Meet our Winemaker

23 May 2025

Martin Fowke is Three Choirs Vineyard’s winemaker. Now aged 62, he has been with us for over 40 years, having joined in 1984.

He studied agriculture and horticulture at the Royal Agricultural College (now Royal Agricultural University) in Cirencester and went to Three Choirs for some work experience.

Martin said he ‘fell into’ the industry. He met a girl, who he has now been happily married to for many years. Her father ran an apple and blackcurrant farm and planted a vineyard in 1973. Three Choirs Vineyard was born…

He joined when the company was in its infancy and worked his way up quickly.

Martin joked: “I was the only one who knew how to use a computer!”

He left Three Choirs briefly in the 1980s to go travelling. On his travels, he went to the wine making regions of Australia, New Zealand and California and picked up some tips along the way.

On his return to Gloucestershire in 1989, Martin took over the winemaking side of the business.

Martin said: “I wasn’t officially trained, there wasn’t the training that is available to young people these days. I worked with my father in law and learned on the job. I had some very good teachers.”

Our winemaker loves his job and says he has never looked back since those early days.

English winemaking can be more challenging than in other parts of the world, but Martin’s experience means he’s seen it all before and can adapt and change as needed.

He said: “Compared to the rest of the world, the English climate is traditionally less reliable. We have different challenges every year, which gives us the opportunity to do different things every year, and the grapes allow us to make lots of different wines.

“Now England is considered a bona fide wine producing country. Climate change means we get more consistency with the weather and therefore the grapes and the wine.

“Compared to the rest of the England, Three Choirs Vineyard has mild weather, with protection from the Welsh mountains, Cotswold hills and Malvern hills. We get good sunlight and relatively low rainfall. It’s ideal for vines!”

Being a relatively small vineyard, Martin enjoys the opportunity to experiment, alongside producing the  high quality wines our customers love.

“We have a responsibility to produce consistent wines, but the beauty of what we do here is I also have the latitude to be able to experiment. We’re always trying new things and different things.

“Our latest success is an orange wine. This is produced in different parts of the world, but not in England.

“We’re always looking to change and develop. People’s tastes don’t stay still, and the market doesn’t stay still, so we’re always evolving.”

Of all the wines we produce, does Martin have a favourite?

“They’re like children – it’s impossible to choose just one! I’m proud of most of them. The newer wines that come on are always interesting. But the ones I hang my hat on are Bacchus and Siegerrebe.”

After more than 40 years of winemaking in the Gloucestershire countryside, is Martin ready to move on?

“I’ve got a very good team here, who make my life easier. We’ve got a good succession in place, but I don’t plan on retiring any time soon!”


Several bottles of wine are lined up on a wooden table, labelled Three Choirs Vineyards

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