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NEWS 8
www.vineyardmagazine.co.uk VINEYARD Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL 01959 541444 EDITORIAL Editor: Christian Davis DipWSET vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk GRAPHIC DESIGN Jo Legg Flair Creative Design jo.legg@flair-design.co.uk
10 Limited-edition bottle for the Queen’s jubilee
14
MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Steve Wright CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: Phil Weeden MANAGING DIRECTOR: Kevin McCormick PUBLISHER: Jamie McGrorty RETAIL DIRECTOR: Steve Brown RENEWALS AND PROJECTS MANAGER: Andy Cotton SENIOR SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Nick McIntosh SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING DIRECTOR: Gill Lambert SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER: Kate Chamberlain SENIOR PRINT PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER: Georgina Harris PRINT PRODUCTION CONTROLLER: Kelly Orriss DISTRIBUTION Distribution in Great Britain: Marketforce (UK) 3rd Floor, 161 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9AP Tel: 0330 390 6555
22 In conversation...
Miles Beale is the chief executive of the drinks industry’s chief lobbying organisation, The Wine & Spirit Trade Association.
24 Matthew Jukes
What differentiates our elite still and sparkling rosé wines from others?
46 A viticulturist's diary
In the third of his series of a ‘A Day in the life of a Viticulturist' series, Sam Doncaster at Rebschule Freytag, in the Pfalz region discusses vineyard establishment
48
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The agronomy diary
Four steps to flowering success.
51 The vine post
Summer jobs to keep your vineyard tidy.
58 Cleaning and sanitising 60 Representing you Stellar line-up of judges.
62 Machinery
Massey Ferguson launches new 3 Series Speciality tractors.
PRINTING Precision Colour Print Kelsey Media 2022 © all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published. Where photographs are included, which are not the property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them must have been obtained from the owner of the copyright. The editor cannot guarantee a personal response to all letters and emails received. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Publisher. Kelsey Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for products and services offered by third parties.
Telmont tests the lightest Champagne bottle
REGULARS
ADVERTISEMENT SALES Jamie McGrorty 01303 233883 jamie.mcgrorty@kelsey.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHER Martin Apps www.countrywidephotographic.co.uk
WSTA appoints new Chair and Deputy Chair
Features 34 Pallet option stacks up
Inka’s pallet boxes transform Ridgeview’s harvesting efficiency.
Front cover image: Ridgeview © Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic
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CONTENTS Features Meet the buyer
26
Virgin Wines is one of the UK’s largest directto-consumer online wine retailers. Vineyard talks to wine buyer Sophie Lord.
World class English fizz
28
Ridgeview began as a dream to create worldclass sparkling wine on the foothills of the South Downs in Sussex.
Defining style and adding value
36
Defined Wine Ltd is a contract-only winery. It does not have any vineyards or brands. Everything it does is about adding value to their client's brands.
Canopy management
52
With rising labour costs, and labour shortages, many producers are looking to machines. Jo Cowderoy speaks to some of the experts to find out the advantages and challenges of mechanisation.
n Davis
Ch
ri
a st i
Tractor porn
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TRURO
From the editor
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Reading the latest parliamentary scandal made me smile. We have had ‘partygate’, Angela Rayner’s ‘Basic Instinct’ legs and then Conservative Devonian MP, Neil Parish, allegedly, accidentally watching porn in the Commons chamber when he was actually trying to look at tractors! Well, I suppose such things can happen. Well, truthful or not, accidental or not – the notion has become ‘tractor porn’. Well, you have to smile, if not laugh. In defence, the indefatigable Jeremy Clarkson famous for: Top Gear, biffing a producer and chronicling his attempts, exploits, as a farmer, even tweeted in defence of Parish, “I spent all day looking at tractors.” All these stories, Tory gaffs and tell-tales, are an absolute gift to tabloid journalists – and to many MPs – as long as it doesn’t involve them. Journalists and politicians have a symbiotic, parasitic relationship. Each serves and feeds off the other. With all that is happening in the world these days, democracy is undoubtedly under threat. From one extreme, such as Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, to the other, Vladimir Putin, you do wonder about the fate of democracy. Like communism, it is a great idea. The trouble is: It does involve people. As George Orwell said in his famous satirical allegorical novella, Animal Farm – to paraphrase: All animals (people) are equal. But some are more equal than others… Never a truer group of words written. Certainly, we in the west are complacent, taking democracy for granted. It isn’t necessarily a given. Certainly not any more. And ha! We have at least three wineries from Poland looking to enter the UK market (see News). There’s nothing like competition to focus the mind! What next? Denmark, Sweden… Finland! Anyway whichever way you view the story, publicity for our friends and colleagues selling tractors has to be good news in raising awareness. But be warned: There is an article on tractors on page 62 No names, no drill – of any kind…
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NEWS
WSTA appoints new Chair and Deputy Chair The Wine and Spirit Trade Association board of directors has announced a new chair, Mark Riley of Edrington UK, who will be supported by Pierpaolo Petrassi MW from Waitrose, in what is a new position as deputy chair.
> Mark Riley
8
> Pierpaolo Petrassi MW
The pair, who have 64 years’ experience in the drinks trade between them – follow Michael Saunders, CEO of Bibendum Wines’, threeyear term as chair and 10 years on the board. Saunders was also chair of the Drinks Trust trade charity. Mark Riley has worked in the premium spirits industry for 25 years and as managing director at Edrington UK he has led the business through significant growth and accelerated change. Prior to joining Edrington UK he held various senior sales and customer marketing roles within Beam Inc and Diageo. With almost 40 years’ experience in the wine and spirit sector, Pierpaolo Petrassi MW – currently head of trading at Waitrose – became master of wine in 2007 and has been consistently placed top five in trade magazine polls for most influential people in wine. He previously held roles in Carnevale Group, International Wine Services, Waverley TBS (2003-2007) and Tesco. The association says the new chair and deputy chair will continue Michael Saunders’ recruitment drive to ensure that the WSTA has the most diverse membership providing a strong, united voice within the trade. They will look to encourage more spirit businesses, wholesalers and independents into the fold. As well as keeping a close eye on the traditional categories the new team will also encourage more work in the low/no sector, mixing of categories and into efforts to help guide the sector down the environmental path to Net Zero, says the WSTA announcement. The board is said to be aware that more work needs to be done to encourage better diversity within the sector and the WSTA hopes to seek out more ‘future’ leaders and board non-principal candidates. Mark Riley and Pierpaolo Petrassi have made clear their support for the WSTA’s continued push for more support from the UK government, including that wine and spirits receive fairer treatment from the Treasury. The WSTA is there to help members through every labelling, regulatory, importing, exporting or market query as well as ensuring the voice of the industry continues to be heard within Whitehall and Westminster, as well as in the trade and national media. Mark Riley said: “I am honoured to become chairman of the WSTA, following in the footsteps of Michael, who – along with Miles as
CEO – has expertly led the organisation and its members through some testing periods. “It is clear the industry faces significant challenges, and my primary focus will be to ensure that the WSTA meets these head on, as it always has done, capably guiding both its members and the government through an ever-changing trading landscape. It is vital the industry continues to speak with one voice, and we embrace changes that need to be made in areas such as sustainability, diversity and inclusion. “I am excited about what lies ahead, working with Pierpaolo, Miles and the incredible team at the WSTA to push forward our agenda and create the best trading environment for our industry.” Pierpaolo Petrassi said: “I am delighted to take on the new role as deputy chair supporting Mark as he takes the helm. These have been some of the most tumultuous times in our industry, but with challenge comes innovation, fresh ideas and progress and I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for the coming months." WSTA chief executive, Miles Beale, said: “We warmly welcome Mark as chair and Pierpaolo as deputy chair, providing us with leadership from two titans of the wine and spirit trade. We are incredibly lucky to have such experienced people at the WSTA helm giving the WSTA more access and insight across the industry at a time when we need it most. The combination of producer and retailer, spirits and wine, brings to the board the perfect cocktail of credentials which we need to help the trade recover, rebuild and robustly take on the challenges ahead. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Michael Saunders for being an extremely dedicated chair, whose combination of sound advice, direction and dogged determination to boost recruitment has meant the WSTA has been encouraged to grow and move into new ventures. “We know that, like Michael, Mark and Pierpaolo have a great passion for the products which we represent and their vast experience will be a huge asset to the WSTA membership. Everyone at the WSTA looks forward to working with them during this new chapter for the world of the wine and spirit industry.” See In Conversation on page 22 with WSTA chief executive, Miles Beale
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NEWS
Limited-edition bottle for the Queen’s jubilee Nyetimber, has launch of a limited-edition bottle of Classic Cuveé MV, created especially for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The recognisable Nyetimber bottle has been dressed in an iridescent oyster coloured sleeve. The sleeve is decorated with threads of golden bubbles and a Union Jack, sitting behind the brand shield label. A Jubilee ribbon has been placed above the shield, topped with a custom-designed crown, inspired by the entwined vines of the Nyetimber vineyards. There are seven crowns on the bottle in total, each representing a decade of the Queen’s time on the throne. This Jubilee bottle will be used exclusively for Nyetimber’s flagship wine, Classic Cuveé MV. The
signature wine is a classic blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. Classic Cuvee MV has a palate of honey, almond, pastry and baked apples, lending a hint of decadence. It is the discerning choice for a Jubilee celebration this year. CEO and owner of Nyetimber, Eric Heerema said: “I’m delighted to be launching such a beautiful bottle to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. This unique bottle will make a perfectly British addition to celebrations over the Jubilee weekend, and I look forward to joining you in raising a glass to Her Majesty The Queen.” Nyetimber’s Queen’s Jubilee Limited-Edition Classic Cuveé Multi Vintage is available from Nyetimber with a RRP of £37.50.
Polish wineries look to enter UK market
10
Three Polish wineries are attending the London Wine Fair this month (June) with a view to entering the UK market. The Institute for Eastern Studies in Warsaw, Poland, the organiser of the Economic Forum in Karpacz and patron of the Economic Accelerator Programme said: “Within the frames of the Economic Accelerator Programme dedicated to the Lower Silesia Region (Dolnośląskie Innovation Rocket), the aim of which is to boost Polish startups and help in their internationalisation, together with three Polish wineries. Photo: ©Chris Mansfield The Institute stated: “Besides the participation in fairs, we are supposed to organise an economic mission in London, to help our wineries enter the British market. The economic mission should be understood as meetings with organisations that might provide some insights on entering the market.” The Economic Accelerator is a programme run by the Foundation Institute for Eastern Studies. Its mission is to create a platform for dialogue for representatives of large businesses, experts, and government administration with small and medium-sized companies and startups. The accelerator programme is said to entail
projects, conferences, competitions and publications intending to develop, promote and internationalise Polish small and medium-sized companies and start-ups. Activities and projects undertaken within the Economic Accelerator have contributed to the establishment of partnerships and cooperation in the field of innovation and new technologies, as well
as helped many young companies to obtain funding and mentoring. Thirty-six small and medium-sized enterprises participate in the current Dolnośląskie Innovation Rocket project. Their domains represent areas within three out of the seven smart specialisations of the Lower Silesia region.
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To discuss your project in more detail email enquiries@kenward.co.uk or call 01403 210218
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11 J U N E 2 0 2 2 | V I N E YA R D
NEWS
WSET hosts first hybrid graduation The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) staged its annual Graduation & Awards Ceremony at the Guildhall in the City of London on 11 April 2022. Having held a virtual ceremony in 2021, this year WSET returned to the Guildhall with a hybrid event. It was WSET’s most inclusive graduation ceremony to date with 70% of the year’s graduates from around the globe attending either virtually or in person. 665 new WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wine graduates were honoured at the ceremony – the highest number of annual graduates ever, bringing the total number of WSET Diploma graduates globally to over 11,500. Graduates attended from 31 different course providers across 17 countries worldwide. The ceremony was hosted by WSET Chief Executive Ian Harris in his final week in the role. He was joined by Honorary President Paul Symington and Regional Directors Jude Mullins, Dave Rudman and Rachel Webster. Retiring WSET chief executive Ian Harris, said: “I am so pleased that, in my final year as WSET CEO, we are celebrating our largest ever number of WSET Diploma graduates. I am also happy that this was our most inclusive ceremony ever, giving graduates the opportunity to attend either in person or virtually. We had graduates taking part from every country where our WSET Diploma is taught.
I would like to personally congratulate all our scholarship and award winners who achieved outstanding results in their exams last year – they each have a powerful story to tell about their achievement. This year we updated our award structure to reflect the global nature of our student base. We have award winners from 13 countries and 31 course providers.
> Ian Harris
12 J U N E 2 0 2 2 | V I N E YA R D
As I prepare to leave WSET and hand over to Michelle Brampton, I am humbled by the ever-extending reach of WSET’s qualifications and their power to transform careers and lives.” Following the graduate procession, outstanding candidates for the 2020/21 academic year were presented with awards and scholarships in recognition of their achievements. The flagship award winners:
Vintners’ Cup
Jorge André Pais Vaz Nunes from Portugal is the winner of this year’s Vintners’ Cup. He achieved the highest overall mark globally across all units of the WSET Diploma in the 2020/21 academic year. Jorge completed his WSET Diploma at AWSEC Hong Kong and works for Symington Family Estates, Hong Kong as Asia Pacific Market Manager. Jorge said: “I feel incredibly honoured to receive this award. The WSET Diploma is not easy and, although I worked hard, I was not expecting to win such a prestigious prize. I feel deeply thankful to WSET, AWSEC Hong Kong, my study group, and to my wife who helped me with pre-dinner blind tastings.”
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This year regional scholarships were also awarded to the top performing WSET Diploma students in each of WSET’s key business regions: ◆ Napa Valley Asia Pacific Scholarship: Jiaying Deng who studied with ASC Fine Wines, China ◆ Decanter Americas Scholarship: Kristie Boschman who studied with Fine Vintage, Canada ◆ IWSC EMEA Scholarship: Iulia Scavo who studied with Esprits-de-Vins, France ◆ Vintners’ UK Scholarship: Natalie Pezzone who studied with WSET School London, UK
Outstanding Alumni Award
The WSET ‘Outstanding Alumni Award’, sponsored by JancisRobinson.com, celebrates and nurtures a WSET Diploma graduate who is making a notable contribution to the industry. The nominees are chosen by the WSET International Alumni Advisory Board and Diploma graduates across WSET’s global network vote for their winner. This year’s winner is Ferdinand Mayr from Austria. Ferdinand is a winemaker and lecturer at the Austrian Wine Academy. Ferdinand commented, “It is a very special honour and a surprise for a small winemaker like me to receive this award from WSET. This high-quality international education completely changed my life and led me to become a winemaker and a lecturer at the Austrian Wine Academy. To this day, education and training are an essential part of my winemaking life – especially when it comes to assessing wine quality and styles.”
