Ark Wines

is a captivating English wine producer located in the picturesque East Anglian Stour Valley in Suffolk. It's truly a family affair, founded by Hans and Kristin Engstrom, who moved to the UK from Sweden over 20 years ago, and their daughter, Amanda Engstrom, who is the driving force behind the winemaking.

The Journey Begins:

The story of Ark Wines began in 2018 when Hans and Kristin discovered Mount Farm in the village of Stanstead. While initially planning to convert a barn into their home, Hans saw the potential for a vineyard on the surrounding land. This vision was enthusiastically shared by their daughter, Amanda. To equip themselves with the necessary expertise, Amanda enrolled at Plumpton College, gaining valuable knowledge in viticulture and winemaking. Their first vintage was in 2019.

Philosophy and Winemaking Style:

Ark Wines is defined by its commitment to sustainability, innovation, and a low-impact approach to winemaking:

• Sustainability & Environment: Their ethos is to have as little impact on the surrounding wildlife and plants as possible. This is evident in their practices, which include:

  • Drilling their own bore hole to offset water usage.

  • Treating wastewater before returning it to their man-made reservoir.

  • Working towards using only organic/sustainable plant protectors and seaweed for nutrition, aiming to restore soil health and encourage a diverse ecosystem.

  • While not always officially certified organic, their approach is deeply rooted in doing what's best for the environment.

• Grape Varieties: They initially planted classic English varieties like Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir, considering the English sparkling wine route. However, their focus has shifted significantly towards still wines, showcasing the potential of Suffolk. They also planted Pinot Gris (for rosé), and each founder chose a "wildcard" variety: Amanda went for Riesling, and Hans for Gamay. They have since added Acolon (a German red grape) and Bacchus to their repertoire, now cultivating just over 20,000 vines.

• Winemaking Process:

  • Ark Wines is renowned for pushing the boundaries of still English wine.

  • Their wines are fermented in stainless steel tanks and often undergo barrel aging (including new oak for varieties like Bacchus, resulting in unique profiles).

  • They are dedicated to unfiltered and unfined wines, allowing the natural character to shine through.

  • They embrace experimentation, as seen in their unique "Ripasso Noir" (inspired by the Italian Amarone method, using dried Acolon grapes) and their distinctive Bacchus, which received extended aging.

  • Time is considered a crucial ingredient, allowing their wines to truly develop.

The Wines and Artistic Vision:

Ark Wines are praised for being "attention-grabbing" and distinctive. They are showing that Suffolk is a region to watch for quality still wines. Beyond the wine itself, Ark Wines collaborates with a different artist for each vintage to design the bottle's label, adding a unique artistic flair and collectible quality to their bottles, complete with colorful sealing wax.

Location:

The vineyard, spanning 32 acres at 60-80 meters altitude, is located at Mount Farm in Stanstead, Suffolk, benefiting from a gentle Atlantic breeze and the region's dry, sunny summers.