Chardonnay: a grape that splits opinion; loved and loathed. A wine too often stereotyped by the unfortunate over-oaked New World examples popular in the 1980's and 1990's. Golden wines that displayed no Chardonnay characters at all, but instead had the weight, taste and finesse of an oak beam. Having said this, without a doubt Chardonnay can make some of the best wines in the world when grown in the correct climate, harvested at the right time and treated correctly in the winery. If it is to be oaked, the oak should match the power of the fruit rather than dictating. You may already be unknowingly drinking Chardonnay of course (not labelled as such) in the form of Champagne, Chablis and your classic Burgundies such as Meursault. The problems with the 1980's and 90's styles of Chardonnay were pretty deep rooted. I am sure most thought they were going to try and emulate a great white burgundy, the biggest difference being in a climate far warmer and dryer. However, an early ripening variety, grown in too warm a climate, cropped too heavily and harvested too ripe can display so little varietal character it could be almost any neutral white grape. Chardonnay was chosen as it was a familiar name and easy to grow..and how did they give this neutral wine any character? Oak of course! Barrels, or more frequently to cut costs, adding oak chips. Broadly speaking with all grapes, the right climate is needed to provide fruit characters. When the weather is too warm, aromas are lost and when it is too cool, the aromas and flavours are green and unripe. Chardonnay is well suited to the English climate, being close to the limit of what we can ripen here. A late ripening grape in England's cool climate, typically mid-October most years. Ripening late means good acidity, perfect for sparkling wine, but also abundant fruit characters. In England a lot depends on each year's weather, as well as ripeness levels. We can’t produce a still Chardonnay every year, as we require the natural high acidity to drop enough for a still wine. In a cool autumn, flavours can lean towards green apple, with more lemon, peach and citrus expected in a warmer season. Now the decision to oak or not. In general our rule of thumb at Knightor is nothing should detract from the natural fruit aromas and flavours. Oak is like seasoning, your salt and pepper, to enhance what is already there. We typically only put a proportion of the overall blend into oak and are careful how long it spends there, preferring fermenting in oak to help integration of the oak characters. Each year it differs how much oak a wine can tolerate. Generally, the cooler the year and the leaner the fruit, the less oak a wine can take, as the oak will start to dominate. A warmer year with riper, bolder fruit means that a little bit more oak can enhance the fruit.
2023's Chardonnay is still in the making. A cool, wet year resulted in grapes that were not as fruit forward as 2022. Sugar and acidity levels were good, but intensity of flavour and body were lower. This has meant only a small part is going into oak, and we are using some of our oldest barrels for this. We are hoping to add just texture and a little body from the barrels rather than any aromas and flavours that could easily overwhelm such a delicate wine.
Shop the different vintages here, or visit our winery shop to sample the collection. Affordable elegance - The perfect wedding venue in CornwallAre you dreaming of a picturesque wedding surrounded by the rustic charm of Cornwall without breaking the bank? Look no further than Knightor Winery, where affordable elegance meets the idyllic countryside, creating the perfect backdrop for your special day. Photo by: Sofie Michelle Photography Cornwall's Hidden Gem Nestled in the heart of Cornwall, a short drive from the beautiful South coast, Knightor Winery stands as a hidden gem. Located just a short drive from the stunning St Austell bay coastline, our venue offers couples the chance to exchange vows in a romantic setting that captures the essence of the Cornish countryside. Photo by: Mark Shaw Photography Affordability Without Compromise One of the standout features of Knightor Winery weddings is our commitment to affordability. Planning a wedding can be a daunting task, especially when considering the numerous expenses involved. At Knightor we understand the importance of creating lasting memories without breaking the bank. Choosing cheap doesn’t necessarily mean you have to compromise. The venue provides a range of affordable wedding packages tailored to suit different needs and preferences. From intimate gatherings to larger celebrations, Knightor accommodates weddings of all sizes, ensuring that every couple can create the perfect day that fits their budget. Photo by: Lee Allen Photography A Cozy Affair For those envisioning a more intimate celebration, Knightor Winery offers a charming and cozy atmosphere that radiates warmth and love. Imagine saying "I do" surrounded by your closest friends and family, with the tranquil vineyards, orchards or arbour as your backdrop. The intimate spaces provide the ideal setting for a