Polgoon Vineyard and Cider Orchard

The Polgoon Vineyard & Orchard near Penzance in Cornwall, won awards. The Cornish Vineyard and Orchard fruitfully produced a wide range of fresh traditional Cornish Wine. The new variety includes the award winner rosé, two types of English white wine and one variety of English red wine. The Sparkling Aval (Cornish term for apple), Elderflower Sparkling wine and the latest Sparkling Cornish Cider drinks are all prepared here in this place. 

John and Kim Coulson are the owners of Polgoon Vineyard. They developed this Vineyard from a dilapidated farm and created this flourishing orchard cum Vineyard. They are the producers of their award winning Cornish Aval, Cornish Wine and Cornish Cider. Not only in the South West but all over the UK they are vastly considered for their products like English Sparkling Wine, the Polgoon Cornish still Wine and their Ciders Cornish Pink, Cornish Black and Cornish Dry Cider, Sparkling Cornish Aval, Raspberry Aval and Elderflower Sparkling Wine. The wines are now available at the Vineyard’s online store or through retailers.

The Polgoon Vineyard and Orchard outlet is now open for 7 days a week. The store shelves stock wines like the award winning Cornish wines, Vintage Aval, Elderflower Sparkling wine and Sparkling Rose wine. The delightful varieties like Elderflower Sparkling wine and newest 2010 conventionally made Sparkling Rose wine will create wonders  and make a perfect gift or be an outstanding complement with a serving of food or when served on any special occasion.

All the products of this Vineyard are up for sale including the newly released 2011 Regent & Rondo red wine. The shops also sell various other products like honey, jams, eggs, chutney and fudge. The buyers can visit the shop anytime between 9:30am – 4:30pm from Monday – Saturday and between 10:30am – 4:30pm on Sundays.

Company Background 
 

John and Kim Coulson, the founders of this Vineyard cum Orchard, used to supply fish to Marks & Spencer 7 years ago from their company situated at Newlyn Fishing port. After many years of successful business and with an increasing family with 5 children, Mr and Mrs Coulson decided to shift to a larger house. 

Coincidentally they found an abandoned farmhouse in Penzance. They bought the farm along with 23 acres of land, 2 cottages and 2barns for renovation. They met an award winning inventor of Cornish wine and only after this, they decided to plant vines and make their very own Cornish Vineyard. In 2006 they produced the first Polgoon Wine from their first yield and bagged a Trophy for the “Best Still Rose in the UK”. The trophy was by a panel of 7 Masters of Wine and was awarded by the UK Vintners Association and sponsored by Waitrose.

The following two harvests of Polgoon wine won significant national competitions. Unfavourable weather conditions left Polgoon Vineyard with no crop in the years 2007 and 2008. To overcome the setback with firm determination, the Coulson’s produced Aval , a Cornish Cider. This is a Sparkling Cider product prepared by using the Method Traditionalle. This method is also used by the producers of the French Fizz. The Raspberry Aval was there next invention. This drink became Polgoon’s maximum sold sparkling drink and was also awarded with a Gold medal in the Taste of the West Awards 2009. This drink also won a runner up title for the National Drinks Award.

2009 summer brought good harvest and brought a brilliant period. The PolgoonVineyard continues to produce the delicious pink Raspberry Aval and Cornish Aval. They are constantly innovating new drinks and keep increasing the still wine production every year. They won awards consecutively in the years  2010, 11, 12 and 13 for their products Aval Wine and latest Ciders.   

Awards 

For their first product in 2006, the Polgoon Vineyard won the award, Best Still UK Rose. This is the Waitrose Trophy awarded by the UKVA (UK Vineyards Association) and was presented at The House of Lords. The significant awards won are as follows:

·        UKVA Highly Commended Sparkling Rose 2006

·        UKVA Bronze UK Rose 2007

·        Cornwall Life Best Drink Producer  2008

·        Taste of the West: Gold and Silver 2009

·        Taste of the West: Gold and Silver 2010

·        Cornwall Life Best Drink Producer 2010

·        Taste of the West: 1 x Gold,  3 x Silver and 1 x Bronze Awards 2011

·        Great Taste Awards: Gold Star 2012

Tour guide 

The Vineyard guided tours include a stroll through the Cornish Orchard. Then they are taken to the Vines, which is the heart of Polgoon. A lot of information are shared regarding the varieties of grapes, apple and the various methods of taking care and the pruning process. This is followed by a conversation regarding the production process including the different processes of, mashing the fruit for the products Cornish Cider and Cornish Wine, the process of fermentation and the use of Method Traditionnelle for the English Sparkling Wine in Cornwall. The tourists are then taken to the store for a tasting of the Vineyard products.

The products are available throughout the year.