Pebblebed Vineyards in Topsham, Devon, United Kingdom | Vineyards

Welcome to Pebblebed Vineyards, Topsham, United Kingdom. It all began as a community project amongst friends. When David and Gail Leeder bought their home, Eden, at Ebford, Geoff Bowen initiated a community project where part of the Leeder’s adjacent 8-acre field was planted as a vineyard by 11 local families. From these beginnings, Geoff quickly realised his passion for viticulture and in 2002 planted the Ebford main field, about 3 acres, as the start of the commercial Pebblebed vineyard. He has subsequently expanded with further plantings in Ebford in 2005 and in West Hill in 2005 and 2006 and this year he has planted a new 8 acre vineyard near Clyst St George.
The wines are expertly produced for Geoff by award-winning winemaker Juliet White at Exe Valley Wines' state-of-the-art winery on Juliet and Roger White's own Yearlstone wine estate. Juliet trained as a winemaker at the world renowned Plumpton College in Sussex.
Geoff is married to Anna and has two young children, Martha and Jessie. They live in the centre of Topsham, above the Topsham Wine Cellar. Geoff is a hydrogeologist (the study of rocks and groundwater) by training and with others built up a successful environmental consultancy, Marcus Hodges Environment. He sold the business in 2004 to concentrate on Pebblebed Vineyards, although he continues to practice as a consultant. Pebblebed Vineyards cover a total area of 22 acres, on sites located at Ebford and Clyst St George, near Topsham and at West Hill, near Ottery St Mary.
Having Vineyards on different sites in diverse locations adds considerably to the logistics of day-to-day vineyard work but there are undoubted benefits. Different sites may be better suited to different grape varieties and the diverse locations help to spread the risk from natural calamities such as frost or hail. Geoff’s approach is to seek land that is best suited for viticulture, wherever it may be located.
The potential to have grapes from different Vineyards also adds considerable interest from a winemaking point of view. By vinifying in small parcels from the various vineyard sites and sub-sites, Geoff is able to identify the unique character and personality that each locale contributes. Such wines may be blended where judicious; or they can be kept as separate single-vineyard cru examples. The philosophy throughout is to create a range of Pebblebed wines that is distinctive and reflects the personality of the respective terroirs where the grapes grow.