Knotfield Vines: Inside the Leeds vineyard near Rawdon producing remarkable Champagne-style sparkling wines
Leeds may not be known for its wine production, but if Sophie Ellis and Laura Tillotson have it their way that could all be about to change.
The two friends set up Knotfield Vines on two acres of land in Rawdon in 2022 and, after the immediate success of their first releases last year, they are already thinking big.
If the yield, quality and popularity continues to grow as they hope it will, the business could soon be welcoming tours to the site and becoming a visitor attraction for this tranquil corner of the district.
For now though the women are keeping their feet on the ground as they continue working to establish the business in this burgeoning British industry.
Even from an outside perspective though, after visiting the site and meeting with Sophie, it appears that they have every hopes of continuing to grow and succeed.
The 3,123 vines of two different varieties - Seyval Blanc and Pinot Noir Precoce - are situated on stunning greenbelt land nestled away at the bottom of Knott Lane by Rawdon Crematorium.
The land was left to Sophie, 38, by her father after his death almost ten years ago and it was during the Covid years while she was sat in the garden with a glass of wine reading about the industry’s growth in Britain that “inspiration struck”.
She said: “I always wanted to do something that honoured my dad because I have such a connection to this place. And I think he would’ve loved the whole thing.
“I spent my teenage years sneakily drinking his wine on here, so it seems feels like it’s come full circle.”
After mentioning the idea to Laura, who she has been friends with since she was 19, the two decided to get the business up and running alongside their respective full-time jobs and family lives.
Experts from the industry were called in and confirmed that the soil was ideal for growing and that the south-easterly facing slope offered maximum sunlight exposure.
Sophie said: “The stars aligned and it snowballed quite quickly from there. We got a couple more investors in and then had Vineworks come out and set us up the rows of vines in just three hours. It was remarkable.”
In the years since Sophie and Laura have been meticulously tending to the vines by pruning them, cutting them back and “making them as happy and healthy” as they can before the harvest.
“The work is very fulfilling”, Sophie said. “Both our jobs are very stressful and there’s something very comforting about coming out and nurturing these vines.
“We’ve really had to pull our socks up but we’re really determined to get it right and make it work.”
Word has quickly spread among friends, family and locals in Rawdon and Horsforth, with many noticing the vineyard while on the nearby walking routes, and the duo have had extra pairs of hands coming to volunteer and help out as a result.
“People are tickled by it”, said Sophie. “We are a proud county so I think it’s typical for us to be rooting for each other.”
After the grapes are picked they are then sent to wine producers HalfPenny Green down Wolverhampton-way, where they are aged for around 18 months to produce sparkling wine using the traditional Champagne method.
Last year the couple released their first batch under the name ‘Rawdon’ - one a sparkling rosé and the other a classic cuvée - to immediate success. As well as selling out all of the 500 bottles of each variety within six weeks (priced at a reasonable £30 each), the rosé was also awarded a silver medal at the Wines of Great Britain awards.
Sophie said: “The process of seeing it grow and then getting the bottle was just gorgeous.
“Laura and I were so keen to put something great out in to the world so we were very proud it was received exactly how we wanted it to be.”
With the second batch of bottles set to come out later this year and orders already in, the duo are already thinking of how they can expand by extending the crop and growing different grapes, as well as hosting wine tours and making the wine available in shops and venues.
Sophie said: “We’re new, we’re small and while we have big plans to grow we are focussing on making sure the vines are right and healthy and that we are fully up to speed with the process.
“Luckily with the industry, everyone in it is kind, generous and is hand-holding us through.”
She added that as the plants mature, they can expect them to continuously increase their yield year-to-year, meaning that expansion and an increase of momentum is virtually a given.
“I think everyone’s excited”, she said. “After the initial scepticism of growing grapes in Yorkshire has subsided everyone’s excited that this is here and now they’re keen to see us grow and succeed.
“Now we just need the weather to stay kind to us.”