romantic ceremony and an unforgettable reception. Grandeur with a View If your dream wedding involves a larger guest list, Knightor can easily accommodate your vision. The sprawling grounds offer ample space for a grand celebration, think a feast style BBQ menu amongst the orchard or in the winery courtyard. The venue's versatility allows couples to host larger receptions while maintaining the personal touch that makes weddings so special. Photos by: Katie Goff Photography A Culinary Experience to Remember One of the highlights of a Knightor wedding is the delectable culinary experience offered to couples and their guests. The in-house catering team takes pride in crafting mouthwatering menus using locally sourced ingredients. From elegant canapés to sumptuous main courses and decadent desserts, your wedding feast will be a celebration of Cornwall's finest flavours. Customisable Packages for Every Couple At Knightor Winery, flexibility is key. Recognising that every couple is unique, the venue offers customisable packages to ensure that your wedding reflects your individual style and preferences. Whether you envision a traditional ceremony or a more contemporary celebration, our venue works closely with couples to bring their vision to life. Photo's by: 1. Pink Wave Photography 2. Dan Ward Photography 3. Lee Allen Photography 4. Alexa Poppe Photography Expert Guidance Throughout the Planning Process Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, but our dedicated Weddings team is there to guide you every step of the way. From choosing the perfect package to coordinating logistics and assisting with decorations, their experienced staff ensures a seamless and stress-free planning process. Photo by: Dan Ward Photography A Picturesque Destination for Memorable Photographs Cornwall's breathtaking landscapes serve as a stunning backdrop for your wedding photos. Capture the essence of your special day with romantic shots in the vineyards, under ancient oak trees, or against the backdrop of the charming winery buildings. Our venue provides a picture-perfect setting that will ensure your wedding album is filled with timeless memories. Photo by: Victoria Walker Photography Plan Your Dream Wedding at Knightor Winery
Knightor Winery is an award winning wedding venue that offers affordable elegance for couples seeking a beautiful and budget-friendly celebration. Whether you're envisioning an intimate gathering or a larger affair, Knightor provides a versatile and charming backdrop for your special day. Say "I do" surrounded by the natural beauty of Cornwall, indulge in exquisite local cuisine, and create memories that will last a lifetime. Knightor Winery is not just a venue; it's the perfect canvas for your love story. Contact our Wedding Team to start planning your wedding day - [email protected] With every couple’s wedding vision boards inundated with the multitude of options and aesthetics on hand these days, it can feel impossible to know where to start. Amongst the uncertainty of the past year, we have witnessed the rise of quiet luxury, courtesy of Sofia Richie and Elliot Grainge’s wedding back in April, and the fall of the ‘perfect’, conventional wedding dress. For 2024, the one-size-fits-all expectations for weddings, ceases to exist, and unlocks a playground of exciting wedding trends to guide you through planning your special day with us at Knightor. Photo Credit: Cindy Kitchker Photography 1. Let’s Get Personal Shifting away from grand weddings seeing couples host spectacular Oscar-worthy events in the abundance, the new year will see many couples integrating themselves within their weddings as opposed to ‘hosting’. In place, more boutique, smaller weddings will take precedence, focused on experiences, sentimentality, and personalisation to show off each couple’s personality and character. Nothing comes more personal than the intimate wedding itself, indulging alongside your nearest and dearest. Find more time to celebrate their company, with our very own Intimate Weddings package, including an on-the-day experienced co-ordinator, in-house catering, and a fully licensed bar- all to take away any extra stress! Photo credit: Alexa Poppe Photography Where the Devil is in the details, by seeking to customise the little moments throughout your wedding, you create sentimental keepsakes amongst a truly unique experience for your guests. Work alongside both our Weddings Team and mixologists to create bespoke cocktails fit to rival the infamous champagne tower, or opt for our personalised labels for all your table wine. Perhaps, push your tablescape décor somewhere playful, and toy with the rustic charm of our Threshing Barn with sprigs of grapes immersed between candlelight. Photo Credit: Alexa Poppe Photography Booking your intimate wedding in no way replaces the maximalism that your personality can offer. The world of eccentric mismatched crockery and colours, giant bows and hand-drawn stationery are going to continue to spark excitement into everything, so take full advantage. Never has there been a better time for that something blue, to be your wedding dress! With our Intimate Weddings package covering both indoor and outdoor arrangements, there is a little something for every couple’s brightest imagination. 