Minerva - Bath, UK Wine Tour

We had the wonderful privilege of visiting Minerva Winery in Bath, England in May of 2024. So, this post is a bit overdue, but I definitely want to ensure Minerva gets the recognition it is due.

We started our day with a short 15-minute Uber to Corston Fields Farm, from our hotel in the center of Bath, to meet Eddie for our tour. This was a great way to start our day with Minerva as we were able to see the more rural side of Bath, versus just the area we were staying in. Eddie and his wife own the farm and vineyards and he was an amazing host. There was 1 other couple on our tour and this small group made for a wonderful day.

Eddie has a side-by-side that we all got on to head to the vineyard and start our tour. Once we made it to the midst of the grapes, we all got off and to learn about how grape growing and wine making in England is really taking off. Eddie gave us the history about how this area was founded by the Romans and they even cultivated vines in these fields in early 5th century AD. And let me tell you, the Romans and Minerva are on to something with how good their wines are! We also learned about how they have to prune and wrap the vines to help them grow correctly, and had a chance to get hands-on and actually do this in their vineyard.

After our time with the grapes, we head to an absolutely beautiful setup that Minerva has in the corner of their vineyard. It reminds me of a safari tent with tables, chairs, and all of their wonderful offerings (make sure you click through the above slideshow). Since it is just the 4 of us, with Eddie, we had plenty of space, which was very nice. He began explaining the wines that we will have for our tasting, which are: Minerva Sparkling Wine, Tank 5 Chardonnay Bacchus, and Fifty Summers Rosé. He also provided us with numerous charcuterie-style snack pairing while trying the different wines. It was great to see how a little food paired with the wines can enhance the flavor of both.

The Minerva Sparkling Wine was definitely our favorite and rivals some of the best Champagne that you can find from France. This Sparkling Wine has a unique blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier, resulting in a wine that’s rich, refreshing, and perfectly balanced with elegant notes of citrus and crisp green apple. Minerva has created something special with this wine, especially to come from the countryside of the UK. Even if you do not get the chance to make it to this winery, this wine should be sought out and enjoyed.

The Chardonnay and Rosé were both excellent as well. Both of these wines are from Wiston Estate in West Sussex. We usually aren’t big fans of Chardonnay, but this one is expertly balanced, with not too much oak/butter. It is a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Bacchus with aromas of wild blossom, fresh spring hedgerow berries, and crisp green apple. The palate shows hints of citrus and peach, with a creamy texture from the barrels. This is a refreshing wine, with zesty acidity, fine aromatics, and a detailed finish. The Rosé is 88% Pinot Meunier and 12% Pinot Noir that is bursting with fresh, juicy cherries and summer red currants, with delicate hints of peach blossom and white pepper, with a strawberry and mineral balance.

If you’re near Bath or Corston Fields Farm, I highly recommend a tour and tasting with them. You will not be disappointed.