A VINEYARD has thanked customers by recognising unsung heroes during the coronavirus pandemic.

Crouch Ridge Vineyard, in Althorne, celebrated East Anglian Wine Night on Friday to thank wine buffs for drinking local tipples during lockdown.

As a way of saying thank you, they asked customers to nominate unsung heroes, who have gone above and beyond the call of duty throughout the pandemic but not had the recognition they deserve.

Samantha Lonergan, of Crouch Ridge Vineyard, said: “We all know someone who has gone the extra mile and we wanted to thank them by giving them a bottle of wine from the Crouch Ridge Estate to enjoy.

“The vineyard posted on social media platforms an invitation to customers to discover who, in their eyes, was an unsung local hero and who deserves a bottle of Crouch Ridge wine which would then be delivered locally.

“From the names posted on social media, Katy Bettany, a doctor working at Broomfield Hospital in the urgent treatment centre, was drawn from an ice bucket and our unsung hero from the Crouch Valley region was given a bottle of Pinot rosé wine to say thank you – local wine for a local hero.”

Crouch Ridge is one of many vineyards which have seen a drop in sales and has moved more of its operations online as a result.

Samantha said: “Right across the region, as sales from the on-trade have collapsed and as the hospitality industry is put on hold, vineyards have been going online for consumers who are wanting to support their local vineyards and this is one way of saying thank you to them.

“The coronavirus crisis has made consumers think about where their food and drink is from, as the growing trend to buy local has accelerated since the pandemic escalated in March. Most wine producers in East Anglia have seen an increase in sales from local consumers, as customers value their local vineyards being able to deliver to their doorstep.”