A selection of Kemp’s wines, including the appropriately named “Swansong”
After 26 years in the wine business, John Kemp retired at the end of last year. An extremely talented winemaker in Suffolk, he cites age (72 but looks considerably younger), a desire to do the things he wants for the rest of his life, like kayaking (!) and the rising cost of petrol affecting transportation costs as reasons for stopping. Previous owner of Giffords Hall, in Hartest near Bury St Edmunds, he decided to set up a small winery nearby in three acres of land, approximately nine years ago. Keeping his operation small, he decided to sell wine at country shows and through mail order only. John retires at a time when English wine is receiving an increasing number of accolades and the future is definitely wine-coloured, if not orange.