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NEWS
Telmont tests the lightest Champagne bottle
14
Champagne Telmont announced the launch of a pioneering experiment to reduce the weight of its glass bottles, working in close collaboration with the French glassmaker Verallia. The goal is ultimately to decrease the current weight of 835g to an even lighter bottle, weighing 800g. The glass used for its bottles is one of the main sources of Champagne Telmont’s carbon emissions – around 20%. Therefore, shaving weight off its bottles could substantially reduce its carbon footprint: less glass means less CO2 in the melting and manufacturing of glass, and also less fuel for transport, both upstream and downstream. This means extra energy savings and environmental benefits. The appearance and shape of the bottle will change very little; the only real difference will be its weight. This modification requires an upstream test phase to guarantee bottle resistance during the champagne bottling process and transport. In fact, due to the specific characteristics of champagne, these bottles must withstand much higher pressure than others – about 6kg per square centimetre. The lighterweight bottles therefore need to be tested to withstand this pressure over time with 35g less glass weight. This test phase began at the Telmont estate, on a batch of 3,000 bottles during the tirage, or stage when the wine is bottled and a second fermentation takes place, specific to the champagne-making process. Over a six month period, a representative sample will be continuously monitored and analysed, and the results communicated on a regular basis. These lighter bottles will be approved for sale once they have successfully passed each step of the test, including ageing time in the cellar. If the outcome is conclusive, Telmont will market the first 800g bottles of ‘Telmont Réserve Brut’ (aged a minimum of three years) from 2025 – an initiative that could potentially benefit the Champagne region to help collectively reduce its carbon footprint. The house is said to be very enthusiastic about this experiment. In fact, it is the last in a series of initiatives taken by Champagne Telmont since June 2021 as part of its ‘In the Name of Mother Nature’ project which encompasses: eliminating all packaging and gift boxes based on the principle of “the bottle, and nothing but the bottle”; replacing all transparent bottles (made with 0% recycled glass) with classic
J U N E 2 0 2 2 | V I N E YA R D
green champagne bottles (made with 85% recycled glass); overhauling the logistics chain upstream and downstream to limit greenhouse gas emissions indirectly related to its business; selecting transporters according to their CSR score; using 100% green energy; continuing to enforce its zero-air transport policy for supply and distribution; and converting the estate to 100% organic viticulture by 2031. Telmont says it strongly believes that its wine will be good if the earth is true. Therefore, the House does everything it can to produce the highest quality champagne, while showing nature the utmost respect. Today, more than ever, Telmont stands with one foot in tradition and one foot in modernity, but both feet firmly planted in the terroir. “Telmont is a traditional House that embraces innovation, especially when it enables us to reduce our carbon footprint. We want to thank
our partner in this experiment, Verallia, who also share these values. I sincerely hope that what we are testing today, with this lighter 800g bottle, will be a step forward for the Champagne region,” said Ludovic du Plessis, president of Telmont House. “The Champagne bottle is a symbol. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t evolve, stepping up to meet today’s challenges. In line with our purpose “re-imagining glass for a sustainable future, we work closely with our clients, supporting their efforts to reduce environmental impact. Shaving weight off bottles is a strategic focus of this approach. Therefore, we are thrilled to partner up with Champagne Telmont a champagne House offering us a remarkable lifesize testing ground,” said Axel Guilloteau, Sales and Marketing Director at Verallia France. A selection of Telmont Champagne is retailing online at Bottles & Bottles and the Atelier.
NEWS
New Zealand Winegrowers launches 2022 Sustainability Report New Zealand Winegrowers have released their 2022 Sustainability Report, providing a snapshot of the New Zealand wine industry’s sustainability journey. The report measures and communicates the New Zealand wine industry’s commitment and progress across six key focus areas of sustainability: climate, water, waste, soil, plant protection, and people. Showcasing data collected from the 1840 vineyards and 310 wineries certified under the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) programme, the report highlights how sustainability differentiates the New Zealand wine industry on the world stage. “The New Zealand wine industry has rightfully earned its place as one of the most progressive wine producing nations in the world. With the data we have available from SWNZ, we have a unique opportunity to tell our wine sustainability story at a time when caring for people and place is so aligned to our customer’s values,” says Dr Edwin Massey, general manager of Sustainability at New Zealand Winegrowers.
“Over 96% of all vineyard area in New Zealand is now certified as sustainable through the SWNZ programme, with 10% of New Zealand wineries holding organic certification. It’s an achievement we can be proud of, but the real work is ensuring we not only sustain but elevate our position with an enduring commitment to continuous improvement.” The report was released just in time for Earth Day 2022 on Friday 22 April, the theme of which was Invest In Our Planet, with a focus on how the world takes action on climate. The industry goal of being carbon neutral by 2050 has the New Zealand wine industry firmly committed to a low emissions pathway, and exciting developments in vineyards and in wineries are already well underway. “It’s the positive individual actions of New Zealand wine businesses that add up to make a big impact across the wine industry, and that are helping to deliver lasting change.” “For our growers and wineries, sustainability means growing grapes and producing our worldfamous wines in such a way that we can do so
NEW ZEALA ND WINE GROW ERS SUSTA INABI LITY REPO RT 2022
for generations to come. Every little bit counts. It means consumers can trust that their bottle of New Zealand wine has been made with respect for our world and for our people.” Find the New Zealand Winegrowers Sustainability Report 2022 online: www.nzwine.com/sustainability-report
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t: 0115 939 0202 e: enquiries@agrovista.co.uk
@AgrovistaFruit @AgrovistaUK
dh.morris@hotmail.com | 07984 886282
04/22
The Winery, Whitelye Farm, Catbrook, Monmouthshire, NP16 6NJ
www.agrovista.co.uk
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LETTERS
Talk to us! @VineyardMagGB
paper-plane vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk
English and Welsh
ENVELOPE
Dear editor, I am recently elected as Chair of the Welsh Vineyards Association, a part of WineGB. I would like to compliment you on the excellence of Vineyard magazine – it really is well put-together and always includes a good deal of interesting, informative articles and very nice, clear layouts. As Chair of WVA, I also want to thank you for the care taken in mentioning Wales and Welsh where these are appropriate. It’s not always the case – in many places in print and online where the UK vineyards sector is being discussed, the word ‘English’ is used where ‘UK’, ’British’, ‘English and Welsh’ would be more appropriate
and complete. Obviously, ‘English’ is sometimes the correct term, depending on context (e.g. ‘Quintessentially English’ in the article on Henners) and that is right and proper. But it does rankle when Wales is missed out as if it isn’t important. So, again, thank you – because I can see that a consistent effort is being made in the pages of your magazine to make sure this doesn’t happen. WVA has a new Secretary and Treasurer as well, and we are determined to build the Association. Andy Mounsey, Velfrey Vineyard, Pembrokeshire
Vinescapes @VinescapesUK
Venn Valley Vineyard @VennValley
Venn Valley Vineyard is one of very few vineyards in North Devon. After many years of preparation and careful cultivation, our wines will be available from 2023! We'd love you follow us for updates on our wines, tours and events. #englishwine #ukvineyard #vineyardtours #devon
A stunning second day planting a winner of a vineyard! After almost two years of planning and preparation we are so happy to see this special vineyard and wine venture in Hertfordshire taking shape.#englishviticulture #newvineyard
@Woodchurch Vineyard
Wow we had such a great day yesterday serving Woodchurch sparkling wine on the wonderful The Kent & East Sussex Railway Wealden Pullman! We hope to do it again soon!
John Corcoran @jncorcoran1
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Leonardslee Vineyard in West Sussex planted the UK’s first commercial Pinotage vineyard in 2018, and its inaugural vintage is expected to hit shelves this year. (First UK-grown Pinotage set for release this year: thedrinksbusiness.com)
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Astley Vineyard @AstleyVineyard Huge thanks to @Bevtech_UK for lending us some parts at last minute! Bottling can now go ahead
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NEWS
Top 25 Sommeliers – the best in the business
Harpers, the weekly website for the global wine and spirits sector, has announced the launch of its Top 25 Sommeliers, designed to recognise and celebrate the leading lights in the on-trade drinks world. The idea is: elevation to its Top 25 Sommeliers listing will single out those that are at the very top of their profession. The core judging pillars underpinning this new spotlight on the key role that sommeliers play in the wider drinks world will centre on commitment, leadership, communication, education and innovation. Harpers is inviting nominations from the trade, with the strongest candidates then put forward for its list round of judging this month (June), with the final 25 Top Sommeliers to be revealed both
online and in Harpers in its July issue. Harpers says the competition is in partnership with UK agent Fells and the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins du Roussillon (CIVR). Fells’ MD Steve Moody, which supplies the prestige restaurant and hotel sectors from its portfolio of iconic producers, said he believed that supporting the initiative was a great fit for the company. “Fells are widely regarded as one of the UK’s leading fine wine distributors and are proud to represent some of the world’s greatest familyowned fine wine producers,” said Steve. “Supporting the Harpers Top 25 Sommeliers underpins our commitment to the hospitality sector – a sector for which we have a high regard and will continue to support.”
The best English red wines to buy in 2022
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Countryfile, a magazine for lovers of the British countryside, has come up with what it claims are ‘the best English red wines to buy this year’. Firstly it states: “All products were chosen independently by our editorial team”. They comprise: Tanya Jackson, acting group digital editor of ww.countryfile.com and www.discoverwildlife.com; Daniel Graham, section editor, of BBC Countryfile Magazine and deputy art editor, Laura Phillips. ◆ Lyme Bay Pinot Noir 2020 (£23.35) Grapes: Pinot noir. Region: Devon ◆ Denbies Pinot noir 2019 (RRP £23) Region: Surrey. Grapes: Pinot noir. ◆ Little Wold Three-Cocked Hat (RRP £15) Grapes: Rondo (63%, Regent (29%). Region: Yorkshire Wolds ◆ Terlingham Caesar’s Camp (organic) 2018 (RRP £23) Grapes: Rondo, Dornfelder. Region: Folkestone, Kent. ◆ Bolney Pinot Noir (£31.95) Grapes: Pinot Noir. Region: Sussex ◆ Maud Heath Tytherton Red 2018 (RRP £18.99) Grapes: Rondo, pinot noir. Region: Wiltshire ◆ Hencote Amphora Pinot Noir 2018 (RRP £45 single bottle) Grapes: Pinot noir ◆ Trevibban Black Ram Red 2019 (RRP £23.45) Grapes: Rondo and Dornfelder. Region: Cornwall. ◆ Balfour Hush Heath Luke's Pinot Noir 2020 (RRP £30) Grapes: Pinot Noir. Region: Kent.
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Eric Aracil, co-director in charge of exports at the CIVR, also highlighted the importance of the role sommeliers play in keeping the collective wine offer diverse and engaging in the UK hospitality world. “Sommeliers are the driving force behind the adoption of so many wines that otherwise would never have been discovered by consumers. Their passion for wine is often contagious and the very best have the rare ability to surprise, enthuse, and share their encyclopaedic knowledge without intimidating their audience,” said Eric. “It is important to us to recognise the accomplishments of the sommelier industry and celebrate the great talent within it. Without sommeliers, many exciting stories about our region and our producers would never be told.”
THE VINEYARD & WINERY SHOW
Celebration dinner announced WineGB and Vineyard Magazine to host a post-harvest celebration dinner on the evening of the Vineyard & Winery Show. Vineyard Magazine and WineGB are joining forces to host a post-harvest, and post-show, dinner on the evening of the Vineyard & Winery Show on 23 November. The celebration event will bring together vineyard owners, winemakers and operators with many of the goods and service suppliers to the industry. Last year’s first Vineyard & Winery Show in November attracted a large crowd of show visitors and exhibitors. The timing of both the show and an industry dinner provides a good opportunity for the industry community to get together – being after harvest and as the year comes to an end, it is a chance to look back on the year and celebrate its successes. The dinner will take place in the Clive Emson Hall at the Kent County Showground, where the Show itself is taking place on another part of the site. “With the number of visitors and exhibitors we had last year, and what we are anticipating in 2022, it made sense to provide some further opportunities to get people together and catch up with each other,” comments Jamie McGrorty, publisher of Vineyard Magazine. Simon Thorpe MW, CEO of WineGB adds: “By the end of November, the 2022 harvest will be gathered in and what better time and place for our industry to come together and celebrate another year’s endeavours with a look back on the vintage and a look forward to what will
hopefully be a successful Christmas trading period”. The evening will include a tasting of awardwinning UK wines, a paying bar serving local drinks, dinner and entertainment. Tickets are
on sale now at £75 per head. There are also opportunities to take a full table so that you can invite your own guests. For more information, please contact Angelina Howe at WineGB: angelina@winegb.co.uk
SAVE THE DATE!
Wednesday 23 November, 7.30pm
2022
Vitifruit Equipment Sales and Hire
In association with
19 J U N E 2 0 2 2 | V I N E YA R D
F
O
R
S
A
L
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Land & Property Experts
Staple, Nr. Canterbury, Kent
Guide Price: £1,500,000
An opportunity to purchase the entirety of the Issued Share Capital in two businesses that own the award winning, well-established artisan English sparkling wine brand in Kent called Barnsole Award winning boutique vineyard and winery in edge of village location
Trial block of Wrotham Pinot, England’s only indigenous vine
One of the oldest vineyards in Kent having been planted in the early 1990’s
Freehold assets include purpose-built winery, recently doubled in size, 7 acres of planted vines, machinery & stocks in store
A range of varieties including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Bacchus on a double Guyot planting system
For sale on a “lock stock and barrel” basis
www.btfpartnership.co.uk E challock@btfpartnership.co.uk T 01233 740077
PROPERTY
Lock stock and barrel Unique opportunity to buy well-established artisan English sparkling wine producer in Kent. CANTERBURY
| KENT
GUIDE PRICE: £1,500,000
7 ACRES OF VINES > Phillip and Sally
i The entirety of the issued share capital in the business that own and run the artisan sparkling wine producer known as Barnsole have been launched for sale with a guide price of £1,500,000. The award winning boutique vineyard and winery on the outskirts of the village of Staple (between Canterbury and Sandwich) is being offered on a “lock stock and barrel” basis due to the planned retirement of the current owners Phillip and Sally Watts. The current owners have expanded and transformed the business in their ten years of ownership to the thriving business that it is today with further possibilities of expansion. Barnsole Vineyard itself is one of the oldest vineyards in Kent having been originally planted in the early 1990’s with the varieties Reichensteiner and Huxelrebe. The original three acres of vines planted have been extended to seven acres with the addition of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Bacchus varieties on a double Guyot planting system. A new trial block of Wrotham Pinot, England’s only indigenous vine has been planted with the first
For a prospectus go to www.btfpartnership.co.uk or contact Alex Cornwallis 01233 740077
release from this anticipated in 2024. On site there is a purpose built winery building that was doubled in size in 2021 to enable the future upscaling of production from the current 20,000 bottles per annum to an estimated 80,000 bottles. Barnsole Vineyard currently grows, picks, presses, and bottles all on site and by hand English sparkling, still white and red wine which is all sold from the cellar door. The winery is open daily for tastings and tours and averages around 5,000 visitors per year. Phillip Watts, co-owner of Barnsole Vineyard Ltd & Socket & Plug Ltd the two businesses that are being offered for sale comments: “This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with a dream and ambition to run their own wine business to step into one which is ready to be taken to the next level. Over the last 10 years we have continually reinvested profits back into the business to build the strong foundations to support our artisan vineyard operation and vision for the future. With the growing national and international interest in English wine and wine tourism here in the South East,
we are proud of where the business is today, the strong brand identity we have created and importantly the award winning, dynamic wines we now produce from start to finish.” Alex Cornwallis, Director at BTF Partnership comments: “We are delighted to be working with Phillip and Sally on this business sale. It is an exciting and unique opportunity for a new owner to walk into a successful business in a growing sector with the ability to significantly increase production in the coming years. The new trial block of Wrotham Pinot England’s indigenous vine being grown in Kent for the first time in a commercial vineyard setting is also something to shout about.” The business sales include the entirety of the issued share capital which incorporates the freehold property owned at Staple along with farm machinery and stock in store which comprises approximately 25,000 bottles. In addition to this the business employs a winemaker and agricultural apprentice that have great experience of the Barnsole varieties. A full list of machinery, stock and stores is available from the agents on request.
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M i les Beale
In conversation... Miles Beale is the chief executive of the drinks industry’s chief lobbying organisation, The Wine & Spirit Trade Association. Miles Beale and the WSTA have the ear of the Government… He talks to Vineyard So how did you get to be the WSTA’s CEO? "Being private secretary to two cabinet ministers accompanying one to Tehran, on a first visit by a senior minister since the 1979 Islamic revolution, and tackling strike action by an emergency service with another.”
How did you get to be in the wine and spirits sector? “The seed was planted during my third year of university in Bordeaux and flourished when I had to leave the civil service to satisfy a thirst for austerity.
Years in the sector? “Almost 10.”
What do you regard as your particular expertise? “Government; team building and stubbornness.”
