RATS! Or Reviews, Appreciation and Thanks!

Everyone loves to be told they’re doing a great job and that’s even more true of those of us who have smaller, bespoke vineyards and wines than the monolithic wineries producing hundreds of thousands of bottles a year with the resources to be in constant contact with wine writers and influencers around the world about their products.  So it is always rewarding when a new “name” discovers All Angels and raves about its quality.

We have been – I was about to say “lucky” but that wouldn’t be right as luck doesn’t play a part in a review being positive – maybe “fortunate” to have been reviewed by and received great reports from a number of well known names without being pushy in approaching them or being on their backs.  They have, in large part, discovered All Angels almost by accident in the face of so many wines shouting out for attention.

The first great review came from Roger Jones of The Buyer fame and is a classic example of my naivety when I decided to plant a vineyard.  I didn’t know of Roger’s prowess or his incredible support for English, Australian and South African wines but I did know there was a Michelin starred restaurant close by called The Harrow at Little Bedwyn and thought it worth a punt to take along a couple of bottles and see if they were interested in stocking it.  Unlike a couple of local, well known (but not to be named) high-end restaurants nearby who never came back to me or replied to my calls and emails for feedback, Roger was incredibly helpful, postitive and responsive.  Not only would they stock it but he gave me lovely, unsolicited, and very positive reviews that you can see on the Store section of the website.  

This has been followed by more great reviews from Square Meal, the Sommeliers at Wiltons, Street XO and Sexy Fish (some of my favourite London restaurants for a real treat), from London Economics recommending All Angels as one of the “Top 5 Sparkling Wines To Try This [2019] Christmas”, The Independent as one of the wines of the Week on 1 February, 2020 and now, just this week by Tom Cannavan in Wine Pages.  

Tom is known as “a pioneer presence on internet of the British wine writing establishment” and his website wine-pages.com considered one of the best sites on wine.  He sounds quite a character too, someone I’d one day like to meet in person – sidetracking here but he was led vocalist and guitarist in a band called Restricted Code that toured with The Human League and was picked by NME as “band most likely to…” in 1980.

Anyway, do read his great review on: https://wine-pages.com/tasting-articles/all-angels-sparkling-wines/  

Congratulations and thanks to you all for discovering All Angels along with these masters of the wine universe.

Ps.  I gather Tom Cannavan’s Restricted Code reformed in 2018 – I wonder whether they are available for a vineyard gig…there’s a thought!