Meet the people behind the wines

EDUCATION Studying wine

Max Campbell BA International Wine Business

Being a third-year student in the middle of a pandemic has certainly been an interesting experience. Coming back into college for these last few months has really made me realise the hurdles that my teachers have had to fi gure out.

From spending most of the academic year learning through virtual lessons and having to plan things such as a research project amongst other things, the only thing I can say to those in charge of my course is – thank you. There has been support whenever I have needed, and the lessons have been tweaked and adjusted to help keep us engaged and learning. However, I am glad to be back in college, tasting, experiencing, and learning everything that Plumpton has to off er, I am honestly glad that Plumpton is where I chose to study.

As for content in the third year – it’s such a great year. We get given fantastic modules aimed at getting us ready for the real-life wine business. We get to undertake research into a fi eld that we want to discover. There is product design and innovation for those wanting to create and market their own ideas. And we delve into topics that I didn’t even know existed a year ago such as Wine & Philosophy, Luxury Wine Marketing and everything to do with ‘Fine Wine’. I think I can comfortably say, content wise it is the most engaging and practical year of study for me - and I think I’ll feel ready to start working as soon as graduation comes. Kirsten Willis BSc Viticulture and Oenology

Starting a degree at any point in a person’s life can be daunting, but this year we had the added knowledge that we would be trying to negotiate the pandemic and the ever-changing restrictions. Online learning has been benefi cial in certain ways, having lectures recorded that I can go back and refer to has been a real bonus. It seems that we have covered so much already, from chemistry, to environmental factors aff ecting decisions on vineyard sites, and currently working through high-level winemaking practices. Although we have missed out on the natural camaraderie within a lecture hall, I think that this year has created a great sense of ‘team’ amongst the fi rst-year students. We all know that it has been a year far from normal, and it seems that everyone is there to off er some help whenever someone needs it. Our days out in the vineyard with our lecturer, Tom, are great. I think the combination of learning something new and being outside working together creates a bit of a buzz. And as time goes by, I think it is clear that every one of my fellow students has a real passion and a certain level of ‘wine geek’. Just from the people I have met so far at Plumpton, I think that there is huge potential for what they will add to the UK wine industry in the future. Edmund Cole BA International Wine Business

The third year of the degree has been rather abnormal as lectures have been transitioned online and the interaction with the overall cohort has been missed. Virtual learning has been an obstacle that all lecturers have overcome and they have been able to deliver a similar standard of teaching to the experience in class. In our fi nal year, there is the need for additional support as students are under pressure from their self-led projects, and lecturers have been exceptional in fulfi lling these needs. Personally, I would say that the virtual learning has not aff ected me as much as I thought it might have done. Accessibility to the library resources could have been a problem, however, with the use of modern digital platforms similar levels of interaction have been replicated online, and this has maintained high engagement from all students. Returning to class has relieved us from the persistent working through a screen.

The fi nal year is a lot more theory focused, which has facilitated the transition between in class to virtual sessions. The regional analysis modules of Alsace and Mendoza have provided an additional layer to our wine knowledge and have been critical in improving our analytical skills of data sets. We have been fortunate that the practical tasting sessions were able to be rescheduled - as the tasting experiences are always very interesting and transform the theory into a sense of reality. The product innovation module has been one of my favourite modules as it has allowed a greater level of creative thinking, and an opportunity to explore diff erent aspects of the overall drinks industry. The understanding of the current trends in the industry has also been crucial in the design of the innovative product. > Edmund Cole

> Kirsten Willis

> Max Campbell

CAREERS PROFILE Meet the people behind the wines

Richard Lewis must have one of the best jobs Richard Lewis, Head of Viti cul t u r e , C hap e l Down in the world. He works in the beautiful, ancient and diverse landscape of the Kent North Downs, and has the privilege of contributing to the legacy of the farmland and local communities. Richard’s role is a busy one but leaves just enough time for his other passion rugby.

What does your job involve?

As Head of Viticulture at Chapel Down I oversee operations at our 10 vineyards across Kent, covering 230 hectares. It is everything to do with producing the grapes, assessing land, designing new vineyards and organising the harvest. I have a great team who work incredibly hard, along with some fantastic suppliers.

What do you love about your job?

It’s hugely satisfying to create new vineyards, watch them establish and come into production. I love being involved in the creation of something that is associated with celebration and conviviality, and something so many people derive a lot of pleasure from. One of the biggest challenges I have is balancing my time between the office and the vineyards – I have to be strict with myself and shut the laptop and get out into the vineyards!

Why the change of career?

