also find expression in the vineyard’s festive glögg. “It started with our children selling Christmas trees and serving glögg and hot chocolate in front of the house many years ago, Mia explains. “Instead of buying the glögg, we decided to make our own by using the grape juice from the second pressing – we only use the first and best juice for our wines – which we then combined with the usual glögg spices, all in close collaboration with our local distiller – Silent Pool Gin. Now our glögg is a beloved part of our product range – as are still the Christmas trees,” she says.  

Visiting Chilworth Manor
For those keen to experience the vineyard first-hand, it is only an hour from London and the events at the Manor are, among others, tours and tastings, afternoon teas, corporate, and private hire. Most wines are sold online and at vineyard events, but Chilworth also works with a handful of shops and restaurants in Surrey and London – including Koko members’ club.

For Mia, the membership in the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK helps keep those Nordic ties alive. “Initially it was to keep the Swedish connection,” she says. “But it has also been very interesting with the many seminars and forums you offer.“

From medieval monks to modern sustainability, and from Sweden to Surrey, Chilworth Manor Vineyard is a story of history, collaboration and innovation – with a glass of sparkling cuvée, rosé, or glögg never far away.