What were you up to before Crouch Ridge?

Before Crouch Ridge, my first job in the drinks business was working as a waiter and then Junior Sommelier at a French Bistro on Richmond Hill in Surrey. I was a music student at the time and so divided my time between studying the cello and performing/conducting and learning a lot about our wine list, including a trip to France to study. The restaurant was in a great location and was frequently visited by celebrities who often dined in the more private upstairs dining area and also (usually) left generous tips for the staff. I then worked in education for over 35 years before retiring and taking up a job at a specialist wine centre in Essex where I could put the knowledge gathered from tasting wines across the world as an educationalist and touring musician to good use as a customer advisor and also start my wine qualifications.

Career highlight?

My career highlight has been working as the Head Sommelier at Crouch Ridge. We have some excellent award-winning wines and one of the most beautiful settings along the Crouch Valley. The wine barn and restaurant and our sunlit wine terrace have fantastic views across the vine and the River Crouch and is the perfect venue for drinking wine with friends and family on a sunny day. Estate owners Ross and Samantha Lonergan work incredibly hard and have a real passion for all aspects of the business from vine to wine and excellent food and hospitality on the estate. They are a genuine pleasure to work for and there is a real sense of teamwork and pride amongst the kitchen, service, and sommelier teams.

Most memorable moment at work?

Crouch Ridge is a magnet for visitors thanks to our exceptional wines, stunning vineyard views, and fabulous food offering, making it a hub for tours, tastings, and memorable celebration events. Our reputation means we attract a wide range of guests, from influencers and familiar faces from The Only Way Is Essex to the highly respected wine writer Oz Clarke, who even features Crouch Ridge in his book on English wine. A personal highlight for me was attending last year’s ‘Glass of Bubbly’ Awards at Vintners’ Hall in London, where Ross and I met actor and celebrity Vicki Michelle of ’Allo ’Allo! fame, who very much enjoyed a taste of our Blanc de Blancs that was being showcased on the day.

How would you sum up your drinks philosophy?

My philosophy on drinks is simple: wine should never feel intimidating. A great tasting experience should be fun, approachable, and genuinely educational, but it must always begin with the customer’s own tastes, knowledge, and confidence level. Whether someone is discovering wine for the first time or has enjoyed it for years, the role of a sommelier is to meet them where they are, without pretension, and make the experience feel welcoming rather than exclusive. At the same time, a good sommelier should quietly demonstrate real expertise—guiding the conversation, sharing insight, and helping people discover something new—so that knowledge enhances the experience without ever overshadowing the enjoyment of the glass itself.

You’re celebrating. What are you ordering?

Without hesitation I would celebrate with a glass or two of our Crouch Ridge signature English Premiere Cuvée sparkling wine. Produced in the traditional method, it is a blend of our hand-picked Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes grown on the clay soils of the Crouch Ridge Estate. It has an amazing “peaches and cream” character with aromas of citrus, blossom and floral notes on the nose, delicate brioche from extended lees aging and a long, lemony finish. This is an award winning, English sparkling wine worthy of any celebration.

What names would you be propping up the bar with?

Sheku Kanneh-Mason — Sheki Kanneh-Mason. phot credit: Chris O’Donovan

For the past two years I have been privileged, as a member of the UK Sommelier Academy to have watched the finals of the IWSC ‘Sommelier of the Year’ competition. The talent and skill of all the competitors was truly amazing but I would love to prop up the bar with the 2024 winner, Philipp Reinstaller and the 2025 Winner, Maria Boumpa both of whom were exceptional. Would love to learn from their experience and expertise. As a former semi-professional cellist, I would also enjoy a glass or two with the cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the phenomenally talented Sheku Kanneh-Mason and pick up tips on improving my performances of the Bach cello suites.

What’s on your boozy bucket list?

One of my favourite wines is Amarone so if we’re talking true “once in a lifetime” from the Amarone heartland, it doesn’t get much more iconic than Giuseppe Quintarelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva. Quintarelli is often called the master of Amarone—these wines are incredibly rare, aged for many years, and deliver extraordinary depth: dried cherry, fig, spice, tobacco, and a complexity that just keeps evolving in the glass. A bottle from here is definitely on the bucket list.

Best bar you have visited?

As a born and bred Londoner, my favourite bar is Gordon’s Wine Bar just near Embankment Station. Established in 1890 by Angus Stafford Gordon it is reputed to be the oldest wine bar in London and is housed in a building that once counted Samuel Pepys and Rudyard Kipling amongst its tenants. It is a proper vaulted cellar with low ceilings and a Dickensian feel but not only serves a fabulous array of quality wines (including specials by the glass) but also stocks an extensive list of ports and sherries served from wooden barrels. They also have a selection of 15 different cheeses as well as charcuterie boards and pies to soak up all that fine wine.

