The English Wine Diaries
The English Wine Diaries is a weekly interview series with Rebecca Pitcairn, editor, journalist and founder of The Southern Quarter, an online lifestyle magazine about English Wine. Each week Rebecca is joined by a special guest from the world of wine (and beyond) to talk all about their English wine journey. From sommeliers to vineyard owners, hoteliers and some rather familiar faces too, discover how a love of wine – particularly that made on British soil – has helped shape their lives and careers. www.englishwinediaries.co.uk.
The English Wine Diaries
Episode 93: Billy Sengupta, Co-founder and CMO Cobham House
Joining me this week's episode of the English Wine Diaries is Billy Sengupta, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Cobham House, a new English wine brand based in Kent.
After working at Diageo for over seven years, Billy left his position as Global Director of Luxury Tequila to help realise a 32-year-old family dream of owning a vineyard.
In 2022, three generations of his family came together to launch Cobham House Vineyard and earlier this year they launched their first wine, a luxury, vintag still English rosé made by esteemed winemaker Emma Rice.
Just weeks after launch, the wine, which is made from 100% Gamay and fermented in used, Ruby Port Barrels, was awarded a gold medal by Wine GB, while critics have praised the innovative approach, driven by Billy’s time developing new products at Diageo.
In addition to creating luxury wines, Billy and his family intend to use Cobham House as a platform to create opportunities within English wine for underrepresented minorities and have already started to take positive steps in this space, having launched a scholarship programme with Plumpton College earlier this year.
We talk about whirlwind success, happy accidents and how Cobham House intends to disrupt the English wine industry.
You can dind out more about Cobham House and buy the wine direct at cobhamhouse.co.uk and follow them @cobhamhousevineyard on Instagram.
With thanks to series sponsor, Wickhams, The Great British Wine Merchant. Visit wickhamwine.co.uk to open an account and see their award-winning range of English wine and bottles from around the globe that have exceptional stories to tell.
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