2. The Wedding Weekender Taking the pressure away from the ideal day, couples are drastically taking up multiple events as part of their wedding, welcome dinners, BBQ’s in courtyard and destination weekends - a truly endless list! Stemming from the currently trending nature of investing time and money into experiences above all else, the popularity of multiple events, or even the segmentation of the ceremony and reception by multiple outfits, reflects the ability to adopt more than one aesthetic in this realm of so much choice. Struggling to decide whether the traditional wedding dress or ultra-modern pant-suit is more your style? For the upcoming year, you’ll always have the option for both! Photo Credit: Alexa Poppe Photography Let the newly-wed buzz linger with a series of occasions to celebrate; share those I do’s in secret with our small wedding packages and opt for a large reception when the time is right, or explore your exclusive-hire venue in its entirety, and book a wine tasting of our Knightor Collection to embrace your loved ones the day prior. No matter the style of your wedding, we have on-site accommodation options available, therefore go that extra mile and kickstart the party with a courtyard BBQ for guests staying the night, or choose one of our humble Sunday Lunches for the day after. As with all things 2024, your events and celebrations are there to reflect your personality as a couple, and what you both wish to be a part of. Photo Credit: Lee Allen 3. Film Photography, Candid Imagery, Content Creators As we move toward preserving authentic moments and feelings, over the previous strive for polished and perfect, hiring a film photographer, or implementing your own point-and-shoot film cameras for guests to use, captures a candid that cannot be topped, and will be a leading wedding trend for 2024. Whether opting for a DJ or live music, sparklers and s’mores or a cake cutting spectacle, capturing the raw and messy moments of everything is to relish in the real, from a different perspective and embracing spontaneity in a landscape of professional imagery. Wedding film photography evokes feelings of nostalgia that drive the overarching trend of sentimentality this year, whilst offering a humble, alternative aesthetic: a firm favourite for the modern bride. Photo credit: Arianna Fenton With our on-site accommodation for the mornings of, and some very fragile-feeling mornings after, Knightor offers a complete set up for choosing to go on step further with the rise of candid imagery: the Wedding Content Creator. The new year will observe many more couples opting for an additional creator to solely capture behind-the-scenes style content, and all the little moments you may miss, and that slip beneath the radar for professional photography. Created with more lead for social presence, the popularity of this option for couples is already rising rapidly amongst those taken to documenting online. Photo credit: Mollie Ausland Photography 4. Something Borrowed At a time where cost are on the rise, wedding planning can be made all the more daunting and budgeting seemingly a huge feat. However, the need to save throughout the process has resulted in a considerable boom of creativity to navigate those vision boards in spite of a budget, observing often more quirky use of locations, personal entertainment from family or friends, more intimate ceremonies, and the preference for smaller, local suppliers. The Cornish wedding landscape surrounding Knightor is rife with wonderful local suppliers, offering everything from partial décor hire to the full works, and all the groomsmen suit rentals you could need in between. Photo credit: Alexa Poppe In direct response to the fall of extravagant, glossy weddings, the industry as a whole has turned its main focus toward sustainability efforts, and the new year will lead couples into embracing a slower pace of life, appreciating the beauty surrounding us, be that in nature or each other. A leading element of the sustainable wedding trend is rooted in the beauty of the sentimental, as the rise of brides wearing family heirlooms or their mother’s and grandmothers’ wedding dresses continues- a sustainably responsible decision, whilst the most heartfelt something borrowed you could wish for. For all those brides seeking for second looks this next year, upcycling an existing dress is going to be a favourable avenue, alongside rental options, in order to minimise costs and potential waste. Photo credit: Mark Shaw Photography
Our Weddings Team are dedicated right from your very first meeting through to the big day, and can guide you through all their best recommendations and navigating the right ways forward to save you money, without compromising your visions. Time to start piecing together your dream wedding - It’s time to get planning! Get in contact with one of our outstanding Weddings Team today to make enquiries or book a viewing, by emailing [email protected]. |