What do you love about the wine and spirits sector? “The variety, the people, learning and merriment. It’s never dull and frequently satisfying. I feel the WSTA does a good job for its members and the industry in general – and that it’s in high demand right now."
No businesses or sector will get to Net Zero (carbon emissions) on their own, but businesses too often work alone or hope they don’t have to worry about it yet What frustrates you about the wine and spirits sector? “The reluctance to get involved in standing up for our sector – not so much publicly, which can be tricky, but with government and politicians. Too often businesses are reluctant to stand up for themselves with government. As a sector we are also bad about cultivating contact with politicians that we might need to stand up for us some day. Given how hospitable everyone is – by requirement – it seems odd that (future) allies are so often left out. How can they support or defend us if they don’t understand the nature of what we do? “I would also like to see more examples of the sector working together to tackle future challenges, especially when they are industrywide. For example, no businesses or sector will get to Net Zero (carbon emissions) on their own, but businesses too often work alone or hope they don’t have to worry about
> Miles Beale (left) and Huw Merriman MP for Bexhill and Battle at a WSTA drinks reception
it yet. Another example is consumer information – whether consumers, government or the antialcohol lobby are asking for more, the answer should no longer be about what’s on a label – but instead about what’s online. You need a QR code or similar on the label, but everything anyone could want can now be provided online.”
If there is one thing you would like to do to improve things, what would that be? “Can I have two? "1) To gain clarity from government on some basic post-Brexit rules for trading in our products. “And 2) To have the Chancellor think again about his proposals for changing the way he wants to tax alcohol. He is making some horrible unforced errors, especially for wine. By all means move to an equivalence model, but a) tax all alcohol at the same rate, no matter what product it is in; b) recognise that wine is different. Unlike producers of any other alcoholic drink, winemakers can’t control ABV so don’t introduce something that discriminates against hot climates and that will kills SMEs with red tape; and c) give small producer relief to producers of all drinks, not just beer and cider.”
The Chancellor needs to think again about his proposals for changing the way he wants to tax alcohol 22
What is your opinion of English and Welsh wines? “It depends which ones! But I love four things about English and Welsh wines: 1. They are at the edge of new cool climate wine making – with Champagne varietals and style (fizzy) dominant, but some variation; emerging still wines and some modernisation creeping through. 2. The well-made wines taste great and uniquely British and will mostly only get better as acreage and yields increase, wine makers build stocks/cellars, experiment (e.g. vintages v NV), build tourism and attract more talent to our shores. 3. They are highly exportable – and building future markets is key and something WSTA wants to be able to get on with.
4. Finally, they are a great way to introduce non-wine experts to wine. Telling the evolving story of English and Welsh wine is a way to get politicians interested. Where we see more and more lip-smacking wines they see modern farming and exciting new local, rural economic growth. It’s wine/win!”
First introduction to English/ Welsh Wines? “I think Chapel Down might have been my first UK vineyard visit, but the fact I am unsure is a good thing!”
How could they improve?
“Better data, a vision for the whole industry, planning for export – as a category. Think Champagne, think global, think ahead.”
What is your favourite tipple?
Too many options! I love a sparkling wine, a Bordeaux-style red and a G&T. Never at the same time…”
What makes you ‘tick’?
“Challenge, interest, stimulation, learning. And fun.”
What do you do in your spare time? “I love a lot of sport – increasingly from an armchair with glass in hand! Travel (when allowed), food and books.”
> Miles Beale and Boris Johnson
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WINE REVIEWS
w es Juk
In the pink
Mat h e
What differentiates our elite still and sparkling rosé wines from others? DESKTOP www.matthewjukes.com ENVELOPE vineyard.ed@kelsey.co.uk The world is awash with rosé wines and we, in the UK, love them. The masses are seemingly mesmerised by the pale coral hues, straightforward flavours and the subliminal signal that summer will eventually turn up at some point. From as early as January, until around this time of year, the cellars in Provence and beyond open their doors and extraordinary quantities of rosé cascade towards the UK. I taste hundreds of these wines each year, and the range in quality, from utterly dreary to genuinely impressive, is staggering. Most wines that sell for less than a tenner are usually rather dull. Of course, random Spanish rosés, rare Italians, the odd Romanian and a couple of others stand the chance of sneaking into my reckoning, but these are usually anomalies. Between £10 and £20, everyone in Provence and beyond ought to be able to make meaningful and intentionally attractive wines, but few of these creations are based on Pinot Noir. From a sparkling point of view, over the last 20 years, I can count the number of Prosecco and Cava rosés I have written up in my Daily Mail column on one hand. In the UK, it is rare to find rosés made from any other grape as Pinot generally forms the backbone, if not the whole of the wine. This is a hugely important factor in the future success of our homegrown pink wines. But there is more to this subject than just the grape varieties used. So, what differentiates our elite still and sparkling rosé wines from others? Firstly, in the UK wine trade we are pretty
experienced at tasting wines from all over the world and this is a vital weapon in our armoury. It means we are not bound by tradition, nor are we hampered by a global affliction known as ‘cellar palate’. Many winemakers worldwide, and in this instance, I am focussed on rosé specialists, haven’t a clue what is made down the road, let alone in different regions or other countries. This gives us Brits an edge and the freedom to express ourselves fully in our wines. We also possess a degree of cool confidence and enviable bravery when we are shooting for the stars. We try to make our wines perform at the highest possible level, and that includes our still and sparkling rosés. Our unique microclimates give our wines lovely natural acidity from which we can hang delicate fruit notes. Our wines have naturally low alcohol levels and genuinely haunting and complex flavours on the nose and palate. There are plenty of Southern French rosés that struggle to stay under 14% alcohol, whereas ours tiptoe around the 12%-mark. Our competitors would bite our hands off for naturally low alcohol and high acidity rosés as well as the accompanying elegant perfumes and flavours. Warm climate rosé production is not straightforward and few estates manage to tick a couple of these boxes, and they rarely manage to achieve all four. So, this year, let’s support our fabulous rosé experts, understanding that these wines are seriously highbrow, gastronomically accurate, genuinely authentic and based on the noblest red grape of all, Pinot Noir.
2021 Black Chalk, Dancer in Pink Rosé
£19.00 www.blackchalkwine.co.uk and coming soon to www.wineutopia.co.uk www.thenakedgrape.co.uk I feel that 2021 Dancer in Pink is set to become one of the most sought after still rosés in the UK (and hopefully beyond) this year. Made from three Pinots – 45% Noir, 39% Precoce and 16% Gris, the Precoce and Gris were co-fermented while the Noir was left to hang for longer than usual on the vine and then blended with the others before malolactic fermentation. The results are nothing short of mesmerising. Not only is the perfume sensational, bursting with hedgerow fruit and rose petals, and the palate is gossamer-smooth, but the finish is also equally thrilling. Bone dry, crisp and palate scouring, this epic ending allows the fruit to billow and impress.
Quality Control for Winemakers
The WineLab measures multiple parameters quickly & easily including: l Gluconic acid l L-malic & L-lactic acid l Total acidity l Sugars l Free & total SO2 l Alcohol by volume 01342 820820 www.qclwine.com
24 Vineyard June 2022.indd 1
03/05/2022 11:19:42
2021 Flint Vineyard, Charmat Rosé £24.99
www.grapebritannia.co.uk www.flintvineyard.com and coming soon to www.cambridgewine.com www.bbr.com There is no doubt that Pinot leads the charge on the nose and palate in this spectacular, recently-released sparkler. Still, it is a genuine surprise to discover that the recipe is 25% Pinot Noir, 20% Rondo, 15% Solaris, 15% Reichensteiner, 15 % Bacchus and 10% Cabernet Cortis. Talk about complicated, but the imagination, effort, and blending skill here are worth it because the perfume and flavour are sublime and couldn’t come from anywhere else on earth. The Solaris and Reichensteiner see a touch of old oak that pads out the middle, but this wine is all about the indulgent summer pudding notes, lip-smacking juiciness, and grippy finish. The counterpoint between perfume, flesh and drama makes this such a successful wine, and it is impossible to recreate this experience overseas.
2020 Balfour, Winemakers’ Collection Mary Rose £40.00 www.balfourwinery.com
The Winemakers’ Collection wines from Balfour are limited-production, esoteric, no holds barred curios and winemakers Owen and Fergus Elias let their imagination fly when they put them together. My pick of the latest trio, sporting eye-catching, whimsical labels by Henry Hudson, is this statuesque rosé. I have never tasted anything like this rigid, upright and commanding wine. Super-dry, incredibly brittle and cleansing, and blessed with a refined rosehip and red cherry flavour, this is a connoisseur’s (or Pinotnerd’s) treat because there is so much to discover here. The carefully considered oak treatment (four months in two French and one American barrel) coupled with the razor-sharp acidity allows this Pinot dream to slice through complex dishes, and its repertoire is immense. While Balfour suggests cheese, I assure you I have not tasted a finer wine with steak tartare in years.
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WINE BUYING
Meet the buyer Virgin Wines is one of the UK’s largest direct-to-consumer online wine retailers. Vineyard talks to wine buyer Sophie Lord. More than 90% of wines by volume at Virgin Wines are exclusive and during 2020 the company delivered over one million cases to its customers. The company also sells a growing range of beers and spirits as well as having an industry leading gift service and a thriving corporate sales department. “It is a multi-award-winning business with a reputation for curating and supplying high quality products, excellent levels of customer service and innovative ways of retailing. Virgin Wines was awarded Specialist Online Drinks Retailer of the Year 2022 at The Drinks Retailing Awards earlier this year.
What is the profile of your customers? “Our customers are pretty evenly split on both gender and age, with 10% more male than female customers and 60% of customers falling between age 25 and 54.
Which country, style of wine, are best sellers? “Top countries are Australia and France, followed by Italy. Top styles are full and fruity reds, clean and crisp reds, New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs and big reds,” said Sophie.
Do you stock/list English and/or Welsh Wines? • • • • • • • • • •
Litmus Element 20 Tuffers' Tipple Bacchus Henners Foxearle English Sparkling Brut Hambledon Vineyards Premier Cuveé Brut NV Hambledon Vineyards Classic Cuveé Brut Rose NV Hambledon Vineyards Classic Cuveé Brut NV Digby Fine English Brut NV Digby Leander Pink NV Hattingley Valley Classic Reserve Brut NV The Bolney Estate Bolney Bubbly Brut NV
Soph ie Lord
Your background
“I started working at Virgin Wines back in 2007, where they embraced my passion for wine and paid for me to undertake the WSET Level 2, 3 and 4. Over the years my wine knowledge increased, and in 2019 there was an opportunity to join the Buying Team – and the rest is history! I feel extremely lucky to have a job that I adore and the opportunity to work with winemakers around the world who are equally passionate about wine.
What style, type, country’s wine, do you personally enjoy?
“There is a time and a place for everything, but I always come back to big, bold, fruit driven reds like Chilean Cabernet; crisp and minerally whites such as a Menetou Salon or Picpoul; and of course I couldn’t live without a nice glass of sparkling.
What are you looking for when considering new wines to list? “First and foremost – does it taste delicious! And after that, it has to be a good reflection of its origin and style.
What do you expect a suppler/ producer to supply to you in advance?
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“We start off by asking for samples, then once we decide to list a product we have a form which we send out to ask for details about the wine. This includes the basic technical info such as abv %, grape variety/varieties etc, but also for things like a quote from the producer and a winemaker bio, so we can include this on our website for customers to see and engage with.
Do you have a minimum drop for a listing?
What are English and Welsh producers doing well?
“No. This will depend on the product and what we think the run rate will be, and also what activity it is bought in for.
“More wineries are investing in wine tourism and opening up their cellar doors, which is allowing the British public access to the English and Welsh wine scene. It’s a great way for people to get more involved with supporting our UK wineries. There is also a host of local talent coming up through places like Plumpton College, and as winemaking is a growing industry in the UK it will allow future generations to have a career in this sector.
Broadly, what do you think of English/Welsh wines? “English/Welsh wines have come on in leaps and bounds in the last decade. Our traditional method sparkling wines now rival some of the world’s most famous examples, and our whites and roses are deliciously refreshing due to our cool climate high acidity. I think we are also capable of making some lighter style reds – but sparkling, whites and roses are our strongpoints.
Conversely, what should they be considering/thinking/ doing? “Due to economies of scale, it is tough for Welsh and English wineries to compete on pricing with larger and more established wine regions. Therefore it can be more difficult to convince consumers to switch from their usual tipples.
What trends do you discern in wine sales and is there anything that English and Welsh viticulturists and vinifers should be addressing, going forward? “With rosé growing in popularity, I think English rosé has the ability to take a share of this market (especially if you look at the trend for very dry, pale blush premium wines).
Is there anything you would like to say to English and Welsh winemakers and producers? “Keep up the good work!
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EDITOR'S VISIT
Ridgeview began as a dream in the 1990’s by English husband and wife team Mike and Christine Roberts, to create world-class sparkling wine on the foothills of the South Downs in Sussex. At the time it was a huge risk, and virtually unheard of, to invest such a large amount of time and resource into an English sparkling vineyard. Once the first wine was released in 2000, Ridgeview went onto win the UK Trophy for England’s Best Sparkling wine; international awards and accolades soon followed.
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an vis Editor Da
World class English fizz
C h risti
Photos: ©Martin Apps, Countrywide Photographic
Diseases experienced: Powdery mildew, downy mildew, Botrytis, sour rot, esca.
VINEYARD FACT SHEET Vineyard: 11ha at the winery. Total including winemaking contracts circa 100ha Soils: Home vineyard, clay loam. Contract vineyards cover a wide range. Aspect: South. Green harvest: Not much... in areas more prone to Botrytis if a heavy crop. Harvesting: By hand.
The pivotal moment in Ridgeview’s success came in 2010 when Ridgeview was awarded the ‘Best International Sparkling Wine’ in the Decanter World Wine Awards, the first and only time a wine, other than Champagne, has won this trophy. Twenty-seven years later the second-generation are producing nearly half a million bottles. Daughter Tamara Roberts is CEO and son, Simon, is now head of winemaking, their spouses also holding leading roles at Ridgeview. On current opportunities and challenges, Tamara Roberts points to their new hospitality project, set to formally open next Spring (see page 32). On challenges, she said: “The weather – difficult growing conditions at times. Obviously; getting winery supplies, price surcharges – not unique to Ridgeview and hopefully short term issues. People forget that we are about farming.” Vineyard and estate manager, Matt Strugnell, rejoins speaking generally, not just about Ridgeview: “Yield and ripeness. I think we have ‘cracked’ ripeness but yield is more variable. I saw a study concerning Australia and I was surprised at the variation (in field) there. I thought it was us with our maritime climate. There are so many factors. Grapes are not like apples, for example. They don’t have bunches. There are a number of processes for grapes to gain maturity.” Simon Roberts, Ridgeview's director of winemaking, outlines the strong relationship the company has with nearby Plumpton College and cites working with people on universal credit. The team helped with writing, formulating and formatting CVs and preparing them for job interviews. “We had 12 people, two left on the first day and two did not want to continue. But eight got what they wanted out of the initiative and we <<
Pests: Light brown apple moth and drosophila suzukii. Treatments: ◆ Preventative spraying, mostly sulphur for preventing powdery mildew. ◆ Good canopy management. Timings: ◆ Harvest anytime from end of September to mid October. ◆ Spring frosts seem to be a thing almost every year now. ◆ Harvest dates appear to have become slightly earlier but then 2021 was late. What’s new? ◆ New approach to pruning courtesy of Marco Simonit. > Henners’ head winemaker: ◆ More focus on longevity of the older vines Collette O'Leary by getting the right spurs and looking in more detail at bud position on those spurs.
