BURGUNDY, Provence, the Hanleys. While this may not regularly appear next to the great wine-growing regions of France, Australia or South Africa, residents in the picturesque Worcestershire villages of Hanley Swan and Hanley Castle are raising a glass to what they hope will be a corking new bubbly.

The Hanleys’ Wine Co- Operative hopes to harvest its first batch of white wine next year after planting vines around the village.

“It all started about twoand- a-half years ago,” said Russell Farraday, one of those who came up with the idea. “I was listening to the radio and they mentioned a Tooting wine company.

“It mentioned the community getting together and growing enough vines in the area to get enough wine to sell on a commercial basis.

“I thought that if that was something being done in London it could be done here as well.”

He approached members of the Hanleys Garden Club for volunteers and received enough interest to distribute 150 vines of two varieties – one for volume, the other for taste – which were planted in gardens, allotments and in the grounds of nearby AALPS College (Adolescent to Adult Life Preparation Service).

“We’re into our second year now and we are hoping we might get some grapes which we can harvest soon,” added Mr Farraday.

“I don’t think it [the wine] will be this year but hopefully next.

“We are all novices when it comes to this but hopefully we’ll have gone from having zero knowledge to being competent.”

He said he hopes each of the 70-plus co-operative members should be able to have a bottle of wine each once the grapes had been harvested.