I was 38 years old when I joined Chapel Down in 2009. I trained initially as a quantity surveyor and site engineer and worked on the EuroDisney project in Paris, plus various management roles with luxury property developers. During the credit crunch things weren’t so rosy for property, but the English wine scene was starting to gain momentum – and I wanted to get involved. I had developed a fascination for wine during many family holidays to the south of France and a working holiday to Australia and New Zealand in 1994. When I started my wine studies at Plumpton College, I also started working part-time at Chapel Down and found working alongside studying hugely beneficial. I completed the final year of the degree part-time as I had become the vineyard manager at Chapel Down by then and graduated with a degree in Viticulture & Oenology in 2013 – I haven’t looked back since. alongside like-minded passionate people. Much credit must go to Chris Foss who has led the group and been instrumental in getting it to where it is today.

Do winemakers get all the glory?

It used to appear that way. Now there is a massive shift towards provenance, sustainability and buying local. People are seeing a far stronger connection between the final product and the origins of the ingredients. With wine there is an inescapable connection between the product and the vineyard. The winemakers at Chapel Down are the first to acknowledge that the quality of the grapes has a fundamental impact on the quality of the wine. I think those who grow the grapes are getting more recognition for the part they play in the final product - and rightly so.

Favourite wine?

There are so many fantastic wines out there and it seems that every time I try a new English or Welsh wine, I have a new favourite.

Any free time?

Four children, a dog, two chickens and a large veg plot in the garden keep me busy. I am from a rugby-mad Welsh family. My uncle played for Llanelli (now Scarlets) and my father played at London Welsh alongside Welsh internationals and British Lions players – so I had no choice but to love the game. I don’t play myself anymore, but I have been coaching boy’s and girl’s youth rugby for the last 15 years which has been an incredibly rewarding experience.

Future of English and Welsh wine?

We now produce some absolutely stonking wines and have some real trailblazers working in our industry. The pace of change has been breathless and the amount of investment we have seen in new vineyards and wineries has been staggering. We have all seen the shift towards buying local produce over the last few years, so I can only see the demand for English wines growing. However, we are becoming more health conscious and there is a new generation to appeal to, so we are likely to see a move towards ‘buy less, buy better’ – but with the high quality of English wine it is well placed to fill this position.

The importance of sustainability

Sustainability is an important part of all our lives, so I am really pleased to see how well the WineGB Sustainability Scheme has gone. I have been on the working group from the start, and it has been a wonderful experience working

GRAPE GROWING To dip or not to dip?

Planting season is approaching and getting young vines off to a good start is important for a future healthy and productive vineyard. The benefits of good mycorrhizal fungi associations with vine roots to support nutrient and water uptake are well known. Vineyard asks if inoculating with a root dip at planting helps early growth.

Viticulturists are increasingly aware of the importance of soil management to ensure healthy, active and diverse populations of soil microorganisms for the vigour and productivity of the vine. Research continues to reveal more about this unseen world. Martin Lukac, Professor of Ecosystem Science at Reading University explains: “It is possible to sequence the DNA of the entire soil microorganism population, and this shows that there are millions of species – the fact is that soil life is very complex.”

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

While plenty of soil bacteria and fungi play important roles in vineyard health and productivity, the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are unique as they offer such a broad range of benefits. “These include nutrient uptake, especially phosphorous which is typically less available in the soil, moisture uptake, better tolerance of pathogens, as well as improved soil structure and aggregate stability. This is because the AMF essentially increases the soil volume that can be explored by the vine’s roots,” explained Professor Lukac. The larger roots serve to anchor the vines, but it is the fine ‘feeder’ mycorrhizal hyphae that uptake most of the nutrients. The roots and fungi have a symbiotic or trading relationship, the fungi supply water and nutrients and receive sugars from the vines in return. “The fungus establishes a structure, known as an arbuscule within the vine root which is responsible for the exchange, and this is linked to an extensive network of hyphae outside of the root for taking up nutrients and water,” Professor Lukac added.

Root dip or leave it to nature?

There are commercial products available that provide mycorrhizal fungi in solution for dipping the plant roots prior to planting, with the aim of providing an inoculation that will encourage colonisation of the vine roots. There is a cost involved with purchasing the product and the labour to carry out the dipping – but if mycorrhizal fungi are naturally present in the soil, are dips necessary and do they encourage a quicker establishment of a colony?

According to Professor Martin Lukac the decision to use a dip depends on the status of the soil. “If planting into healthy soil with established mycorrhizae

> Young vines ready for planting

©Ian Pack

species, it will probably make no difference. However, to use an extreme example, if planting into sand with practically no life, then the dip could make a huge difference. If the field to be planted has been permanent pasture and undisturbed for a while, then there should be lots of mycorrhizae species, but populations will be low if the land has been in arable production and the soil worked regularly. So, if the soil has been degraded by previous land use, then a mycorrhizal dip could make a difference.”