Grape varieties: ◆ Chardonnay ◆ Pinot Noir ◆ Pinot Meunier
Trellising: VSP, mostly guyot pruned and a mix of single and double canes depending on requirements for each individual vine. Canopy management: ...starts with good pruning. ◆ Shoot selection, first wire lift to capture them early about 20cms, second wire lift about 50cms then reposition at about 80cms. ◆ Tuck into top wires if needed but usually tendrils grab these and hold the shoots upright, so long as the first lifts have been done well. ◆ Trimming – first pass when 80% of shoots are above trellis posts, then continue as required. ◆ Never letting the canopy get shady. ◆ Leaf strip – mechanical and by hand from flowering. Just enough to expose bunches. ◆ Full leaf strip before harvest.
> Matt Strugnell
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EDITOR'S IN THE VISIT WINERY FACT SHEET ◆ Harvest tends to start late September, early October, although before last year the start date was creeping into mid-September. ◆ All fruit is whole bunch pressed in one of our three presses. ◆ All juice is fractionalised and kept separate for blending early the following year. ◆ If needed we do chaptalise, we source fruit from all over southern England so regionality plays a big part in whether this is necessary. ◆ The same with whether we put the wines through MLF, our target for our base wines is 10.5% alcohol. We settle the juice for 24 hours, rack and then inoculate. ◆ Ferment kept to 18°C usually taking 10-14 days to ferment dry.
Equipment: ◆ 4 tonne Willmes Press ◆ 4 tonne Coquard PAI press ◆ 8 tonne Bucher press – new for the 2022 harvest ◆ Mori crusher de-stemmer ◆ Metalinox Tanks – ranging from 1000lt – 25,000lt ◆ Radoux Barrels ◆ VSL cross-flow filter ◆ Mori DE filter ◆ Costral bottling line ◆ TDD disgorging line ◆ Meccamarc labeling line
Harvesting: ◆ Our winery team of three expands to 20 over harvest, we run two shifts. ◆ Each shift has a pressing team and three cellar hands. ◆ We selectively harvest in the vineyard so there is no need for a sorting house. ◆ We enzymatic settle at 10°C, rack and alcoholic inoculate after 24 hours, MLF is started before the end of alcoholic fermentation.
Pressing/crushing : ◆ We whole bunch press our grapes; we only use the crusher/de-stemer for the red wine we make for rosé. ◆ All presses are set for light pressing and we follow a fairly standard classic method protocol, we fractionalise the juice, keeping the Taille and Cuveé separate.
Fermentation: We use IO°C 18-2007 strain for alcoholic fermentation.
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What’s new? The VSl cross flow filter was new this year, as will be the Bucher 8T press.
> Simon Roberts << offered positions to them – six in the winery and two helped pick the harvest,” said Simon proudly. Apparently, some have decided to go on and intend to study at Plumpton. The company has grown to more than 30 employees and it is one of the founder members of Wines GB Sustainability. Both Ridgeview’s vineyards and winery are classified as sustainable. Ridgeview produces a range of sparkling wines currently including Bloomsbury NV, Cavendish NV, Fitzrovia Rosé NV, Blanc de Blancs 2016, Blanc de Noirs 2015, Rosé de Noirs 2016, Ridgeview Oak Reserve and Ridgeview Magnum Blanc de Blancs 2009. Ridgeview also make a select number of wines
for the likes of The Wine Society Exhibition Label English Sparkling, Booths’ English Sparkling Wine and the South Ridge range for Laithwaites. Ridgeview exports to more than 17 countries. Ridgeview has achieved many global accolades along the way including IWSC ‘International Winemaker of the Year’ (a first for English wine) and number 36 ‘Best Vineyard in the World to Visit’, the only English Vineyard included in this list. Ridgeview sparkling wines have been served at many prestigious occasions including Her Majesty the Queen’s 80th Birthday celebrations, Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee, and four state banquets at Buckingham Palace, including being served to Barack Obama.
Ageing: ◆ Bloomsbury, Cavendish and Fitzrovia are our three non-vintage wines and are aged on lees for 18 months to two years. ◆ Our Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs and Rosé de Noirs are all vintage wines and aged for a minimum of three years. ◆ All our wines are aged in our dedicated underground cellars, one of the few in England, we have the capacity to store one million bottles. ◆ The design of the cellars mean it is a natural temperature fluctuating between 12.5°C in the winter to 15°C in the middle of summer, requiring no temperature control sits in well with our sustainability focus.
Bottling: ◆ Apart from our own wines we also make several own labels for customers like Booths supermarket, The Wine Society, and contract winemaking for other growers, including Leckford Estate for John Lewis. So, in an average year we will bottle up to 50 different blends. ◆ Our bottling season starts late March, early April and finishes late June.
<<
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EDITOR'S VISIT
> Tamara Roberts
Ridgeview announces new hospitality project Ridgeview, one of the UK's best sparkling wine producers has announced plans to develop a £3.7million tourism centre over the next two years. It includes a new all-weather, outdoor venue that will take pride of place alongside Ridgeview’s Chardonnay vineyard with views across the South Downs National Park. It will encompass a wine tasting room, on-site dining, tours and direct-to-consumer retail. “The space will be landscaped in harmony with its natural surroundings,
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crafted by RHS Chelsea Flower Show gold medal winning designer Andy Sturgeon. All of Ridgeview’s new investments and growth will have sustainability in mind after the vineyard and winery have been accredited under Wines GB Sustainability scheme and will deliver net gains for biodiversity across the estate,” according to Tamara Roberts. The onsite development, which is a series of pods, a roof terrace and catering for 150 covers, also includes an extension to Ridgeview’s winery facilities and is the start of additional visitor experiences planned for the next few years. Tamara said: “Our philosophy of ‘Life is for Celebrating’ will be experienced throughout the whole destination. We want to create a place where visitors feel welcome time and time again, to simply pop in for a glass, to celebrate together with friends and family or to spend the day with us enjoying a tour and tasting too.” “Our focus will also be on championing locally grown seasonal Sussex food, showcased alongside our portfolio of sparkling wines to highlight the best that our gorgeous county produces, where you can eat and drink the South Downs,” she added. Ridgeview expects/hopes for, a ‘soft opening’ around the end of the summer, early Autumn, with an official opening in Spring 2023. Tamara points out that Ridgeview is ideally located, with the home vineyard and winery 15 minutes from Brighton, 30 minutes from Gatwick and 50 minutes from London. So, not far for some world class sparkling wine. Ridgeview remains a family affair.
EDUCATION
Eye on graduation Students at Plumpton College are in the process of finishing up their academic year. Final year students complete projects and assessments with an eye on graduation and their future career. Second-year production students will be heading off to vineyard or winery placements in the summer. Many students will be working in wine businesses, vineyards and wineries over summer. In this issue, we focus on a first-year business student, Charlotte and a first-year production student, Rory.
> Charlotte Bradbury
Charlotte Bradbury (BA International Wine Business, first year)
I stumbled into the world of wine by luck when working at a golf and wine estate. I was lucky enough to learn a bit about wine and how to sell it. After my first weekend of selling it, I noticed that I enjoyed what I was doing and wanted to learn more. From there, I went on to study my WSET Level 1 and 2 and would read any books or magazines I could get my hands on to learn more about wine. However, when lockdown came, I wanted to progress my future in wine further. I was unsure how to do this until I found the BA in International Wine Business at Plumpton College, where I have been studying for the last year and have loved every moment. There have been so many opportunities for me to expand my contacts, and learn about the different areas of wine and even, viticulture and production which has allowed me to expand my opportunities and help define my future direction. I'm now considering pathways I hadn't before, such as wine journalism or wine investment. Plumpton College is offering me a chance to leave with the best qualifications I can get for my future, and thinking about that makes me very excited. While the first year of studying is coming to an end, I have considered how to help my education over this summer. I have decided to explore more of the alcohol industry by working at The Anchor Tap in Horsham, a specialised craft beer and ale place. The Anchor Tap is mainly focused on beer but also has a selection of wine that I have the opportunity to talk to people about should they wish to learn more. The Anchor Tap is being noticed for its unique selection of beers and traditional Czech larger taps, making it an interesting place to work as I get experience.
Rory Wood (BSc Viticulture and Oenology, first year)
I am primarily working for Wraxall vineyard, a Somerset-based vineyard, as part of their marketing team and doing tours and tasting and working in the vineyard. I will also be working for Glastonbury vineyard ad-hoc because the owner is a friend of mine and my mum. He makes some brilliant and best-selling rosé from the grapes Regent, Orion and Souvignier Gris – which is an exciting mix! And I will also be working for my mum (the Somerset Wine Company) in the shop and wine bar in the evenings as I have done for quite a few years. I'm never short of vineyard and wine trade work in Somerset!
> Rory Wood
DESKTOP www.plumpton.ac.uk ENVELOPE wine@plumpton.ac.uk INSTAGRAM @plumptonwine J U N E 2 0 2 2 | V I N E YA R D
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PALLETS
Pallet option stacks up Inka’s pallet boxes transform Ridgeview’s harvesting efficiency. Ridgeview Wine Estate, one of England’s premier sparkling wine producers, approached Inka Pallets before the 2021 season, with a project focused on reviewing its harvesting methods to improve processing speed and efficiency; to help stay commercially competitive, and operationally scalable in line with ambitious growth plans. Since it began production over 25 years ago, the estate’s winery had always been set up for harvesting grapes into traditional hand-held picking crates, placed on wooden pallets. However, this method involved a significant amount time and manual handling at the winery during the harvest, as well as generating significant amounts of packaging waste from single use pallet wrap, and broken pallets. The timing of this review project came at a pivotal moment in Ridgeview’s business operation, as the estate had recently embarked on widening its network of contract vineyards for whom it was processing – with some new growers located as far as 150 miles from Ridgeview’s winery. The issue of transporting grapes during harvest had therefore become a dimension of increasing importance, with growing concern over the operation’s carbon footprint, not to mention rising costs, exacerbated by HGV driver shortages and increasing fuel prices. Ridgeview were therefore keen to find a solution that could also help mitigate these rising costs, by improving the tonnage of fruit per vehicle. But only on one, all-important, condition; Ridgeview would, under
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no circumstances, ever compromise on the condition in which the fruit arrived back to the winery for processing – the quality of the grapes, their wine’s key ingredient, was everything, and needed to stay in pristine, uncrushed, condition. Thankfully, Inka’s expert team were able to come up with the perfect solution to meet, or even exceed, all of Ridgeview’s criteria – and in dramatic fashion. Inka’s PB1000-450C shallow plastic pallet box – a robust, stackable, pallet-sized container, with an impressive 450 litre capacity, and smooth internal surfaces, would prove to revolutionise Ridgeview’s harvest operation across every given metric of value, including: reducing labour time, reducing manual handling processes, increasing processing capacity, reducing packaging waste and significantly lowering transport costs – all whilst keeping fruit quality tip-top! Stacked safely up to four units high in a vehicle, without any additional need for single use pallet wrap, the boxes allowed the vineyards to increase the fill of each vehicle by over 50% of fruit – a jump from eight tonnes of grapes per vehicle using crates up to a whooping 12 tonnes of grapes per vehicle with the bins. Together with its partner vineyards, Inka supplied nearly 500 of its innovative boxes to facilitate Ridgeview’s harvest. Ridgeview’s vineyard and estate manager, Matt Strugnell, is delighted with the bins’ performance. He said: “They are working out really well. We’re
DESKTOP www.inkapallets.co.uk ENVELOPE james@inkapallets.co.uk phone-alt 01277 811085 MAP-MARKER Unit 1 Horndon Industrial Park, West Horndon, Essex CM13 3XL J U N E 2 0 2 2 | V I N E YA R D
> Long lasting – Strong base structure to the PB1000-450C
> Inka general manager James Tidman and Ridgeview’s vineyard and estate manager, Matt Strugnell
extremely pleased with them, and we’re so glad we made the switch over.” In terms of the grape quality, he also recounted his delight (and relief) upon receiving the first delivery of fruit in the bins to the winery from a grower in Stowmarket, Suffolk; a journey of 150-miles. Matt recalls being “amazed by the condition the fruit arrived in, with hardly any juice or crushed grapes in the boxes at all. And with a massive reduction in tonne miles!” Inka general manager, James Tidman, said: “It was a privilege to work with Matt and his team on this project, and we’re delighted with the result they’ve enjoyed in their first harvest using our bins. And I’m sure it will be the first of many, because although the boxes are delicate with the fruit, they’re also just so tough and durable!” “Viticulture in the UK is clearly a burgeoning industry, with plenty of opportunities for further growth and flourishing. Season after season, we hear from increasing numbers of vineyards, both new and established, looking for the right harvesting container for their needs. “We appreciate that each vineyard has its own unique setting, size, and operational constraints, and so we supply a wide range of different harvesting containers, including competitively priced hand-held picking crates, because it is still the right choice for certain vineyards. However, we do wish to challenge some of the more established wineries still using crates, to really consider how a switch over to our shallow pallet bins could significantly improve their harvesting process and save them a lot of money in the coming seasons. “Obviously, like all businesses, UK vineyards and wineries have had to face many unforeseen challenges over the last few years from Brexit, to the Covid-19 pandemic, and recently the impact of the Ukraine crisis, not to mention the ever present impact of climate change. But when looked at the other way, I think these same worldwide issues will only stand to
PB1000-450C Pallet Box specification Dimensions: 1.0m x 1.2m x 0.58m Capacity: 450 Litres Material: HDPE
increase the UK public’s thirst and demand for quality wines produced from our own shores.” Inka Pallets Ltd is a specialist supplier of quality reusable picking and harvest containers to the UK’s viticulture and horticulture sectors. Established in 1984, Inka Pallets has a long history of supplying plastic pallets and containers to businesses throughout the UK but during the last eight years has carved out a growing niche supporting food and farming companies with solutions to improve processes, and reduce costs and waste.
Handling the nation’s fruit..
rs. e w Bin ro s g k .u or f o s c ct ts . u e l d l o pa pr a g k in lin d @ s n er ha d c or sti 5 a pl 08 n 1 i 81 rts 7 e p 27 Tra ex 01 ys
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DEFINED WINE
Defining style and adding value No vineyards just winemaking for others.
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DESKTOP www.definedwine.com / www.wineandgrapetrading.co.uk ENVELOPE info@definedwine.com phone-alt 01227 832907 MAP-MARKER Highland Court Farm, Coldharbour Lane, Bridge, Canterbury, Kent CT4 5HL
MISSION STATEMENT: 'To use taste, experience and modern technology to ensure that we can consistently produce the best quality wines for people"
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y : ilit ew b N via OD t C as d ye an
Defined Wine Ltd is a contract-only winery. It does not have any vineyards or brands. Everything it does is about adding value to their client's brands. Therefore, it is totally focussed on supporting its clients and working with them to define their style of wine and involving them, as they want, in winemaking decisions. Hence the name: ‘Defined wine’. Defined Wine CEO Henry Sugden, explains: “We use taste, experience and modern technology to ensure that we can consistently produce the best quality wines for our clients and ultimately consumers.” Defined started in 2019 and has kept growing ever since. Henry has always enjoyed wine – from living in Germany and holidaying in France, he was tasting and avidly reading Hugh Johnson’s invaluable pocket book of wines. After a career in the Army, he returned to the UK and seeing that English wine was becoming increasing popular, he spoke to friends and WineGB and foresaw the need for contract winemaking. The winery has steadily been increasing in size each year. Almost all the tanks come from MetalInox in France and via Scharfenberger in Germany, all with cooling and in sizes from 400L up to 20,000L. The wide range of sizes ensures that customer’s wine can be kept separate, although the minimum quantity they will make for a bespoke wine is 1,000L, below which it becomes more difficult to preserve quality and percentage losses increase. In addition, Defined have nearly 100 barrels of various ages and previous uses. Henry explains that the company has been funded through “an investment round; loans, especially asset finance loans from the excellent Close Brothers who have been incredibly helpful and are the only finance house I have found who properly understand the inherent value of stainless steel tanks and winery equipment; and a European Union LEADER grant, which was an enormous help in getting us off the ground. It is not yet clear how the new ‘UK Shared Prosperity Fund’, which has been mooted as a replacement, will work and whether this will be << available to help vineyards and wineries in future.
