Cambridge’s first wine label, Gutter & Stars, uncorks in Chesterton

Cambridge’s first winery is starting production this month, with the new wine label due on sale in the spring.

Gutter & Stars, founded by winemaker and wine journalist Chris Wilson, is open at Chesterton Mill, off French’s Road, Chesterton.

The urban winery - a first for Cambridge, and following in the footsteps of city-based wineries in London, New York and Paris - is housed in the basement of the grade II-listed windmill less than a mile from the city centre.

Chris, who has lived in the city since 2013 - “my wife Ellen grew up in Chesterton” - is sourcing fruit for the venture from neighbouring Essex and plans to crush his first grapes later this month, with the harvest continuing into October.

“I’ve wanted to start my own winemaking business for some time,” he says, “but I never thought that it would be in the basement of a historic windmill in Cambridge.

“Having looked at a number of sites across Cambridge and into the Fens an opportunity came up to house the winery in Chesterton, 10 minutes from where I live with my family.

“It’s the perfect spot for a boutique urban winery and I’m excited to be bringing a production facility back to Chesterton Mill for the first time in more than 60 years.”

Chesterton Mill was built in 1847 and thrived for more than 100 years on its site just north of the River Cam, producing grain and flour for the city’s bakeries, delivered by horse and cart.

Known locally as French’s Mill after William French, who began milling here in 1847, the sails and milling stones of this imposing smock mill turned grain into flour until 1955, when the French family business closed. The family left its mark on the area – the road which leads to the mill today is called French’s Road – and the mill itself still stands proudly some 173 years after it was built, albeit without its sails which were removed in 1912.

Wilson – who has made wine in California, Germany and the UK – will make a number of different styles of wine under his Gutter & Stars label using locally grown fruit from Missing Gate Vineyard near Chelmsford, in Essex’s Crouch Valley.

The inaugural vintage gets under way this month with the first wines ready for release in spring 2021.

Chris is using a mix of French oak barrels (pictured) and small tanks to produce the wines, and will bottle and label each wine on site.

“Working in the wine trade as a journalist for a number of years I have visited countless wineries around the world, getting to know winemakers and a variety of winemaking techniques along the way,” comments Chris, who has a degree in winemaking from Plumpton College in East Sussex. “I hope to tap into this experience here at Gutter & Stars, but I also want to make my own mark and produce wines with a nod to the very unique surroundings in which they are being made.

“I will be selling my own wines direct to consumers and have been speaking to local wine merchants and restaurants too about how we can work with them.

“I have no plans to sell non-Gutter & Stars wines. Between now and spring when my wines are ready and launched I won’t be retailing wines but will be open in a winemaking capacity.”

Gutter & Stars will host open days in the next few weeks, and Chris adds:

“I’m excited to be part of the burgeoning English and Welsh winemaking scene, there are some brilliant wines being made in the UK and I hope to add to this with my own wines. The 2020 harvest is looking good, the recent heatwave has helped with ripeness and the growers I have spoken to are happy with the quality of fruit.”

“There may even be the chance to come and stomp on some grapes when the red fruit arrives!

Watch out for details on the website , or on Twitter @gutterstarswine.