@TJLarder

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Welcome to #SommChat everyone! Tell your friends to join us to learn #UK Sparkling #wine from CEO of @ridgeviewwineuk Tamara Roberts! Tweet to @TJLarder

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: We're about ready to dive in w/questions, so shout out to Tamara @TJLarder of @RidgeviewwineUK to say hello & so she knows you're here! #WineWednesday #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Don't forget that EVERY tweet during this chat should include the #SommChat hashtag in order for everyone to see it!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: As we ask @TJLarder Tamara Roberts our Qs, you can ask your Qs as well! She'll do her best to answer all Qs in the order they come #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: W so many participants lots of gr8 Q's R asked! Even if u dont ask 1--give a S/O 2 @keepercoll & @RidgeviewWineUK 2 let us know u R here! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Let's start talking #wine with #CEO @TJLarder Tamara Roberts of @ridgeviewwineuk ! #SommChat

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: Hello from @RidgeviewWineUK estates and great to be here with all of you on #SommChat this morning

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @TJLarder When did you decide to switch from a job in the financial services industry to the #wine industry? #SommChat

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: As soon as @RidgeviewWineUK started to win awards in 2000 I realized that this was something very special and wanted to concentrate on this with my family in the #UK #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Thanks for supporting us @TEXSOM and @texsomiwa - your efforts are very important to the industry #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @TJLarder how many #wines does @RidgeviewWineUK make and when did the estate begin – where are the vines located? #SommChat

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: Planted 1st vines in 1995 @RidgeviewWineUK - currently make 6 #wines - we only make sparkling and use 3 traditional grapes #Chardonnay #Pinot and #Pinot Meunier - vines mainly located in #Sussex #SommChat

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: In early establishment of Sparkling #wine in #UK , there were only vintage available. As time has gone on, we have reserve to make NV. From 2015, we were able to do both NV and vintage #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm what are the main differences in the 6 sparkling #wines fr @ridgeviewwinesUK and which ones are best for BTG – do all come to #US @TJLarder #SommChat

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: Main differences are the blends in the 6 #wines - 2 blends use all 3 varietals, 1 #Chardonnay dominant, 1 #Pinot dominant, 1 is single vineyard BdB, a limited edition BdNoir & ltd edition Rose de Noir…. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: @TJLarder Have you noticed anything unique about the #UK #wine industry? #SommChat

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: @Keepercoll We are the only place outside of #Champagne region that has the geology and climate to create these sparkling #wines - not one else on the world can do it other than #England

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: Tell us a little bit abt your role as the #CEO of @RidgeviewWineUK #SommChat

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: I initially started as GM and was production focused. With background in finance I now focus on strategy to make sure we are going in best direction for @ridgeviewwineUK

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat #Somm How big is US market? What are biggest markets other than US?

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: @KeeperColl #US is our #1 export market, which is true for all #English Sparkling. Other markets are #Skandanavia, #Japan and Northern #urope

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat #Somm do you have room for increased growth and how big is production now?

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: @KeeperColl Production currently is 250,000 botltes - have growers that we are working with to take us to 500000 bottles by 2020. We have long time contracts and visit them and are working with them closely for best quality outcome.

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @TJLarder How has the #wine industry changed since you started working in it? #SommChat

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: @KeeperColl When started approximately 20 years ago, there were 2 of us focusing on sparkling wine in #England, and now at least 20 producers! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: @TJLarder Congratulations on being awarded ‘Sussex Business Woman of the Year’ in 2016. How has this inspired you to continue growing @RidgeviewWineUK business? #SommChat

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: @KeeperColl Getting an award like that is unexpected, so it inspires you to continue to make the business outstanding and gives you drive to continue to go #SommChat

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @TJLarder What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out in the #wine industry? #SommChat

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: @KeeperColl From production side, start in a sustainable manner, you don’t need to be big in the beginning. Focus on the quality not quantity - wine is all about quality from growing of grapes to making of wine. You must have attention to detail in every aspect of the process. #Sommchat

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat #Somm How many people in your family are involved and what are their roles? Is it hard working with family? #SommChat

Tamara Roberts TJLarder: @KeeperColl There are 5 member of the family involved. Brother is head winemaker, SIL is Marketing and Communications Dir, husband is Technical Mgr, Mom is Estate Mgr. Working with family is demanding but we all give 150% which is very rewarding.

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @TJLarder What was the first #wine you ever had? #SommChat

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: @KeeperColl Probably something very rubbish, 1st serious wine was a #champagne that my parents purchased when they often visited the region. It was a small grower Champagne, probably around 1age 8. De Venoge was the grower and it was beautiful. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: @TJLarder Are there any #wine trends you expect to see in the future? #SommChat

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: @KeeperColl what I see for future trends is that it will be lower alcohol levels and quality & authenticity over brands #SommChat

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat peep: @TJLarder What have you seen as the best way/s to promote #English Sparkling #wines?

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: @Keepercoll Entering competitions like @texsomiwa to show worth of #wines has been invaluable to get the word out. Blind tasting has been very successful as it shows the quality of what we can produce @ridgeviewwineUK

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: @TJlarder What are some of your most unusual pairings with your @ridgeviewwineuk #wines? Some of your favs? #SommChat

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: One of my fav #food and #wine pairing with @RidgeviewwineUK is our rose with Asian food. It goes great throughout meal. One of the biggest challenges is pairing with desserts. Some chefs have come up with some spectacular desserts with our #wines such as light, creamy desserts with perfect berries. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: @TJLarder What would have been your suggested #food pairing at #SommsUF 2018 with your @RidgeviewwineUK Bloomsbury which was a featured competition #wine? #SommChat

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: @KeeperColl at #SommsUF to pair with @RidgeviewwineUK Bloomsbury, I would have loved to have seen the #Chef create the classic #UK #Fish and Chips - what could be better! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: Q Fr #SommChat #Somm - are you sending all 5 of the 6 wines to #US every year - are you in most major mkts?

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: @KeeperColl We have presence in most major markets, but we are small and cannot make every wine every year. So we send the wines that are possible in each vintage. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: Q fr #SommChat #Somm have you seen any effect of changing climate and how have you adjusted if so?

Tamara Roberts @TJLarder: @KeeperColl There is an argument that says that the change in climate is what allowed us to start the #Sparkling #wine in #England. Since we are younger than #Champagne in this journey, we have not had to make the adjustments they have. We are fortunate that we possess a unique climate to make beautiful sparkling #wines. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: l Time to wrap up! Hope you enjoyed this hour of #wine talk w/ Tamara Roberts @ridgeviewwineUK ! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: It was great to have Tamara Roberts join us today for #SommChat. We hope everyone learned as much as we did!

KeeperCollection @Keepercoll: Please join us in thanking Tamara for her time #SommChat

Tamara Roberts @Tjlarder: A big thank you for all of you who contributed to #SommChat today - it was great to share the @ridgeviewwineUK story with all of you. Fill a glass with our #English bubbles and enjoy