Free to look •
CONTRACT WINEMAKING AND LAB SERVICES Lab results within two working days
ADVICE TO NEW ENTRANTS Henry’s advice to new entrants: “Think about what your objective is: what drives you and the business; what are your routes to market; and what is your story. There is no point just making great wine, you have to sell it too.”
A wide range of tests available, including pre harvest analysis. Scan the QR code for details and prices
www.definedwine.com Outside Canterbury, CT4 5HL henry@definedwine.com
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> Yeast counting and viability << “Ferovinum provide finance for some of our clients (but not for us as we don’t have our own wine). I think Ferovinum have a brilliant model which is really helpful in generating cash and releasing early the value of sparkling wines. It is therefore really helpful for anyone who is building up a stock of wine, especially wine ageing on lees.” Defined Wine are founder members of Sustainable Wines of Great Britain (SWGB) as Henry sees this as important not just for their customers and their offering to consumers but internally for staff too. Recently they have been working with an SWGB scholarship student on ways of recycling grape marc, which they hope
will be useful to everyone. “Although we are just about making wine, we understand that the other two parts of the process (growing grapes and selling wine) are complimentary, so we do what we can to help our clients with these too,” said Henry. This includes running viticulture sessions and a Trade Tasting at the winery, to which journalists and On and Off Trade buyers are invited. Given their focus on producing consistent quality wine, Defined have invested heavily in their laboratory. A key piece of equipment is the company’s ability to measure dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide, both prior to bottling and post bottling to ensure winemaking parameters
have been met. With a full range of other lab services available, they are providing contract lab services for other wineries, delivering results within two working days. “When making winemaking decisions it is vital to have accurate results fast; in time to make decisions pre bottling etc so we have a fast turn around, as there is no point getting results back after the wines have gone to bottle,” Henry said. Defined provide “guides to our clients on labels, bottles and packaging, mostly around the specifications that our machinery can take. The most important consideration is to start early on thinking through what the brand is, which will then feed through into the design for different
Specialist finance for UK wine producers Developed in partnership with WineGB. Available at
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Over 2,500,000 bottles funded in the UK to date
DEFINED WINE FLEXIBLE APPROACH AND RANGE OF SERVICES Defined Wine works with its clients to understand what they want and offer a range of services, from a full ‘crate-to-case’ contract winemaking service or any part of this: pressing, bottling, riddling and disgorging, labelling and temperature controlled storage.
> Measuring COD in waste water
> Samples ready for analysis labels. I always emphasise how long this process can take, especially as usually the whole family will have an opinion! We also encourage people to plan well in advance when it comes to confirming glass and closures (which we can provide although clients with specific bottles shapes or colours will provide their own, as well as any bespoke closures) and ordering labels,” said Henry. “Although we try to source as much as possible from the UK, over the past year we have seen the impacts of a global economy. Whether it be the increase in global commodity prices; Amazon seeming to have bought up the world’s supply of cardboard as their business boomed during
the pandemic; the ongoing war in Ukraine where the closure of a screwcap manufacture making over 500 million screwcaps a year has increased demand on other manufacturers; or the strike in a Finnish paper mill earlier this year which delayed paper stock for labels. Delays on bespoke foils seem to be particularly bad at the moment. So the key advice is – think ahead!” In 2021 Defined Wine set up the Wine and Grape Trading website: www.wineandgrapetrading.co.uk. Henry explained: “When Nick arrived he was surprised at how hard it was to find grapes and wine for sale. Other than the WineGB forum, there was nothing at the time. We therefore thought it <<
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DEFINED WINE
> A range of new and seasoned oak
> Little to large – ‘Transvasage’ allows filling of halves up to Methusalems (6L) << would be helpful to set up a service whereby people who had spare grape capacity, excess wine in tank, or excess wine on lees, could easily get in touch with others – a dating app for wine. The forum is a good start but quite often people don’t want to advertise that they have spare wine for sale and it can be difficult to keep track of. “We therefore looked at other sites around the globe and used the best examples to set up something that is really simple to use. There is no commission on the site – there is a simple fee for posting a ‘wanted’ or ‘for sale’ and then potential buyers/sellers can contact one another through the website. For this year we are improving it slightly, so that people can sign up for alerts and will get notified when posts have been made, so they don’t have to keep checking the website. “There are often times when wineries or growers have spare capacity or want to generate some cashflow quickly and there will always be people who can do something with this wine, the problem is finding out what is available. Hopefully the website can provide a service in putting people in touch to the benefit of both parties,” said Henry.
New services for 2022
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For 2022, Defined Wine have several new services. The first is ‘Transvasage’ – the process by which standard 75cl bottles are decanted under pressure into halves, magnums, jeroboams or methuselah. Whilst halves, magnums and even jerobaoms can be filled at tirage, (and Henry advises this is the best method for large numbers of bottles) it is often difficult to predict demand. ‘Transvasage’ is therefore the process used for filling large bottles of traditional method sparkling wines, using wine from standard sized bottles that have already aged on lees and been disgorged. Henry explains that “we thought it was really important to be able to offer this service in the UK. Large format bottles can make a real statement for a brand or for special occasions.” Defined Wine have also been appointed agents of AIRD winery cleaning products. Defined therefore stock a range of their products: ‘Cleanskin’, ‘Destainex’, ‘Linvasan’ and ‘Oak restorer’. As Henry said: “AIRD are well known and highly rated by winemakers who have <<
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DEFINED WINE << worked in New World wineries, particularly in Australia and it seemed a shame they were not available here, especially as they mean using fewer toxic chemicals and less water – so are more sustainable. When we were approached by AIRD we were therefore happy to stock them and we have brought in a pallet, although with the Suez blockage and other delays last year it took almost six months for it to arrive!” ‘Linvasan’ is a low odour, user friendly and ready to use sanitiser as an alternative to
peracetic acid. ‘Cleanskin’ is effective at removing tartrates and does not need neutralising after use, saving water. ‘Destainex’ is AIRD’s most popular general cleaner and sanitiser being safe to handle and non-tainting and ‘Oak Restorer’ is great for cleaning barrels.
Summary
Overall, Defined Wine clearly work closely with the people they make wine for, helping them through all stages of the process.
Henry is optimistic about the future for English and Welsh wine “as more consumers start to realise the quality of wine that is being made on their doorstep. The key challenges I see for growers are ripeness and yields and for brands, differentiating themselves from others in an increasingly crowded market. There is a lot of room for growth as England and Wales currently produce less than 1% of the wine drunk in the UK but it will take lots of work” he concludes.
> Head winemaker Nick Lane and Operations Winemaker Poppy Seeley tasting in the lab
SERVICES ◆ Winemaking: Crate-to-Case ◆ Filtration
◆ Pressing
◆ Bottling and labelling
◆ Riddling and disgorging
◆ Storage – on the lees and/or finished wines
◆ Cold Stabilisation
◆ Lab services – QR code for more information
◆ Transvasage
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Experienced team Defined is a small team who bring more than 60 years of winemaking experience in the UK, Australia, France, New Zealand and California as well as a range of other expertise.
The Standard
for sustainable hygiene The Standard
CEO: Henry Sugden
After a career in the British Army, working with small companies in Kenya and a stint in the City, Henry set up Defined Wine in late 2018.
Head Winemaker: Nick Lane
Nick was winemaker at Cloudy Bay in New Zealand before spending five years in Champagne with Moet and Dom Perignon before joining Defined during harvest 2020.
The Standard for sustainable Cleanskin, hygiene Destainex
for sustainable hygiene and Linvasan Cleanskin, Destainex and Linvasan now in the UK now in the UK
Available from definedwine.com
INNOVATIONS IN CHEMISTRY
aird.com.au
Cleanskin, Destainex Operations and LinvasanProduction Winemaker: now in the UKManager: Poppy Seeley
Available from definedwine.com
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Pete Brissenden
Poppy has an MSc in Viticulture and Having spent more than 10 years Oenology from Plumpton College in the brewing industry brewing, and completed vintages in Australia, bottling, quality control, logistics California, New Zealand, South Africa and sales, Pete made the switch INNOVATIONS IN CHEMISTRY and the UK before starting at Defined into wine in January 2020. aird.com.au during harvest 2019.
DEFINED WINE
The standard for sustainability in winery hygiene AIRD products have been widely used for many years in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA and are now available in the UK from Defined Wine. Unlike other chemical suppliers to the wine industry, AIRD developed their range of hygiene specialities in consultation with winemakers and they were developed specifically to meet their standards. AIRD promotes the use of fewer chemicals for hygiene by developing solutions that reduce your processing steps, for example the now defunct cold water, “caustic-citric” surface cleaning followed by chlorine sanitise destain. In its early research in the 90’s, and listening to the winemaker’s preferences, AIRD developed Cleanskin, a single alkaline-surfactant chemical to clean and rinse completely from surfaces with a reduced waste-water pH compared to “caustics” with any surface residual aqueous material neutral to wine. Benefits: ◆ No acid neutralisation step. ◆ Cost savings: Water, chemicals, time, electricity, and labour. In a similar vein, Linvasan-P is a tartaric peroxyacid powder no taint sanitiser. Destainex peroxidated powder will clean, destain, oxysanitise microbes, and kill and remove black mould on vertical surfaces without damage.
Oak Restorer will clean/rejuvenate oak barrel internals without tainting or corroding the timber. AIRD has always had a vision to improve the quality of surface hygiene products: ◆ Sustainability – Always provide quality outcomes for wine contact surfaces, environmental effluent, work-safety processes, reduced corrosive effect, no-DG product classifications. ◆ Smarter – AIRD products reduce processes and many consumption inputs, such as water, chemicals, power and process time. ◆ Safer – AIRD products contain globally sourced, high quality ingredients. They are food, worker and equipment safe. ◆ Cleaner – AIRD products contain ingredients that provide an excellent surface clean. AIRD will not compromise on the quality of its inputs and every ingredient contributes to the performance of the product. No ‘fillers’ are used in any product. The company will provide technical support and back up to answer any difficult questions. Do not compromise the quality of your wine!
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A VITICULTURIST 'S DIARY
A view from further away In the third of his series of a ‘A Day in the life of a Viticulturist' series, Sam Doncaster at Rebschule Freytag, in the Pfalz region discusses vineyard establishment. Looking back towards the UK, puts a spotlight on a generally young industry that has held a strong bias towards effective, efficient vineyard establishment services. No doubt there comes a time when people can give more consideration to some rather universal issues like periodic labour shortages, aspects of soil management and perhaps 'what's next… what to plant further?’ The mature vineyard industry of Europe has faced these issues, and for many of years. The results being, in simple terms, to mechanise, to reduce chemical inputs, to give more thought to the results from vine breeding. Germans are great engineers and are ever creative in making new machines and devices, to assist in minimising the effort of vineyard management.
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There has also been less of an adherence to the traditional, as compared to some other places. A strong feeling around environmental issues has ensured an increasingly large proportion of vineyards are either fully certified as organic (or similar) or at the very least people use organic thinking and methods as common practice. Whilst there are concerns, valid too, for an excess of soil 'tillage', (however you might interpret that,) many people will at sometime 'turn the soil over'. This is most often seen directly under the vines, where it can be an effective alternative to the use of herbicide. There are periodic 'inter-row' forms of cultivation that can be managed to offer differing contributions to soil management.
For example, minimising the competition for available soil solution, ie removing the weeds prior to flowering, by discing or ploughing the soil. This carries the benefit of giving an increase in fruit set; weeds being shockers for competing for valuable soil solution at this time. These above activities do not have to be brutal in their actions, where a simple plough can 'lift and roll' just the surface few inches. This effectively 'folds in' a green manure that can be broken down by the ever present soil eco-systems, leaving no direct path to the surface for the moisture to escape through capillary lift. A couple of months later and after a disc harrow passage, a further cover crop can be planted whilst the soil is well warm, and
Sam Doncaster works for Volker and Marion Freytag, of Rebschule Freytag, Lachen-Speyerdorf, Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Pfalz. an over wintering range of plants can be established. Many tractors now carry a range of bits of kit that can do several different jobs, but all in the one passage. If done well, all of the above assists in building up a soils organic matter and microbial activities.
Wire holding clips
It is common to see wire holding clips on occasional posts. These hold the wires further out and thus ensure a high proportion of shoot growth will grow up between them. Then there comes a broader range of time when the wires need lifting and clipping onto the post, which can be a good help in juggling the issues stemming from labour shortages. As do the stem cleaning devices fitted to tractors. But not all stems need so much cleaning these days, or at least not down low, in that difficult to reach area. This being on account of some quite considerable interest in establishing vineyards with high stem vines. These come direct from the nursery, where the graft union is just below the expected head height. While there is an extra expense in using these vines, it has been found that there are savings to be made, and aspects of labour management can be eased as well. With an increasing amount of inter-row cover crops often impeding lower down ventilation, these vines benefit from having their growth well above ground level. The nursery mechanical bud removal from the rootstock should also ensure cleaner stems requiring less attention in years ahead. The trunks are generally straighter as well, and this is a very important factor in any future mechanisation around the vines at a later date for example under vine ploughing.
Machine harvester
Naturally later in the season using a machine harvester to pick the grapes gives substantial benefits. Yes, it can be said that aspects of the 'beating' can give the grapes differing characteristics to that found from hand harvesting and whole cluster pressing. However with experience, like all 'tools', they can be utilised at times or on occasions, or handled in such a manner, that they give genuine benefit. You simply have to learn how to get the best out of them and change some winery thoughts and practices...perhaps. I recently tried a 'Blanc de Noir' as made from free run juice that was separated on the
harvester, ie it had two tanks for the berries and the juice. The wine maker was enthused by this development, and I felt rightly so it was a good wine. (A still table wine.) I do get to taste a range of wines that are new to me. Nurseries are at the forefront of rather futuristic viticultural developments, whilst seeking out new clones and possibly working with vine breeders. Not all new vines have been bred for their possible fungal resistance, though this is a large part of the effort.
Attributes to consider
There are a range of attributes to consider. We have in our nursery office a range of wines that have come back to us from previous vine sales. One such wine holds a '56' on its label, indicating an earlier ripening variety that was grown at the latitude of 56. Recently we despatched vines to Finland, and pallets of vines go to Sweden these days. Last week I was offered a glass of something German grown, so low in acid that it was simply bland. Yet even before the thought formulated in my head, someone across the table said "I wonder what this would be like if it was taken to a cooler climate, ripened later, and held a more bracing 'zip' of acidity". Obviously this is the next step in running field trials for varieties like this. Interestingly the wine tasted well ripened, but had a very low alcohol content.
This opens up the possibility of a cool climate variety that tastes acceptable, whilst might have an even lower sugar accumulation, and thus make a lower alcohol wine? There is a place in the market for a wine like that, (and I do not mean as made by winery manipulation.) Naturally enough, it is the unusually low acid varieties that lend themselves best to 'skin macerated' styles of wine making, and thus in this case, an acceptable orange wine might well be possible. This variety is a white, but we are trialling a range of exceptionally early ripening resistant reds, plus a tangential line of Riesling crossings. In future years what might be interesting are present thoughts around developing late bud burst varieties. These could be so late as to avoid springtime frost and budburst issues, yet grow quickly and ripen early. With more global warming issues yet to come, one thing is probable, there will be an increase in springtime frost issues.