Most overrated drink?

I would say that some of the mass produced ‘luxury’ champagnes such a Moët & Chandon or Veuve Clicquot. Whilst always consistent you are paying a massive premium for the marketing and the label. I would go for ‘grower champagnes’ if you are sticking to the name, some of the excellent crémant sparkling wines from Alsace, Burgundy, or the Loire currently available or, of course, grab a bottle of English sparkling wine.

And the most underrated?

Of course, I am going to say English wine! I think English wine is underrated largely because perception hasn’t caught up with reality. For years, it was seen as a novelty – pleasant but not serious – so many consumers still default to France or Italy without reconsidering what’s happening closer to home. What’s changed, though, is quality. Thanks to a warming climate, better site selection, and real investment in expertise, England – particularly areas like Sussex, Kent, and the Crouch Valley in Essex where Crouch Ridge has its home – is now producing world-class wines, especially traditional method sparkling that can rival Champagne in finesse and precision.

So, what do we do about it? It starts with storytelling and accessibility. At Crouch Ridge we believe tastings should be welcoming and non-pretentious, helping people discover English wine without feeling like they need prior knowledge. Side-by-side comparisons are powerful—put a top English sparkling next to Champagne and let the wine speak for itself. I think hospitality venues and sommeliers have a big role too: championing English wines by the glass, not just as a novelty on a list. Crucially though, we need to lean into what makes English wine distinctive – its freshness, acidity, and sense of place – rather than trying to imitate other regions. Ultimately, the more people taste it in the right context, the faster that “underrated” label will disappear.

Where would you love to explore just for the drinks?

I recently went to a wine tasting of the Clos Apalta wines from the Colchagua Valley in Chile and was blown away by the quality. Built largely around Carmenère, Chile’s signature grape, the wines are rich and powerful with dark fruit spice, a silky texture and incredibly fresh tasting. With the Andes Mountains, Pacific Ocean and the Atacama Desert, Chile has such wine diversity with crisp Sauvignons and Chardonnays coming from the cool climate Casablanca Valley while warmer inland regions such as the Maipo Valley are producing fabulous Cabernet Sauvignon. I would love to sample a few glasses whilst enjoying views of the stunning landscapes and terroir.

Favourite drink on holiday?

My holiday go to, instead of the classic Aperol or Limoncello Spritz is always a Hugh Spritz. It is usually made with St Germain (an elderflower liqueur), topped with chilled Prosecco and a dash of soda garnished with fresh mint and lime- perfect for a hot summer day. We also have it on our Crouch Ridge Cocktail list replacing the Prosecco with our sparkling cuvée. The must have cocktail for a summer on our wine terrace and a view of the River Crouch.

Favourite drinks gadget?

My favourite gadget now is the innovative Coravin Wine Preservation System. It is a serious piece of Sommelier kit that pierces the cork with a fine needle rather than removing it like a conventional corkscrew. It then uses argon gas to push wine out while protecting what’s left in the bottle. The cork naturally reseals, meaning the wine is never exposed to oxygen which means you can pour a glass today and come back weeks, months – even years later – and it tastes exactly the same. Perfect for sampling those really expensive bottles!

The main tip I give to our Crouch Ridge customers is about serving temperatures. White and rosé wines that are served straight from a domestic fridge are often over chilled. Bringing them out of the fridge about 20 mins before pouring stops them being overly tight and allows the aromas and texture to develop. Equally, the rule about “room temperature” reds is often misunderstood. The original idea came from old European houses where “room temperature” meant about 15-18 degrees centigrade not the 21-24 degrees of today’s centrally heated homes. So, if a full or medium bodied red has not been stored in a cool dark place, 15-20 mins in the fridge can help to lift the freshness, integrate the tannins, and enhance the aromas.

What’s your best hangover cure?

Prevention is better than cure so I would advise alternating glasses of water in between glasses of wine to help manage dehydration, a major driver of the dreaded hangover. You can also select from a wide range of lower alcohol wines and eat something whilst you are drinking. Fat, protein, and salt in foods help to significantly slow absorption. As professionals, Sommeliers believe in controlled tasting, careful pacing, and respect for the alcohol in the wine. The best cure is simply not getting to the point where you need a cure and have had an opportunity to really taste, savour and enjoy your wine.

Drinks on me! Stephen Chamberlain, Head Sommelier at Crouch Ridge Estate

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