Margate Wine

is a UK-based winemaking project focused on a low-intervention and minimalist approach to producing natural wines. The operation is mobile, with the grapes sourced from various English vineyards, and the winemaking takes place in a shared winery space in Margate, Kent.

Viticulture and Sourcing

Margate Wine does not own its own vineyards, instead, it practices negociant winemaking by sourcing high-quality grapes from sustainably and often organically farmed vineyards across the southeast of England. The founder, Alex Redsell, works directly with growers who share his philosophy of respect for the soil and the fruit. The grapes are harvested by hand to ensure only the highest quality fruit is selected.

Winemaking Process

The core of Margate Wine's philosophy is to let the grapes express their terroir with as little intervention as possible.

  • Fermentation: All wines undergo spontaneous fermentation using only native yeasts present on the grape skins, with no cultured yeast added. This approach is central to the project's natural wine ethos and contributes to the unique character of each vintage.

  • Crushing and Pressing: The grapes are handled gently. For white wines, whole bunches are pressed to produce a clean, aromatic juice. For red wines, techniques may include carbonic maceration or other minimal-intervention methods to retain fresh, fruit-forward flavors.

  • Aging: The wines are aged in neutral vessels, typically stainless steel or fiberglass tanks, to preserve primary fruit characteristics and avoid imparting flavors from oak. This also reflects the desire to produce wines that are ready to drink young and express the purity of the grape.

  • Bottling: The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered, with no or minimal added sulfites, which results in a naturally hazy or cloudy appearance and a wine that is alive and dynamic in the bottle.

Wine Profile

The resulting wines are characterized by their freshness, vibrancy, and a rustic, honest profile. They are often highly aromatic and food-friendly, with an emphasis on drinkability. The project produces still wines, including reds, whites, and rosés, with a focus on capturing the essence of the English terroir through a technical lens of natural winemaking.