Natural wine specialists, Wine Freedom and Hampton Manor have won the AA Wine List of the Year.
Wine Freedom worked closely with long-standing client, Hampton Manor, to develop the boutique hotel’s and Michelin starred restaurant Peels’, natural wine offering. The list was created with three core elements in mind: an accessible showcase for handmade and natural wine; the creation of a unique offering designed to spark curiosity without alienating, whilst reflecting the Hampton Manor menu and ethos of showcasing the best British produce and supporting emerging homegrown talent.
Keen supporters of English and Welsh producers, the list includes familiar names such as Ancre Hill, Monmouth; Davenport, Kent and Sussex; Seddlescombe, Sussex; and Tillingham, Sussex.
Introduced in 1998, the AA Wine List of the Year award recognises an outstanding contribution to promoting wine understanding and appreciation. Nominees are judged on the quality of their wine list and their ability to inspire customers to make wider and more adventurous choices in selecting wines.
The AA judging panel observed: “A super impressive list that is wonderfully curated. Features include funky producers, difficult to source wines via innovative keg system. A list that is totally engaging. Amazing, very stylish and one that takes you on a journey and story. The wine list is a feature in its own right and an innovative way to organise a list, very helpful. A list that pushes the boundaries with such personality.”
Wine Freedom founder, Sam Olive, said: “To say we are thrilled to receive this award is an understatement. The success and launch of the list is testament to our on-going partnership with Fjona and James at Hampton Manor, their bravery and commitment to championing independent, organic winegrowers is unstinting and it has been a pleasure to develop their offer over the last few years. The award comes at a pivotal time for Wine Freedom, as we plan to launch a wine shop, bar, kitchen and education space in Birmingham in the coming months with a crowdfunding campaign to help fund the exciting project.”
