LOCAL FOOD HEROES - FLINT VINEYARD

Hannah and Ben Witchell surrounded by some of their online orders and this year’s, newly bottled, Flint 2019 vintage.

We have to start with a disclaimer: Simon has been photographing Ben and Hannah Witchell’s adventures with Flint Vineyard from the very start of their journey. In the last four years they’ve become firm friends of ours so we have many reasons to be biased in our belief they are making a truly phenomenal range of wines.

The thing that justifies this heavily influenced opinion is that it’s quantifiably true. They are blazing a trail of innovation and quality and as a result are receiving plaudits from all quarters of the winemaking world. With enviable reviews, industry accolades, an association with Berry Bros & Rudd and a personal determination to create a fresh brand that challenges the convention they are firmly on a path to being one of the UK’s leading winemakers.

It’s been a real privilege to document Flint’s evolution so far and we are proud to continue our association with them. We cannot wait to see the reaction to the new 2019 vintage being released at the end of May, it’s stunning.

Follow Flint on their social media for updates on this and their future plans. If you love good wines you certainly won’t want to miss out.

Ben & Hannah Witchell with their daughters in the winery at Flint Vineyard.

Who are you and what’s the name of your business? 

Hannah & Ben Witchell, founders of Flint Vineyard.

Where are you based?

In the Waveney Valley just near Bungay, Suffolk, although geographically we're in Norfolk.

Tell us the story of why and how you started…

Having spent years dreaming of living and working on a vineyard, Ben re-trained as a winemaker in 2010 and gained experience at wineries around the world alongside his studies.  After a couple of years winemaking in France, a chance encounter with a local farmer here in Norfolk led to a partnership being formed and the creation of Flint Vineyard in 2016.  We planted the vines and established the winery ourselves.  We're just in the middle of bottling our 4th vintage.

What would you normally be doing at this time of year and how is it different under the current lockdown situation?

We have had to postpone all our vineyard tours and lunches, which would usually be in full swing by now, so the focus has very much shifted to online wine sales and deliveries.  We have seen a big spike in online sales, as have many other local producers, and have been busy sending out orders daily.  It's also been a busy time for Ben as he's been working to get our 2019 wines bottled and spend time in the vineyard which is coming on a little early due to the recent good weather.

What challenges have you faced and how have you met them in order to keep business moving?

We were worried about cash flow in the immediate weeks after lockdown started and the knock on effect of having to delay the bottling and release of our 2019 wines due to lockdown.  Initially we tried a drive thru collection from the tasting room window which attracted a lot of interest but then felt we couldn't continue this when tighter measures were introduced. Luckily our online wine sales are helping to make up for the lack of tours and visitors to our tasting room.

Ben Witchell tends the vines at Flint Vineyard, summer 2019.

Have you discovered any benefits or positive effects of this new way of thinking about your business?

Yes, it's clear to us that direct sales via our website is an area we should have been focusing on before.  We've had an online shop since day one, but have not promoted it anywhere near as much as we now realise we should have done.  We have dropped our free delivery threshold right down from £120 to £25 per order, which I also think gives customers much more incentive to order online for delivery to their door.

What are you looking forward to most when this ends?

Sharing a glass of wine with people face to face again.

Flint’s new 2019 wines are due for release later in May.  Keep an eye on their social media for updates and pre-orders.

These recent exclusive portraits were all taken observing strict distancing measures. Simon Buck 2020