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It all began as a community project amongst friends. When David and Gail Leeder bought their home, Eden, at Ebford, Geoff Bowen initiated a community project where part of the Leeder’s adjacent 8-acre field was planted as a vineyard by 11 local families. Today the Eden Community Vineyard continues to thrive and prosper, with some 20 local families tending the vines throughout the year, harvesting the grapes, and reaping the benefits in wine and social experience.
From these beginnings, Geoff quickly realised his passion for viticulture and in 2002 planted the Ebford main field, about 3 acres, as the start of the commercial Pebblebed vineyard. He has subsequently expanded with further plantings in Ebford in 2005 and in West Hill in 2005 and 2006 and in 2007 he planted a new 8 acre vineyard near Clyst St George. The wines are expertly produced for Geoff by award-winning winemaker Juliet White at Exe Valley Wines' state-of-the-art winery on Juliet and Roger White's own Yearlstone wine estate. Juliet trained as a winemaker at the world renowned Plumpton College in Sussex.
Geoff is married to Anna and has two young children, Martha and Jessie. They live in Topsham, close to the Pebblebed Wine Cellar. Geoff is a hydrogeologist (the study of rocks and groundwater) by training and with others built up a successful environmental consultancy, Marcus Hodges Environment. He sold the business in 2004 to concentrate on Pebblebed Vineyards, although he continues to practice as a consultant. Geoff is an active Trustee with Devon Wildlife Trust and a Director of the Environmental Best Practice charity Devon Environmental Business Initiative.  Geoff Bowen |
