As ever in the Whitby Section, we tasted the wines alongside a meal enjoyed in the convivial setting of Sanders Yard. Alfie Smith, grandson of the founders of Hazel End Vineyard, presented a suite of English wines — the whites from Hazel End’s own vines and the reds from their sister vineyard, Shawgate. Hazel End outsources the winemaking, using grapes grown on their estate but produced to their own specifications. All the wines had an East Anglian provenance, and the grape varieties used were typically of German origin, as is common in vineyards across the region.

The first two wines were sparkling. As we gathered, we enjoyed Stockyard Sparkling Brut 2023, and once seated for dinner we were served Three Squirrels 2013 Brut. The still white wines accompanying our starters were Hazel End Triplet 2021 and Hudshill Bacchus 2023. The reds served with our main course were Shawgate 2022 and Shawgate 2024. Despite having very similar grape compositions, they were strikingly different — the former medium‑bodied, the latter noticeably lighter.

The wine served with our dessert was Shawcross Maron, a style not as sweet as most pudding wines. Indeed, one diner at my table purchased a bottle, but not to accompany a dessert. All the wines were priced in the mid‑teens, with the exception of the Stockyard Sparkling Brut 2023, which was just over £20. A straw poll to determine the favourite wine of the evening found the latter to be the runaway winner.

Alfie Smith was an excellent presenter, knowledgeable about both the wines and the vineyard. He plans in due course to take over the business with his brothers, though for now he continues his work as an engineer in Hull.

Overall, the evening was a great success, introducing us to an interesting suite of wines with which most of us had previously been unfamiliar.