YouTube
Much of what I have touched on above can be found in short 'YouTube' video’s. Admittedly in a range of languages other than English, but you might find sub-titled editions. Better than that, get on over here for a short break. Meet some people whilst attending a village wine festival, or a research group wine tasting. There is much to be learnt from people who have done it all before…
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AGRONOMY DIARY
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Four steps to flowering success
Rob S
Ch
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1. Open up the flowering area
Grape vines are predominantly wind pollinated, so open up the area around the flower clusters to improve airflow for pollination. Doing so also exposes clusters to more ultraviolet sunlight, which can help reduce the risk from diseases such as Botrytis and powdery mildew, and enables better spray coverage in the fruiting zone. Interestingly, pollen beetles may be a useful ally during flowering, as their presence can disturb flowers and pollen, aiding fertilisation. Although beetles are not actively seeking out the pollen, it is often easy to find them covered in it, so there may be some direct transfer occurring too. Avoid controlling with insecticides, unless huge numbers are present; they may be playing a useful, yet unrecognised pollinator role in vineyards.
Where stronger Botrytis protection is needed, consider using a very robust programme applied on a shorter application interval (weekly rather than fortnightly). Alternating chemistry is vital for resistance management, so never use more than two applications of the same botryticide. In a dry season, when flowering is over relatively quickly and disease risk is lower, it may be sufficient to use a broader spectrum fungicide or softer chemistry such as bio-fungicides. It is worth noting that reserving pyrimethanil for late flowering has been shown to help reduce laccase levels in juice, an undesirable enzyme which can cause oxidative spoilage.
2. Optimise nutrition
4. Consider biostimulation
Ensuring vines are adequately nourished is always vital, and critical from flowering to fruit set when the season’s yield potential is being established. Boron is a key micronutrient, often not held well in certain soil types. It plays a central role in pollen tube development and pollen viability, so any deficiency could compromise fertilisation and fruit set. Deficiencies can lead to uneven grape development, known as millerandage; other factors include cold, wet weather at flowering. Boron and calcium, have key roles in protecting vines against Botrytis infection too. Indeed, calcium is key to building resilient cell wall structures and experience has shown balanced calcium feeds containing magnesium and nitrogen, can protect against bunch stem necrosis. Nutrient requirements should ideally be guided by tissue testing of petiole or midrib samples collected at early flowering. With lab results usually available within a week, testing early should leave enough time to address any deficiencies before flowering ends. Following the loss of mancozeb (which contains manganese), Terramap soil analysis combined with tissue testing is highlighting more situations where zinc and manganese levels are sub-optimal. It may also be worth reviewing any nutrient analysis conducted late last season, as it is reasonable to assume that deficiencies detected then may still present an issue.
Nutrient utilisation and fruit set can be enhanced with timely biostimulant use. This is particularly important if trying to get secondary buds to fruit due to losses of primary buds. The flavonoid-based treatment CropBioLife has consistently performed over several years, so is a popular choice among many growers. In challenging seasons, such as 2021 when May and August were wet and dull, we have seen a notable benefit from the relatively new product, Pinot Pro-Flowering, on some sites. The product, based on glycine betaine and yeast extracts, aims to promote more even fruit set and berry maturity in specific varieties (namely Pinot and Chardonnay), which are notorious for uneven development within the bunches. Although the field work was empirical, other varieties such as Bacchus and Seyval responded well too. This can be particularly useful for optimising potential in poor flowering/fruit set conditions and/or for varieties where fruit set or ripening is notoriously poor for no obvious reason. Vivaflor is a new option to the market, requiring an extra application or two over Pro-Flowering. It claims to increase production of flowering hormones (polyamins), thereby improving fertilisation and bunch uniformity, reducing the impact of issues such as millerandage. It is also said to have beneficial activity on enzymes involved in taking up nutrients from the soil.
3. Protect from disease
Flowering – notably caps-off – is a key time to protect vines from potential Botrytis infection, especially if conditions are dull and wet. Poor flowering weather can extend the flowering period potentially from two weeks to three or four weeks, and increase the risk of latent Botrytis infection. Symptoms may not show immediately, but if vines are infected early, Botrytis can lay in wait until fruit starts ripening, when seemingly healthy berries then develop grey rot.
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per Coo
As flowering gets underway, Hutchinsons agronomists Rob Saunders and Chris Cooper offer four tips for optimising pollination and fruit set during this crucial period.
DESKTOP www.hlhltd.co.uk ENVELOPE information@hlhltd.co.uk phone-alt 01945 461177 J U N E 2 0 2 2 | V I N E YA R D
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Joh n
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What is capital tax planning and why is it so important?
B
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John Billings, Senior Partner at Carpenter Box explains the importance of capital tax planning for vineyard and winery owners as part of overall business development planning. Does your business have effective planning in place? It’s a given that most owners in the vineyard and winery industry work incredibly hard ‘in’ your businesses, but how much time do you set aside to work ‘on’ your business? Simply put, we would categorise ‘in’ as the day to day of running an effective operation, as opposed to ‘on’, where we would stress the importance of taking a step away from the operational side focusing on the business strategy and development. In summary, is there an effective business plan in place? Is this plan adjusted to account for changing market conditions?
Specifically, tax planning
Is tax planning part of this overarching business plan? Does it include the broad range of legislation that has come in and will come into force in the future? If not, we would suggest tax planning along with many other ways to plan ahead for the optimised growth of the business as something to be considered sooner, rather than later.
Considering selling?
If selling is something being considered, then we suggest that preparation and planning several years in advance is highly recommended. This will help to maximise the potential value of the business. A key reason behind this is that in the event of a sale of a vineyard and winery business, the most common and optimal position is to pay capital gains tax at the rate of only 10%. This can apply where the sale qualifies for Business Asset Disposal Relief (formerly known as Entrepreneurs Relief). This relief can apply to the first £1m of qualifying gains if you have not previously made use of the relief. The tax rate for gains above this limit is 20%.
increasing amount of activity and consolidation in the marketplace, and there may be some tempting offers made for businesses in the coming years, so early preparation is sensible.
Passing on the business on death
Alternatively, ownership of a vineyard and winery business may wish to be retained for a lifetime, passing it on to the next generation of family. The advantage here is that there should be significant savings in the Inheritance Tax (‘IHT’) the owner would otherwise have to pay on death. If the business was valued at say £1m on death and qualified for Business Relief, the owner would get 100% relief and pay no IHT. In contrast, if the business was sold before death and the deceased had £1m in cash, IHT at 40% would be payable. This assumes the basic IHT reliefs available (e.g., basic nil rate band £325k and residential nil rate band of £175k per person) have been used elsewhere.
A restructure needs careful consideration
There are some huge savings to be made with the right structure in place. Care is needed to ensure that the wrong structure does not accidentally exist preventing the very beneficial relief at 100% from applying. As an example, owning a vineyard related asset personally, which the company uses, may result in only 50% relief being available on the personal asset element. We would strongly recommend that professional advice is sought as early as possible to ensure you get the best outcome for your particular circumstances.
Where should these rates apply?
These rates should apply if all of the business assets are being sold, in a self-employment trade, partnership, or LLP. They should also apply if all of the shares in a trading company in which someone is working are being sold. For minority interest investors in companies that have been successfully structured as EIS companies there may be no tax on the sale of your shares. There are occasions where Business Asset Disposal Relief may not be available, so always take advice from your professional adviser. There is an
VINEYARD FOR SALE
DESKTOP www.carpenterbox.com/vineyards phone-alt 01903 234094
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BIOFUNGICIDE FOR VINES Contains sulphur 825g/L
ZERO RESIDUE BIOCONTROL
• Persistant preventative control of powdery mildew • Advanced liquid formulation • Ideal as a multisite partner • Excellent rainfastness and MRL exempt
www.upl-ltd.com/uk UPL Europe Ltd, Engine Rooms, 1st Floor, Birchwood Park, Warrington, Cheshire WA3 6YN T: +44 (0) 1925 819999 E: info.uk@upl-ltd.com : @upl_uk Mapp No. 19147. THIOPRON is an SC formulation containing 825g/L Sulphur, for use on wheat, barley, oats, rye and triticale, as well as sugar beet and specifi ed soft fruit crops (please see the label for details). Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. Pay attention to risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label. THIOPRON is a registered trademark of UPL. © UPL Europe Ltd 2022.
THE VINE POST
Summer jobs to keep your vineyard tidy This method of training your canopy creates a designated fruit zone and encourages the vines to produce more fruit. Vines naturally want to branch out as far from their roots as possible and only produce fruit as a means to overcoming a disadvantageous locality – for the purpose of dispersing seeds via birds and other animals. Training via VSP creates a regular growth habit for the vines, aids vine health and keeps them producing grapes for the purpose we want – turning into wine! A quick overview of how to create a VSP system: annual cane/cordon pruning; a trellis system that includes a fruiting wire; and two/three pairs of foliage wires
Bud-rubbing and shoot selection
The removal of unwanted shoots from the trunk, bud-rubbing is best done by hand to guarantee a thorough pass through the vineyard. Shoot selection requires selecting the correctly positioned shoots you wish to keep, rather than simply the strongest. A strong shoot doesn’t always equate to a strong bunch of grapes whereas positioning is vital for future pruning. Thinning the shoots also aids an aerated canopy, decreasing humidity and preventing disease.
Tucking in and wire lifting
Tucking in is a simple, but crucial process: simply lift up all the shoots and catch them between the foliage wires to create a hedge shape. The fruit will grow around the fourth and fifth buds so when you raise your first wire, lift it above the fruiting zone. Tuck in and lift as necessary throughout the season.
Vine-Works
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Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP)
Co ns
Keeping your vineyard tidy, uniform and in the best condition ensures you afford your vines the most opportunities for growth and success. As we enter the summer season, there are myriad tasks to complete.
C her r y
Trimming
There are two options to consider: ‘tipping’ or ‘topping’. Tipping is the removal of just the growth tips which will stimulate more vigour whilst topping is the removal of approximately 30cm-50cm with the aim of reining in vigour. Which option you choose depends on the vineyard/block and you may do a mixture of both.
Mowing
This essential task is done for two main purposes: to remove excess vegetation in the vineyard alleyways which decreases the humidity in the first few feet above the ground, (grape level) and to reduce frost risk in Spring. In a maritime climate, the former is vital in combatting disease and the latter is very site-specific. Keeping grass short also reduces competition with the vines.
Undervine weeding
Excessive vegetation under the vines creates competition and is perhaps the worst perpetrator when it comes to humidity in the fruit zone. Various methods exist to combat this: mowing under the vines, herbicide sprays and cultivation. In a no-till system, the first two are viable options – sheep are less inclined to eat what we call weeds. Cultivation under the vines is a method of controlling weeds that involves disturbing the soil, which has the benefit of introducing oxygen to the soil, but a downside of releasing CO2 into the atmosphere. A combination of all three methods in rotation would be ideal for conventional control and tidiness while maintaining a regenerative farming approach to soil health. If you thought there was a quiet time in the vineyard where you get to sit back and wait for the grapes to grow, this checklist should keep you busy throughout the summer months!
Securing canopy with foliage clips
Once your wires have been lifted, there will still be a little slack in the system which means your shoots may hang out and snag on passing machinery. This is counteracted by the use of ‘c’ shape foliage clips. We recommend that foliage clips are placed centrally between the vines in the trellis bay, but not adjacent to the end post. Some growers use two clips per bay on lower wires and three per bay on top wires. Allow a minimum of one clip per vine.
Leaf stripping
It may seem counter-intuitive to remove the vine’s ‘factory centres’, but a leaf takes a month before it helps provide for the vine, but it uses energy until it produces it. A leaf will only produce energy for approximately three months and then creates shade and humidity on your fruit. Removing the oldest leaves promotes aeration of the fruit, increases sun exposure, (which aids ripening) and helps spray penetration. Depending on your row orientation, you should leaf strip the east side first as the morning sun will dry the dew off the fruit.
DESKTOP www.vine-works.com ENVELOPE sales@vine-works.com phone-alt 01273 891777
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CANOPY MANAGEMENT
Most viticultural tasks, including pruning, canopy management and harvest are time sensitive with high labour requirements. With rising labour costs, and labour shortages, many producers are increasingly looking to machines for these essential practices. Mechanisation can offer timeliness and cost benefits, but it must be executed effectively. Jo Cowderoy finds out the advantages and challenges of mechanisation for canopy management. > De-Leafer single side
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oy er
By hand or machine?
Jo Cow d
“Labour is not only expensive but also becoming harder to find, so mechanisation and automation will help growers stay in business,” commented Luca Brillante, Bronco Wine Co. Chair in Viticulture and Assistant Professor, Department of Viticulture and Enology, California State University. “In fact, it is now well known that grapevines respond well to mechanised practices,” Luca Brillante added. Vineyard mechanisation may reduce the need for labour – especially seasonal manual labour – but it also changes the calibre of vineyard staff required as operatives, managers or contractors need to have the skills and the experience necessary to set up and use the equipment effectively.
Equipment available
Mechanisation may not be suitable for all vineyard businesses, so capital costs and other Photos: Vitifruit Equipment
options need careful consideration. “Depending on scale of the vineyard, it’s important to consider mechanisation, but it may be hard to justify for a one or two hectare vineyard and maybe more appropriate for an area of five hectares or more. However, it is possible to get cheaper equipment that might make mechanisation worthwhile for a smaller vineyard- the operation may just be slower,” explained Joel Jorgensen, Viticulture Director, Vinescapes Ltd. “Most modern machines are capable of doing what is done by hand but at a greater speed thus reducing costs per hectare. However, the capital costs may be prohibitive, so contractors or machine hire should be considered,” commented David Sayell, Technical Advisor to Vitifruit Equipment. “Leaf wall trimming and topping equipment is already fairly commonplace in the UK, mechanical leaf removal is increasingly being used, and now we are starting to see canopy lifting and tucking in machines – however, personally, I have concerns about the disposal of the plasticised twine used when it is removed at the end of the season,” said Joel Jorgensen. “There are viable solutions for mechanical sucker removal,” commented Dr Glen Creasy, Viticulturist at Sabrosia SAS and Vigneron at Terre des 2 Sources, France. In fact, we're using one on our vineyard now. It is a great time saver and means that the manual labour to do this, or herbicide use (contact herbicides to kill the suckers after selective spraying) can be eliminated. “Mechanised shoot positioning and thinning systems exist, but these usually require specialised trellising systems, and they are not especially selective. However, they could be a viable option if the need is great enough. Until the development of cost-effective robots that can do lateral thinning and selective leaf removal (fruit removal and more) - options will be limited,” Glen Creasy added. “Tucking in machines such as the Provitis PA5000 enable summer canopy lifting and tying in to replace manual wire lifting – and it’s a fast operation with a tractor. Of course, winter operations are vastly sped up with pre-pruning and cane pulling machines,” commented David Sayell. “It's imperative that experienced operators are encouraged to join the industry as they are sadly lacking. In my experience, as a supplier of machinery, it is often the case that far too much time is spent teaching tractor drivers how to use a tractor let alone the equipment they buy or hire. If growers wish to compete on price and quality with wine producers from around the world they must ‘tool up’ and ‘staff up’ to the same level of competence. “When assessing future purchases of equipment take time to consider operator comfort and ease
of use. Well-designed kit may be expensive to purchase initially but it will pay in the long run by increased output, timeliness, fewer breakdowns, a better quality job in the vineyard and a contented well motivated operator,” David added.
Advantages of mechanised operations
There can be many advantages to be gained from mechanisation, in the right situation. “Less costs and easier operations - as there is no need to manage a crowd of workers,” commented Luca Brillante. “There is also the timeliness of operation – at the right phenological time. It’s faster, which is useful when the time window is small – for example with rain forecasted. Also, with new technology operations can be more precise and adapted according to location of the machine in the field (variable rate) or plant size, with savings on inputs like fertilisers or sprays.” “A large vineyard may need so many workers that mechanisation of tasks could cover the machinery investment quite quickly,” explained Joel Jorgensen. “Using the example of leaf removal – one worker may achieve 800-900 vines in a day, but a mechanical leaf remover will do five to seven hectares a day. This also means that timing of leaf removal can be more precise. “As well as the financial benefits, another significant benefit of mechanisation is that one operator across the whole vineyard area will likely achieve more uniformed results compared to a large team of workers. “Although precision viticulture does not necessarily need mechanisation or clever technology, it can support a good vineyard manager as it speeds up the data collection. This can result in better timing and more informed decision making,” added Joel. “Increased mechanisation can give improved flexibility, especially when operations can take place at night, which might be beneficial from a timeliness aspect – for example, trimming or leaf removal before a spray is to be applied. It is also, invariably, quicker to do these jobs mechanically, especially when you take into account how much vineyard row can be worked on a per-person basis. The increased capital outlay can be an issue, however,” commented Glen Creasy. David Sayell agreed: “Timeliness – and being able to cover large areas quickly when weather and soil conditions are favourable; you can also make best use of limited labour resources.”
