Page 8 - Oundle Life August 2021

Extraordinary people...
STEPHEN
LONG
delicious Blue Aurora Wines
The Long family have been farming at Lutton since 1960, but as with so many farmers, they have had to diversify to survive. Here Stephen Long explains how he made the transition from arable to soft fruit to blueberry wine...
When did you establish your business?
The farm was originally livestock and arable with a small three hectares pick your own fruit farm. In 1991, we converted the farm into a commercial soft fruit farm, growing strawberries, raspberries and blackberries and started supplying the UK’s premium supermarkets. It wasn’t until 2006, following a trip to Poland, where I was inspired to start growing blueberries. Now the farm spans 70 hectares, with 45 hectares being dedicated to growing blueberries under polytunnels.
In 2018, blueberry production increased to picking over 500 tonnes in a year, which through the grading process then typically
produces between 15-20% ‘waste’. The waste is often fruit that is either slightly too small or too soft for the supermarkets, but otherwise it is still great quality, great tasting fruit! This is where the idea to diversify and take the bold leap into the wine world came from.
In 2018 we sent our first batch of blueberries to a winery to begin the experimentation phase of the project. Working with experts in the wine field and lots of trial and error, the first bottles of Blue Aurora, English blueberry wine and blueberry ice wine were successfully bottled seven months later.
Favourite product on sale today? My favourite of our wines has to be the Blue
Aurora Ice wine. It is such a unique product and completely different to anything else on the market. It has such smooth intense flavour and a remarkable acidity which lifts the sweet finish.
What is the best thing about your job?
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