English wine with a history stretching back almost 800 years
Some makers are defined by where they come from. 1276 Wines is a perfect example.
Set among the rolling hills of Ledbury, Herefordshire, 1276 Wines produces English still and sparkling wines from a 25-acre vineyard — on land with a remarkable connection to winemaking dating back to the 13th century.
The name 1276 comes from the year the Bishop of Hereford recorded the planting of vines on the south-facing slopes of Ledbury in his Red Book.
Almost 800 years later, vines have returned to those same slopes.
The past has been revived — but the winemaking is very much looking to the future.
From orchard to vineyard
The modern story of 1276 began in 2012, when Cilla and Tim Sobey transformed their land from an apple orchard into a vineyard after recognising its potential for growing grapes.
Their family already had deep roots in Herefordshire's fruit-growing tradition, including cider apples and soft fruit. The vineyard was a natural evolution of that connection with the land.
Today, the 25-acre vineyard sits on south-east-facing clay loam over Silurian mudstone, creating the foundations for wines with a distinctive sense of place.
At its heart is a simple philosophy: let the character of the fruit and vineyard lead the wine.
A modern approach to English wine
The winery was established by Angus Davison, Cilla's son, with a vision of producing exceptional wines from the estate while contributing to the growth of the English wine industry.
Under Head Winemaker Laurence Cocking, 1276 produces both still and sparkling wines, with each vintage shaped by the conditions of the season. Rather than forcing every wine into a predetermined style, the team focuses on preserving the purity, balance and personality of the fruit.
There's also a distinctly forward-looking side to the winery.
1276 experiments with grape varieties under protective tunnels, uses an in-house laboratory to support winemaking decisions and has introduced cover crops to improve soil health and encourage biodiversity. The vineyard is also a member of Sustainable Wines of Great Britain.
The wine we've chosen
For The Signature, we've selected 1276 Bacchus 2024.
Made from 100% Bacchus grapes, the wine is grown, hand-harvested and produced at Redbank Vineyard in Ledbury. It's dry, unoaked and beautifully textured, with aromas of poached pear, sweet lime and elderflower, followed by fresh notes of gooseberry, nectarine and herbs.
It's a wonderful example of what makes English wine so interesting: fresh, aromatic and unmistakably shaped by its cool-climate origins.
And for The Grand...
We've taken things one step further.
The Grand features two wines from 1276 Wines:
Bacchus 2024
and
Blanc de Blancs Brut NV
The Blanc de Blancs is made from 100% Chardonnay, using the Traditional Method. It combines ripe orchard fruit and apple blossom with flinty minerality, subtle bready notes and a fine, persistent effervescence.
It creates a particularly lovely pairing within the Grand: one still wine and one sparkling wine, both from the same English vineyard and winery.
Why we chose 1276
At Lawrence & Co., we're drawn to makers who have a genuine sense of place and a story worth discovering.
1276 has both.
There is the extraordinary history of vines on the Ledbury slopes. There is the modern family story of turning an orchard into a vineyard. There is the team behind the wines today. And there is a clear ambition to show that Herefordshire can produce exceptional English wine.
It's also a maker you can experience beyond the bottle. Visitors can tour the vineyard and winery, see the winemaking process and taste wines alongside local cheeses and other Herefordshire produce.
For us, that's what makes a great Lawrence & Co. maker.
A great product is only part of the story.
It's the land, the people, the craft and the journey behind it that make it worth discovering.
That's why 1276 Wines has found a place in The Signature and The Grand.