Impact on crop quality and yield
Mechanisation can optimise crop yield and quality, depending on production goals and the skills of the vineyard manager. “Mechanisation can result in an increase in crop loads, especially when the best timing can be achieved for tasks such as trimming and leaf removal,” <<
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<< explained Joel Jorgensen. “Trimming results in uniformity of shoot length – if the number of leaves per shoot is similar and each shoot should be able to provide for its own fruit and it is easier to optimise yield. Also, correct timing and degree of leaf removal can benefit fruit set. Plus, some of the mechanical leaf removers will blow away detritus and caps – discouraging Botrytis. Opening the fruit zone improves sunlight, air movement, reduces humidity and improves the effectiveness of plant protection products – all helping to achieve a clean, healthy, disease free, quality crop,” Joel continued. There are both positives and negatives, according to Glen Creasy: “Take leaf removal and even side trimming as an example; with some systems, berries and clusters can be damaged by the mechanical operation, leading to poor ripening, especially if the shoot carrying the cluster has been trimmed too close to the cluster – or to the possible entry of fungal disease organisms. With hand crews, this is much less likely to occur,” Glen added.
> Bud rubber
> Canopy tucking and tying in
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Disadvantages of mechanised operations
Mechanisation can provide efficiencies in production, but there are limitations to operational effectiveness. “Mechanisation demands quality staff with practical experience and a thorough grounding in tractor driving and implement operations and inexperienced staff are a big disadvantage,” commented David Sayell. “You need skilled tractor drivers and operators of the machinery that also have a good understanding of the principles of the task,” agreed Joel Jorgensen. “For example, trimming is more than keeping the canopy tidy - its timing impacts the crop. So, the decisions on trimming will depend on the vineyard managers calculations of leaf to fruit ratios, canopy height and thickness, leaf layer numbers, and the ratio of mature to young leaves - understanding their source or sink roles,” Joel added. “Machines are not as selective as a well-trained hand crew,” commented Glen Creasy. “There are always going to be areas where there is too much removed or not enough. This is true with a hand crew, too, but overall, the quality of the job should be better with well-trained people – that also have enough time to do the job correctly. Some things cannot, at this point, be done by machine for example the removal of interior leaves only. However, with the introduction of robots, this may be possible without the use of people in the future. There is the up-front cost of equipment to consider too,” added Glen. Luca Brillante agreed: “Machines are non-selective and cannot adapt to variable conditions, so they work the best in uniform vineyards. Although this is changing with new technologies.”
CANOPY MANAGEMENT “Planting density is also a consideration, as it is hard to mechanise a tightly spaced vineyard,” explained Joel. “A small tractor with a doublesided trimmer would be quite a weight over the root zone. If planning a vineyard that will be mechanised, it’s important to consider row spacing and ways to avoid compacting the root zone,” he added.
Environmental considerations
“I have some concerns with increased mechanisation as more tractor use means more passes over the soil and more diesel,” commented Joel Jorgensen. “Electric tractors are on their way, but not yet widely commercial – they will be brilliant, but of course still use energy. In the meantime, the newer diesel engines are cleaner and better, as are their gear boxes and engine management systems – improving efficiency. “The best practice is to be very considered and make data-driven informed decisions with regards to tractor tasks to avoid unnecessary passes and reduce environmental impact – and save costs,” Joel added. David Sayell added: “Use a tractor with modern emission control. Select an appropriate engine speed and gear.” “There are many opportunities to do multiple operations per pass – mowing and trimming at
the same time, for example,” suggested Glen Creasy. “Also reduce impact by using appropriately sized equipment and tractors for the job. Consider using renewable fuels so there is no net carbon release into the atmosphere. If climate-friendly electricity is available for purchase, then electric tractors will also be an option – eventually.” Glen added. “I do not really see a problem,” stated Luca Brillante, “as there is not necessarily a large increase in passes with mechanical operations, as there can be in organic production, for example.”
Saving the soil
“It’s important to closely monitor soil compaction in the three zones – under vine, mid-alley and under tyre,” commented Joel
<<
> De-Leafer
<<
> Provitis de-Leafer
> Trimmer
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CANOPY MANAGEMENT << Jorgensen. “Good vineyard design, with appropriate row width will help to reduce compaction in the root zone. If possible, use a smaller lighter tractor for some tasks, such as mowing – or even a ride on mower – reserving the heavier tractor when more horsepower is needed. Also consider using low impact tyres or tracks. Glen Creasy said: “Use the largest feasible tyre size to spread the weight over a greater area, and the same with wheeled attachments. Automatic inflation and deflation equipped tyres can lower tyre pressure when driving on soil but can be raised when the tractor needs to be driven faster – or use tracks instead of wheels. Cover crops helps to increase the mechanical robustness of the soil, and avoid using tractors when the ground is wet, if possible.”
Vineyard design – key considerations
Preparation for vineyard mechanisation ideally starts before planting and uniformity is key, with consideration of row spacing, headlands, trellis design and well drained soils. “Row width needs to suit the size of tractor to be used, so that compaction of the root zone can be minimised,” advised Joel Jorgensen. “Ensure that the headlands are wide enough,
> Multi Brush – strims weeds and bud rubs
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and level, for turning tractors with attachments, that anchors and cables are out of the way, and that the canopy wires are properly tensioned to avoid getting caught in machinery. “I have come across a lot of new entrants to viticulture who are at the mercy of the tractor salesperson, who doesn’t necessarily understand the requirements for viticulture. A vineyard owner needs to think about the longer-term tractor activities and equipment needed. In a young vineyard a tractor may only be required to mow, or do other tasks with a low power requirement, but a few years later the tractor will need the power for trimmers or leaf removal – a tractor with a much higher ‘spec’. This higher ‘spec’ will involve the hydraulics, pumps, joystick, and other controls, as well as power and energy efficiencies achieved with engine management systems,” Joel continued. “Uniformity, consistency and close tolerances are needed – as mechanisation does not play nicely with variations around what is expected,” commented Glen Creasy. “Inconsistent row widths play havoc with multiple-row equipment. Slanted vineyard posts – more likely in areas with high winds where narrow steel posts are used compared to wooden ones – can be an issue also. Trunks and shoots out of alignment will not last long,” said Glen.
The future
“I think we will have reasonably widespread use of robotic vineyard machines within 15 years. It's probably just a few years until we get to the point where useful robotic machines are available for purchase – but at exorbitant prices!” Commented Glen Creasy. “The machines should be polyvalent and a machine, or a combination of a few machines, will be able to do pretty much any activity a human can do now. Their accuracy may not be as high as a person with experience, but they will have a place and allow work to be done around the clock. Cost of purchase will be an issue, but I suspect there will be a leasing programme to start the ‘tech’ off. Battery life will be a problem until some of the newer technologies come into play, though it will probably be feasible to install electric supply lines into the vineyard itself so that machines can work from mains electricity while in the vineyard, or use induction charging,” Glen added. Luca Brillante agreed: “Robotic cultivation and spraying is a reality, robotic pruners are being developed, robotic harvesting as well!” “I expect it will be many years yet before we see commercial robots. Most machines require constant vigilance from the driver so welldesigned machines with good operators seem a safer bet for many years to come,” added David Sayell.
GRAPE GROWING
Getting back to the future for disease control in vines > UK trial in Cucurbits, 2021
100
Untreated Thiopron SC 2475g S/ha
% powdery mildew infection
Elemental sulphur is thought to be the oldest fungicide used in agriculture, with Homer in 1000BC describing it as a ‘pest-averting substance with its properties of divine and purifying fumigation’. In fact, recent research has confirmed plants have been using sulphur as a fungicide for even longer than we have, with research published in Nature1 demonstrating that cacao plants purposefully incorporate elemental sulphur into xylem tissue as a phytoalexin in response to verticillium attacks. Similar mechanisms have been discovered in Solanaceae, Fabaceae and Brassica families with the clever plant defence strategy now thought to be widespread2. In the current day where billion-dollar R&D programmes produce a conveyer belt of hi-tech synthetic crop protection products that appear and disappear in the, relatively speaking, blink of an eye it is incredible that sulphur continues to grow in its relevance as a multi-site, MRL exempt, broad spectrum fungicide. The mode of action of sulphur when applied as a foliar application is to this day a contested topic, however the most convincing research shows activity on fungal spores by a process of sublimation. Sublimation is an unusual physiological process where a solid substance transforms to a gas without first passing through a liquid phase. Sulphur sublimates upon landing on leaf surfaces and its vapours react with atmospheric hydrogen to create hydrogen sulphide. It is this gas which creates a toxic environment around the leaf surface, preventing fungal spores from infecting cell walls. The Achilles heel to sulphur has always been its highly hydrophobic properties, making it easily washed off leaves thereby requiring repeated applications. Furthermore, typical fertiliser grade sulphur is milled to a large particle size, perfect for nutritional uptake but resulting in poor layering on the leaf surface allowing for gaps in coverage and inconsistent sublimation. To this end, UPL have in recent years developed an innovative liquid sulphur ‘Thiopron’, optimised for fungicidal activity with micro granulised particles, modern adjuvants and advanced sticking agents to improve rain fastness and efficacy. The impact on disease control has been dramatic, with increased performance being seen while using around 40% less grams of active ingredient per hectare.
75
Sulphur WDG 4000g S/ha
50
25
0 0
7 14 Days after application
One of the few crop protection products with vines approved on label, Thiopron acts as a multisite, protectant fungicide for use against powdery mildew. Keeping perennial crops free of powdery mildew prevents a year on year build up as the disease is highly effective at overwintering in latent spores hiding in bark cracks. The disease can cause severe defoliation if left unchecked, reducing a vine’s ability to photosynthesise and increase fruit sugars. Powdery mildew also acts as a sensitiser, opening the door to more severe infections from downy mildew or Botrytis. With recent showers and overcast days creating a humid, warm environment followed by another forecasted dry spell it is likely we will imminently
> Untreated
21
see primary infections. Once primary infection has occurred the disease cycles every 7-10 days, regular monitoring and sequential applications are vital to keeping on top of the disease. Thiopron complements UPL’s other biological phytoalexin ‘laminarin’ which the company hopes to register in vines around 2024 as well as its biostimulant ‘Vivaflor’ for health during flowering.
Cooper RM, Resende MLV, Flood J, Rowan MG, Beale MH, Potter U, 1996. Detection and cellular localization of elemental sulphur in disease resistant genotypes of Theobroma cacao. Nature 379, 159-62 2 The oldest fungicide and newest phytoalexin – a reappraisal of the fungitoxicity of elemental sulphur. J.S. Williams and R.M. Cooper. Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath. Plant Pathology (2004 53, 263-279) Cooper et al, 1996 Nature 1
> Thiopron SC 2475g S/ha
> Sulphur WDG 4000g S/ha
DESKTOP www.upl-ltd.com ENVELOPE info.uk@upl-ltd.com phone-alt Miles Taylor 07776 965801 J U N E 2 0 2 2 | V I N E YA R D
57
WINEMAKING
ru
m
n pto
Cleaning and sanitising
M a rk C
It’s a dirty job but someone’s got to do it! There’s a common saying bandied around among winemakers that 80% of great winemaking is cleanliness. It is the least glamorous part of winemaking but essential to the process, keeping microbes in check by removing areas of deposit. It is important to manage on an ongoing basis. It is particularly important to clean machinery, pipes and tanks that have not been used pre-harvest first through the removal of the deposits and detritus that can allow microbes to grow and secondly by sanitising the cleaned equipment, reducing microbe cell counts to an acceptable limit. It is critical to note that cleaning agents carry a high safety risk due to their nature, so it is important to wear appropriate PPE when using the products and maintain good health and safety practices in the winery.
Cleaning agents
Traditional surfactants, traditionally alkaline
58
based, modify the pH of the liquid and will disrupt the surface tension between the liquid and the solid allowing the solid build up to be dissolved in the liquid water. The particles are then dispersed in the liquid and can then be removed through rinsing. Typically these compounds are also aggressive and can damage seals and attack metals as well as the deposits so have to be used with caution. Enzymatic cleaning agents function in a similar way, breaking down the cell walls and deposits allowing deep cleaning with oxidative power without damaging the filtering materials. A new range of Decapol, Deepclean, Extralife and Stone clear are now available to use with filtration devices allowing good cleaning protocols to be followed without the risk of traditional surfactants. Enzymatic detergent specifically formulated to act on the organic residues that remain in the filtering units after wine filtration. The enzymatic
cocktail allows a deep clean without changing the structure of the filtering materials. Its high oxidative power (300 ppm at 1%) boosts the elimination of the tannin and polyphenolic residues from red wine filtration.
Sanitising agents
Decapoxy 5 is a peracetic acid, PAA; CH3CO3H which efficiently kills microbes at low doses and has low levels of residual concentration while breaking down to a harmless form of acetic acid, oxygen and water. The mechanism is the same as hydrogen peroxide oxidising organic material and disrupting protein structures but has a higher oxidative capacity rapidly breaking down a plethora of organisms including moulds, bacteria, yeast and algae. Maintaining good winery hygiene is critical to making good wine and frequent cleaning makes life a lot easier than leaving the cleaning to the last minute.
DESKTOP www.berlinpackaging.co.uk phone-alt 07805 081677 ENVELOPE Mark.Crumpton@berlinpackaging.com
// Products DECAPOL® ACTIF
Decontaminator, detergency activator
DECAPOL® CHLORÉ
Cleanser – Chlorinated Alkaline
DECAPOL® DEEPClean
Enzymatic detergent specifically formulated to act on the organic residues that remain in the filtering units after wine filtration
DECAPOL® EXTRALife
DECAPOL® EXTRALife Enzymatic detergent specifically formulated to act on the organic residues that remain in the filtering units aſter wine filtration. ◆ Its enzymatic cocktail allows a deep clean without changing the structure
of the fi ltering materials. Its high oxidative power boosts the elimination of the tannin and polyphenolic residues from red wine fi ltration. ◆ DECAPOL® EXTRALife does not contain surfactants in its formulation,
therefore it can be used to clean fi lter cartridges.
◆ This product is particularly adapted to be used on a daily basis when
performing simple cleaning. Also it can be used in combination with other products from the range, DECAPOL® DEEPClean and/or DECAPOL® STONEClear in case of rigorous unclogging or in fi lter regeneration programs (Please refer to the LAFFORT® protocol for use).
DECAPOL® DEEPClean
Enzymatic detergent specifically formulated
Enzymatic detergent specifically formulated to act on the organic residues that remain in the filtering units aſter wine filtration.
to act on the organic residues that remain in
◆ Its enzymatic cocktail allows a deep clean without changing the structure
the filtering units after wine filtration
DECAPOL® H Acid descaler
DECAPOL® STONEClear
of the fi ltering materials. Its moderate oxidative power and the presence of surfactants in its formula result in an optimal contact between the active ingredients and the contaminants. ◆ It can be used weekly to regenerate the membranes after white wine
fi ltration and/or as a complement to DECAPOL® EXTRALife when dealing with severe clogging.
◆ This enzymatic detergent is specific to crossflow fi lters, not recommended
to be used on fi lter cartridges unless authorised by the membrane supplier regarding the usage of surfactants (Please refer to the LAFFORT® protocol for use).
