Meet the Producers
Ian & Rebekah Sargeant
Laurel Vines, Yorkshire
Ian Sargent and his wife Ann started the vineyard in Spring 2011, with daughter Rebekah has been assisting in the vineyard since the start, but since 2018 she has taken on a formal role of sales manager as well as coordinating a lot of the harvest staff and all of the events and social media activity/event. Ian is also Chairman of WineGB Midlands & North, and Rebekah has been helping to raise the profile of this widespread region and its many vineyards and wines.
What’s it like working together?
Rebekah: Our family is built on a strong work ethic, which is part of the strong bond we have together. My dad’s drive to produce award winning quality wines is paired very well with my use of social media and new technology to promote the English wine industry from WinesGB M&N but also for our vineyard too. We are very lucky to be a family business that has seen such a huge growth in success, we both hope that this continues and that we continue to learn together. Hopefully on Father’s day my dad will be able to put his feet up for an hour or two and enjoy a well-deserved break.
What are you passing on to your children – was there anything you learnt from your father that you follow?
Ian: Hopefully a “can do attitude” coupled with a love of nature and the diversity of the English countryside. With Rebekah and her partner both working in the vineyard and winery it has always been important that lessons learned and knowledge gained is shared in order enhance and progress in all aspects of Laurel Vines.
What have you learnt from your Dad – how has he inspired you? What has he taught you?
Rebekah: My father provides me with a strong engineering background with a focus on problem solving, I know it’s a cliché but my father has always said “it’s not a problem it is just a solution waiting to be found” – this is something that I have applied to everything in my life so far.
Since starting the vineyard, my dad has taught me that you can never stop learning. The vineyard has meant that we spend quality time together, learning about the workings and running of the vineyard. I have enjoyed learning so much from him and I hope to continue this for many years to come. My dad has also taught me that even though the vineyard may not grow as we expect it to, something will always come of it. And to never give up hope because there is always knowledge to be gained from the trials and errors of running the vineyard. I am very lucky to be working with a man such as my dad because he has taught me never give up, look for the positives and never stop learning.
