Toasting the move from fail to fizz

IF YOU found the rainy summers of 2007 and 2008 somewhat depressing, spare a thought for wine-makers Kim and John Coulson of Penzance, writes WMN food editor Becky Sheaves. After investing their life savings in planting a vineyard, they saw not one but two seasons go by with not a grape in sight. Torrential rain wreaked havoc just when their carefully-nurtured vines were supposed to be setting fruit.

"We didn't have a harvest at all for two years. It was heartbreaking," says Kim, 41. It was all the more frustrating for the couple as their first year's wine-making in 2006 had won the Waitrose Trophy for the best still rosé wine.

"We were so excited to win such a prestigious award, then we just sat there in the summer of 2007 watching everything going horribly wrong." says Kim. "The next year, the same thing happened and we were looking financial disaster in the face."

The Coulsons have six children between them – Kim's children Emma, 19 and Ben, 17, John's children Josh, 20 and Daisy, 15, plus their own daughters Millie, nine, and Georgia three. So the prospect of living on no income at their new home, Polgoon Farm on the outskirts of Penzance, was, says Kim, "simply terrifying". The couple had previously run a fish merchant business in nearby Newlyn but had bought the farm as a base for their growing family's future.

"Looking back, it was probably a bigger gamble than we realised," admits Kim.

Fortunately, John, 47, had a brainwave which has literally turned the family's adversity into major triumph.

He came up with the simple but brilliant idea of using the farm's apples instead of grapes to create a range of alcoholic drinks. "We had already planted a 500-tree orchard at the farm," he explains.

"We were planning to make non-alcoholic apple juice. But then it occurred to me that we could put the apples through our wine-making process and see if it works."

And it certainly does. Kim and John now make cider on their farm using the sophisticated French methode champenoise. It's twice fermented, just like Champagne, to create a glamorously light and frothy tipple ideal for romantic dinners, parties or smart weddings.

"John's very good at seeing the bigger picture and thinking laterally – thank goodness!" says Kim with pride.

They've named their sparkling cider Polgoon Aval, from the Cornish word for apple. Then they experimented by adding raspberry juice at the second fermentation to create Aval Rosé, which is very like a pink champagne.

"Aval Rosé was just going to be a one-off line for Valentine's Day," says Kim. "But now it sells ten times as well as the Aval, which is fantastic."

And it's not hard to see why it's been such a hit. Aval Rosé is quite literally good times in a glass. It's a pretty pink colour with streams of tiny rising bubbles and a fragrance of raspberries. "People love it for celebrations," Kim says.

The Coulsons now have – at last – plenty to celebrate. Aval Rosé starred at the recent 2009 Taste of the West awards by winning a Gold award.

And the couple's latest creation – a pear cider called Polgoon Peren (that's Cornish for pear) – won a Silver.

Polgoon Peren was officially launched last week at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's restaurant in Axminster. It's delicate, fruity and not too sweet, with a beautiful scent of fresh pears. "Hugh has been so supportive. He really believes in our products," says Kim.

Polgoon sparkling ciders are now in many restaurants and stores across the South West and Kim has persuaded several major buyers out of the region to stock their produce.

"When things were looking at their worst financially, I knew I simply had to get us some more big orders sharpish... or else," she says.

"I was incredibly nervous as the thought of selling to major London stores was daunting. But our backs were against the wall. I just had to grit my teeth and get on with it."

So Kim rang several buyers for major stores in London and told them she would "just happen" to be in town that week. They agreed to fit her in. Sick with nerves, she caught the 5am train from Penzance with a basket of bottles in hand. She went round all of the stores in a day, not getting home until 2am the next morning. "I was shattered but on a complete high," she remembers.

For, remarkably, Fortnum & Mason had ordered 30 cases on the spot, as had Whole Foods of Kensington and the chic Notting Hill deli Fresh & Wild.

Now, the 22 acres of south-facing farmland at Polgoon are awaiting 2009's harvest. And as well as the array of ripe apples in their orchard, there is – at last – good news.

"We've finally got a reasonable grape harvest as well," says John. "Although it was a rainy summer, it was much better than the previous two. We've got some really healthy-looking grapes. The late summer sunshine of the past few weeks has been a real bonus too in terms of boosting the sugar content of the harvest.

"We should be able to make about 10,000 bottles this year, which is really exciting. We just need to make it as good a wine as possible. It would be wonderful to win the national trophy again."

Some of the new season of Polgoon Rosé wine will be ready for Christmas, with the rest available by the spring.

"It's a huge relief," says Kim. "When we bought the farm in 2001 we risked everything. It's great to see it paying off at last."

Go to www.polgoon.co.uk