Detergent based on dispersing and chelating agents, specifically formulated to act on mineral residues susceptible to clog membrane filtering systems
DECAPOXY 5 Disinfectant (Peroxyacid)
DECATARTRE LIQUIDE Cleanser and descaler
P3-ALCODES Disinfectant without rinsing
DECAPOL® STONEClear Detergent based on dispersing and chelating agents, specifically formulated to act on mineral residues susceptible to clog membrane filtering systems. ◆ It is used on crossflow fi lters as well as on fi lter
cartridges, to treat deposits of silica, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese or calcium, with high affi nity. ◆ Using DECAPOL® STONEClear after treatments with
DECAPOL® EXTRALife and/or DECAPOL® DEEPClean with the regeneration and unclogging protocols for fi ltration systems. (Please refer to the LAFFORT® protocol for use).
59
Representing you Working in partnership with Vineyard magazine for a developing UK wine industry. WineGB is the national trade body representing the vine growers and winemakers of Great Britain from the largest producers to small hobbyists. Our members work together with the organisation to develop strategy, expertise and marketing opportunities for long-term, sustainable success.
> Susie Barrie MW
60
There is a stellar line-up of judges joining the team at this year’s WineGB Awards. Open exclusively to WineGB members, the WineGB Awards is the national competition for the English and Welsh wine industry. Organised and run by WineGB, the aim and purpose of the awards is to demonstrate the quality, consistency, and variety of our wines. Joining the judging panel this year alongside co-chairs – leading wine experts, writers and presenters Susie Barrie MW and Oz Clarke OBE – are: Hamish Anderson, wine columnist and CEO of Tate Eats; wine writer and presenter Aleesha Hansel; Luke Harbour, head sommelier of The Pig in the South Downs; Matthew Horsley, wine buyer for England and Wales at The Wine Society; drinks journalist, author and presenter Alice Lascelles; TV presenter columnist and author Helen McGinn; and Rebecca Palmer, wine buyer at Corney & Barrow. This year, the wines will be judged at Exton Park in Hampshire from 13 to 16 June. Medal winners will be announced on 24 June, during English Wine Week, with an Awards Celebration and trophy presentation planned for 15 July.
@winegb @Wine_GB @winegb @winegb
If you are interested in wine production in the UK find out more about WineGB and join us. Visit our website www.winegb.co.uk
Photos: Tom Gold Photography
WineGB Awards
facebook-f twitter INSTAGRAM linkedin-in
> Oz Clarke OBE
London Wine Fair WineGB membership entitles you to a range of discounts from industry suppliers and service providers including BevTech, Fast LLP, The Wine & Spirit Education Trust, Vine Care UK and WBC. For more information email Phoebe@winegb.co.uk
This year’s London Wine Fair (7-9 June) will see the largest number of producers from England and Wales on show. WineGB is hosting a UK Wine Pavilion which will feature a number of individual producers together with a meeting space. WineGB is delighted to be working closely with the London Wine Fair team to help its members gain access to UK buyers across the on-trade and off-trade spectrum. With plenty of focus on the British drinks scene at this year’s fair, wines from the UK are set to have a busy three days at one of the key events on the wine trade calendar.
KEY DATES 25 May WineGB AGM
2-4 June Queen’s Platinum Jubilee social media campaign
4-11 June Welsh Wine Week 7-9 June London Wine Fair – visit WineGB on Stand number DB60 13-16 June WineGB Awards Judging 18-26 June English Wine Week
English Wine Week There’s still time to get involved in English Wine Week – it falls in a month of non-stop festivities. After the celebrations of the Jubilee, where we’ll be encouraging everyone to raise a glass of English or Welsh wine to the Queen, English Wine Week this year will be continuing the theme of celebration and encouraging people to visit a vineyard or pick up a bottle from a local store and picnic outside. During the week we’ll be toasting the winners of the WineGB Awards with the announcement of the medal winners on 24 June. With the return of Glastonbury and the summer sporting season, what better way to enjoy all that the British summer brings than with a bottle or two of English wine. To find out more about how you can get involved please visit the WineGB website (trade or if you are a member, the members’ area) or contact julia@winegb.co.uk
JOIN WINEGB
phone-alt 01858 467792 office@winegb.co.uk globe-asia www.WineGB.co.uk 61 J U N E 2 0 2 2 | V I N E YA R D
MACHINERY
Massey Ferguson launches new 3 Series Speciality tractors Delivering the perfect choice for every sector. Massey Ferguson, is proud to announce the introduction of its latest MF 3 Speciality Series. This comprehensive new range includes six variants designed specifically to provide the dimensions, specifications and power that precisely match the particular demands of each specialist sector. Equipped to a high standard, MF 3 Speciality Series tractors deliver exactly the right features for straightforward, comfortable operation and optimum performance with low running costs. “High value crops, often cultivated in tight spaces and on difficult terrain present particular challenges for growers. MF 3 Speciality Series tractors offer a range of features that are specially tailored to meet the exact requirements for each cropping situation. At the same time they also offer operators much greater comfort and ease of use,” said Jérôme Aubrion, Director Marketing Massey Ferguson, Europe & Middle East.
Specialists for every sector
The MF 3 Specialist Series includes six different versions, with a new top, 120hp model
62
available for all the variants apart from MF 3GE and MF 3AL models. The full range offers models with cabs or a platform, a choice of transmissions including a new 30F/15R Eco as well as the option of Essential or Efficient specification. MF 3VI – Vineyard – for use in traditional narrow vineyards. Five models from 75hp to 120hp, from 1.00m wide and with cab as standard. MF 3SP – Specialised – for more open vineyards with a slightly wider chassis and a more spacious cab. Five models from 75hp
to 120hp, from 1.25m wide and with cab as standard. MF 3FR – Fruit – for use in extensive vineyards and fruit orchards. A more substantial tractor with a wider front axle and a more spacious cab. Five models from 75hp to 120hp, from 1.45m wide and available with cab or platform. MF 3WF – Wide Fruit – a wider, stable tractor for use in orchards, hillside vineyards and livestock operations. Five models from 75hp to 120hp, from 1.70m wide and available with cab or platform.
MF 3GE – Ground Effect – A low profile model for use under trees, in polytunnels and in canopied vineyards, equipped with a wider front axle for greater stability. Four models from 75hp to 105hp, from 1.40m wide and equipped with an operator platform. MF 3AL – Alpine – a versatile, strong and stable tractor for use on hills and challenging terrain. Four models from 75hp to 105hp, from 1.70m wide, available with a low-profile or flatfloor cab. At 1.40m wide, the high specification cab brings big tractor features to the compact and powerful MF 3AL.
Essential and Efficient
Two specification packages and a range of options enable owners to further tailor their MF 3 Speciality tractor to improve comfort and convenience as well as suit their crops and operations. Entry level ‘Essential’ models are equipped with a mechanical transmission, 93 litre/min dual pump hydraulic system and mechanical linkage control. This can be supplemented by
a range of further options, including Electric Linkage control (ELC) and a PowerShuttle and Speedshift transmission. ‘Efficient’ versions include a 120 litre/min triple-pump hydraulic system, Electric Linkage control (ELC), PowerShuttle and Speedshift transmission as well as a multi-function joystick and four electro-hydraulic spool valves. Additional options include Cat 4 cab filtration, joystick control for rear linkage offset and levelling as well as a front linkage and pto and front loader package.
Transmission choice expands
Transmission choice starts with a straightforward and easy to use 15F/15R version with mechanical shuttle. The addition of a mechanical splitter increases the ratios to 30F/15R, providing a much wider speed choice to match the work and operations. Optimum control and comfort is provided by the addition of the easy to use, electrohydraulically operated Speedshift, gear splitter and PowerShuttle. This also comes with Comfort Control, which adjusts the sensitivity allowing operators to set how quickly or slowly the shuttle responds.
High hydraulic performance
MF 3 Series tractors are equipped with either a dual-pump or triple-pump hydraulic system, depending on specification. Both provide ample flow and pressure to power a wide range of modern equipment. For Essential models there is a choice of two
or three mechanical spool valves, with the option to provide up to five spool valves with two switches on the levers. Efficient versions come with four electrohydraulic spool valves. An optional diverter valve enables the use of up to six spool valves, selected using switches on the multi-function joystick control.
Cost effective 75hp models
Entry-level, 75hp MF 3 Speciality tractors are powered by the latest 3.4 litre, Stage V, four-cylinder engine. Like the more powerful models, they are also available with the same choice of Essential or Efficient specification packages. Massey Ferguson has retained the use of wellproven components, which deliver renowned reliability as well as keeping down the costs in this highly competitive sector. Operators will, however, appreciate the updated air-suspended seat. All 75hp MF 3 Speciality tractors come with a choice of transmissions to suit different applications and levels of investment. These range from a practical 12F/12R fully mechanical transmission up to a 24F/24R with PowerShuttle and Speedshift. There is also the option to choose between the 120 litres/min triple-pump or dual-pump 93 litres/min hydraulic systems. There is also a wide choice of spool valve configurations and optional mid-mounted spools or couplers. In common with the rest of the range, the 75hp models follow Massey Ferguson’s new family style, with the latest modern styling, its smart sabre design and grey cab and roof.
Models
Width
Operator environment
Power
MF 3VI
from 1.00m
Cab
75hp - 120hp
MF 3SP
from 1.25m
Cab
75hp -120hp
MF 3FR
from 1.45m
Cab / Platform
75hp - 120hp
MF 3WF
from 1.70m
Cab / Platform
75hp - 120hp
MF 3GE
from 1.40m
Platform
75hp – 105hp
MF 3AL
from 1.70m
Low profile cab / Flat floor cab
75hp - 105hp
J U N E 2 0 2 2 | V I N E YA R D
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Equipment for Vineyards
HARVEST CONTRACTOR Our company has over 10 years experience with mechanical grape harvesting. We harvest nearly 600 hectares of vineyards each year. Our harvester is a high quality ERO 7000 machine with the new selection table.
Benefits: • Harvest a bigger area in a short time • With the destemmer and the new selection table we get a perfect grape quality • You can harvest vineyards when they’re in the third year • Unloading into grapeboxes
■ ■ ■ ■
Cultivators Vine Trimmers Soil Aerators Hedge Cutters
Your contractor for grape harvest. In partnership with VINES DIRECT LTD
Lohnunternehmen Lukas Klein
Purchase direct from the UK Importer:
Saint-georges-Straße 4 | 67245 Lambsheim | Germany t: 01892 890364 • e: info@lameng.com Lamberhurst Engineering Ltd • Priory Farm Parsonage Lane • Lamberhurst • Kent TN3 8DS
www.lameng.com
Email: lohnunternehmen-klein@gmx.de Mobile: +49 (0) 15142358410
YOUR SPECIALIST TRACTOR AND MACHINERY DEALERSHIP
64
Avon Works, Cranbrook, TN17 2PT • 01580 712200 • sales@npseymour.co.uk • www.npseymour.co.uk J U N E 2 0 2 2 | V I N E YA R D
MACHINERY
Unique opportunity to see latest technology > Claire Seymour
> The NP Seymour team
Last month, the UK’s leading specialist tractor and machinery dealership NP Seymour held an open day allowing fruit and vine growers an opportunity to see the breadth of equipment and latest technology on offer. Around 100 orchard and vineyard owners, managers and operators visited the Avon Works site near Cranbrook, Kent, to catch up with the family-run team, as well as several representatives from the industry-leading manufacturers NP Seymours work with, including Agrofrost, Braun, Clemens, Felco, Fendt, Innovate UK, Pessl Instruments, and Perfect van Wamel. Since Nick Seymour started the business in
1974, NP Seymour has become well-known for supplying horticultural and viticultural customers with the very best machinery solutions. A selection of new and used equipment was on display, with visitors particularly drawn to the impressive lineup of Fendt 200 VPF Gen3 Vario tractors, the range of ERO vine trimmers with the new VitiPulse Combi, the selection of variable-width mowers from Fischer, the mechanical weeding solutions from Braun and Clemens, and the OCLL NPA directional sprayer. “We wanted to showcase the breadth of the different makes and models of state-of-the-art machinery and parts and services that we
offer to the fruit, viticulture, and hop-growing sectors,” said Claire Seymour, director at NP Seymour. “It’s been wonderful to hear from those who attended our event; how visiting our site helped them gain a true understanding of the many different services and pieces of equipment we offer.” After wandering around the array of new and used machinery, guests were able to sit and relax in the sun, chatting with fellow growers and members of the NP Seymour team while enjoying a selection of Kentish drinks from Chapel Down, Biddenden Vineyards, and Cellar Head, plus a hog roast from MB Farms in Stockbury, Kent.
For more information on kitting your vineyard out with the very best machinery solutions, please contact NP Seymour on 01580 712200.
65
Vitifruit Equipment Sales and Hire
BOISSELET WEED CONTROL
SPRAYERS
MOWERS & MULCHERS
LEAF PLUCKERS
ONE PASS SEEDING
VINE TRIMMERS
www.vitifruitequipment.co.uk /vitifruitequipment
vitifruitequipment@sky.com
01732 866567
Stock machines available Working widths from 1.6m Side discharge options
COVERING COVERINGKENT, KENT,SUSSEX, SUSSEX SURREY, SURREY, HAMPSHIRE HAMPSHIRE AND AND BERKSHIRE BERKSHIRE
KUHN READY TO TOGO! GO! KUHNFLAIL FLAIL MOWERS MOWERS IN STOCK READY SIZES FROM FROM 1.6M 1.6M UNIQUESIDE SIDE DISCHARGE DISCHARGE MACHINES UNIQUE MACHINESALSO ALSOIN INSTOCK STOCK
HAYNES AGRICULTURAL LTD.
66 J U N E 2 0 2 2 | V I N E YA R D
KUHN OKTOPUS TRAILED SPRAYER
www.haynes-agri.co.uk
Haynes Agri
@Agrimachines
www.haynes-agri.co.uk
@haynesagri
• Galvanized steel fframe RICHARD SMITH 07483 035922 • • • • •
1000L tank capacity Polyethylene tank 2 hydraulic agitators Flow 89L/min 50 Bar Pressure
Summer canopy lifting and tucking in is easily done with this machine. It lifts the branches with two belts, one each side of the row whilst simultaneously paying out two lines of string either side of the row with the driver clipping them together every metre or so with staples to hold the vegetation upright. It saves a lot of manpower and time. One person can average around one hectare per hour. It's normal to pass twice a season, once when the growth is lower and again when higher in the same way as if done traditionally by hand when lifting wires. If wires are already in place it will not disrupt the use of the machine. As the tractor moves forward the wide rubber belts gently lift the branches into the vertical where they are held by the tension of the string as it's paid out and the driver then decides how often he should press the button and staple the
rd Witt
DESKTOP www.vitifruitequipment.co.uk phone-alt 01732 866567 ENVELOPE vitifruitequipment@sky.com
c ha Ri
Tying in with the Provitis PA 5000
vid Sayell & a D
VITIFRUIT EQUIPMENT
> Shoot tucking in at Bluebell Vineyard two strings together to hold the canopy securely. At the end of the row the two strings are tied off by hand. The belts can be adjusted for their lifting angle, spread width and rotational speed so that a speedy job can be performed effectively with no tearing or damage to the vines. Bluebell Vineyards in Sussex have found the tool particularly useful. A separate tool is
available to hydraulically wind the string onto a spool at the end of the season. The PA 5000 machine is just one of many tools which can be attached to the Provitis mast system including, trimmer, deleafer, pre-pruner, multi-brush bud rubber/under vine weed strimmer, post inserter and the list goes on... this really is a useful system.
Utility vehicles, compact tractors, fertiliser spreaders, sprayers and much more!
Explore the range online at farol.co.uk J U N E 2 0 2 2 | V I N E YA R D
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CONTRACT WINERY Pressing, Bottling, Storage, Disgorging, Distribution, Fully Equipped Lab, and Enartis Agents
CONTACT US AT 01252 279 830
INFO@ITASCAWINES.COM
BUY OUR WINES WWW.PENNCROFTVINEYARDS.COM
