CHRISTMAS AT BLACKLOCK
Christmas is in full swing and our Pigs in Blanket and Yuletide Burger have taken up festive residence on our menus!
In the build up to Christmas and New Year we will be open from lunch and right the way through the day – leaving plenty of time for festive catch ups and mid-shop pitstops 🎁 Find out more about what we’re up to this festive season, here!
This week we headed down to Westwell Vineyard in Kent to join a handful of restaurants for this year’s Chardonnay harvest to pick and pressed the grapes – enjoyed by all.
It’s one thing learning about wine at a tasting, Vivino or a WSET book, but there are some things you just can’t appreciate until you’ve rolled up your sleeves – and let us tell you, after a day’s hard work in the vineyard, that glass of sparkling wine hits so much better.
First things first, we LOVE Westwell. They’re known for their experimental methods, striking visual identity, and a vibrant calendar of community events. Here’s how they earned their reputation as one of Englands most exciting and innovative winemakers:
The Westwell Way
Dynamic duo Adrian and Galia Pike are the masterminds behind the delicious bubbles we know and love. Before turning his hand to wine, Adrian made his mark in the music industry as co-founder of Moshi Moshi Records, the label that signed the likes of Bloc Party, Hot Chip, Florence and the Machine, and Disclosure.
Artist and musician Galia Pike (better known as Galia Durant)—famed for writing the Grey’s Anatomy theme tune and releasing five critically acclaimed albums, plus countless EPs and singles—now brings her creativity to Westwell. She’s the talent behind everything from the ultra-detailed illustrated labels (featuring vine wood under a microscope) to the abstract visuals that capture the winemaking process you see when you visit.
“I’m one of those people that’s had about 30 careers. In about 2013, Adrian went out for dinner with and tried some English wine and came back and said ‘Right, that’s what I want to do next’.
– Galia Pike, in an interview with Cene Magazine.
You Get What You Give
After three years of searching for land with the perfect combination of soil, exposure, and geology, they finally settled in Charing, Kent.
From the start, they knew they wanted to make wine the right way by keeping sprays to an absolute minimum, using a weather station for disease modelling (always trying to stay one step ahead of Mother Nature), and looking after the surrounding meadows, trees, and cover crops just as carefully as their vines.
At Westwell, they don’t just think about the next vintage, they think in terms of future generations. Producing wine at this site for many years to come means sustainability is central to everything they do.
Farming is tough, of course, but often you get out what you put in. And when it’s been a good season, it’s quietly astonishing what a harvest honest hard work can produce.
Their philosophy is simple: plant well, respect the soil, and make great, honest wines from brilliant fruit.