Duncan McNeill, Viticulture Consultant from McNeill Vineyard Management, looks after 15 vineyards in the East Anglia region as well as his own vineyard. “I used to always dip vines on the day of planting, even though it was such a horrible job and made such a mess. However, a while ago I started leaving some vines untreated after learning about the trials carried out by our vine supplier Volker Freytag at Freytag Nursery in Germany, and I have not seen any difference in vine establishment or longer-term production.

“In the trials carried out by Freytag it was found that, in many situations, the inoculated mycorrhizal fungi did not survive at the newly planted vine’s root depth. This is probably why I have not seen any difference in the treated verses untreated vines in the vineyards – so for this reason I have stopped dipping vines at planting.

“Mycorrhizal fungi are a vital part of the rhizosphere and incredibly important for the vine, so soil management must focus on creating a suitable environment for it to thrive. This includes increasing the organic matter and considering the rooting depth of the cover crop plants. Just dipping roots at planting does not mean that a mycorrhizal colony can establish.”

Paul Woodrow-Hill, Viticultural Consultant and owner of Vine Care UK stated that he discusses the matter with his clients before using a root dip. “I think the general consensus is that if planting into a field that had been arable and farmed intensively then yes, I recommend using a dip, but if the land is healthy and undisturbed then no. I do think that vineyard managers are under pressure to do everything possible to minimise risk to poor establishment, so they may be worried about the consequences if they don’t use a dip.

“At one vineyard where I worked, I did a bit of a field trial leaving a section of a vineyard untreated, whilst the rest had a root dip. I actually saw that the untreated vines did better than the treated. I assume that the fungi were taking the nutrients for their own growth.”

Will Mower, Vineyard Establishment Manager at Vine Works Ltd, does not generally use a root dip. “It is important to purchase good quality planting material. The nurseries we use treat the vines after grafting with mycorrhizal fungi before they are then field-grown. During this time they should establish an association with the mycorrhizal fungi. The vines are then selected and checked for quality, including the graft unions, before being transported to us. For this reason, we should not need to do a dip with a mycorrhizal fungi solution at planting.”

Stephen Skelton MW, Viticultural Consultant added: “In my view it is probably not worth using a root dip, but it does depend on the state of the soil and what has been grown beforehand. In fact, most of the good nurseries will have pre-populated the planting material with mycorrhizal fungi. Vine death is usually due to a graft failure, so the nursery should be ensuring a good graft union.”

Top tips for establishment

Establishing a vineyard involves much business planning, logistics planning – and substantial finance – so it makes sense to ensure that the best growing environment is carefully created, both pre-planting and post-planting, to get the vines off to a good start for a healthy and productive future vineyard.

For successful establishment Duncan McNeill suggests deep soil preparation. “This will ensure that the roots are not meeting any resistance from compacted soil. This is the only time that I am in favour of deep soil cultivation, as it disturbs the soil micro-organisms including the mycorrhizal networks, which then have to be re-established. But initial root growth is critical as this increases leaf area. Increased leaf area and photosynthesis means increased root exudates, which are substances secreted by the roots into the rhizosphere that > Mycorrhizae inside a tree root ©Mark Tibbett, Reading

feed the soil microorganisms.

“After planting it's best to avoid disturbing the soil as much as possible to preserve the microorganisms and keep the fungal hyphae networks intact. I have a new direct drill arriving soon for planting cover crops, which are of course beneficial to soil health, and this will avoid cultivation and soil disturbance.

Will Mower’s top tip for establishment is also good soil preparation. “The addition of organic matter, the correction of any nutrient deficiencies, and planting a cover crop beforehand if necessary, to improve the soil – even if it means delaying a year. I recommend using a reputable nursery, such as Freytag or Tourette. For the post-planting period weed control is vital. In my experience, it doesn’t matter if the vines are machine planted or hand planted, good soil preparation is the key.”

Stephen Skelton agrees that post-planting weed control is key to good establishment. “These small plants really do not want the competition.” Many vineyards use the tube-style rabbit guards, but Stephen prefers rabbit fencing. “I think the tubes create a warm moist environment and promote long internode lengths and weaker ‘hot-housed’ plants,” he said.

According to Martin Lukac there is little evidence on the persistence of the mycorrhizae species in the root dips. “It is likely that any population introduced could be out competed by species already in the soil. However, adding a dip is not going to do any harm – it may, or may not be beneficial depending on the circumstances.

“It is worth understanding that fungi perform better if the soil is slightly acidic – it’s a simplification, but fungi tend to perform better in acidic soils, whereas the more alkaline soils favour bacteria. Also, a good healthy soil mycorrhizal fungi population is good for locking up and protecting the plant against heavy metals such as copper.”