LITTLE did Cherry Thompson realise when she bought a one-hectare plot of land near her home in Wyfold that it would become an award-winning vineyard. 

She admits that she only made the purchase because she was fond of the trees surrounding it.

Yet, 10 years later, the 2009 vintage of the English sparkling wine produced on the plot won the prestigious 2013 Judgement of Parson’s Green award, seeing off competition from 84 other wines, including three champagnes.

Now Mrs Thompson, 69, and her business partner Barbara Laithwaite, 67, plan to extend Wyfold Vineyard to one-and-a-half hectares in order to accommodate another 2,000 vines and increase their stock to meet demand.

But the women’s success has not been achieved without a lot of hard work, beginning with planting the original vines.